Circle of Protection posts interviews of candidates

by Circle of Protection staff

A group of Christian leaders is releasing videos in which U.S. presidential candidates explain how they would work to address poverty both in the United States and around the world as president.

The videos were made by Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Martin O'Malley, and Bernie Sanders. 

The other declared presidential candidates were contacted but have not yet provided videos.

The 100 Christian leaders, which included General Minister and President Sharon Watkins as part of the Circle of Protection coalition, sent each presidential candidate a letter asking him or her to produce a video stating how they propose to provide help and opportunity to hungry and poor people in the United States and abroad.

The videos are being disseminated among the Christian leaders' wide networks and members in order to raise hunger and poverty as an election issue. They can also be seen at www.circleofprotection.us and on YouTube.

"We are praying for a president who will make ending hunger and poverty a top priority of his or her administration. Are you that leader?" the letter asked. The letter is available at www.circleofprotection.us.

 The Circle of Protection represents a diverse array of Christian denominations, churches, colleges, and agencies across the country. They will not publicly evaluate the policy positions or endorse any candidate.

 "We will be calling on people of faith to examine presidential candidates to see if they have a heart for poor and hungry people. We want to know how each candidate proposes to fulfill the mandate to those who govern to 'give deliverance to the needy' (Psalm 72)," the leaders added in the letter.

 According to the latest U.S. Census data, 49 million Americans are at risk of hunger, while 45 million live in poverty. One in five children lives in poverty. That is 15 million children, 5 million of them under age 6.

 The Christian leaders see the videos as the beginning of an active debate about how to alleviate hunger and poverty, and hope these issues will be at the center of the presidential campaign.