Where's the Fab Four -- Mitt, Fred, John and Rudy?
Bill Berkowitz printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Thu Sep 13, 2007 at 05:04:38 PM EST
Organizers of the upcoming `Values Voter Presidential Debate' want to know why the fab-four are ducking its debate

Mitt won't be there. Fred won't be there, Rudy won't be there and John won't be there. It will not be televised on any of the cable news networks. And it will be moderated by a buzzworthy news anchor or television talk show host.

Nevertheless, Christian conservatives are touting their "Values Voter Presidential Debate," as the place where "values voters" will get straightforward answers to straightforward questions.

The debate, set for September 17 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, in Ft. Lauderdale Florida, is being organized by such Christian conservative heavyweights as the Eagle Forum's Phyllis Schlafly, the Free Congress Foundation's Paul Weyrich, the American Family Association's Don Wildmon, Liberty Counsel's Mat Staver, Rick Scarborough, and Faith2Action's Janet Folger.  According to Christian Newswire, "All candidates from both parties were invited, but those who "cared enough about values voters to actually show up" and address the pro-family audience will include: Sam Brownback, John Cox, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Ron Paul, and Tom Tancredo."

Moderating the debate will be WorldNetDaily's founder, Joseph Farah.

Once in a lifetime event

"You've have never seen anything like this," said Schlafly, "and you to can be a part of the historical debate by hosting a house party."

Christian Newswire also pointed out that "Questions will be posed not only from national pro-family leaders, but from such surprise guests as the wife of a border agent who was jailed while preventing a drug smuggler from entering our country!"

Those who tune into the debate - aired from 7:30-10:30 PM ET on Sky Angel's Angel One channel - a provider of multi-channel, faith-based and family-friendly television and radio programming --  & Dish Network channel 262, and streamed live at: www.ValuesVoterDebate.com and www.AFA.net will be able to "Hear questions from an abortion survivor, victims of the homosexual agenda, parents whose children were once frozen embryos and a former slave in Sudan!"

PRNewswire-USNewswire reported that Bonnie Bernard, an Ohio businesswoman who founded Embryos Alive, "a human embryo adoption agency has been invited to participate" in the debate. Bernard will be "attend[ing] this political forum as an expert on the topic of frozen embryos and their viability as human life."

"Human embryos need a voice in this election, and I am pleased to serve in that capacity," Bernard said.

New improved straw poll promised  

In addition to the question and answer format the debate will feature a "straw poll" that Janet Folger promises will be "different from previous straw polls." In Florida, "delegates for the Values Voter Straw Poll have been selected by pro-family leaders such as ... Schlafly; ... Wildmon;  Weyrich ... ; Judge Roy Moore, chairman of the Foundation for Moral Law; Rabbi Aryea Spero, of the Jewish Action Alliance; Star Parker, of the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education, or CURE; and Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who fought for the right of military chaplains to pray in Jesus' name."

"Unlike other straw polls where candidates have bussed in supporters or paid for their tickets, the Values Voter Straw poll conducted at this presidential debate promises results consistent with the largest voting block in America - the Values Voter," said Mat Staver, Chairman of Liberty Counsel and member of the host committee, in a release this week. "This will be the most important straw poll yet."

"I'm proud to be a part of this historic debate," added Rabbi Aryeh Spero, of the Jewish Action Alliance. "The social, moral, and cultural issues are of the utmost importance for the country's survival. And we are the group that is willing to frame this presidential contest accordingly."

Moderator Farah hopes to shake things up a bit: "So often in presidential debates, questions are asked and answers don't address the questions. When that happens, I'm going to try to persuade the candidates to focus more precisely on what was asked."




Display:
I think I'll skip this one.

by justintime on Thu Sep 13, 2007 at 10:32:52 PM EST

I had to reread this line four times before I actually comprehended the words and the meaning together:

"Human embryos need a voice in this election, and I am pleased to serve in that capacity," Bernard said.

I'm still not sure what to say! Spluttering doesn't read well.

by RevRuthUCC on Sun Sep 16, 2007 at 10:44:18 PM EST

I read that Alan Keyes had accepted an invite to the dance. Did he show up?

by trog69 on Tue Sep 18, 2007 at 01:16:00 AM EST


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