Graham joined Nixon in anti-Jewish comments in 1972 Oval Office meeting
"Like all human relationships, mine with Richard Nixon was bittersweet," evangelist (and Christianity Today founder) Billy Graham writes in his autobiography, Just As I Am. In fact, Graham was reportedly closer to Nixon than any other president—and got burned for it.

Graham's relationship with Nixon continues to burn him. Here's the damning headline in today's Chicago Tribune: "Nixon, Graham anti-Semitism on tape." Yesterday, the National Archives released 500 hours of White House tapes from 1972. Among them was a conversation Nixon and Graham had after a February 1 prayer breakfast.

Graham was especially concerned about perceived Jewish control of the media, and blames them for "putting out the pornographic stuff." "This stranglehold has got to be broken or the country's going down the drain," he told Nixon.

Graham's biographer, William Martin, tells the Tribune he's stunned. "This is out of character with anything else I have heard Billy Graham say or be quoted as saying. It is disappointing."

Graham isn't responding to the story. His spokesman, Larry Ross, only said that the evangelist isn't feeling well and doesn't recall the conversation.

Hundreds killed in India religious violence:

• 251 killed in India religious attacks | Chaos spread through this western Indian city Friday and the death toll over three days of Hindu-Muslim violence climbed, despite patrols by hundreds of soldiers and orders for police to shoot rioters and arsonists on sight. (Associated Press)
  
  
• The slaughter in Gujarat will lead to more tragedy | Sectarian violence in India always resonates with its neighbors (The Guardian, London)
  
  
• More at Yahoo full coverage
  
  

Persecution:

• Elderly Christians threatened with ouster | More than a dozen Christians—three of them in their 90s—face eviction from a Beijing old people's home after police raided a suspected prayer meeting on the premises and ordered the home closed (The Washington Times)