>> PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SHOULD

BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE SO SAYS

THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE

INFLUENTIAL EVANGELICAL

PUBLICATION "CHRISTIANITY

TODAY".

HIS EDITORIAL PUBLISHED THURSDAY

READS IN PART...

>> HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE

EDITORIAL AND THE BACKLASH HAD

HAS GENERATE SECOND ITS AUTHOR

MARK GALLI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF

"CHRISTIANITY TODAY".

WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

DESCRIBE THE REACTION YOU'VE

RECEIVED PRO AND CON?

>> WELL IT'S --

AS YOU CAN TELL I'M ON THE SHOW

BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VERY INTENSE.

WE EXPECT LIKE ON A TYPICAL DAY

AT "CHRISTIANITY TODAY" WE MIGHT

HAVE 500 PEOPLE VIEWING OUR SITE

AT ANY TIME A HOT ARTICLE MIGHT

HAVE 5,000 PEOPLE.

OUR SITE CRASHED DURING THE

HEIGHT OF THE INTEREST THERE

WERE 17,000 PEOPLE THIS IS

BEYOND ANYTHING WE ANTICIPATED.

>> AND IN TERMS OF THE FEEDBACK?

>> THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN MIXED.

THERE'S BEEN A FAIR NUMBER OF

CRITICISM, OF COURSE.

BUT THERE HAS BEEN A SURPRISING

NUMBER OF PASSIONATE

AFFIRMATIONS.

THE MOST TYPICAL AFFIRMATION

WOULD BE THANK YOU, THANK YOU,

THANK YOU.

AND EXPLAMATION POINTS I'M GLAD

SOMEONE SAID THIS I NOW KNOW I'M

NOT CRAZY.

>> IN TERMS OF THE CRITICISM?

ARE YOU GETTING EQUAL AMOUNTS OF

PRO AND CON?

>> NO.

WELL IT'S HARD TO SAY TOTAL.

WHAT COMES IN MY E-MAIL BOX SO

REFRESHING BECAUSE IT'S 10 TO

ONE FOR.

WHAT COMES IN THE COMPANY'S

MAILBOX IS 50/50 TO THREE TO ONE

AGAINST.

>> SO THE PEOPLE WHO CRITICIZE

THE POSITION WHAT ARE THE POINTS

THAT THEY MAKE?

>> WELL, THIS IS THE THING THAT

HAS BEEN A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING

I DON'T FIND MANY MAKING

ARGUMENTS AGAINST MY ARGUMENT.

THEY ARE SAYING THINGS LIKE WE

SHOULD NEVER CRITICIZE A SITTING

PRESIDENT BECAUSE HE IS PUT

THERE BY GOD OR YOU BELONG TO

CHRISTIANITY YESTERDAY YOU ARE

OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE

EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT.

I THINK THE MORE SUBSTANTIVE

REPLY IS LOOK HE HAS DONE

TREMENDOUS THINGS FOR THE

PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT AND I'M

PRO-LIFE THAT IS AWESOME AND

DONE TREMENDOUS THINGS FOR

FREEDOM FOR CHRISTIANS OVERSEAS.

>> INCLUDING THE APPOINTMENT OF

CONSERVATIVE JUDGES.

>> LED TO A MORE PRO-LIFE

FRIENDLY JUDICIARY.

THEY WILL SAY IN SPITE OF HIS

MORAL RECORD, WE THINK HE IS

TREMENDOUS.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE

ARGUMENT AGAINST.

>> THE PRESIDENT HAS TWEETED

THAT THERE BEEN A GOOD

TRANSACTIONAL RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN HIM AND EVANGELICALS.

IS THAT PERSUASIVE?

>> NO.

SO THAT'S THE POINT OF MY

EDITORIAL THAT HAD BEEN PER

PERSUASIVE IN HELPING ME

CHARITABLELY UNDERSTAND TRUMP

SUPPORTERS WHO SAID ON THE ONE

HAND HE IS NOT EXEMPLAR OF

CHARITY OR GOOD MORALS BUT HE

DOES DELIVER ON THESE THINGS.

AND IT WAS WITH THE IMPEACHMENT

HEARINGS THAT SOMETHING IN ME

WENT CLICK AND SAID THAT DOESN'T

WORK ANYMORE.

THAT BALANCE DOESN'T WORK

ANYMORE.

>> WHAT WAS THAT THAT WENT

CLICK?

>> TO BE HONEST I'VE BEEN

THINKING ABOUT THAT THE LET ME

GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

MY WIFE WHEN IN HIGH SCHOOL THEY

HAD A STAR RUNNING BACK WHO

COULD RUN CIRCLES AROUND

EVERYONE AND THE COACH WANTED

HIM BUT HE HAD A BAD ATTITUDE

NOT A TEAM PLAYER, LATE FOR

PRACTICE, AND BAD DISCIPLINE AND

THE COACH SAID IN SPITE OF ALL

THE GOOD HE DOES, HE IS

SABOTAGING TIMOR RALE AND UNITY.

HE IS GONE.

AND I THINK YOU SEE THAT IN JOBS

YOU SEE THAT WHERE PEOPLE SEE

SOMEBODY THAT HAS STRENGTHS OR

BRINGS SOMETHING GOOD TO THE

TABLE AT SOME POINT YOU SAY TO

YOURSELF IT'S NOT WORTH IT

ANYMORE.

AND FOR ME THE IMPEACHMENT

HEARINGS WAS THE POINT WHERE

IT'S LIKE CLICK.

I THINK WE ARE GIVING UP MORE IN

TERMS OF OUR REPUTATION, THE

REPUTATION OF THE GOSPEL AND THE

CHURCH THAN WE ARE GETTING FOR

WHAT TRUMP IS DOING FOR US.

>> BUT YOUR EDITORIAL DOES NOT

FOCUS ON POLICIES IT FOCUSES ON

MORALITY.

>> CORRECT.

>> FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT READ

YOUR EDITOR YAL RALE WHAT IS

YOUR MORAL ARGUMENT?

>> THE MORAL ARGUMENT BETWEEN

HIS ACTIONS BEFORE AND DURING

THE PRESIDENCY WHICH WE ALL

DECRY, HIS WORDS AT PUBLIC

EVENTS HIS WORDS IN TWEETS,

CULMINATING WITH HISTORYING TO

COERCE A LEADER OF A FOREIGN

NATION TO GET DIRT ON HIS

POLITICAL ENEMIES WHICH IS

UNCONSTITUTIONAL BUT FROM OUR

POINT OF VIEW IT'S IMMORAL.

>> WHY IS IT IMMORAL ASIDE FROM

THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF IT,

POLITICALLY, IT MIGHT BE CLEARLY

IT WAS DANGEROUS BUT WHY IS IT

IMMORAL?

>> WELL ON THE SIMPLE FACT THAT

HE PROMISED TO UPHOLD THE

CONSTITUTION AND THE

CONSTITUTION SAYS THE PRESIDENT

OF THE UNITED STATES CANNOT

BRIBE AND THIS IS A FORM OF

BRIBERY.

EXTORTION IS A FORM OF BRIBERY.

IT IS A IMMORAL IN THAT REGARD.

SO THAT CULMINATES IN A MORAL --

OF COURSE I'M STACKING THIS UP

AGAINST AN ASSUMED KNOWLEDGE OF

MY READERS OF THE 10

COMMANDMENTS I'M NOT EXPLAINING

EVERYTHING I ASSUME THEY HAVE

THAT KNOWLEDGE.

I COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT HE

IS MORALLY UNFIT.

I THINK IT IS A GOOD

DISTINCTION.

I'M NOT MAKING A POLITICAL

ARGUMENT NOT SAYING THAT DONALD

TRUMP SHOULD BE KICKED OUT WE

SHOULD PUT IN THIS OTHER

CANDIDATE THAT IS NOT OUR

INTEREST.

OUR INTEREST IS THE MORAL

DIMENSION OF THIS.

>> BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT TWEETED

A SERIES OF TWEETS.

>> I GUESS THE MAGAZINE,

COUNTRIES CRIMINALS, IS LOOK

"CHRISTIANITY TODAY" IS LOOKING

FOR ELIZABETH WARREN OR BERNIE

SANDERS

>> YOUR REACTION TO THE TWEETS?

>> THAT IS ALMOST A CLASSIC

EXAMPLE OF THE PRESIDENT'S

TWEETS THAT MISS CHARACTERIZE,

SLANDER, AND TELL OUT RIDE

FALSEHOODS ABOUT THINGS.

HE IS RIGHT ABOUT ONE THING AND

THAT IS NO WE HAVE NOT HAD A

RELATIONSHIP WITH BILL RUTHHART

PERSONALLY FOR 20 YEARS BUT THE

FAR WE ARE FAR LEFT IS CRAZY

ASSERTION.

WE ARE CHAMPIONING DEMOCRATIC

CANDIDATES THAT IS ABSURD.

THE ARGUMENT HE IS MORALLY UNFIT

FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

I DON'T CARE WHO GETS IN HIS

PLACE AS LONG AS THEY ARE

MORALLY FIT AND THAT WOULD

CONSTITUTE DOZENS IF NOT

HUNDREDS OF CANDIDATES.

THAT IS NOT --

I DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THAT

FIGHT.

I HAVE A DOG IN THE FIGHT WHEN

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED

STATES ACTS IN A QUESTIONABLY

MORAL WAY THAT I BELIEVE IT

AFFECTS NOT JUST HIS PRESIDENCY

AND REPUTATION OF THE UNITED

STATES BUT ALSO AFFECTS THE

QUALITY OF LIFE IN AMERICA

ITSELF.

I'M CALLED AS A CHRISTIAN TO

LOVE MY NEIGHBOR.

AND IF THE HEAD OF STATE IS

DOING THINGS THAT IS MAKING IT

HARDER FOR US TO HAVE

CONVERSATIONS WITH ONE ANOTHER

TO TREAT EACH OTHER CIVILLY AND

TO PRACTICE BASIC MORAL

PRINCIPLES THAT IS A PROBLEM.

>> AS YOU KNOW A GROUP OF 200

EVANGELICAL LEADERS WROTE AN

OPEN LETTER SAYING YOUR

EDITORIAL WAS OFFENSIVE AND IT

TARGETED NOT JUST THE PRESIDENT

BUT THOSE WHO SUPPORT HIM.

IS THAT AN ACCURATE READING OF

YOUR PIECE?

>> IT IS WELL THE FACT THAT --

I DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE TO DECIDE

WHETHER THEY ARE OFFENDED.

THE FACT THAT I WAS QUESTIONING

THEIR SPIRITUAL INTEGRITY, OF

COURSE, A MORAL ARGUMENT IN AN

ESSAY THAT SAYS YOU OUGHT TO

RECONSIDER WHAT YOU ARE DOING

BECAUSE IT HAS MORAL

COMPLICATIONS, YES I'M SAYING

YOU NEED TO REPENT AND CHANGE

YOUR MIND LIKE THEY ARE TELLING

ME YOU ARE BEING JUDGMENTAL AND

ARROGANT AND ALL THESE THINGS.

THEY ARE QUESTIONING MY

SPIRITUAL INTEGRITY AND THEY

SHOULD THEY ARE BROTHERS AND

SISTERS IN CHRIST.

IF THEY THINK I'M DOING

SOMETHING IN ERROR THEY SHOULD

SAY SO.

THAT I SHOULD BE OFFENDED BY

THAT?

I AM NOT OFFENSED I --

OFFENDED I LISTEN TO WHAT THEY

SAY AND I PRAY ABOUT IT AND

THINK ABOUT IT.

AND THAT IS WHAT I'M ASKING THEM

TO DO TO SELF QUESTION THEIR

SPIRITUAL PRIORITIES AND IF THEY

COME AWAY AFTER THAT SERIOUS

PRAY AND CONVERSATIONS DO WE

STILL STAND WHERE WE WILL, I

HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY BUT I

NEED TO ASK AS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

OF "CHRISTIANITY TODAY" HARD

QUESTIONS.

>> YOU'VE SAID YOU ARE CONCERNED

ABOUT THE LASTING IMPACT ON

EVANGELICALS AS A RESULT OF THE

SUPPORT OF SO MANY EVANGELICALS

FOR THE PRESIDENT WHAT.

IS THAT IMPACT IN YOUR MIND?

>> WELL, THE IMPACT HAS ALREADY

BEEN FELT.

FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, PEOPLE WHO

ARE EITHER EVANGELICAL CENTRIST

OR OUTSIDE THE FAITH AND LOOKING

AT THE FAITH AND HEARING THE

CLAIMS WE MAKE ABOUT WHAT IS

TRUE AND RIGHT AND GOOD AND THEY

SEE A LARGE SEGMENT OF THE WORLD

DEFENDING OR JUSTIFYING OR

IGNORING PRETENDING LIKE IT IS

NOT A PROBLEM ALL THE

PRESIDENT'S IMMORAL ACTIONS AND

TWEETS.

IT CAUSES --

IN THE LONG-RUN --

ON SO MANY CAUSES WE CARE ABOUT

FROM PRO-LIFE TO CONCERN FOR THE

POOR AND IMMIGRATION WHY WOULD

PEOPLE LISTEN TO US AND SAY

THESE ARE MORAL AND RIGHT THINGS

WE OUGHT TO DO AS A NATION WHY

ARE THEY GOING TO BELIEVE US IF

THEY ARE GOING TO POINT AND SAY

WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOUR SUPPORT?

WHY WASN'T MORAL AND ETHICS AN

IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR

CONVERSATION WITH DONALD TRUMP.

>> BILLBILLY GRAHAM'S SON SAID E

WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED AND HIS

FATHER VOWED FOR TRUMP.

>> I DID NOT KNOW HIS FATHER AS

CLOSELY AS HE DID.

BASED ON BILLY GRAHAM'S PUBLIC

STATEMENTS AFTER HIS

RELATIONSHIP WITH NIXON FELL

APART, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO

IMAGINE THAT HE WOULD BE

ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT IROF DONALD

TRUMP.

BUT THAT IS WHAT I IMAGINE.

I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO PUT A

STAKE IN THE GROUND ON THAT.

>> YOU HAVE NO EXPECTATION THAT

YOUR EDITORIAL WILL CHANGE THE

MINDS OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS.

WHY DID YOU WRITE IT?

>> I WROTE IT, THE THING DRIVING

ME TO WRITE IT AT THE MOMENT

THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING TO SAY

AT THE RIGHT MOMENT.

IN RETROSPECT THE POSITIVE

EFFECT IT'S HAVING IS AS I SAID

THERE'S BEEN HUNDREDS IF NOT

THOUSANDS OF E-MAILS AND LETTERS

AND PHONE CALLS THAT HAVE SAID

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME.

I WISH I WAS PRESSURED TO SAY I

DID NOT REALIZE THE DEPTH OF THE

PASSION HOW MANY PEOPLE WANTED

AN EVANGELICAL PUBLICATION TO

SAY ENOUGH.

AND I'M HAPPY THAT THAT HAS