‘Dear Mr. President’ makes impact

A grass-roots campaign criticizing President Clinton’s moral
influence on children has vaulted into the national spotlight after Rep.
Henry
Hyde included a child’s letter in his summation at the impeachment
hearings.

The “Dear Mr. President” campaign features children’s voices reading
letters to President Clinton — letters in which the children ask for
the president’s help after they’re caught lying and cheating. ABC “World
News Tonight” played a portion of one “Dear Mr. President” spot in its
coverage of Hyde’s speech.

The spots began airing in Washington, D.C., last Monday and New York
City on Thursday.

In one ad, a youngster complains in a letter to the president of
being in trouble for lying about cutting her brother’s hair: “I’m in
trouble with my dad. I was playing beauty shop and my brother wanted his
hair cut. He didn’t mind that I cut it all off. But when dad saw it, he
was angry — when he asked if I cut it I said no, the scissors cut his
hair. I was only holding them. So technically I wasn’t lying. But dad
got mad and put me on restriction. I was kinda hopin’ for censure. Mr.
President, could you call my dad? You can explain lying better than
anybody.” An announcer adds, “If it takes a
village to raise a child, the leader of that village must lead by
example. Children must know that facts matter. Truth counts. And wrong’s
not right — ever. Think about it.”

“Dear Mr. President” was created by Steve Vaus. He said, “The Hyde
speech and the response we’re getting from individuals wanting to help
pay for this ad campaign proves that we’re hitting a nerve! We’re
receiving thousands of letters with donations from one dollar to $5,000.
People seem to feel as though this may be the only way their voice will
be heard.”

Though some radio stations have refused to sell air time to the “Dear
Mr. President” ad campaign and a San Diego television commentator (Roger
Hedgecock of KUSI) was suspended for airing a feature on the effort, the
ads are being heard from coast to coast. Radio stations from Hawaii to
Florida have offered to run the ads at no cost. Vaus has been a guest on
over 75 talk radio programs from Washington DC’s WMAL to San Francisco’s
KSFO just in the last week. The campaign is being funded solely by
donations. The ads are also on his Website http://www.stevevaus.com.

The “Dear Mr. President” campaign will begin airing in Denver and
Atlanta this week.