Christensen, Ricketts blast opponents' pro-life credentials

Some candidates claim to be pro-life but their actions prove otherwise, according to the message given at Mark Christensen's pro-life rally Tuesday.

Joined by state Sen. Mike Foley, U.S. Senate Republican candidate Pete Rickets and District 44 Legislative candidate Christensen blasted their opponents' anti-abortion positions as inconsistent and as a way to garner votes.

Actions speak louder than words, Foley said. He told the crowd at the Knights of Columbus Hall that this election was critical for Washington and the state for pro-life candidates.

He criticized Christensen's opponent Frank Shoemaker in failing to fill out a Right to Life survey and the thousands of dollars donated from Sen. Ben Nelson's political action committee to candidates not pro-life.

"There is a huge difference between Pete's values and Nelson's actions," Foley said. "Either you're with us or against us."

He accused Shoemaker of claiming to be pro-life only after his consultants realized the importance of the issue.

"He's not one of us. I think I know where he stands," Foley said.

With the elections three weeks away, Foley warned it was imperative that voters knew where candidates stood. He praised former state Sen. Tom Baker as a staunch pro-life ally in the senate and called Chris-tensen "the next Tom Baker."

"Mark represents our values and fundamental concerns," Foley said.

Ricketts disputed Nelson's pro-life stance and pointed to his opponent voting twice, with other Democrats, to try to overturn a policy that prohibits U.S. tax dollars going toward overseas organizations that fund abortions.

That wasn't an accident, Ricketts said. Nelson is either really not pro-life or he is putting aside his principals to do what his party tells him to do, Rickets claimed.

He also referred to Nelson's PAC donation of $12,500 to Maxine Moul, the Democratic candidate running against Republican incumbent Jeff Fortenberry in the 1st Congressional District.

"Actions speak louder than words," Ricketts reiterated. "Look at (Nelson's) record. How important is pro-life to you?" Nelson may be portrayed as pro-life but his voting record doesn't show that, he said.

Ricketts also answered questions from the audience, stating that his opponent has no plan for illegal immigrants already in the country. Ricketts said his plan would deport citizens to their home country, where they would obtain a temporary work visa and then come back to the U.S. to work here legally.

He voiced his opposition to the "No Child Left Behind" law to a smattering of applause, which he said used a "cookie cutter approach" in education and opposes local control.

Christensen brought up his opponent's response in a May debate, in which Shoemaker said he would not support the recently-passed South Dakota law that makes abortion a crime, including in cases of rape or incest, unless the mother's life is in danger. He said Shoemaker claimed to oppose abortion but was in favor of stem cell research to find cures for diseases such as Parkinsons.

In contrast, Christensen stated he would support a similar ban on abortion in the Nebraska Legislature and that he is against embryonic stem cell research, which he said has not been proven to cure any diseases. Instead, Chris-tensen said he would support adult stem cell research, which has been proven to help find cures for diseases.

It's easy to write an ad that says you're pro-life or pro-family, Christensen maintained, but fundamental values separated him from his opponent.

As a father to seven children, Christensen said he believed life begins at conception and that each life is "a gift from God."

Others who stopped by the rally but were unable to stay were 3rd Congressional District candidate Adrian Smith and Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy