Posted on 06/29/2007 11:45:33 AM PDT by pissant
If you are an avid reader of this web log, you'll know that I sometimes put some of the upcoming political events in a header of "Path of the Cyclone: Calendar". Well, let me tell you, after driving the 3 plus hours to Ames on Thursday afternoon, I pulled into my favorite convenient store to get some Diet Pepsi and the sirens started going crazy. What was approaching? A Cyclone (tornado/twister).
I headed over to Main Street to the old depot area and checked out the Brownback office that was being opened that night. It is a nice location with plenty of parking but the actual office is pretty quaint. I think it should be a nice satellite office for them. The winds and torrential rain literally put a 'damper' on their headquarters opener and I left before the Senator arrived. Lots of good, ambitious staffers with Team Brownback though.
As I was headed toward Hilton Coliseum, I drove by Sigler Publishing and noticed that the old Story County GOP/Tom Latham headquarters is now the Ames office of the Mitt Romney campaign. I felt as though I gave a lot of my fall semester to that building (helping out the Story Co./Latham/Nussle/V.P.) and it is an extraordinarily spacious building. I'm not sure what sorts of operations will be run out of there, but their Urbandale office is absolutely incredible in size and scope.
Congressman Tom Tancredo also has a very beautiful office in Ames (in the very lovely Welch Crowne Center) and they are planning to 'officially' open it next Sunday afternoon with some gool 'ol fashioned BBQ. I will be attending that and I've been in that office and am very impressed by their operations there. There are a couple of Democratic offices in Ames also (Hillary and Obama, I think).
After learning that a cyclone HAD touched down at the airport and that the weather system was passing, they let all the people at Hilton Coliseum out of the locker rooms. The event was supposed to start at about 5:30 but it was closer to 6. There were a few hundred people in attendance and it was all extraordinarily well planned and set up. Very professional and very classy.
They had some of the student organizers speak and then they turned the floor over to Dan DiMicco, Chairman and CEO of Nucor, the world's largest Steel producer and recycler. DiMicco's remarks lasted about an hour so I thought they got a little long-winded, but he did bring up some good points and was critical of both Republicans and Democrats. The entire event centered around America's trade policies and the future of manufacturing in the country. I found the topic to be pretty interesting and DiMicco was pretty interesting, just a little long-winded.
Sam Brownback and Duncan Hunter were also in attendance. Both spoke for about 5 to 10 minutes each. Brownback looked visibly exhausted and his voice was even straining a little but that is obviously because he just finished an incredibly aggressive statewide bus tour. He gave some nice remarks and talked about trade and about energy and said that the United States needs to become much more forceful with China because they refuse to float their currency. His remarks were timely and he received a nice reception from the very politically diverse crowd. I've seen Senator Sam several times and while he never wows you with any sort of oratorical brilliance, he does have a common sense midwestern flavor to his style.
This was also the second time I'd seen Duncan Hunter in Iowa. The first time was at the Hamilton Co. GOP fundraiser in March. Hunter is a powerful speaker. I was sitting at a table of almost all Republicans (minus one) and they were all saying 'wow' afterwards. Hunter has a very commanding voice and talked in great depth about his 'arsenal of democracy'. He also talks about his father and his son and their military service and what that has meant to him. Duncan received very fervent applause.
Afterwards, Brownback didn't really hang out too much as I'm not sure he had other stops or people to meet, but Hunter was probably one of the last persons to leave the room. He was literally talking to everyone. I didn't see any staffers there with him and Hunter was busy trying to pass out his information to anybody and everybody. I was very refreshed by this. To anybody who believes retail politics is over, seeing Duncan Hunter on Thursday night puts that to rest. He was working the room, by himself, for literally an hour. It was refreshing in an era where a lot of candidates have too many handlers and yes, possibly even puppet masters.
Overall, a nice event. Just another reason why Ames is home to the Iowa State Cyclones and the Ames Community Schools "Little Cyclones".
As a follow-up to that. I’m aware there was a thread that essentially pitted Hunter & Thompson against eachother and the theme to some degree was that may the best win. I believe Jim Robinson remarked to that effect as well. I’d just like to note that as can be seen from above, I see them as equal with Conservatism, but not in electibility. With that said, I thought both candidates are winners with respect to Conservatism, so the both had already won. IMO, we can only find a stalemate with Hunter & Thompson. This is a great thing for Hunter, Thompson, FR and a great thing for Conservatism!
We are. If I had a magic wand, I’d do more for Hunter than I do. He’s impressed the hell out of me throughout the campain.
I second that sentiment, AuntB
Bravo!!
>I can’t get the hunter08 website to accept my $$$. Any body else had this problem?<
I just tried to donate via the website again, and it still isn’t working. This is serious! I’ll call S.D. again.
Yep. His fortitude is unmatched.
“However, Hunter needs his army to spread the word about the man. And not just in a “oh, how nice, a good man for a cabinet post” way.”
Maybe I’ve got a little learn about this whole Presidential Campaign process, but I’ll let you know that by drawing comparisons in the manner you listed above, you will not help Duncan Hunter. There’s the law of diminished returns, and I believe you will find them quickly with your strategy. Just offering my opinion. I’ve watched many run through mine fields without looking at the map first, so I wish you the best.
Go Duncan Hunter!
I just donated online without a problem. Hopefully the problem has been fixed.
marinamuffy
How can anyone make an educated decision on a candidate without comparing the records of the candidates?
That’s like the Senate asking their members to vote on the evil immigration bill without it even being written yet yesterday! (Diane wore yellow. Did anyone notice what color Nancy wore? Her usual “virginal white”? :) )
The Fredheads call citing records “bashing”. The only thing they can come up with against Hunter is “he can’t win”.
>I just donated online without a problem. Hopefully the problem has been fixed.<
Great news, mm! Thank you for letting us know, and thank you for your donation.
The only thing I’d caution about comparing records is that we try to avoid 3 things when doing so:
1) posting anything that is sketchy in terms of sources. there is enough contrast not to have to dig up questionable material.
2) Be polite to the Fredheads. Most are polite to us, despite the condescending and irritating “he can’t win” stuff.
3) Fred is a conservative as are most of his supporters. Jimrob does not want viscious flame wars between conservatives on his site.
Good news....on both fronts. :o)
“How can anyone make an educated decision on a candidate without comparing the records of the candidates?”
I would say they can’t. As a campaign strategy on a conservative forum, I would not be drawing comparisons between (in my eyes) the two most conservative candidates is not productive to a campaign.
“That’s like the Senate asking their members to vote on the evil immigration bill without it even being written yet yesterday!”
No it’s not.
“The Fredheads call citing records “bashing”. The only thing they can come up with against Hunter is “he can’t win”.”
I’ve seen what I’d consider bashing from both Hunter & Thompson supporters. I think it’s counter-productive. Lurkers/voters/undecided have enough time to visit both candidate threads to review records without having to wade through the trash talk between supports from the two most conservative camps IMO.
Here is one reason Hunter is doing so well in South Carolina. He tied for first in the largest straw poll (Spartenburg) and won a couple of other smaller ones.
http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2007/04/26/hunter/
Well, I see we do have our differences.
My center left uncle in Ann Arbor really likes Hunter now that he’s had a good look at him. His isn’t a big fan of social conservatism but says that Hunter doesn’t appear to have a tendency to legislate “extreme” morality. Mostly he likes Hunter’s trade and taxation ideas. Actually my uncle is a conservative but still doesn’t want to admit it.
He said he sent a donation and he’s the type of man to send the max amount.
Way to work him over CC.
>Here is one reason Hunter is doing so well in South Carolina. He tied for first in the largest straw poll (Spartenburg) and won a couple of other smaller ones.<
That is an ornery site! You go to email and get stuck permanently on something else. Good for Hunter to come out with a good old fashioned attack. Fearless warriors apparently are no longer in vogue in America. P.C. will dig our grave for us.
Hey pissant! I have to learn how to do that! :)
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