PHOTO: Last night (Thursday, October 12), Alabama GOP candidate for U.S. Senate Roy Moore addressed the Madison County GOP's, "Freedom Gala." (Tyler Pruett | Southern Torch)
By Tyler Pruett, Managing Editor
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — (Full Video at the Bottom) Last night, U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore addressed the Madison County GOP at their, "Freedom Gala," held in the Jackson Center in Huntsville. Earlier in the day, Moore had toured Remington's Huntsville factory. Moore was originally going to take questions from reporters after his speech, but canceled the press gaggle. Likely, due to recent personal attacks by the media.
"It's just as rough in a campaign on the spouse as it is the candidate, and the family. It's been a very rough campaign. We've had so many things said against us and about us that's not true, and you want to respond, but in politics you can't. You can't get out and jump into this because it's a no-win situation, because they'll keep it up," said Moore during his remarks.
Similar to the Trump administration, Moore has been the target of sustained attacks from national and statewide media since his win over Luther Strange to secure the Republican nomination. Not to mention establishment politicians and commentators in the state. Yellowhammer host Dale Jackson (who was in attendance last night) tweeted this as the gala was beginning:
Is Roy Moore really Hillary Clinton? The foundation, speeches, is there an email inbox out there too? #ALPolitics https://t.co/UXz30GO55Q
— Dale Jackson (@TheDaleJackson) October 12, 2017
"Is Roy Moore really Hillary Clinton? The foundation, speeches, is there an email inbox out there too?" said Jackson; comparing Moore to Hillary Clinton. Republican commentator Dale Jackson seems to have forgotten that Doug Jones' pro-choice stance and support of a public option for healthcare are much more in line with Clinton.
Earlier in the week, Moore's son Caleb surrendered on charges in Etowah County relating to a November 2016 arrest regarding hunting over bait and on land in which he didn't have permission. The charges he surrendered to were a misdemeanor, with a 1 year statute of limitations. The original offense occurred 11 months ago, and the charges were filed while Caleb's father is in the middle of a high profile campaign for U.S. Senate.
On Wednesday, a report surfaced via the Washington Post that said Moore's faith-based charity, The Foundation for Moral Law, failed to disclose his salary to the IRS, although Moore apparently wasn't paid that salary. The charity's board wasn't able to pay him cash, so he was issued promissory notes for the back pay or a stake in the building owned by the charity in Montgomery. In essence, it is true that Moore's salary wasn't disclosed, but he also wasn't paid that salary.
In his Huntsville speech to Madison County Republicans, Moore contrasted his own belief's to that of his opponent's: that the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) should be repealed, our nation's borders should be secured, and our military should be strengthened.
"I see a philosophy that is so different that it's astounding to me. We talked about the wall and immigration before. And today, in this campaign now, it seems like the other side wants open borders, wants open immigration. We talked about Healthcare. We all talk about repealing and replacing the Obamacare system. I personally stand for repealing Obamacare. On the other side of this campaign, they want to keep exactly what we've got in Obamacare. We want to rebuild the military, strong, for our defense. On the other side, they don't want to do that," said Moore.
"But do you know what's one of the biggest issues in this country? Is are we going to an understanding of where we began, or not? Do we want to keep our constitution? Do we want to keep an understanding of that constitution and it's relationship to God? Do any people in our country still understand why we must retain the knowledge of God in our society? Is it just a religious thing? I submit to you that it's not just a religious thing. It's not just something that we have an alternative. If we don't recognize that this nation was founded upon God, then we are going to lose our country, we are going to lose our rights, and we are going to lose our freedoms," continued Moore.
Moore also quoted Patrick Henry's Give me Liberty or Give me Death speech: "The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery," he said of the importance of keeping God in our society.
Moore also addressed the Trump Whitehouse and his willingness to work with and contribute to the president and his agenda: “I believe the people in government, Donald Trump included, are trying to do something right, they’re having problems, people aren’t backing them, and they’re fighting the establishment which I’ve had some experience with," said Moore, drawing laughter from the crowd.
"They don't want to change. They don't want to change what they are doing. And Donald Trump has been frustrated. Do I think he's the perfect person? Nobody's perfect, but I think he's trying to do what's right. And I'll give him my support when I get there. And I'll tell him somethings that I know that may help him," stated Moore.
"That's what we've go to do as Republicans; we've got to serve our country. I'm proud to be a Vietnam Veteran; I'm proud to have fought in the war. I'm proud to have fought for the things I believe in in the court system, and that's what we are going to do at the U.S. Senate, should I get elected. I don't count my chickens before they hatch. I know it will be God's will whatever happens; win or lose," said Moore, in the speech.
To conclude his remarks, Moore quoted Abraham Lincoln in his November 1863 Gettysburg Address: "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth," concluded Moore. (For the rest of Moore's comments, watch the full video of his remarks below)
Watch the Full Video:
