GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino told me in an extended “Capital Tonight” set to air this evening that he does not believe President Obama is a practicing Christian “in his heart.”

That comment came in response to a question I put to the Buffalo businessman during a mock lightning round, which we would have done in a two-man debate – had Paladino’s primary opponent, Rick Lazio, agreed to participate. I later asked him to elaborate, which sparked this exchange.

CP: “I think it’s part of the theater of Mr. Obama. I’m not quite, I’m not saying he’s anything else, but I think Mr. Obama is about himself. I think any religious beliefs that he advocates are part of the theatre to make himself look better to the American people.”

LB: “So, you’re not specifically saying that he is not a Christian. You just don’t believe him when he says he’s a practicing Christian?”

CP: “I don’t believe he… No, I think he worships himself. He’s a very condescending person.”

The topic of Obama’s faith has been on the front burner since an Aug. 19 Pew poll found one in five Americans believe the president is a Muslim – an increase from 11 percent in March 2009 – and 43 percent had no idea what religion he practices at all.

A Newsweek poll last week pegged the number at one in four.

This caused the White House to send out a statement reiterating that Obama “is a committed Christian, and his faith is an important part of his daily life.”

In an NBC interview with Brian Williams that will air tonight, the president said:

“The facts are the facts…There is a mechanism, a network of misinformation that in a new media era can get churned out there constantly… I can’t spend all of my time with my birth certificate plastered on my forehead.”

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