Anderson, a Democrat, faulted a brochure from Republican Sen. Joy Padgett that says he suggested shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorism that ``America's enemies have reason to hate us.''
Anderson was chief Middle East correspondent for The Associated Press when he was kidnapped in Lebanon by Iranian-sponsored terrorists in 1985. He was freed in 1991.
At Wednesday's debate, Anderson declined to answer the first question, instead making a statement of protest and then walking out.
``The man in this picture that they use to imply that I am soft on terrorists is the secretary general of Hezbollah, the Party of God,'' Anderson said. ``He and his brothers were the ones who kidnapped me, chained me, blindfolded me and beat me. ... And my political opponent uses a picture of that interview to try to win an election.''
The two are running Nov. 2 in a southeastern Ohio district that has not elected a Democrat since 1972.
The brochure is illustrated with a photo of Anderson sitting across from a turban-clad man who is not identified in the brochure. Anderson said the photo was taken when he returned to Lebanon to confront his captors.
The brochure referred to a comment by Anderson in October 2001 during an Ohio University panel discussion of U.S. media coverage overseas, including the Mideast. The Athens News quoted Anderson as asking, ``Are we willing to accept that they hate us, not because they're crazy, but because we've done something wrong?''
Padgett said she was offended by Anderson's 2001 statement and defended the brochure.
``I feel that if he says it and it's in print and he's never objected to the newspaper printing it, then it's right for the public to know where he stands on these issues,'' she said after the debate.
Padgett, a former teacher, House member and director of the Governor's Office of Appalachia, was appointed to the seat earlier this year when the incumbent resigned to take a job with the governor.
Stockholm Syndrome, 25 years and counting.
He outta be taking this out on Carter....oh I forgot...it's Bush's fault!
This political dirt slinging is getting out of hand.
Anderson is a jackass...
Lets see, what exactly was it that we were doing wrong, back in the early 1800's, to those nice that eventually led to us attacking the Barbary Pirates (islamics have hated us since DAY ONE!)?
Go Padgett!
Ungrateful twerp.
Can you say....STOCKHOLM SYNDROME?
Appears Anderson is another sKerry.
Anderson ought to be thanking God he's still got his head, well what's left of it.
I don't think Anderson realizes that the terrorists in his past are a far cry from the terrorists of today. The terrorists from that time were much mor politically motivated and less ideologically motivated.
The terrorists of today are much more fanatical than they were then.
Terry Anderson is a low life. His sister worked tirelessly for his release and when he got home he refused to have anything to do with her.