Gary Bauer told activists that he's disappointed in the Republican ticket's performance at the debates, saying at no time "was the sanctity of life position explained and there was continued surrender on RU-486 and Supreme Court justices." Similarly, the Family Research Council's Chuck Donovan (speaking for himself), says he hopes "there would be some correction of course," and if there isn't, "the grace period that some of the [pro-family] groups have given will probably dissipate." (In a
New York Timesop-ed piece, Bauer notes that "millions of men and women of faith who care about family and life issues … have had their hearts broken in two consecutive debates, as they watched first a lackluster defense of the sanctity of life, and then a surrender on the defense of traditional marriage.")
Last week, Weblog noted that the Evangelical Alliance Wales, CARE, and the Christian Institute had united against an exhibition of sexual toys, videos, and other products. The Xsensual event needed a sex shop license to hold the fair, but after more than 450 people registered their complaints, Xsensual's application was denied. The Christian groups are claiming victory, but it looks like the show may go on—albeit under restrictions.
Abundant Life Christian Center in Arvada, Colorado, is back with its controversial
Hell House dramatization for the seventh year in a row (see our 1996 coverage
here). This year's scenes include a lesbian suicide and a mother who takes her teenage son to be killed at the International Center of PostBirth Abortion. There's also the classic drunken-driving death scene. Fun, fun, fun.
Christian singer Michael English, busted earlier this year by police for faking prescriptions for painkillers, received a sentence of three years' probation and 200 hours of community service.
Paula Jones will appear buck naked in a nine-page spread in Penthouse that's coming out October 24. The title of the story is "Paula Jones Uncovered! She shows all, she tells all: How the Far Right used and abused her to destroy Clinton." Actually, naked Paula Jones pictures have already appeared in the magazine, but in pictures that her boyfriend took of her and sold against her wishes. Not this time. She reportedly was paid six figures for the photo shoot. Wonder if her old lawyer,
John Whitehead, has any comment. Her old friend, spokeswoman, and adviser, Susan Carpenter-McMillan, was almost speechless. "I am so completely, vehemently opposed to posing in the nude," she told the New York Daily News. "If it is true, I would be very disappointed. It's the worst thing she could have done. I don't think anyone will approve of it."