'Up' panel takes on Santorum's attack on 'main-line Protestantism'

On Saturday morning's Up with Chris Hayes, the panel discussed GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum's remarks from a 2008 speech at Ave Maria University in Florida. In the speech, the former Pennsylvania Senator stated his belief that the United States was founded on Judeo-Christian values, but that they were "Protestant values," and that the Protestant church is in decline.

"We look at the shape of mainline Protestantism in this country," said Santirum, "and it is in shambles, it is gone from the world of Christianity as I see it."

The panel, which consisted of The Daily's Reihan Salam, PBS's Maria Hinojosa, author Nancy L. Cohen, and The Nation's Kai Wright, was somewhat taken aback by the statement, given that a huge portion of the GOP base is considered 'mainstream, main-line Protestant."

Cohen pointed out that in truth the bulk of the Republican base is Evangelical Christian, however, who look askance at some churches' decisions to recognize gay marriage and ordain women into the clergy. Hinojosa said she would very much like to see how Santorum's numbers fare among Republican voters in the wake of this controversy.

Watch the clip, embedded via MSNBC, below:

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