20/20 ABC News Kristina Kendall pre-interviewed Mark Henkel -1- Nov 2007

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was pre-interviewed by Kristina Kendall, producer for John Stossel, on "20/20" on ABC News TV, on November 21, 2007.  This was the first of 2 pre-interviews, in preparation for a subsequent taped-interview with John Stossel himself at the ABC studios in New York City, New York, for a “John Stossel Special” that would air on July 18, 2008. The producer wanted to do a story about non-Mormon polygamy. She established right away that she knew and that she affirmed that she would first have to build a relationship of trust. Mark Henkel told her how the Unrelated Consenting Adult Polygamists (UPCAPs) had actually “been waiting to hear from John Stossel” for this kind of segment. Mark Henkel gave the sound-bite comparing “CNN on the left and FOX on the right” manufacturing news product as if real news to “saying that MacDonald’s and Burger King sell health food.”  Having been so let down by ABC’s past airing of misrepresentative manufactured news stories about polygamy over the previous years, Mark Henkel explained how differently that the TruthBearer.org organization perceived John Stossel’s actually-honest reporting.   Mark Henkel shared that he and his organization chucklingly perceived John Stossel as a “diamond in a pile of pooh” - which generated laughter in the producer each time he said it.  Earlier that year (2007), John Stossel had authored a new book, "Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel - Why Everything You Know is Wrong."  Mark Henkel said he had more than 10 such "myths, lies, and downright stupidity" about polygamy that he would be happy to share in an episode with John Stossel. This first pre-interview includes so many important sound-bites that the producer even had to stop to write some of them down. She mentioned how positively struck she was by the “love-not-force” standard being so respectful of women, that wives must equally consent. She particular liked Mark Henkel’s use of the “freedom of assembly” argument, affirming that John Stossel could agree with that frame of argument himself. So committed to doing this story, the producer at one point even proclaimed her response to the arguments, “I really think I completely agree.” This was the very first contact with producer Kristina Kendall; and, she definitely lived up to her promise (in this interview and over the subsequent weeks andmonths) to build a positive relationship of trust.  Forthcoming episodes of this podcast will include the subsequent pre-interview, the taped interview with John Stossel himself, and more.  All of these are must-hear interviews. http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com