One candidate has courage to speak truth

Steve Thornton
Published: August 20, 2008

The Saddleback Civil Forum conducted between the Democrat and Republican presidential nominees provided both candidates with the opportunity to define themselves to the American public,
undistorted by the bias of the major news media outlets. 

What a breath of fresh air it was! 

Unlike the typical presidential debates, this forum placed both candidates in the uncomfortable position of having to define themselves and their solutions rather than attack their opponent.

It went one step further by requiring both candidates to spontaneously respond to the questions asked, rather than read from a teleprompter or recite a canned stump speech.

To anyone who watched the proceedings, it was painfully obvious that only one of the candidates had the courage to define himself with specificity, while the other equivocated, fearing that to answer with
the same specificity would alienate either his support base or the undecided/moderate voters so critical in winning a close election. 

If he spoke candidly, he would either lose the moderate vote or the support of the radical base that won him the nomination of his party. 

In other words, for whatever reason, he was afraid to speak the truth to the American public.  That speaks volumes. I hope voters were listening.

STEVE THORNTON

Woodbridge