'Dear Mr. President' D.C. debut today ------------------------------------------------------------------------ By Steve Vaus © 1999 WorldNetDaily.com Say a little prayer this morning at 6:23 AM (EST) -- and again at 7:18 AM -- and again at 8:17 AM -- and once more at 9:35 AM. This is the morning, and those are the times that the DEAR MR. PRESIDENT radio campaign sends a wake-up call to Washington, D.C., via the airwaves of WMAL, the top-rated news station in the nation's capitol. Later in the day the ads will hit again inside the beltway on WTOP, the CBS Radio Network affiliate that commands the attention of Washington insiders. (Listen to the ads here.) An attempt to place the ads on WHUR, the No. 1 urban music station in the market was refused by the station's general manager, Jim Watkins. He said, "We're not airing this stuff, for any price." (He allows ads for condoms and Planned Parenthood, but spots advocating integrity and morality are a problem.) I launched this campaign with my eyes wide open ... I'll likely get an audit notice from the IRS before the month is out ... some shady character will probably approach me soon and comment about what nice pets I have and wouldn't it be a shame if something happened. None of that would shock me. But there have been surprises -- WHUR's refusal to air the spots; other stations initially quoting me spot prices of $300 to $400 a minute then tripling those rates when they discover the ad's content; hate e-mail is now an hourly ritual; I've been accused of running an Internet scam (more about that later); and more. Still, I would do it all again in a minute for one reason. Whatever anyone might try to do to me, pales in importance to what they are doing to America. I'm tired of the administration's mantra -- "it's only about sex; it's only about personal behavior; it doesn't affect anybody but the president's family." Hogwash! What happens in Washington doesn't happen in a vacuum. It affects all of us, and our children. That's the message of the DEAR MR. PRESIDENT radio ads. And they're just beginning. After the ads run in D.C. I plan to buy ad time in New York. From there, on to the heartland ... because this is a message from America to America. We're starting in D.C. and New York because that's where the media "live." I want them to hear the message in the hope that they'll talk about it. And the strategy is working -- before the ads have even aired I've had calls from the Associated Press, CNN and Fox News Channel. They all ask the same question, "Is there some special interest group behind this?" And I say "Yes, the American people, the common man, the most special interest group of all." I have been so blessed to find thousands of people willing to help ... contributing money to cover the purchase of ad time ... e-mailing to spread the word about the need for money, more e-mail and more prayer ... covering the campaign in all media to generate more support. But I still need more help -- and yes, that means more money, lots more. To reach all of America with the message of the DEAR MR. PRESIDENT campaign will cost at least one million dollars. That might seem out of reach. But all it would take would be for the prominent voices of the conservative broadcast community to get on board. Imagine the impact if Rush Limbaugh were to give the campaign a plug; or Sean Hannity; or Paul Harvey; or James Dobson; or the many other influential conservative and Christian voices on the airwaves. The impact would be immediate and dramatic. We could change the course of American history. Pray for that to happen. On a personal note. People say, "DEAR MR. PRESIDENT is a great idea, but how do I know it's not just another Internet scam?" Here's the answer. First, WHO I AM is far more important to me than WHAT I HAVE. I'm a Christian, family man who jealously guards his reputation. I would never do anything to tarnish it. I have been blessed with numerous awards for community involvement. I have twice been named one of San Diego's "Outstanding Young Citizens" by the Junior Chamber of Commerce; I was named an Olympic Hero torch bearer; I have raised over a million dollars for charity by producing a Christmas album called "The Stars Come Out for Christmas." That's who I am. Second, I invite you to check me out -- with long time friend Mike Reagan; or Joseph and Elizabeth Farah or Roger Hedgecock; or anybody else who knows me. You'll find I'm a man of my word. Finally, I'll tell you, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I took even one dollar that wasn't rightfully mine. If that doesn't convince you, call me at 619-674-4444 and we'll talk, person to person. Enough said. Please, pray for success ... that the influential voices will speak up; that many will be moved to support the effort. Consider what you can do to help -- maybe you're in a position to send a dollar and a few e-mails -- maybe you could personally underwrite the cost of an ad or two in a major market -- anything would help. You can make a donation on the secure server on my web site or by mail to DEAR MR. PRESIDENT; PO Box 28700, San Diego, CA 92198. We will succeed ... because I believe in a great God who performs great miracles. And heaven knows, America needs a miracle! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Steve Vaus is singer-songwriter and recording artist based in Southern California. He maintains a website at http://www.stevevaus.com