Liberty University president Jerry Falwell had the chutzpah to call Donald Trump a “moral person” in a recent interview with The Guardian — which ought to dispel the notion that goodness and godliness go together. But just in case Falwell’s praise didn’t stretch the truth enough, he also referred to Democrats as “fascists” and “brownshirts.”

You know, just like Jesus called his critics in the Bible.

Last week, Falwell encouraged Liberty students to travel to Washington to support supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at his appearance before the Senate judiciary committee. Some 300 students who took part were excused from attending classes for the day, normally a strict requirement at the university. Falwell said he had known Trump personally since 2012, and talked to him “all the time”. He added: “I usually tweet something similar to what he tweets a day or two before him. We think alike.” Asked if the president was a good moral example, Falwell said: “Absolutely. Ever since I’ve known him, he’s been a good, moral person, a strong leader, a tough leader — and that’s what this country needs.”

“Moral people,” according to Falwell, kidnap children from their parents, put them in cages, lose track of them, and then ship the ones still in government custody to shady agencies who will adopt them out to white families before they can be reunited with their biological parents. (And they brag about sexual assault, too. And have affairs just after the birth of their fifth child with their third wife. You get the idea.)

I suppose Falwell deserves credit for one thing: No one will ever be able to accuse him of trying to play both sides.

Falwell Jr said the Democratic party and its supporters were “no longer liberals — they’ve become fascists, they’re Brownshirts. You believe like them or you’re out. “Poor Kanye West,” he said, referring to criticism of the star for wearing a Make America Great Again baseball cap. “He dared to have his own opinions and look what they did to him.” He added: “The most intolerant people in the country are those that preach tolerance.”

Knock knock.

Who’s there?

Tolerance-preaching liberals.

Tolerance-preaching liberals who?

Tolerance-preaching liberals aren’t the ones stoking violence against journalists who publish the truth, Jerry.

It’s also the height of hypocrisy for Falwell to criticize people for groupthink when he runs a university that requires students and faculty members to accept a Statement of Faith that only the most conservative Christians could ever agree to.

Falwell suggested that next month’s midterm elections could produce a surprise. “Historically, whoever’s in power does poorly in the next midterms. But we’re in times that have never been replicated. Anything could happen. We could see a break in the historical trend.”

Okay, I’ll agree with him on this one. I hope we do see a break in a historical trend — but only in the sense that a record turn-out of voters back progressive candidates like never before.

