Help please me determine whether an anti-O’Donnell news report is accurate *UPDATED*

I have to admit to being a little suspicious of an AP report that has O’Donnell appropriately saying that there’s nothing in the constitution about separation of church and state (that, as you know, comes from a letter Jefferson wrote), but then states that she does not know that the 1st Amendment says that Congress cannot establish a religion.

Here’s why I’m suspicious: The reporter says that Coons said that the Constitution says the feds cannot establish a religion, but doesn’t actually quote Coons directly. Immediately after, though, the report quotes O’Donnell verbatim when she asks “You’re telling me that’s in the First Amendment?” I’m wondering why there’s no direct Coons quote. Is that because he didn’t actually express himself with the clarity the AP reporter implies or was this just a matter of elegant essay writing?

Coons said private and parochial schools are free to teach creationism but that “religious doctrine doesn’t belong in our public schools.”

“Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?” O’Donnell asked him.

When Coons responded that the First Amendment bars Congress from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, O’Donnell asked: “You’re telling me that’s in the First Amendment?”

Any help you can give would be much appreciated. Maybe O’Donnell really is ignorant about the Constitution, or maybe the AP is giving Coons a little help.

UPDATE:  Apparently the report is accurate:

Coons said that creationism, which he considers “a religious doctrine,” should not be taught in public schools due to the Constitution’s First Amendment.  He argued that it explicitly enumerates the separation of church and state.

“The First Amendment does?” O’Donnell asked. “Let me just clarify: You’re telling me that the separation of church and state is found in the First Amendment?”

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” Coons responded, reciting from memory the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“That’s in the First Amendment…?” O’Donnell responded.

What we now have are two Senatorial candidates who are ignorant about the First Amendment.  Coons knows what it says, but doesn’t get what it means; O’Donnell gets what it means, but doesn’t know what it says.