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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... Latest
Releases
The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly. |
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| JANUARY
20, 1999 7:22 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: People for the American Way Nancy Coleman, David Elliot or Lela Shepard 202-467-4999 |
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| Pat Robertson Calls Uncle On Impeachment: 'It's Over As Far As I'm Concerned' | ||||
| WASHINGTON
- January 20 - In a startling development, the Christian Coalition's Pat Robertson
-- a longtime proponent of impeachment -- today said the U.S. Senate should drop the proceedings and move on. In remarks broadcast on The
700 Club, Robertson said impeachment "is over."
"As far as I'm concerned, the matter of impeachment is over," Robertson said. "The Republicans gave him an absolute platform to talk to the American people. He hit a home run in his speech. Whatever happens to the agenda doesn't really matter. From a public relations standpoint, he's won. And the Republicans don't know how to be a majority. They think of themselves as a minority so they don't play the game the way the Democrats do and so that's too bad for them. But Clinton's won. They might as well dismiss this impeachment hearing and get on with something else, because it's over as far as I'm concerned." Robertson has long advocated the impeachment of Clinton and has used the impeachment controversy for membership recruitment and fundraising. In a direct mail letter signed by Robertson and mailed in October, shortly before the 1998 election, Robertson made it clear that the Christian Coalition's primary goal was securing the impeachment of President Clinton. "[The] Christian Coalition will use every grassroots tool we have at hand to rally Christians to this cause and awaken Congress to this demand," Robertson wrote, adding that the president has broken "God's commandments." More recently, Randy Tate, executive director of the Christian Coalition, has been quoted widely in various newspaper articles as advocating the resignation or impeachment of the President. Today's comments by Robertson show that the Christian Coalition's aggressive lobbying campaign to remove a democratically elected president from office have failed. "Randy Tate, phone home," said People For the American Way President Carole Shields. "Even Pat Robertson recognizes that it's time to move on. When the founder and chairman of the Christian Coalition and the President of People For the American Way agree on an issue of this magnitude, it is indeed time to end it in the Senate." Robertson on The 700 Club Here is a complete transcript from Robertson's quote in today's 700 Club: Anchor Lee Webb: "Did the President benefit from last night's speech? Apparently he did, Pat and Terry. Early approval ratings now at 76 percent." Robertson: "Lee, as far as I'm concerned, the matter of impeachment is over. The Republicans gave him an absolute platform to talk to the American people. He hit a home run in his speech. Whatever happens to the agenda doesn't really matter. From a public relations standpoint, he's won. And the Republicans don't know how to be a majority. They think of themselves as a minority so they don't play the game the way the Democrats do and so that's too bad for them. But Clinton's won. They might as well dismiss this impeachment hearing and get on with something else, because it's over as far as I'm concerned. "But what we didn't hear about in last night's speech is the serious problem facing America, that of sexual immorality. Homosexuality. Promiscuity. Adultery. It's a disgraceful trend that is tragically gaining wide acceptance and is eroding the foundation of our nation." ### |
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