GOP Political Whores Attend Hate Group Family Leader's "Thanksgiving Form"

You almost have to wonder whether the GOP presidential candidates who attended the so-called "Thanksgiving Forum" would attend a function sponsored say the KKK or some other white supremacy group. But after only a second of reflection, I'd say it's safe to conclude that it's more than likely that they would attend a KKK forum given the sad state of today's Republican Party where religious extremism, ignorance, and bigotry of all kinds are exalted. It's also rather telling that the two most rational of the current GOP candidate line up - who coincidentally also happen to be Mormon - chose not to sully themselves by making an appearance at the hate fest in Iowa. For those unfamiliar with the principal form host, Iowa's Family Leader (the others were Focus on the Family’s CitizenLink, the National Organization for Marriage), the organization is one of the most vitriolic anti-gay organizations anywhere. Earlier in the year, the organization asked presidential candidates to sign a "Marriage Vow" which among other things stated that African-American children born under slavery were more likely to be raised by their slave parents than today under an African-American president. Here are highlights of some of the batshitery that came down last night via Think Progress:

Rick Santorum: ‘Our Country Will Fall’ As A Result Of Same-Sex Marriage - - Rick Santorum reiterated his support for a federal marriage amendment denying marriage to gays and lesbians during Iowa’s Thanksgiving Family Forum. The former Pennsylvania senator promised to campaign against marriage equality in all 50 states and warned that “the family is the bedrock of our society, unless we protect it with the institution of marriage, our country will fall.”

Newt Gingrich: Occupy Wall Street Should ‘Go Get A Job Right After You Take A Bath’ -- Newt Gingrich charged that the Occupy Wall Street movement believes that “we all owe them everything” and announced, to great applause, that protesters should “go get a job right after you take a bath.”

Michele Bachmann Claims Health Care Reform Will Allow Planned Parenthood To Perform ‘Chemical Abortion’- - - Michele Bachmann claimed that the Affordable Care Act would allow Planned Parenthood to perform “chemical abortion,” during Saturday night’s Thanksgiving Family Forum hosted by the FAMiLY Leader. The claim is a complete misreading of health reform’s regulations, which would require insurers to cover women’s preventive health services without additional cost sharing.

Newt Gingrich: Secularism Is Responsible For ‘All The Problems We Have’ - - - America’s problem are the result of the country’s growing secularism, telling the FAMiLY Leader’s Thanksgiving Family Forum, “A country that has been now since 1963 relentlessly in the courts driving God out of public life shouldn’t be surprised at all the problems we have. Because we’ve in fact attempted to create a secular country, which I think is frankly a nightmare.” He has previously blamed same-sex marriage for the country’s economic woes.

Ironically, Jon Huntsman chose to appear on Saturday Night Live rather than pander to the coven of crazies and haters behind the Iowa event. Huntsman showed some degree of humor - which certainly is more welcome than the hate and negativity of those pandering to the Christianists in Iowa. Here's a video of his appearance: