By Chris Long
September 29, 2007
Values Voters issues are beginning to be discussed among the Presidential
candidates in a number of candidate forums and candidate interviews,
and many potential voters are taking note of where the candidates
stand on important social/moral issues. On September 13th, the Ohio
Christian Alliance, in cooperation with the Christian Alliance
chapters in Iowa, Michigan, Georgia, Alabama, and Pennsylvania, held
the first in a series of web broadcast Presidential candidate
interviews from the Salem Broadcasting Network internet radio
station of
www.newstalkcolumbus.com. Invitations were submitted to all
Presidential candidates. The first candidates to be interviewed were
Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo and California Congressman Duncan
Hunter. The issues discussed ranged from immigration to abortion and
national security. The next broadcast will take place over the
Internet on October 11th at 7 p.m. EST at
www.newstalkcolumbus.com.
Listeners can call in after the interview and express their views on
the positions of the candidates. Also, listeners are emailing
questions in for the candidates.
On Monday, September 17th, a Values Voter Presidential Candidate Forum
took place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Candidates attending the
event were former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Kansas Senator
Sam Brownback, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, California Congressman
Duncan Hunter, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, and former
Ambassador Allen Keyes, who had just announced his Presidential
candidacy. The moderators for the Value Voter Forum included Phyllis
Schlaffly of Eagle Forum, Don Wildmon of The American Family
Association, and Paul Wyrick, among others.
The straw polls of the Ohio Christian Alliance and the Values Voter Forum
both indicated that former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was the
clear winner. Voters are beginning to pay attention to the
candidates and to discern their positions on the war in Iraq,
immigration, abortion, marriage, and stem cell research.
Absent from these forums, which has not gone without notice among Value
Voters, are all of the Democratic candidates and Republican
candidates Giuliani, Thompson, Romney, and McCain. Many consider
this to be a huge misstep, first for the Democrats, who can’t afford
to ignore family issues and people of faith, as the Democrats have
paid a heavy price for this in recent national elections. And, what
Republican believes he can win the primaries without the
conservative base of Values Voters in tow? One thing is for sure,
with the Iowa Caucuses taking place possibly as early as January
3rd, followed by the New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida
primaries being concluded by mid-January, Americans will know
earlier than ever who the nominees for each party will be. It
remains to be seen whether or not those selected will reflect the
values of the Values Voter.
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