Cal Thomas
Encyclopedia
John Calvin "Cal" Thomas (born 1942) is an American
conservative syndicated
columnist
, pundit
, author and radio commentator.
. He attended the American University
for his undergraduate education. During the 1960s and early 1970s he worked as a reporter at NBC News
. His column, which began in 1984, is syndicated by Tribune Media Services. Thomas joined Fox News as a political contributor in 1997. He is a panelist on Fox News Watch
, a Fox News Channel
program criticizing the media, and until September 2005 hosted After Hours with Cal Thomas on the same network. He also gives a daily radio commentary, which is heard on more than 300 stations.
Thomas has written extensively about political issues and he supports, among other things, many American positions related to Israel
.
He has written 10 books, including Blinded By Might, that discussed, among other things, the role of the Moral Majority
in American politics of the 1980s. Thomas was vice president of the Moral Majority from 1980 to 1985. He remains an evangelical Christian
.
A study at Hamilton College indicated Thomas as the least accurate pundit among 26 notable pundits.
attack, where the phrase "ignorant asshole" was linked to his website. This Googlebomb was triggered by a segment on his After Hours show regarding the Netherlands
' policy on euthanasia
. It soon became an attack on the Netherlands' drug policy
, prostitution
, and the nation's immigration policy. In a follow-up, Thomas rejoined "Thanks to our Dutch viewers for watching and for caring enough to write. Keep watching. Maybe you'll see some things you do like."
, Thomas writes that "no new [Mosques] should be built" in Western countries following the Mumbai terrorist attacks
. He further claimed that Muslim
immigration posed a danger to the UK and US.
became the first sitting United States president to address a gay rights organization, the Human Rights Campaign
, Thomas published a column in November 1997 opposing homosexuality, in which he said:
Thomas published a similar column on October 16, 2009, after Barack Obama
became the second sitting United States president to address the Human Rights Campaign
. Thomas said:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
conservative syndicated
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
, pundit
Pundit
Pundit may refer to:* Pandit or pundit in India, a scholar or expert, especially of traditional Indian law, philosophy, or music* Pundit , a 19th century term to denote native surveyors who explored regions to the north of India for the British Empire* Pundit , an expert or opinion-leader who...
, author and radio commentator.
Life and career
Thomas was born in 1942 in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. He attended the American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
for his undergraduate education. During the 1960s and early 1970s he worked as a reporter at NBC News
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. His column, which began in 1984, is syndicated by Tribune Media Services. Thomas joined Fox News as a political contributor in 1997. He is a panelist on Fox News Watch
Fox News Watch
Fox News Watch is a current events debate program on the Fox News Channel, hosted by Jon Scott.-Format:The show features a panel composed of two conservatives and two liberals, moderated by Scott. Similar in premise to CNN's Reliable Sources, the panel on Fox News Watch discusses how the media...
, a Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
program criticizing the media, and until September 2005 hosted After Hours with Cal Thomas on the same network. He also gives a daily radio commentary, which is heard on more than 300 stations.
Thomas has written extensively about political issues and he supports, among other things, many American positions related to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
He has written 10 books, including Blinded By Might, that discussed, among other things, the role of the Moral Majority
Moral Majority
The Moral Majority was a political organization of the United States which had an agenda of evangelical Christian-oriented political lobbying...
in American politics of the 1980s. Thomas was vice president of the Moral Majority from 1980 to 1985. He remains an evangelical Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
.
A study at Hamilton College indicated Thomas as the least accurate pundit among 26 notable pundits.
Criticism of Dutch government policy
In 2004, Cal Thomas was the target of a Google bombGoogle bomb
The terms Google bomb and Googlewashing refer to practices, such as creating large numbers of links, that cause a web page to have a high ranking for searches on unrelated or off topic keyword phrases, often for comical or satirical purposes...
attack, where the phrase "ignorant asshole" was linked to his website. This Googlebomb was triggered by a segment on his After Hours show regarding the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
' policy on euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
. It soon became an attack on the Netherlands' drug policy
Drug policy of the Netherlands
The drug policy of the Netherlands officially has four major objectives:# To prevent recreational drug use and to treat and rehabilitate recreational drug users.# To reduce harm to users....
, prostitution
Prostitution in the Netherlands
Prostitution in the Netherlands is legal and regulated. Operating a brothel is also legal. In the last few years, a significant number of brothels and "windows" have been closed because of suspected criminal activity...
, and the nation's immigration policy. In a follow-up, Thomas rejoined "Thanks to our Dutch viewers for watching and for caring enough to write. Keep watching. Maybe you'll see some things you do like."
Criticism of Islam
In his article "Mumbai Explained", published in the Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Thomas writes that "no new [Mosques] should be built" in Western countries following the Mumbai terrorist attacks
2008 Mumbai attacks
The 2008 Mumbai attacks were more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, India's largest city, by Islamist attackers who came from Pakistan...
. He further claimed that Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
immigration posed a danger to the UK and US.
Criticism of homosexuality
After Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
became the first sitting United States president to address a gay rights organization, the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
, Thomas published a column in November 1997 opposing homosexuality, in which he said:
Thomas published a similar column on October 16, 2009, after Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
became the second sitting United States president to address the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
. Thomas said:
External links
- Cal Thomas Website
- Cal Thomas at Townhall.comTownhall.comTownhall.com is a web-based publication primarily dedicated to conservative United States politics. It was previously operated by the Heritage Foundation, but is now owned and operated by Salem Communications...
Retrieved on 2008-01-17