We’re still waiting …
Posted: September 25, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern
The news networks CNN, FOX and MSNBC, who ignored America’s views and
refused to cover the Values Voter Presidential Debate, broadcast every
word of Iranian dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Columbia University
speech unedited yesterday, just one week later.
It’s too bad, because some of the questions (and answers) of the
presidential candidates were far more important than the propaganda
from a terrorist who wants Israel and America wiped off the map.
Questions like that of Rabbi Aryeh Spero of the Jewish Action Alliance:
There is no question that jihadists have as their goal
the harming of America and its citizens. What would your strategy be to
protect our streets, our people and our American way of life from the
dangerous explosive growth of radical Islam in America and around the
world?
But the answers given weren’t "bring a dictator to school" and broadcast every word he says. See the video answers streamed courtesy of the American Family Association.
Rabbi Spero added, "Can we really expect the no-show candidates to face
world leaders like Iranian President Ahmadinejad and Osama bin Laden
when they’re afraid to answer questions from Phyllis Schlafly?"
By the way, Rabbi Spero, on my radio program yesterday,
added a comment about the Columbia University invitation as well: "This
is not a free speech issue; this is a disgrace. There has not been a
man like this since Hitler calling for the destruction of the Jewish
people. … He should not be allowed on the soil of the United States."
Forty pro-family groups that participated in the first ever
Values Voter Presidential Debate in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last Monday
are still looking for answers from the four candidates who had
"something more important to do" than to answer questions from
mainstream America. Bar graphs charting the pre-and post-debate vote,
featured at www.ValuesVoterDebate.com, show a striking decline for the four "no-show" candidates whose questions are still unanswered.
(Column continues below)
Electronic polling by the hundreds of Values Voter delegates at
Monday’s debate reveals a dramatic shift in the pre- and post-debate
"most negative" responses: Rudy Giuliani: a 45 percent negative shift
to 72 percent negative; Mitt Romney: a 54 percent shift to 72 percent
negative; Fred Thompson: a 54 percent shift to 62 percent negative; and
John McCain: a 52 percent shift to 65 percent negative.
Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel and member
of the Values Voter Debate host committee, said, "Avoiding the debate
and failure to answer the issues that are of concern to Values Voters
is not the way to the White House." He’s right.
By the way, Mat’s still waiting for the answer to his question
for Sen. Fred Thompson – as well as those asked of Mayor Rudy Giuliani,
Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain. Those questions (below) can also
be seen on YouTube.
Teresa Ippoliti, abortion survivor – RUDY GIULIANI
My name is Teresa Ippoliti. Eighteen years ago, an abortionist
was hired to kill me, but I survived. I was wrapped in newspaper and
tossed on a shelf struggling for my life. Nuns came and rescued me,
took me to a hospital where I stayed for two months. I was then adopted
by my heroic mom and dad. Mayor Giuliani, your position on abortion
would have left me dead. Now that you see me, Mr. Giuliani, do you
honesty still believe an abortionist had a right to kill me?
Peter Labarbera, Americans for Truth – MITT ROMNEY
Governor Romney, you are running as a pro-life, pro-marriage
candidate, but you have a history of being strongly pro-abortion on
demand and pro-homosexual. You supported Roe v. Wade and said abortion
should be "safe and legal." In 2002, you opposed a state constitutional
amendment to stop homosexual "marriage" in Massachusetts. You said
homosexuals should be allowed to participate in the Boy Scouts, and as
governor, you officially celebrated "Gay Youth Pride Day." You sat on
Marriot’s Board for 10 years while it sold pornographic, in-room
videos. Why should voters trust you after you spent so much of your
career aggressively promoting anti-life and anti-family positions? I
understand a "change of heart," but a "change of position" on life,
marriage, gun control, pornography, immigration all preceding your run
for president?
Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel – FRED THOMPSON
While you were a senator, you opposed the Federal Marriage
Amendment. Recently you stated you would support a marriage amendment
that would prevent judges from imposing same-sex marriage so long as it
would not prohibit state legislatures from adopting same-sex marriage.
This reasoning is like saying you favor a constitutional amendment that
prohibits judges from imposing slavery so long as state legislatures
were free to do so. Does not your position fundamentally misunderstand
the universal importance of marriage in the same way my latter example
about slavery indicates a misunderstanding of human dignity?
Janet Folger, Faith2Action – JOHN MCCAIN
I was troubled by the lawsuit you and other members of Congress
filed against Wisconsin Right to Life for airing radio and television
ads to encourage the public to lobby their senators to oppose the
filibuster of judicial candidates. While, thankfully, they won the
lawsuit, was it really your goal to gag and prevent groups from being
involved in the legislative process during the "no free speech zones"
60 days before a general election and 30 days before a primary as your
Campaign Finance Reform Law required?
While you can’t see it on the networks, you can order copies of
the Values Voter Debate DVD to inform your friends, family, neighbors
and church at www.ValuesVoterDebate.com. Also see the latest data from the delegate straw poll (including the winner!) and video streaming of the entire debate. Audio streaming is available at www.VCYAmerica.org.
Thanks to the hundreds who sent in questions. Available as a pdf document are the answers from the "speed round" yes/no questions. Green indicates a "yes" answer and "red" indicates a "no" response.
