State Dept. Decries Robertson Nuke Quote

AP ^ | Sunday, October 12, 2003 10:12 a.m. ET | unk

[ImpBill]

VIRGINIA BEACH , Va. (AP) -- The U.S. State Department has condemned an on-air suggestion by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson that the agency ought to be blown up with a nuclear device.

Robertson, who heads the Virginia Beach -based Christian Broadcasting Network, made the remark while interviewing author Joel Mowbray on "The 700 Club" television program last week. Mowbray wrote a book called "Dangerous Diplomacy: How the State Department Endangers America's Security."

"I read your book. When you get through, you say, 'If I could just get a nuclear device inside Foggy Bottom, I think that's the answer.' I mean, you get through this, and you say, 'We've got to blow that thing up,'" Robertson said during the interview.

The State Department's headquarters are located in Foggy Bottom, a Washington neighborhood.

Richard Boucher, the agency's top spokesman, called the remark Thursday "despicable."

"I lack sufficient capabilities to express my disdain," Boucher said to reporters during a press briefing.

Robertson was out of town and could not be reached for comment, his spokeswoman Angell Watts said Friday.

In National Review magazine, Mowbray has written articles criticizing the way visas were issued in Saudi Arabia . Mowbray was questioned in 2002 by the State Department after disclosing at a press briefing that he had obtained a classified document about visa issues.

Robertson also advocated bombing the State Department during a June interview with Mowbray.

"Well, it looks like Congress had better do something, and maybe we need a very small nuke thrown off on Foggy Bottom to shake things up," Robertson said.

The Christian evangelist regularly condemns the State Department as a rogue element he says consistently undermines U.S. policies and the principles of freedom.

"It's like an entrenched bureaucracy that has their own agenda, and it doesn't comport with the will of the American people. How do we get rid of them?" he said during the June interview.

In a July broadcast of "The 700 Club," Robertson accused the State Department of supporting Muslim rebels who opposed the Liberian government headed by Charles Taylor.

Robertson, a Bush supporter who has financial interests in Liberia, said he believed the State Department has "mismanaged the situation in nation after nation after nation" in Africa.

"So we're undermining a Christian, Baptist president to bring in Muslim rebels to take over the country," he said during the July broadcast.

[ImpBill]

It seems the folks at the State Department, unable to take criticism of any kind, don't recognize hyperbole when they see it. There inability or un-willingness to do so only reinforces the fact the State Department is a bastion of liberalism bent upon the nullification of our Constitution and way of life.

For it is only the left that takes quotes such as Mr. Robertsons and twists them into examples of "Hate Speech".

[Beck_isright]

I happen to agree with the State Department on this one.
We should use a neutron bomb on the State Department to get rid of all the commies and leave the buildings standing for some real Americans to take over the job.

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[sarasota]

Don't be too hard on the staff at the State Department. They're turning the battleship, however slowly.

[ImpBill]

Be careful. You might incur Mr. Boucher's "disdain".

The question, as Mr. Robertson so aptly put it is, "How do we get rid of them?"

[boomop1]

The State Dept and Justice Dept should be purged when a new president is elected, put them where they belong in like, homosexual affairs office especially if a Rat was previous president..

[11th Earl of Mar]

Pat has taken way too much flaming from those that probably agree with him on >90% of the issues he addresses

The same could be said of Randall Terry formerly of Operation Rescue.

Both may have a valid point, but they have made themselves such an albatros, nobody wants to be associated with them.

Add Pat Robertson to that list.

[Beck_isright]

"They're turning the battleship, however slowly."

In 3 plus years we have yet to disinfect the Klintonian influences that have infested our foreign policy. I'm not convinced W cares. And it is loaded with socialists and communists.

[ImpBill]

Nice to see you. I still recall the days of chatting on mIRC #FreeRepublic.

I'm with you and I don't understand how or why the socialists get left behind in many of our government agencies when administrations change. Well actually I do understand the how, just not the why. Burocrats rule even the representatives.

[ImpBill]

Well I am certainly not associated with either group, but I do associate myself with many of their remarks and stands. Just because messangers are flawed we can't therefore ignore the message, IMHO.

[sarasota]

I think W cares. He is positioning a very bright, very brilliant core of young Republicans who have been and will be able to get the job done the way he wants it done. The other cogs in the machinery are just on the payroll.

[onedoug]

How about fumigation?

[Sir Gawain]

[ImpBill]

Oh that it could be that easy. But like Mr. Robertson's the message is clear.

[GulliverSwift]

I have no love lost for Robertson but it appears he was quoted out of context. Wasn't he just summarizing the other guy's remarks?

[ImpBill]

Either way it was absolute hyperbole. I am not a Robertson fan but know that he nor anyone, from any political persuasion would only be using hypebole in the making of such a statement. The leftists in charge and working in every aisle at the State Department need to be removed and it should have been GW's task through his operatives to do so.