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Compiled By GayToday
In a startling development, the Christian Coalition's Pat Robertson
-- a longtime proponent of impeachment -- said Wednesday that 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."
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. Wednesday's comments by Robertson show that the Christian Coalition's aggressive lobbying campaign to remove a democratically elected president from office has 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." Transcript: Pat Robertson on The 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." Lesbians & Gays in the State of the Union Speech President Clinton made history Tuesday night by becoming the first President to discuss gay and lesbian issues in a State of the Union address. Clinton's inclusive call to end discrimination and violence against gay and lesbian Americans should be applauded and could lend momentum to the passage of gay-supportive legislation in the 106th Congress, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
If passed by Congress, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment. Currently, race, religion, national origin, age, disability and gender are protected categories. In 1996, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act came within one vote of passing the Senate. |
