During his 700 Club telecast, the founder of the powerful Christian Coalition of America lobby group and one time U.S. presidential candidate, ranted (on the subject of Venezuelan President Chavez), “You know, I don’t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we’re trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it.” “It’s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war … and I don’t think any oil shipments will stop.”
Chavez responded by suggesting that his government might ask Washington to extradite Robertson to Venezuela for suggesting U.S. agents kill him. “Calling for the assassination of a head of state is a terrorist act,” said Chavez, who has regularly accused the U.S. government and its allies of plotting to overthrow him. The U.S. State Department said Monday that Venezuela does not appear to have a sound legal basis for extradition.