>> now to the presidential race and the neck and neck battle between mitt romney and rick santorum in michigan. it's romney 's birthplace and a state he needs to win next tuesday. nbc's peter alexander is in detroit with more on the story. good morning.
>> reporter: good morning to you. it's not mitt romney but rick santorum who will take center stage at tonight's debate. all campaign season the debates have been rewarding the winners. newt gingrich in south carolina , mitt romney in florida and rick santorum is hoping for the same. but his campaign is already downplaying expectations. one adviser telling me while the debate is important it is not the end all be all for their campaign. as the candidates prepare for tonight's debate in arizona, the latest nbc news marist poll shows it's the race in michigan that's heating up with mitt romney and rick santorum in a virtual tie.
>> there is a lot at stake, folks. this is an important election.
>> reporter: an election increasingly laced with references to religion. santorum is likely to be peppered about his comments on the president's phony theology.
>> i will defend everything i say because it comes from here.
>> reporter: on msnbc's " morning joe " tuesday, franklin graham , reverend billy graham's son praised santorum for espousing what he calls christian values .
>> by your definition he's not a christian?
>> you have to ask him. i cannot answer that question for anybody.
>> you don't believe he's a muslim?
>> no.
>> categorically not a muslim?
>> i can't say categorically. islam has gotten a free pass under obama.
>> reporter: with his front-runner status in jeopardy romney has tried to focus on the economy. at a town hall on tuesday he was asked how he would protect religious freedom and answered by attacking the president.
>> unfortunately, perhaps because of the people the president hangs around with and their secular agenda they have fought against religion.
>> reporter: the obama campaign quickly fired back, calling romney 's comments disgraceful. earlier, reverend graham also questioned romney 's faith.
>> most christians would not recognize mormonism as part of the christian faith .
>> so he's not a christian?
>> most christians would not recognize it.
>> reporter: tuesday night sarah palin weighed in, blaming the media for what she considers a double standard that attacks conservatives for invoking the bible but ignores president obama when he does the same like earlier this month at the national prayer breakfast .
>> for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.
>> the theology he would adopt by reading the book of luke results in him say saying we need to increase taxes on hardworking americans? that's okay? but rick santorum talking about good and evil isn't okay?
>> reporter: a clarification on the story reported yesterday. during the 2008 campaign reverend wright was not forced to resign for controversial comments. he had already announced retirement from his church when the comments drew national attention. ann?
Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/46478858/
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