Reform Party hopeful Buchanan courts Muslim vote

By Karla Crosswhite-Chigbue/CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Reform Party presidential candidate Pat Buchanan Friday drew parallels between himself and the American Muslim community.

In a speech before the American Muslim Council, Buchanan told the group they have shared family values and a belief that abortion is wrong.

Islamic influence, he said, is "on the rise, and I believe the influence of your community in this country is positive, it is beneficial and it is desperately needed in an age when I see our country going in the wrong direction."

Buchanan criticized first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton for planning to attend a gay pride march Sunday in New York.

"That, in my view is no place the first lady of the United States ought to appear. I believe it is a march of decadence," he said.

Buchanan spoke on international issues as well, calling for a more "moral" international policy. He said if he were president he would lift the embargo on humanitarian, civil and medical goods on Iraq.

"I think that policy of imposing ruthless sanctions on the primary victims which are the old, the poor and the very young is an immoral policy and it shames us as a great nation and a great people," Buchanan said.

On the Middle East, Buchanan said he believes there should be two capitals in the city of Jerusalem and said he believes it would be a mistake to move the American embassy into Jerusalem from Tel Aviv as some have suggested.

MORE STORIES:

Friday, June 23, 2000

• In April interview, Gore 'sure as hell' he did not know about temple fund-raiser
  
• Green Party set to nominate Nader for president
  
• Lazio says he'll cooperate with SEC probe into stock purchase
  
• Bush resumes campaign after emotional Texas execution
  
• Study: Students choose volunteerism over politics
  
• Reform Party hopeful Buchanan courts Muslim vote
  
• latimes.com: Convention planners wary of a new style of protest
  
• GOP lawmakers blame Clinton administration for high prices at the pump
  
• Clinton praises Title IX, U.S. Olympians during California visit
  
• House votes to let Justice draw tobacco suit funds from other agencies
  
• Lance Morrow: Why Ralph and Pat should be in the debates
  
• Senate GOP reject Democrats' Medicare prescription drug plan
  
• Why Al Gore shouldn't sweat over latest leak
  
• Governor, lawmakers agree to new gun control measures
  
• Lazio: SEC has launched informal probe of my stock trades
  
• U.S. House blocks funds to monitor China pact
  
• Ex-congressman mentioned for Cabinet post
  
• New Internet privacy guidelines for federal agencies issued
  
• President in money-raising sprint for Democrats
  
• Gore, a death penalty supporter, 'troubled' by false convictions
  
• Bush death penalty stance could be campaign issue
  

ARCHIVES