Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 6, 1995 TAG: 9509060153
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania accused the Christian Coalition on Tuesday of excluding him from a forum of GOP presidential contenders this week because he supports abortion rights.
``You deny the most basic American rights - the right to speak out and the right to be heard as you seek to dominate the political process and dictate the Republican nominee for president for 1996,'' Specter said in an ``open letter'' to the group's founder, the Rev. Pat Robertson, and its leader, Ralph Reed.
But Christian Coalition spokesman Mike Russell denied it was Specter's stand on abortion that got him excluded. California Gov. Pete Wilson, the only other GOP candidate who supports abortion rights, was invited, although his office said he was still trying to work out scheduling conflicts.
Specter initially was barred, said Russell, because, ``his past record has been one to marginalize this organization. He's attacked Pat and Ralph by name.''
But after reflecting on the matter, the Christian Coalition board decided to invite Specter to address the group's state and national leadership - not the general session that other candidates will address, said Russell. It was viewed as an ``appropriate step'' and ``an effort to get a dialogue going,'' he said, adding that the invitation was going out late Tuesday.
However, Specter said later he hadn't received that invitation and added, ``They aren't responding to my letter; they're responding to a press inquiry.''
Specter, who has vowed to fight to reverse the Republican Party platform plank opposing abortion, said he does not criticize conservative Christians, but Robertson and Reed represent a minority view.
by CNB