December 19, 2007

Ryan White’s Attorneys on Huckabee Controversy

In response to Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee’s recent refusal to retract his statement 15 years ago that people living with AIDS should be isolated, the attorneys for Ryan White, a teenager who contracted HIV through a blood transfusion and died of AIDS-related illness in 1990, have written a letter to the editor of the Journal and Courier, an Indiana newspaper (www.jconline.com, 12/18).

Huckabee has stated that his comments were a reasonable reaction to the epidemic at the time; however, the attorneys, Charles R. Vaughan and Charles V. Vaughan, say that Ryan White’s struggle with stigma and his battle to teach the country that AIDS couldn’t be spread through casual contact, was the number-one news story in 1985, and the number-two most-covered news story in 1986.

“Evidently, Mr. Huckabee did not read a newspaper in 1985 or 1986,” they write. “Isn't it astounding that someone running for president of the United States could take a position that is so wrong in light of the medical evidence available in 1992?”

On December 12, the Los Angeles Times reported that Mike Huckabee agreed to meet with Jean White-Ginder, Ryan White’s mother.

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Previous Comments:

Jeff Hammond, Carrizozo, New Mexico, 2008-01-20 14:34:01
I live in a town of less than 1000 everyone knows im HIV and they are OK with it Why cant our politicians show the same compassion and understanding as common folk who made them GOD to decide to lock up HIV people anyway june 10 1984 i was told put your affairs in order you are going to die 23 years later i'm still here and a whole lot of the IGNORANT politicians who hated me for being HIV have died why cant the rest of the IGNORANT and STUPID die too so that the rest may live

FrenchconnectionUK, TEXAS, 2007-12-26 10:36:09
When I heard about the comments said by this candidate, I got scared! It's been a year since my diagnose and I'm learning again how to live and look at life very differently and I just hope the voters won't be so blind as to over pass what this candidate has said and the implications he wants to take on this issue. Are we in America or in Auschwitz??

John in Phoenix, Phoenix, 2007-12-20 23:52:18
thanks for your reporting -- hopefully voters are reading!

wiliam, , 2007-12-20 23:16:42
first of all id like to state that this man huckabee is a one track mind and should not run for president he should experience what aids feels like himself apparently he has no common sense in this matter when so many people have this disease maybe he should live with the disease himself and see how it feels

Jean, Berkshires, 2007-12-20 19:30:38
ISOLATE HUCKABEE How can a "man of faith" be so judgemental?? Is there another Bible I am unaware of??

deidre, farmington, 2007-12-20 16:37:38
I am from Arkansas and was told I was positive 4 years ago. We contacted Governor huckabee to see what resources were avilable for HIV/AIDS positive people in Arkansas and was told by his secutary Brenda, that anyone living with HIV or AIDS deserved it, it was our fault for sleeping around or using drugs. We deserve what we got. I have since moved from Arkansas.

bearby, Birmingham, 2007-12-20 15:45:56
If he wants to do some thing this henious maybe he should be the first one to be pllaced there to see what that kind of life would be like beacuse I am equation what he said to the interment ( aka concentration camps ) of Hitler's regin .

Ivan waMoyo, Tewin, Hertfordshire. United Kingdom, 2007-12-20 12:11:25
Its high time irresponsible politicians are taken to the cleaners. This should send a message. Noone wakes up with an objective to acquire HIV. What bit don't you understand. Mr Huckabee the honorable thing is to retract your stupid comment. Then maybe, just maybe the people might forgive you. Otherwise kiss the presidency goodbye.

Hoyle M, Oxford, 2007-12-20 10:06:25
This reminds me when my boyfriend who has AIDS offered to speak at the local university. The director of student health told us she believes people with AIDS should have a tattoo or some distinguishing mark from 'normal' people. Welcome to living with AIDS in the "Country Club of the South".

Dan, Lakewood, 2007-12-19 19:00:32
He's just another Demon in disguise just like our current president!