Huntsman Campaign First to Respond to THE INSTITUTE Presidential Survey on International Religious Freedom
On September 20, THE INSTITUTE sent a survey of five questions to each of the eight Republican presidential candidates and to the re-election campaign of President Barack Obama. The questions ranged in scope from general positions on international religious freedom to specific questions on religious freedom policy and approach.
"Since 2000, THE INSTITUTE has sought the positions on international religious liberty issues of all presidential candidates," commented THE INSTITUTE's Founder and Chairman, Joseph K. Grieboski. "Religious freedom has never been such an important or intimate element of US foreign and security policy as it is today. Given the significant role the issue plays, it is fundamentally important that the American people know the positions of the presidential candidates on such a topical issue."
Historically, presidential candidates would either provide a general policy statement on religious liberty or not participate in the survey at all.
In 2000, the Bush Campaign did not respond to the survey and the Gore Campaign sent back a position paper. In 2004, the Bush Campaign responded with a statement of religious liberty accomplishments over its previous four years, while the Kerry Campaign did not reply. In the 2008 campaign, none of the three main candidates - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain - participated in the survey.
The Hunstman Campaign responded to the survey within days and answered each of the five questions asked.
"I am grateful to Governor Huntsman for his swift and full response to the survey," Mr. Grieboski stated. "I look forward to receiving similarly robust answers from the remaining seven Republican candidates and the Obama Campaign."
The full set of questions sent to each candidate can be found
here, while you can find Governor Huntsman's response
here.
THE INSTITUTE works globally with government policymakers, religious leaders, business executives, academics, international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and others in order to develop, protect, and promote fundamental rights - especially the right of religious freedom - and contributes to the intellectual and moral foundation of the fundamental right of religious freedom.
Nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize, THE INSTITUTE encourages and assists in the effective and cooperative advancement of religious freedom.
