In a fiery interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper Wednesday night, Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore’s spokesperson consistently gave non-answers to questions about the candidate’s current stance on a variety of controversial statements he’s made in the past.
A self-proclaimed staunch evangelical Christian, Moore, in recent years, has equated homosexuality to “beastiality.” When asked whether he still holds that position, spokeswoman Janet Porter said she “can’t answer that question.”
“I can tell you what he does believe regarding that issue— regarding that issue, if you want to talk about making sure we don’t have sexual predators, —” but Cooper cut her off.
“No, I’m not talking about sexual predators. I’m talking about anybody that’s homosexual, gay, lesbian people,” Cooper said.
“Let me just say, [Doug Jones] wants to put out a welcome mat in front of these young girls, if you are a junior high school girl or if you are a high school girl, what abortion Jones is saying is we’re putting out a welcome mat to any boy who’s feeling like a girl that day, he’s free to walk into the bathroom, the locker room with his camera phone and shower with your daughter,” she said, possibly referencing Moore’s opponent, Doug Jones’ stance on transgender individuals being allowed to use the bathroom that makes them most comfortable.
Moving on, Cooper asked her whether Moore still believes that homosexuality should be illegal and if the terror attack on the World Trade Center on 9-11 happened because “we distanced ourselves from God.” Porter gave similar non-answers, claiming that Jones isn’t a very good Christian and saying that Moore “believes the Bible.”
“Does he still believe an American citizen who’s a Muslim should not be able to serve in Congress?” Cooper asked, referencing comments Moore has made in the past criticizing Rep. Keith Ellison, who is a Muslim, about being sworn into Congress with the Quran.
“I think that what he’s getting at there is that we believe in the rule of law by the Constitution, not Sharia law. I think that’s really the bottom line and what we’re looking at,” she said. “It’s a message — I believe his position has to do with whether we follow the Constitution or the ridiculously oppressive to women Sharia law.”
In an interview with Vox in August, Moore claimed there were whole communities in the Midwest that operate “under Sharia law.” Porter said she’s not sure if there actually are “any in America, but there’s a movement toward that.”
The only definitive answer Porter gave throughout the interview was in response to a question about whether Moore still believes former President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S.
“That is his position,” she said, before criticizing Cooper for “ridiculing Biblical beliefs,” claiming that the judges who ruled against Moore serving on the state Supreme Court were “activists” and saying it’s “no news flash” that Moore thinks marriage should be between a man and a woman.
“He has stood for the Constitution, and that’s really what it’s all about. It comes down to who do you want to represent the people of Alabama,” she said.
Despite the highly controversial statements Moore has made in the past and the allegations of sexual misconduct toward teens piling up against, Moore and Jones are neck-and-neck in the polls and Moore has earned the full endorsement of the President ahead of Tuesday’s special election.
The younger, prettier, smarter version of KAC—how did Roy Moore luck out this way?
Ya Bla Bla Bla
Defending the indefensible because it’s my job.
I took training from Sarah “Frowny McGlowerface” Sanders who shovels more shit than a milk farm stable-hand
Despite the highly controversial statements Moore has made in the past and the allegations of sexual misconduct toward teens piling up against, Moore and Jones are neck-and-neck in the polls and Moore has earned the full endorsement of the President ahead of Tuesday’s special election.
This says more about the Voters of Alabama and Trump supporters than any scathing editorial.
They’re OK with this Really They’re OK with this
Thing about believing in the Bible–there are a bunch of different versions. And, unless you are fluent in Aramaic, you are reading a translation. So, to believe that the Bible is the literal word of God, you have to believe that God not only guided the hands of those who wrote down the original, but also that He [because if you believe that the Bible is literally true, you believe God is a He] guided the hands of the translators, too. And there are all these different translations, so which one is right?
As the venerable sage, Charlie Chan, put it, “Tis a puzzlement.” [Charlie Chan, of course, was played for much of his career by Warner Oland, who was Swedish. Go figure.]
The self-righteousness of those who selectively interpret the Bible is very, very dangerous.
While watching Moore, his spokespersons and his voters, I keep dreaming up new state mottos for Alabama. But I must say: none are very flattering.