Ask the Candidates

On Wednesday, October 24, at a Presidential forum in Davenport, Iowa, Rudy Giuliani was asked a question about U.S.-sponsored torture and waterboarding. He said that whether or not waterboarding was torture depended on how it was done. That question, and his answer, got the attention of the New York Times which ran the exchange and a story about it on the New York Times' website. As a result, Senator John McCain was asked to respond to Mr. Giuliani's answer, and Senator McCain shot back that waterboarding is torture and is prohibited by international law.

The person who started this exchange was Linda Gustitus, President of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, who asked the questions at the Davenport event. She currently lives in Princeton, Iowa.

It will be important during the campaign season for people of faith to ask presidential candidates questions about torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees. The results may not always be as dramatic as those produced by Linda’s questions, but the audience and press present will hear both the importance of the issue and the positions of the candidates.

Please think about what you can do to ask the candidates about torture policy and practices. Some suggestions for asking questions of Presidential candidates when they're in your area are:

• Arrive at the event early so you can get a seat in front, if possible.
• Be pleasant, not hostile, in your tone.
• When recognized, introduce yourself and state that you are involved in the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.
• Introduce your question by trying to connect it to something the candidate has already said. For example, if the candidate has talked about stopping terrorism, you may want to say something like: ''I believe it is very important to stop terrorism, but I'm concerned about how we do that. As a person of faith, I believe it is never O.K. to use torture. On that subject I have the following question...."
• Consider asking questions like:

• Right now the U.S. Army Field Manual prohibits torture, but the CIA is not covered by it. Would you require the CIA to comply with the Army Field Manual on Interrogations?
• Is waterboarding torture and would you allow it?
• Would you stop the CIA program of "enhanced interrogation techniques," secret prisons and rendition for torture?
• Do you believe the President has the authority to act outside the law with respect to interrogations in the name of national security?

• Please write to campaign@nrcat.org to tell us about your experience of asking a question of a Presidential candidate.