Duncan Hunter: Welcome to Free Republic ("Virtual Press Conference" to be held with Freepers)

Freeper "pissant" has been in a discussion recently with Sam Hunter, Duncan Hunter's youngest son and a Freeper with the username "Duncan Hunter Ambassador". He was, for a short time, answering questions on behalf of Freepers for a month or so earlier this year until work at the main campaign office became supremely hectic (also, since Hunter's other son returned to active duty, his workload was shifted to Sam).

However, in lieu of the Weekly Answers Thread, Sam Hunter and pissant have managed to arrange something fantastic, with the support of the Jimrob.

In a couple of weeks, a "virtual press conference" will be held here on Free Republic. Before then, Freepers will be able to ask questions for Duncan Hunter to answer. Hunter will answer 15 questions and will relay the answers to Sam or pissant. This will be before the virtual press conference.

pissant will announce the date of the press conference a few days in advance. On the day of the press conference, the 15 questions and Hunter's answers will be posted in a brand new thread.

Here's the best part: Duncan Hunter will remain anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes to chat and converse with Freepers, answering any additional questions they might have. The full details of the press conference are still in the works, but they'll gel together over the next several days.

Any follow-up questions that aren't answered will be answered by Sam in the following days/weeks. They will posted in the same thread as the virtual press conference.

Let's make sure to give them a warm welcome for taking the time to come here and talk with We The People!

Just as a refresher, here are the questions Sam has already provided answers to in the previous Answers Threads. This is a direct copy and paste from other threads.

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Q: Will Duncan Hunter make an appearance at the Gathering of Eagles this weekend?

Sam: I was told that we will definitely have our people there to represent us, and that dad is going to make a strong effort to get there as well.

Q: Would Duncan consider John Bolton for his VP running mate?

Sam: I spoke with my father this evening, and his response was: "I respect John Bolton very much. But at this time I would say we have not decided on any running mates."

Q: Do ya think he liked the idea? Did he at least smile or chuckle? Hey - there's a question...does Duncan chuckle?

Sam: He sounded quite upbeat to say the least. And yes, I assure you my father has a great sense of humor and smiles quite often. I might even post pics.

Q: Will he be treated to the same FR animosity given all other newly registered folk which are usually labeled trolls/"n00bs!?"

Sam: I am a total NOOB! It may take me a while to get the hang of this.

Q: Are you the one who lives in Idaho?

Sam: Nope, I live in San Diego.

Q: Are you concerned at all about your apparently low poll numbers? An honest question, not intended to troll or mock, as I can see myself supporting you, especially over Guilani, the apparent appointed nominee for the GOP. However I am concerned about the apparent low poll numbers. Is there any concern? Are there plans in the works to make you, Mr. Hunter, more visible in the coming months?

Sam: I spoke with my father this evening, and his response to this question is as follows: "I have done numerous national radio and television appearances in the last three weeks, my ability to do well when the voters know about me is reflected in my win in the Arizona stroll poll, and our close finish (1%) behind Guilani and Mckain in the South Carolina straw poll. Name identification is a challenge and the answer is hard work. Help us spread the message."

Q: I hope you haven't left the FR yet????

Sam: I am still here. I was raised in a political family and as such I have developed some pretty thick skin.

Q: Both President Bush and Mayor Giuliani have said that they think that a pardon of Ramos and Compean is premature, and that the legal process should be exausted before considering a pardon for the two. Does Congressman Hunter agree?

Sam: This was from my father's speech at CPAC: "...And, ladies and gentlemen, at one small, one remote place on that Rio Grande, as almost everybody here knows, two American Border Patrol agents saw a van come across with some 750 pounds of narcotics. And at some point during that apprehension, the drug dealer was winged. He wasn't winged badly. I understand he didn't even collect workman's comp...(Laughter)... before he was back on the job. But for that, these two American Border Patrol agents, Ramos and Compean, were given 11 and 12 years of hard time in the federal penitentiary. That is a greater punishment than the average convicted murderer in this country, who does about eight and a half years. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I've read the transcript. I've talked with the families. And I've met with Mrs. Compean and Mrs. Ramos. And I've read the transcript of the trial. And I would say this. I've been in the Armed Services Committee for 26 years. I've been chairman for four. I have never seen a Marine or a soldier treated in such an unjust way as Ramos and Compean. And as president of the United States, I will pardon Ramos and Compean. (Applause)"

(The following concerns a post by someone claiming to be Hunter's other son, the Marine Duncan D. Hunter. It concerns the candidate's views on trade.)

Q: Did your brother contribute this post to this website?

Sam: This is my brother's response to someone who asked him to write up a few sentences about Duncan Hunter's view on trade. This is not an official press release or anything. He also told me that this is a DH friendly website.

Q: What's Duncan Hunter's position on people like Jane Fonda, who posed for the North Vietnamese during wartime, and ratted out POW letters to their Vietcong captors. What is his position on John Kerry, who lied under oath to Congress that American soldiers in Vietnam were 'baby killers'?

Sam: Dad has stated many times that Senator Kerry's statements about G.I.s in Vietnam were untrue. He also has condemned Jane Fonda's acts of support for the North Vietnamese.

Q: Why did Hunter vote for Meehan's/Shay's "Campaign Finance Reform" legislation which both takes away from free speech and also created the still ongoing problems with the "527" special interest groups?

Sam: Rep. Hunter voted against the Shays-Meehan (aka McCain-Feingold) Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act in the 105th, 106th and 107th Congresses (It finally passed in the 107th Congress P.L. 107-155). During the 109th Congress, Rep. Hunter did vote in favor of H.R. 513, the 527 Reform Act, which would subject 527 political organizations involved in federal elections to regulation under the Federal Election Campaign Act. 527 organizations were operating outside the regulatory framework of the federal election law, thereby allowing such organizations to raise and spend an unlimited amount on behalf of a single candidate. H.R. 513 helped reform this loophole and Rep. Hunter supported the reform. Rep. Hunter believes in free speech, which is why he opposed the Bipartisan Capaign Finance Reform Act, however, if speech in the form of money is going to be regulated for some, it should be done so for all.

Q: Is your father pounding the doors of the MSM (radio and TV) for spots? Are the "conservative" pundits going out of their way to accomodate him OR ignore him? And IF he is, is he getting rejected or put off by anyone specificically?

Sam: Dad has done lots of TV and radio in the past couple of months across the spectrum. Lou Dobbs, Neil Cavuto, Hardball and Fox and Friends have been especially good, as have Glen Beck, Mike Reagan, Bill Bennett, Gordon Liddy and many others.

Q: Can you divulge the attitude and level of support your father has in the Senate? The RNC?

Sam: With the big Republican field our take is that the RNC is properly neutral in this primary race.

Q: I am a Rudy supporter, and there are more than several of us. Do you think it is in the best interests of your dad's campaign to accuse those of us who support Rudy as not being "real conservatives"? Please note that I am not saying you agree with this or not. But I can't help but wonder what you think of this.

Sam: Dad's directions to all of our campaigners and supporters are to carry out a high level campaign emphasizing defense, border security and jobs. He believes that Rudy Guiliani is a good guy, with real differences such as Mr. Guiliani's pro-choice and anti-gun positions.

Q: What would 'President Hunter' do to shrink the size of the federal government, and give us the smaller government that conservatives have been asking for since Ronald Reagan left office?

Sam: My father believes in limited government, requiring only a large enough bureaucracy to execute the basic functions of the Federal Government, while leaving control of all other aspects of Government to the states and the American people.

Q: We know he wants to renogotiate the China trade deal (mercifully) and he is not a fan of CAFTA. But what is his stance on unfettered trade deals with good allies such as Canada, Britain, Australia, Japan, Poland, Denmark, Italy etc. Can he assure the skeptics that he is not a strident protectionist?

Sam: Dad's position is that trade deals esentially are business deals between nations. He feels that nations can be good friends and allies and still require a level playing field with respect to trading rules. Presently all the nations you mentioned have the right to rebate all taxes to their exporters. However, under the deal we signed, America does not have the right to rebate taxes to our exporters. This amounts to an unfair advantage. My dad would require our allies to allow us the same favoarable tax treatment that they receive. This would do much to change the one-way street which produced a 804.9 billion dollar U.S. trade deficit last year. Thus, dad is for a two way street in trade, achieved by effective negotiators.

Q: Would you ask your Dad if he has heard of Deputy Sheriff Guillermo Hernandez in Texas? If not, would you ask him to look into his case also? Another good guy may be going to jail for a long time. Appreciate it. Thanks.

Sam: Thank you for the heads up, I spoke with my father's staff and they are fully aware of this situation, as such my father will be informed.

Q: Would Congresman Hunter care to comment on the Democrat plan to close the Gauntanamo prison and move the terrorists to US soil?

Sam: Dad did a press conference on keeping Gauntanamo open today, I believe it was all over the news. He believes it is important to warehouse terrorists like Khalid Sheikh Mohammad in order to protect Americans.

Q: Your Dad has taught you to keep it short and sweet, just the way we like it!

Sam: Dad learned those things from his dad: United States Marine Bob Hunter.

Q: Thanks so much for joining us here. I have a question for you. I've read that Duncan farmed for a while in Idaho. I would like to hear more about that experience and if that is when he gained his respect for property rights and the hard working American citizen.

Sam: Dad farmed an island in Idaho on the Snake River. He learned not to overload the barge! LOL. He and his partner sunk a grain combine, which quickly took care of all the profits.

Q: China is becoming a real threat to our national security and economy. With all of our attention on the WOT, their military build up and monetary shenanigans seems to be proceeding unchecked. What would a "President Hunter" do to hold in check China's threat to our national security?

Sam: Check out dad's speeches on China, these can be found on his website. Basically, he will stop their trade cheating with sanctions and build America's strength in space, deep-strike, and Naval capability.

Q: Sam, some of us here are justing learning about your father - can you give a fairly brief statement about your father's vision for America should he become President?

Sam: This is Dad's announcement speech from South Carolina. It tells the story much better than I ever could. :)

(END 3/16/2007)

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(BEGIN 03/23/2007)

Q: What would President Hunter to do to dismantle unconstitutional bureaucracies in the Federal Government (the Department of Education, for example, or the FBI, and so on)? After all, nothing in the Constitution gave the Federal government law enforcement powers. Same for the Department of Education.

Sam: Dad believes in cutting the bureaucracy whenever possible. For a number of years he mandated the reduction of 25,000 bureacrats per year from the Federal Government, as an example.

Q: I talk to a lot of seniors here locally about Duncan Hunter. Mostly they like what he has to say but they worry about their issues as well. Things like affordability of medicines are a concern.

Sam: Dad voted for the Bipartisan Medicare Plan that provided for prescription drug benefits. So far the plan is gaining acceptance among senior citizens and has cost less money than projected.

Q: Was Duncan at the Gathering of Eagles in DC today? If not, why not?

Sam: Dad sends his apologies for not making the troop rally in D.C., due to commitments in Arizona and California. However, only eight days ago dad was with the troops in Fallujah, Ramadi and at the U.S. hospital in Germany.

(END 03/23/2007)

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(BEGIN 03/30/2007)

Q: "We went at this with the viewpoint that the most important endangered creature is the 19-year-old Marine rifleman," he said Friday in a telephone interview. Just damn, you gotta hand it to the man. (Concerning the easing of environmental regulations for military purposes.)

Sam: That quote is absolutely incredible. Great post!

Q: Sam, be sure Old Sarge's comment gets back to your father! thanks! (Concerning the recent war-funding bill; Hunter's comments are quite delightful.)

Sam: I will be reading this entire thread to my father on the phone when I contact him this afternoon. Thanks!

Q: Hey Sam, will your father be making it to this event?

Sam: I will find out.

Q: (This post concerns something that might worry some of you; Duncan Hunter's connection to Cunningham. As you can see, he's quite clean on this matter.)

Sam: Great post!

Q: Hope Sam comes back soon. He's gotten a lot of questions directed to him.

Sam: I am still here folks. I know you all have great questions and I want to post answers. Dad is so busy sometimes I can't even get through to him :o) But that is to be expected from a man who is running for president. You can be sure that I am logging into these forums every day and doing my best to answer all your emails. Keep em coming.

Q: Duncan who?

Sam: He is going to be your next president.

Q: My question is regarding contributions. The "Contribute by Mail" form on Rep. Hunter's site states that a phone # is "required". My number is unlisted - only immediate family has it. If (when) I send a contribution (U.S. Postal M.O.) to Rep. Hunter, and give my phone # as "Unlisted", will the contribution be accepted? Thank you.

Sam: Please contact my father's campaign office on this issue. The number is 619-463-3896. Thank you so much for contributing.

Q: With the MSM basically ignoring all GOP candidates except the chosen 3, how is Representative Hunter specifically going to get the nationwide name recognition that will allow him to be a contender in the primaries?

Sam: My father is running a grassroots campaign, as you stated in your post the MSM has already chosen their favorites. Dad is running on some great issues that really resonate with most Americans. We need your help to spread the word about dad.

Q: What are Representative Hunters views on the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution? How far do they carry? i.e. automatic weapons, grenades, rifles, handguns, etc?

Sam: These statements are straight from his website:(www.gohunter08.com)
2nd Ammendment: "It seems every election year, some liberal politician dons an NRA cap and grabs a shotgun for a hunting photo-op, as if that means they support our right as Americans to keep and bear arms. I, myself, thoroughly enjoy hunting, having just recently spent a great weekend hunting elk in Arizona. But, the second amendment is not about hunting. It is about the right of you and me to be secure in our homes. We must vigorously defend against all attempts to chip away at the Second Amendment. You know as well as I do that there is one thing criminals prefer over any other: unarmed victims."

Q: Lastly, but surely not least, what does Representative Hunter envision as a solution for the illegal immigration problem?

Sam: These statements are straight from his website:(www.gohunter08.com)
Providing for Border Enforcement: "The cornerstone of our responsibilities as elected officials is to defend and protect the American people. This was reinforced with the attacks of September 11th, which immediately made border security a national security issue. Protecting our homeland begins at our nation’s borders and it is imperative that our border enforcement agencies be provided with the necessary resources to ensure that we know both who and what are entering the country. I believe in providing Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement corps with sufficient strength to secure our borders and providing for interior enforcement throughout the country because it is imperative in our fight to protect Americans. To not do so can only be characterized as irresponsible."

“When you discover an effective deterrent to crime, you use it. I know fencing helps secure our nation’s borders because criminal activity in every statistical category has been eliminated or decreased since we built the border fence in San Diego County. What was once a porous border, susceptible to illegal aliens, drug trafficking and terrorism, is now the standard mode in preventing drug smugglers from bringing narcotics into our neighborhoods and allowing border enforcement personnel to reinforce areas of greater need. These results led me to write the Secure Fence Act, extending the San Diego fence 854 miles across California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Building fences in strategic locations along our international borders is a proven method of keeping America safe and, despite recent attempts to undo the Congressional mandated funding provided for this effort, I am committed to this effort and confident the fence will be built.”

Q: I volunteered for his campaign on the web well over a month ago, and to date have received exactly one email - a reprint of a WND article. He's burning time that he doesn't have to burn. If he got ten volunteers busy to get others engaged, he would get a lot more traction outside those paying close attention to politics at this point, which is a small minority of the populace.

Sam: If you want some information on volunteering for dad, call the campaign office at 619-463-3896 and give them your address. They will send you a package with a volunteer card at your request. Thank you.

Q: Hey Sam: mkjessup has a good quote for your father to use.

"I believe in, and support the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which makes all the other Amendments relevant and more than just ink on a piece of paper. The issue is more than one of crime or the improper use of firearms, the issue is whether the American people should or should not have the Constitutional protections of that Second Amendment. We live in a dangerous world. It shows no sign of becoming less dangerous, and if God forbid the day should come when Americans were suddenly faced with either an uprising or insurrection by forces sympathetic to our enemies, or even worse: with an actual enemy attempting to invade our Nation, I think it would be far wiser for such enemies to meet a fully armed, fully prepared citizenry who would be thanking God and our Founding Fathers for putting that Second Amendment into our Constitution as they fight side by side with our regular armed forces."
Pass it along!

Sam: Will do, thank you.

Q: (Concerning an article by Michael Reagan about a Hannity & Colmes segment featuring Duncan Hunter.)

Sam: My father is dedicated 100% to making sure that our troops have what they need. This article explains the facts, thank you Ultra Sonic 007 for posting.

(END 03/30/2007)

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(BEGIN 04/06/2007)

Q: We need to hear more of these first hand reports so we can get word of them out to our friends and families. If a dvd could be made of a composite of Duncan Hunter's speeches, I would be glad to purchase a number of them for distribution, and they could even be played at fund raising coffees in our homes all over the country. Sam?

Sam: I will pass the idea along to our communications director. Thanks.

Q: Sam, I have been asked when this photo was taken. Was it on your father's recent Iraq visit or earlier?

Sam: That looks to me like it was from a previous Iraq visit, although I am not 100% sure. I can probably find out from the office.

Q: Will Sam be responding any time soon?

Sam: LOL, I am trying folks. I am now volunteering in my father’s campaign office and I have not seen my father for about two months, whether or not I get to speak to him about FR questions depends on what time I get a hold of him or if he is busy doing radio shows....on the house floor....etc. When I do get him on the phone I am lucky to be able to get one or two questions answered, if they are simple ones. I'm not posting this to complain, I am having the time of life answering questions and meeting new people, so your questions will be answered, even if you have to re-post them, but I am extremely busy so please have patience.

Sincerely,

Your very own DH ambassador.

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And there you have it. This will allow people to ask questions that haven't been considered yet, so as to avoid giving repeat answers we already know.

Start asking!

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