Cox On Ahmadinejad Statements, President Bush And The Nature Of Free Speech

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Laura Grock/Martin Janis & Co.
(312) 943-1106

October 3, 2007

(CHICAGO, IL ) - GOP presidential candidate John Cox, who will be a fresh political face in the upcoming national MSNBC presidential debate, has issued this statement on President Ahmadinejad and the nature of free speech:

"President Ahmadinejad promotes his ideology, offers his plans and answers questions. We may not like what we hear but for true freedom of speech to exist - the important thing is that it is heard. President Bush is no different. The Cubans walk out but the world sees them walking out and is able to make a judgment about President Bush's actions, about Cuba's actions. Burmese (Myanmar) junta members hear the President criticize their regime's tactics and the world can judge the protests and efforts by Buddhist monks to promote democracy for themselves. That is what freedom of speech is all about."

"But does freedom of speech truly exist? It exists for a Holocaust denier like President Ahmadinejad but not, apparently, in the Presidential campaign. I have spent $1.3 million of my own funds, campaigned in every county in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina; won straw polls, and will be appearing in the upcoming MSNBC presidential debate in Iowa. Yet, the media has yet to acknowledge my campaign. Democracy must be practiced to be effective. Giving lip service and then denying opportunity is not going to promote ideas or political competition. Let's practice democracy at home - that will help us export it around the world."

Concerning President Bush's speech, John Cox had this to say:

"It was good to hear President Bush promote liberty and freedom and stand up to the repressive regimes around the world. But President Bush should have gone further and denounced the corruption those regimes practice each and every day - the kind of corruption that is the antithesis of freedom and liberty. Corruption is holding onto power and using its levers to promote your own power at the expense of your people. This is what Castro has been doing for decades; Burmese military junta the same; Sudanese murderers put down any idea of democratic influence - these regimes all have in common the central idea of power and corruption - holding onto the levers of power to enrich themselves, their cronies and their families. Unfortunately, the President has had his own issues with cronyism and corruption and maybe he is not the best communicator of these ideas. That's why we need a new style of leadership in 2008. Incorruptible leadership based on ideas and solutions; not more of the same."

If you are interested in interviewing John Cox or having him on as a guest commentator on this issue, please call Laura Grock at (312) 943-1106.

ABOUT JOHN COX

John H. Cox, 52, is the first announced Republican candidate for President in 2008. A self-made millionaire businessman and attorney, Cox made his fortune running successful companies in real estate, law, and venture capital. He helped turn around major potato chip manufacturer, Jays Foods, saving hundreds of jobs and turning millions of dollars in loss into profit. He served on the steering committee for Jack Kemp for President and on the boards of charitable organizations, such as the USO. He is a former president of the Cook County Republican Party in Illinois.

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