CBN Founder Apologizes for 'Assassination' Comments
by Fred Jackson and Chad Groening
August 25, 2005
(AgapePress) - Pat Robertson has now clarified an apology he issued on Wednesday in the wake of his call on Monday to assassinate the president of Venezuela. But one media watchdog -- while categorizing Robertson's suggestion as "extreme" -- feels the commentator's remarks bring sorely needed attention to the antics of the South American leader.Robertson, the well-known Christian figure and host of The 700 Club television program, created a media frenzy on Monday after declaring it was time to assassinate President Hugo Chavez, calling him a strong-arm dictator who is turning his country into a "launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent." (See earlier story)
Initially the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) issued a statement saying Robertson stood by the comments. Then on his program Wednesday, he said his remarks were misinterpreted. "I didn't say 'assassination.' I said our Special Forces should 'take him out,'" Robertson explained, "and 'take him out' can be a number of things, including kidnapping. There are a number of ways to take out a dictator from power besides killing him."
But a tape of Monday's program clearly indicates Robertson used the word "assassinate."
"If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it," the CBN founder said. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war."
Late on Wednesday, Robertson issued a statement in which he says, "Is it right to call for assassination? No -- and I apologize for that statement."
While Robertson attempts to work himself out of a tight spot for making the comments at all, a media watchdog organization says the liberal media is perfectly willing to keep the heat on the Christian television commentator -- but at the same time is remaining silent about Chavez's anti-American agenda.
Rich Noyes of the Virginia-based Media Research Center says he understands why Robertson was concerned about Chavez, who put down a coup attempt in 2002. Noyes says Chavez has been very friendly with some of America's worst enemies.
"He goes to Iran and has solidarity with the ayatollahs over there. He was just finishing up a trip to Cuba. He is himself a Communist," Noyes points out. "So he's somebody who, at every step of the way, is trying to thwart the ... foreign policy objectives [of the United States] around the world."
So Noyes believes Robertson was trying to get people to focus some more attention on the Venezuelan problem. He asserts that Chavez has been "completely off the liberal media's radar screen" for the last several years even though he has been "squelching democracy" in the South American country by rounding up his political enemies.
"What Robertson was basically arguing is that it's time to deal with this problem," the MRC spokesman offers. "I think 'assassination' was an unfortunate word [for Robertson to use]. On the other hand, it seemed to get this conversation going in a way that it hasn't before."
Noyes says it remains to be seen what the long-term effect of Robertson's comments might have on his Christian Broadcasting Network and The 700 Club.
Fred Jackson and Chad Groening, regular contributors to AgapePress, report the news for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
