Pat Robertson, owner of the Christian Broadcasting Network and host of The 700 Club, said this on his show August 22, 2005.
You know, I don’t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we’re trying to assassinate him [Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez], I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It’s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war. And I don’t think any oil shipments will stop. But this man is a terrific danger and the United … This is in our sphere of influence, so we can’t let this happen. We have the Monroe Doctrine, we have other doctrines that we have announced. And without question, this is a dangerous enemy to our south, controlling a huge pool of oil, that could hurt us very badly. We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don’t need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It’s a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with.
As you would expect, his statement received a tremendous amount of media attention. Most people condemned his call for the assassination of Chavez as outlandish and hypocritical. So today, Robertson thought it would be best to cover his ass.
“I said our special forces could take him out. Take him out could be a number of things including kidnapping,” Robertson said on his “The 700 Club” television program. “There are a number of ways of taking out a dictator from power besides killing him. I was misinterpreted,” Robertson added.
Misinterpreted? Oh I don’t think so. Robertson’s first statement exposes him as a fraud, and his second statement exposes him as a liar.
More on this subject later after I’ve read how other representatives of the Far Christian Right have responded to Robertson’s statements. They are responding aren’t they?
Hey Brad. I am Karen’s cube neighbor here at Stewart Title. I just discovered your website today after asking Karen if she had heard from you on the Robertson fiasco. “No, but it may be in his website,” she replied. And so it was. My initial feelings on the matter: Once again I am embarrassed to admit being a Christian. I always add something like: “Yeah, the new ministers in my old church in Seattle are gay partners.” It is so frustrating to have to qualify my faith by stenciling “Christian secular humanist supporter of gay rights and evolution” on my forehead.” Anyway, I get most of my news from Jon Stewart and The Newshour on PBS (in that order), with an occassiional foray into Scarborough Country when I want to see how the other half opines. I’ll add your website to the list. Thanks. Babs