Franks aide clarifies 'enemy of humanity' comment
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/29/art.franks0929.gi.jpg caption="In a recent speech to conservative activists, Arizona Republican Rep. Trent Franks said President Obama was 'an enemy of humanity.'"]
WASHINGTON (CNN) - A spokeswoman for a Republican congressman who called President Obama "an enemy of humanity" said Tuesday that he should have clarified that he was talking about the president's policies on abortion.
Bethany Haley, a spokeswoman for Arizona Rep. Trent Franks, told CNN on Tuesday the congressman was actually referring to "unborn humanity" - a specific reference to the president's policies on abortion.
Franks used the term in a speech to conservative activists Saturday in St. Louis, pointing to Obama's decision to aid international family planning clinics that perform abortions.
"A president that has lost his way that badly, that has no ability to see the image of God in these little fellow human beings, if he can't do that right, then he has no place in any station of government and we need to realize that he is an enemy of humanity," Franks said.
Franks' speech was recorded by the liberal group People for the American Way.
In an interview with the Washington Independent after the speech, Franks also renewed a call for Obama to produce a copy of his birth certificate to end the questions by "birthers" who doubt the president's birthplace. Franks said he had once considered filing a lawsuit to get it, but did his own investigation and became convinced that the president was born in the United States.
Haley called the controversy a "silly debate" and said it is "ridiculous that the president doesn't just produce [the birth certificate] and make it go away." In the interview, Franks implied that the president might be trying to hide something else.
"Probably, Barack Obama could solve this problem and make the birthers, you know, back off, by simply showing us his long-form birth certificate," Franks said. "That'd solve the problem. There's some other issue, I don't know what it is, that he doesn't want people to see the birth certificate on."
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That guy looks slightly retarded. Did he have a stroke? I think his brain might of gone with out oxygen for a little to long. Is that mean of me to say? Clearly not, seeing that the GOP leaders are demonstrating that basic human decency and reasoning are now obsolete.
I don't know how someone can defend the killing of children before they are born. Some on here have said that Frank is inciting violence with hateful rhetoric...I guess that somehow is more reprehensible than tearing apart little babies. Nobody who considers children who are not born as a right to kill is human. Not even a little bit. Humanity offers dignity and possibility...abortion offers murder and a seared conscience. Obama...you and those with your misconception on conception are the problem!
OK. So a majority Republican appointed Supreme Court decided in favor of pro-choice (also banned prayer in school and in favor of pornography) and the Supreme Court since then has been majority Republican appointees and all these value issues are still legal.
The devil lies to you!
Stop falling for the great sham of the Republican party of telling you what want you to hear but do absolutely nothing about it just so they can garner your votes.
This moron is an enemy of the world if he can make such extreme remarks against the President of the U.S. who has done more for the U.S. in a day than he has his whole career.
from what I see this statement applies to everything about Obama. What a joke for a president we now have.
"There must be something else on his form". Reminds me of the lady in the 1950's who tried get Peter Pan banned from school libraries because it was about a "commune" of kids living together. When academics howled, she said she must be on to something or they wouldn't get so mad. Franks and his ilk have no real issues to discuss, so they stoop to the Big Lie. Joe McCarthy must be smiling broadly from the great beyond.
Oh boy! If these people want to preach why don't they become pastors or priests get out of politices will ya. Take your dogma and leave the halls of justice...
I have never been so turned off by the Republicans as I have in recent months-voted democrat this time and if the republicans keep these senseless rumors up and continue to deny this country healthcare then i can assure you it won't be the last time i will vote democrat.
Consider the source. Obama is not as liberal as I had hoped. But his more moderate veiws have pushed the GOP to the far right in their efforts to disagree with him. Ya know how everyone made a big deal about hav'n a BBQ with W Bush well I for one would like to play poker (or chess) with Barack Obama I bet he is good at that too.
What kind of Anti-American whacko is this Franks?
Ok... no more abortions then... now can we get Republicans to start adopting these children? Paying for their education, healthcare and food? Support sex education and eradicate unsafe clothes hanger abortions?
Yea, that's what I though...
Sick, sick, sick. this is just sick, regardless of what he meant...
I am really tired of stupid thinking like this.
Bethany Haley's moral judgement has nothing to do with the way we govern ourselves. This country is based on no moral judgement, but on truth itself. THAT IS WHY ABORTION is a legal right and until you can find a SCIENTIFIC fact that life starts at some specific time you, you are never ever gonna win your argument. Wake up and get a life please, Bethany Haley, DONT YOU DARE EVER PUT MORALS IN MY GOVERNMENT!!!!!. How dare you!!!! Our whole democracy is based on that principle! Your morals are not the same as mine, but.. we are both americans. So please Bethany Haley, if you want to talk about some moral issue, you don't belong governing. Not in my country. Get a job doing something else. Because I am an american and I will never ever allow you to. I live in a free country and that means a country not based on some ones "moral" opinion. The times are changing my friend. Wake up.
that looks like a face that would be appealing to conservative activists! idiot!
The enemy of humanity lives up the street from me in Dallas, Texas. How many people have died under his watch?????
I don't know why Republicans are becoming like this, used to like many republican presidential candidates but lately I mean after the loss to obama, they just keep drilling on birth certificate issues, calling him hitler, communist, socialist, maxists, terrorists, now this. what happened to get something done in the government and instead of slandering and taking out frustrations this way. behave as elected working officials, not some name calling child. when bush gets elected, ok, democrates are not happy but still you are elected officials, do the job not get side tracked into name calling etc. focus on the job, who knows in 4 years maybe a republican will be president again but either way, if you are congressman, do the job. you shouldn't be the one following up on all this garbage. focus on the economy, the war, everyday things and you will get those seats back, but if you keep on spending time on name calling etc. well it's going to be a tough road ahead.
It's a daily disaster for Obama when CNN keeps on presenting the Republican talking points. Every... single...day..... the same crap.
Stop pushing your fundamentalist religious views on people who are free to disagree. No one is forcing you to have an abortion, though it may have been a good reccomendation sometime along the way.
I find it very interersting that a President who is "so concerned" about students would rather go to Geneva to campaign for the Olympics to come to Chicago rather than go to Chicago and speak to the kids who are killing each other at an alarming rate IN THE CHICAGO SCHOOLS! Some 290 students were shot in Chicago schools during the 2008-2009 school year.
Gobama we LOVE YOU.
What is wrong with this people? They think we are all insane not to understand what they meant ?When Bush lied to the entire world and send our troops to Iraq nobody was complaining.
Now this man is trying to make everything work and he is the enemy of humanity . Shame on you people. How can call yourself Christians? You are all going to burn in hell. I am sure God is with Obama. May god bless Obama and USA.
What exactly does belief in a false entity ("God") have to do with making laws? Nothing, and should be kept out of politics.
Sniffit, how about getting your facts right? Grant, Teddy Roosevelt and Eisenhower are Republicans. Both Johnsons are Democrats. Guess they don't teach you American History at Berkeley, do they? If you are going to be a liberal lunatic, atleast be a knowledgeable one. Here are the facts for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States