Archive for the 'Republican' Category

Obligatory “Fred’s Out” Announcement

Published by
tieki rae
at January 22, 2008 in 2008 and Republican. 1 Comment

It just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it? /sarcasm

By now, I’m sure everyone knows Fred Thompson ended his presidential campaign this afternoon.

Kathryn Jean Lopez has a campaign eulogy of sorts up at the National Review Online, far more flattering than I would have been.

What his campaign may have lacked in organizational luster and ambition it made up for in authenticity and charm. You knew his greatest dream in life wasn’t to be president. You knew he’d be happy living life with his family, advising those who wanted his opinion and expertise, talking federalism with Beltway friends on weekends. When he was on Meet the Press a while back, Claremont’s Seth Leibsohn said, admiringly, “Fred came off like his hour there was not the most important thing he had to do that day.” There’s something attractive about that. And that it won’t get you elected president is today’s reality, it’s a reality to reflect on.

What is unattractive is being dishonest with solid conservatives and socially conservative organizations.  Many people put their trust (and endorsements) in Fred Thompson expecting him to step up to the plate on the campaign trail.  He failed miserably to take advantage of his early popularity.  And that, in my opinion, is a betrayal of the worst kind.

What, do I sound bitter?  I’m endorsing Mitt Romney / John McCain / Mike Huckabee / whoever is left standing not named Ron Paul or Rudy Guiliani now, of course I’m bitter.

Duncan Hunter, “Today We End This Campaign”

Published by
tieki rae
at January 20, 2008 in 2008, Fred Thompson, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Pro-Life, Republican and duncan hunter. 2 Comments

It’s like being broken up with via e-mail:

 We started this campaign a year ago right here, in San Diego Harbor, against the backdrop of American Naval power.   We launched a campaign emphasizing a strong national defense, enforceable borders and restoring  the industrial base of America. 

Today we end this campaign.  The Nevada caucuses reflecting only 2% of the vote for me.   I ran the campaign exactly the way I wanted to, and at this point not being able to gain traction in conservative states of Nevada and South Carolina, it’s time to allow our volunteers and supporters to focus on the campaigns that remain viable.

It’s time for me to gear up for 2008’s defense bill that will be put together over the coming weeks.  There is work to be done in the areas of troop protection and new capabilities to be deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. And over the horizon, the emergence of Communist China as a military super power will require a new emphasis on U.S. capabilities in undersea warfare, space, and long range air-power. 

The best way to maintain a new era of peace is for the U.S. to remain strong.  Over the coming year I will endeavor to help craft a defense bill that meets the new security challenges.

Since our campaign began over 200,000 additional manufacturing jobs have been lost.  1.8 million jobs have left the U.S. for China.  This fracturing of the U.S. industrial base is a long term threat to America.  I hope that the remaining candidates will recognize it and address it.   As the senior Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, I will seek to address it.

Only hours ago a border patrolman was killed in the California Desert.  This tragedy emphasizes more than ever the compelling case for the completion of the border fence.   Since I wrote the bill that mandates 854 miles of double border fence only a few miles have been constructed.  Over the next year in Congress I will do everything in my power to get that fence built.  

Finally, for Lynn and me, the campaign over the last year has shown us this: America is a wonderful country.   Our people have great character and goodness, and the meeting of new friends has enriched our lives. 

The failure of our campaign to gain traction is mine and mine alone.  But we have driven the issues of national security, the border fence, the emergence of China and the need to reverse bad trade policy.   Because of that, this campaign has been very worthwhile, and for the Hunter family, a lot of fun. 

To our friends and supporters and volunteers: many thanks.  And now it’s time for me to focus on developing a 2008 defense bill that serves our troops and our nation.  

Thanks, and God Bless America.

Duncan Hunter

I do believe the time has come for the Hunter campaign to end, but it is still painful to see him leave.  I’m holding out hope that the GOP nominee will choose him as VP and that he will accept.

So, who is it now?  Obviously Fred, if he can pull it out.  I’ve been extraordinarily disappointed in his campaigning — or lack thereof.  I think Fred could have easily won Wyoming with a little more effort as well as some of the other early states.  It was as if he was so popular before he declared, he felt it unnecessary to work hard to maintain that popularity.  Well, look where that’s gotten us:  Romney, Huckabee, and McCain are now the leaders.

If Fred doesn’t make it, I’ll settle for Romney.  If not Romney, then Huckabee.  If not Huckabee, McCain.  And if not McCain, no one.  Seriously, I will not vote for Ron Paul or Rudy Guiliani.   Ugh, pray that it doesn’t come to that. :(

Wyoming’s Newest Senator: Dr. John Barrasso

Published by
tieki rae
at June 22, 2007 in John Barrasso, Republican, US Senate and Wyoming. 6 Comments

I’ve just heard that Gov. Freudenthal has chosen Dr. John Barrasso to replace the late Senator Craig Thomas.

I can’t find any news stories yet, but updates will be forthcoming.

UPDATE: (10:02AM)

Here is a copy of the email sent to all WY state workers –

Remember, folks, you heard it here first …

Juliette Rule
Information Officer
Wyoming Department of Family Services
Desk: 307.777.3798
Cell: 631-1544

>>> Cara Eastwood 06/22/2007 9:42 AM >>>
OFFICE OF GOVERNOR DAVE FREUDENTHAL
State Capitol
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Ph. 307.777.7434

June 22, 2007


******FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE******

Contact: Policy Analyst Robert W. Black
Office 307.777.7437
Cell 307.286.6700

GOVERNOR APPOINTS BARRASSO TO THE U.S. SENATE

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Gov. Dave Freudenthal today appointed John Barrasso to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Sen. Craig Thomas.

I look forward to working with John Barrasso as he assumes his duties as the interim senator for Wyoming, Freudenthal said. I pledge my cooperation to do all that I can to make sure he is a successful senator.

There are many factors that went into this decision, and it was the sum of these factors that led me to this choice, the Governor said. While I dont intend to indulge the speculation on why I made this decision, I will say that I hope I made the right choice.

Barrassos appointment is effective today. The formal Certificate of Appointment will be forwarded to Nancy Erickson, Secretary of the United States Senate.

(H/T wytammic)

UPDATE: (10:04AM)

The Casper Star Tribune has an article up, “Governor Picks Barrasso”

John Barrasso, the well-known surgeon and state senator from Casper, will serve as Wyoming’s next U.S. Senator.

Gov. Dave Freudenthal, who selected from three Republican nominees, made the announcement this morning in a news release.

Barrasso, 54, succeeds Sen. Craig Thomas, who died earlier this month of complications from Leukemia. His term begins immediately.

Freudenthal said he will not “indulge the speculation on why I made this decision,” but that he looks forward to working with Barrasso.

“There are many factors that went into this decision, and it was the sum of these factors that led me to this choice,” the governor said.

From the Office of Dave Freudenthal…

Published by
tieki rae
at June 20, 2007 in Republican, US Senate, Wyoming, democrat and freudenthal. 11 Comments

Just in from the Governor’s Office:

June 20, 2007

******FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE******

******NOTE CORRECTED SPELLING OF BARRASSO

Contact: Press Secretary Cara Eastwood
Office: (307) 777-7437
Cell: (307) 421-0197

GOVERNOR’S LETTER TO U.S. SENATE SEAT NOMINEES

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Gov. Dave Freudenthal sent the following letter today to the three nominees for Wyoming’s vacant U.S. Senate seat.

The letter was addressed individually to the three candidates: John Barrasso, Cynthia Lummis and Tom Sansonetti.

 

I have been notified of your selection as one of three individuals eligible for appointment to serve as a Wyoming Senator pending a special election in 2008.

The statutory scheme does not require you to participate in a conversation with me prior to my appointment of a Senator within five days. However, I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with each of you prior to making the appointment. Given the partisan marathon you have just completed, I can understand a lack of enthusiasm about one more discussion of your thoughts and plans should you become a Senator for Wyoming. In order to make the conversation more useful, I am attaching a partial list of issues/matters (in no particular order) which relate to your potential role as Senator. I am not sure which of these or other items we will discuss, but these are some of the items we see in our office and in Wyoming. I am available Wednesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon in Cheyenne.

Excuse me, but what?  This just seems like a rather asinine statement to make.  After all, I am sure that Sansonetti, Barrasso, and Lummis are exhausted from the intense 2 week selection process, but to imply that they somehow lack enthusiasm to discuss the issues after that is a stretch, at best.  It seems to me — and I could be completely off-base on this — that Freudenthal is trying to get some sort of dig in toward the Republicans.  Either we’re too partisan, or perhaps, that discussing issues of importance to Wyoming’s Senators is not a high priority to the Republican nominees.  I’m really not sure, just unimpressed with that statement overall.

While not on the list, federal fiscal and monetary policy has always been of interest to me and perhaps we can have an illuminating discussion.

If you wish to meet before I make my selection, please let me know. Please contact Barb Warburton at 777.7435. I would also appreciate receiving a copy of any materials you may have submitted to the central committee members. Given the public interest in this process, I am releasing this correspondence contemporaneous with its transmittal to you.

Best regards,
Dave Freudenthal
Governor

Now, here is where it gets good:

Potential Issues/Matters of Interest

Federal funding support for various state, local and private projects
FERC: pipelines, transmission lines, energy corridors
Clean coal and alternative energy
Carbon management/climate change
EPA - air quality
Federal research dollars
Interstate highway system funding
Role of federal government: 2nd Amendment, 10th Amendment
APHIS - brucellosis
Wolves, Sage Grouse, Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse, Grizzly, ESA, etc.
Federal disaster designation
Health care - electronic medical records, costs, federal responsibility
Medicaid/Medicare, rural hospitals
Law enforcement
National Guard
Patriot Act
Wyoming Range
Wild and Scenic Rivers
Real ID
Responsibility for immigration policy
Special places in Wyoming
Federal lands - Forest Service, BLM, Park Service
Constituent services
Farm bill/agriculture policy/federal grazing policy
Free trade
Alcohol and substance abuse
National parks
Ability to work on a bi-partisan basis
Unfunded mandates on state/locals
FMR’s - revenue stream
Senate confirmation power
Gasoline prices
Balanced growth - federal government as landlord
Education - NCLB, role of federal government
Water - federal role through Bureau of Reclamation and participation in water projects
Wind River Indian Reservation - federal trust responsibility
Firefighting
Federal objections to state water projects
Air traffic/support for airport construction
Worker Visas
Federal lease buyback

Blah, blah, blah.  Quite the all-encompassing list.  Oh, except for a few other issues that Americans (and Wyomingites) tend to care about… namely, abortion, same sex marriage, the War on Terror, etc.

I’m glad that Freudenthal is concerned about the gasoline prices, but shouldn’t he be asking his fellow DemonRats about that one?  After all, they’re in power now and gas prices have been rising even more.  As for Senate confirmation power and the ability to work on a bi-partisan basis… I think that the Republican nominees ought to promise to do the exact same thing the Democrats did when they were the Senate minority — obstruction of the Constitution, etc.  It’s only fair, right?

I really get the feeling these interviews are just for show.  He knows who he is going to pick.  He’s only biding his time and trying to put on a happy face before revealing it to the people.

Thoughts and Reflections from the Central Committee Meeting

Published by
tieki rae
at June 19, 2007 in Republican, US Senate and Wyoming. 6 Comments

1.  It was long.  Very long.

2.  It was repetitive.  Very repetitive.

3.  It was interesting and exciting.  Despite the length and the unfortunate repetitiveness of a lot of the questions, it really was an amazing process and an incredible event to be able to observe.

I am very pleased with the list that we are submitting to the Governor tomorrow morning.  Tom Sansonetti and John Barrasso are amazing and you couldn’t ask for two better Republicans.  Cynthia Lummis is very nice, but too nice.  So nice it was a little annoying after a while.  I know more than one person felt the same way… I wish we could have just told her to stop smiling and act serious for once!  I also wasn’t impressed with too many of her answers.  That said, I hear that she really doesn’t have much of a chance for Freudenthal to pick her.  Apparently he’s not her biggest fan.  That leaves Sansonetti and Barrasso for him to choose between, either of which will be a great Senator for Wyoming and a very strong contender in 2008.   I really wish Micheli would have been the third candidate instead of Lummis, but I’m satisfied with the results overall.

Here are some notable quotes from the three candidates (with my comments non-italicized):

Barrasso:

  • “You can count on me to show up, stand up, speak up, and shut up.”  I love that summary of what a Senator should do.  Show up is pretty basic.  Stand up for the people of Wyoming and speak up for issues that matter most.  And finally, just shut up and act.
  • “This is my philosophy for government:  helping people help themselves.”
  • I didn’t get the exact transcript, but I really liked Barrasso’s answer during the questioning session about his passions.  He mentioned all of his hard work on the Laci Peterson Act - introducing it a total of three times and finally having it pass the state House and Senate before being vetoed by our DemonRatic Governor.
  • “Bring ‘em on.  I’m ready for any one of ‘em.  I don’t know who they’re going to nominate and I don’t care.”  In response to a rather weird question about who he thinks the Democrats will nominate against us next year.  Easily the best statement of the day.

Sansonetti:

  • I have to admit that I don’t really have a lot of pithy, memorable quotes from Sansonetti.  That is not to say, however, that he did not make an incredibly strong showing and say a lot of good things.  I just happened not to write any of them down. ;)  I liked how he emphasized both his fiscal conservatism and his social conservatism.  Also mentioned being a strict constructionist and pro-10th amendment, etc.
  • Concerning compromise (when to do it and when not to) -”Frankly, each and every one of us up here have a very good conservative traditional philosophy… You gotta start with a line and know that you will not go beyond it.”
  • Discussing the issue that he’s been passionate about and shown leadership, he brought up his efforts to move our presidential primary up to January - “The problem came from the fact that even though we are one of the most conservative states, we have seldom had the chance to select our president.  And I felt that it was time for Wyoming to be put on an equal playing field as New Hampshire…”
  • On how to stay connected with Wyomingites when you have so much to do in Washington - “Plug into staff, plug into the state’s media, and make sure you’re on committees that meet a lot [about issues that are important to WY].”

Lummis:

  •  My paraphrase of a point she made repeatedly:  “Let the states due their thing so that the federal government is freed up to do their thing.”
  • Mentioned Teddy Roosevelt and John Adams as dead role models and her husband and daughter as living ones.  Interesting?
  • Oh, I have to be honest.  I really found it hard to listen to anything she said because she was so darn smiley.  And honestly, some of her answers just made me uncomfortable.

And that’s my two cents, for whatever it’s worth.  I met a ton of interesting (and influential!) people today and had a great time overall… near death experience with boredom notwithstanding.  As far as I can tell (and based upon the information I’ve received from numerous knowledgeable Republicans), we are going to have a solidly conservative, pro-life Senator within the next week.  I’m excited, like any good government nerd should be. :)

Questions from the Counties

Published by
tieki rae
at June 19, 2007 in Republican, US Senate and Wyoming. 1 Comment

Right now we’re in the midst of a questioning session in which one delegate from each county has one minute to present a question to a candidate and the candidate has 1 minute and 30 seconds to respond. I’m too lazy to organize my transcripts into blogs, but if you’re interested, the Casper Star Tribune blog is having pretty decent summaries of most questions, so feel free to check them out.

This session should finish around 4:45 and then the final vote will take place (assuming there isn’t another tie).

I’ll post the top 3 as soon as they’re announced, but just to let you know my prediction: Sansonetti, Barrasso, and Micheli. I would be pretty surprised if it turned out any differently.