Unfortunately for him, his record isn't quite as squeaky clean as his speeches. And if you wanted to be mean, you could say he is barely 5 foot tall and looks like a cross between a gay Grinch and Mr. Bean, but that wouldn't be fair.

Consider these allegations:

Quotes

"I often went to school fearful of a black eye or a bloody nose. There were plenty of thugs at my school that would love to pound me." -- Bauer

"I don't see why Christians should censor themselves out of any forum in which our perspectives can be heard. I disagree with the theology of many groups that I address; Jews, for example, who do not accept Jesus, or atheists." -- Bauer

Click here for sources



Affair with a 26 year old Staffer

Jarvis says that he and others in the campaign warned Bauer several times "in the clearest possible terms" that he was creating "the appearance of impropriety" by spending "hours and hours and hours behind closed doors with a young single woman." Neither Jarvis nor McDonald has directly claimed that sex occurred, though.

An unnamed source in the Bauer campaign said that Bauer has been traveling alone with this hot 26-year old blond (deputy campaign manager Melissa McClard) on a daily basis and the two have been so inseparable that it was like a "husband-wife relationship." This source said that rumors of an affair have circulated inside the campaign for months, and that several people told the candidate of their concern. "Bauer told them basically to buzz off -- that it was his personal business," the source said. Other staff members who quit include media consultant Tom Edwards and Betty Barrett, who was Bauer's secretary for 15 years. They declined comment.

Bauer called a press conference to deny having an affair and called the rumors "devastating." Concerning his time spent with the young woman, he responded that he meets privately with every member of his campaign staff behind closed doors, and that the questions are unfair. Bauer even denied that any campaign staffers had raised questions about the relationship with him. When pressed, though, he conceded that some of his staffers may "have left because they just didn't want to deal anymore with the rumor."

Bauer argued that he should not be held to the higher standard adopted by most evangelical and Christian right leaders, such as Billy Graham and congressman Steve Largent, who avoid meeting women (other than their wives) alone. But the boards of two religious groups long connected with Bauer, the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, have warned him to not travel alone with her or meet behind closed doors for extended periods.

Click here for sources



Taking Big Money From the Moonies

Bauer had no trouble sitting through Moon's amazing speech, which including gems such as:

"God wants a love partner. Thus, centering on the place where husband and wife become one through their sexual organs, God wants to appear and meet us."

"When you were young, did you ever taste the dried mucus from your nose? Does it taste sweet or salty? It's salty, right?"

You can read the entire text of Moon's speech on the Moonie's web site by clicking here.

Bauer's group, the Family Research Council, takes out full page ads in the Washington Times, a conservative newspaper owned by Moon. Those are paid for with his non-profit's money from donations, but the speaking fees go directly into Bauer's pockets. Besides the Washington Times, Moon has courted various conservative political leaders by donating money to Ralph Reed, Jerry Fallwell and his financially troubled Liberty University among others.

Moon, who served a prison term for tax evasion, is controversial because of his fruitcake beliefs, his cult's widely publicized mass marriages of up to 10,000 people, and alleged brainwashing of members. He claims that Jesus failed as Messiah because he did not wed and have children, and that Moon and his fourth wife Hak Ja Han Moon are the "true parents of all humanity."

Click here for sources

Avoided the Vietnam War

"I was in college and law school during the Vietnam War and had a student deferment. Later, I was drafted, but disqualified because of a physical problem that gave me a rating of 1Y -- meaning I could not be inducted unless there was more of a military emergency. I feel very strongly about the decline of our military over the past 10 years."

Click here for sources

Sources

Quote sources:

Adultery -- " When Is Adultery No Longer A Fun Campaign Theme? When the Shoe Is On The Other Foot...That's When", by Gary Bauer, NH Family Watch, December 1996

Getting beat up -- "Religious Conservative Bauer Keeps Faith and Runs", by John Harwood, The Wall Street Journal, December 7, 1999 pA28

Disagree with Jews -- see Moonie Sources.

Affair sources:

Transcript of Gary Bauer's Press Conference on Adultery Rumors, on ABC News web site, September 29, 1999

Bauer Denies Affair Rumors, By Douglas Kiker (AP), Washington Post, Sept. 29, 1999

"Bauer Again Denies Affair With Staffer", by Carolyn Lochhead, San Francisco Chronicle, September 30, 1999 pA5

"Bauer Says He Did Not Have Affair: 2 Ex-Aides Make Public Allegation" By Thomas B. Edsall and Hanna Rosin, Washington Post, September 30, 1999; Page A14

"Bauer: I am not a slut!", by Jake Tapper with Susan Crabtree, Salon Magazine, September 29, 1999

"Daily Dish: Itemizing" (towards the end of the column), by Rush and Molloy, New York Daily News, Sept. 27, 1999

"GOP Race Getting Nasty", by Carla Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 28, 1999 pA3

"GOP Big Defects to Forbes Camp", by Helen Kennedy, NY Daily News, Sept. 16, 1999

" When Is Adultery No Longer A Fun Campaign Theme? When the Shoe Is On The Other Foot...That's When", by Gary Bauer, NH Family Watch, December 1996

Moonie sources:

"What In The World!", (a news summary from Bob Jones University), v. 20, Number 7, citing Christian Century Magazine 9/11/96.

"Moon-Related Funds Filter to Evangelicals", by John W. Kennedy, Christianity Today, February 9, 1998 vol. 42, no. 2, p.82

Moon's Speech of August 1, 1996

Draft sources:

"Gary Bauer: A Chat With a Presidential Candidate", CNN.com Allpolitics, May 13, 1999 p7

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