WWW- I would be remiss if I did not publicly express my disappointment that an invitation to last week's gala fundraiser of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) was extended to and accepted by two very high profile pornographers.
In case you missed last week's media coverage of the event, pornographer Mark Kulkis, president of Kick A-- Pictures came to "The 2005 President's Dinner and Salute to Freedom" at the invitation of the NRCC and brought as his guest an XXX-rated porn star who goes by the name of Mary Carey.
The pornographic pair made sure that the media was aware of their invitation to the two-day extravaganza, the finale of which featured President Bush, himself, as keynote speaker. Carey scheduled a press conference and photo opportunity immediately prior to the Presidential Dinner to talk about, among other things, how her industry had benefited our economy and to show off her evening gown. This is the same porn star who made a mockery of the political system by running against Arnold Schwarzennegger for governor of California on a platform of making lap dances tax deductible, recruiting porn stars as "ambassadors of good will" and putting "webcams in every room of the governor's mansion."
When news of the invitation first surfaced, I hesitated to speak out, hoping that President Bush might put his foot down and insist that the invitation be rescinded.
And he could have done so.
White House spokespersons would like to place all the blame on the independent RNCC. However, when the far more reputable actor Russell Crowe (star of "Gladiator," "Master and Commander," and "Cinderella Man") got into a well-publicized brush with police for throwing a cordless phone at the concierge of a New York hotel, White House officials reportedly got on the phone and "arranged" a cancellation of his invitation to another White House function.
I have to believe that if President Bush had expressed disapproval of the pornographer's invitation, a similar cancellation could have been arranged.
In fact, porn star Carey just last month was in a more serious brush with the law. Along with four others, she reportedly was arrested at a new strip club in a Tacoma, Washington suburb and accused of violating a sexually oriented business ordinance. The charges were getting too close to customers, and, in Carey's case, "touching [herself] in a sexual manner."
So yes, I am extremely disappointed.
Disappointed that the man whom Values Voters placed in office to restore foundational Judeo-Christian values to our nation has accepted money from an industry that mocks and undermines those values.
And disappointed that in doing so our President and his party have legitimized these pornographers and their criminal industry.
Yes - criminal. Many of the products produced by Mark Kulkis' company are likely obscene according to criteria established by the Supreme Court. Interstate transportation of obscenity is a federal crime.
And this legitimization of the pornography industry comes at a time when, at long last, we have a Justice Department that is poised to take action against the industry. Will the fact that the President and his party are willing to accept money from a noted pornographer hinder their efforts?
Joseph Farah, writing for WorldNetDaily, asks a telling question: "What would have been the response of the Republican Party if, during the 1990s, President Clinton had agreed to speak at a fundraising dinner attended by a porn star and a pornographer? They would have been justifiably outraged."
Hopefully, this will be a singular incident. But the ramifications of this incident will be far from singular. This incident will be brought up for years to come when President Bush tries to address family values.
I am disappointed, and I phoned the White House to register my disappointment. Won't you do likewise? You may call 202-456-1111, or use the White House Web Mail feature at www.whitehouse.gov.
