Posted on 05/24/2006 7:14:18 AM PDT by Gothmog
"In a private conversation he had with the vice president before the luncheon, Bilbray said he told Cheney the No. 1 message he wanted Cheney to carry back to the president was 'no amnesty for illegal immigrants.'
"Bilbray said that when he said that to Cheney, who did not speak with reporters Tuesday, the vice president 'said tactfully, "I hope you are on the conference committee that discusses immigration with the Senate."'"
(Excerpt) Read more at nctimes.com ...
Vice President Dick Cheney told a rapt audience of Republicans on Tuesday it's vital that 50th Congressional District voters elect Brian Bilbray.
"This is a very, very important election we've got coming up," Cheney said in a speech before about 275 people at a $300-a-plate fundraising luncheon for the former congressman.
"Right now, the eyes of the nation are on the 50th District," Cheney said, referring to Washington Republicans' concerns that the seat stay in the GOP column.
For years, Republican voters have outnumbered Democrats in the 50th, giving them a lock in a district that currently has about 157,000 registered Republicans versus 105,000 registered Democrats.
Democrats have said that, in light of the recent Randy "Duke" Cunningham scandal ---- he resigned from office last year after pleading guilty to taking bribes and tax evasion ---- they see the district as ripe for an upset.
Several other GOP luminaries turned out in support of Bilbray, including U.S. Reps. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon, and Darrell Issa, R-Vista, and former California Gov. Pete Wilson.
Hunter said that with Bilbray's help ---- the former congressman represented California's 49th District from 1995 to early 2001 ---- a Republican-led House was able to achieve a balanced budget and maintain military spending.
"And a very important part of that Congress was Brian Bilbray," Hunter said. "Bilbray is going to be my partner in moving forward."
Before the luncheon at the Sheraton Hotel and Marina, dozens of protesters waved signs and shouted at passing motorists on the street leading to the hotel where Cheney spoke.
Carmel Valley resident Kim Perl, 53, stood on a corner waving a sign that read, "exposing a CIA agent is treason."
She said that Cheney's campaigning exposes "Bilbray as being part of the existing problem in our government ---- a government representing the highest bidder and not we the people."
In a later telephone interview, Democrat Francine Busby, Bilbray's chief rival, echoed those sentiments, saying the two Republicans have benefited from oil companies ---- Cheney as an executive for Haliburton and Bilbray by receiving campaign donations from oil companies.
"They are in the pockets of Big Oil and that is why we have to stop these pay-to-play politics in Washington," she said.
Conservative Republicans have criticized Bilbray's stance on such issues as gun control and abortion. He supports current law, which allows women access to abortion during their first three months of pregnancy, but not partial birth abortion.
Cheney praised what he said was Bilbray's track record of working with members of both parties.
"He made a difference," Cheney said.
Issa asked Republicans to dig into their wallets.
"A few more dollars is all we need," Issa said. "Money makes a difference in who is going to be elected."
Busby has raised more than $1.4 million to Bilbray's $343,000, according to campaign finance reports filed in late March. An updated report is due out this week. Busby got an early start on the race, actively campaigning for the seat in early 2005, while Bilbray entered in early December.
As of May 13, the national arm of the Republican party had pumped more than $1.6 million into campaign ads for Bilbray since April 11, about three times as much as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
In a private conversation he had with the vice president before the luncheon, Bilbray said he told Cheney the No. 1 message he wanted Cheney to carry back to the president was "no amnesty for illegal immigrants."
Bilbray said that when he said that to Cheney, who did not speak with reporters Tuesday, the vice president "said tactfully, 'I hope you are on the conference committee that discusses immigration with the Senate.' "
Following Bilbray's emergence as the top GOP vote-getter among 14 Republicans in an April 11 special election to pick a temporary replacement for Cunningham, many top Republicans had called for the party to unite behind Bilbray not only for the June 6 runoff, but for the regularly scheduled June primary as well.
For weeks, however, second-place Republican candidate Eric Roach demurred on whether he would seek the party's nomination. While he recently announced he would not "aggressively" seek the party's nomination, he left the door open for voters to cast their ballots for him.
Following that announcement, another candidate, San Diego businessman Bill Hauf, announced that he was picking up the conservative mantle and would run against Bilbray.
A recent automated telephone survey by SurveyUSA and San Diego KGTV Channel 10 showed Bilbray and Busby tied in a dead heat.
At least two Republicans who attended the luncheon said they believed Cheney was sending a message to Republican voters to unite behind Bilbray.
Encinitas Deputy Mayor James Bond said that, while it is unusual for the party to endorse a candidate before the primary election, "this is a very tight race."
"The vice president is saying, 'We have to be careful not to shoot ourselves in the foot ---- if we split ourselves up Republican against Republican, then we could very well lose the seat to the Democratic Party,' " Bond said. "Let's stop struggling with each other and get behind a good, electable Republican."
About three dozen people paid an additional $1,800 to have their picture taken with the vice president. Bilbray spokesman Steve Danon said the luncheon raised an estimated $200,000 and cost around $35,000 to host.
Before the luncheon, Cheney spoke to sailors and Marines aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego, telling them that he expects the U.S troop level in Iraq to fall as Iraqi police and army forces are shored up.
"As those forces gain strength and experience and as the political process advances, we will be able to decrease troop levels without decreasing our capacity," Cheney said. "As always, decisions about troop levels will be driven by conditions on the ground and the judgments of our military commanders, and not by artificial timelines set by politicians in Washington, D.C."
Good for you Brian.
More from the Bilbray race on immigration from the San Diego Tribune 5/24. Also it seems Cheney is plenty popular with the troops, but not the media covering the event, ha ha ha. He seems to only be "dogged" by the media.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20060524-9999-2m24cheney.html
"Dogged by bad political news and low poll ratings, Vice President Dick Cheney wrapped up a two-day tour of California yesterday by courting staunch Republicans and the military – some of his best remaining friends."
[skip paras]
Cheney "...drew whoops of welcome from an estimated crowd of 3,200 sailors and Marines..."
[skip paras]
"Bilbray said he spoke privately to the vice president, urging him to abandon the administration's proposal to create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
“'We need to make sure we send a clear message,' Bilbray said. 'Citizenship is not for sale.'”
If he is another republican which one is more conservative?
I don't know. According
to the newscasts on every
damn channel, the "folks"
are watching nothing but
"American Idol!" I'm as
sick of all that drat as
I am of Nathalee Holloway's
extended vacation.
So far as I understand it, the other Republican says he is more conservative, but then again we can't predict with complete certainty how they'll vote until after they're elected. Perhaps at this point it's a little more important to back the candidate who can win and at least Bilbray isn't pulling a McCain
You never know, perhaps Cheney gets to play a role as the tie-breaker in the Senate after they come up with the conference bill
Runoof election 6/6 to replace Duke (the bribed) Cunnigham.
Busby is D Bilbray R
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/50thdistrict/20060412-9999-7n12elect.html
http://www.busbyforcongress.com/
http://bilbrayforcongress.com/
"According to the newscasts on every damn channel, the "folks" are watching nothing but "American Idol!"
That might help explain the rush to get Senate passage before the weekend.
There's also a self-proclaimed "conservative" actively running in the new term's primary. That would be Bill Hauf.
There are legitimate conservative choices available in that primary, however like Bill Morrow or Howard Kaloogian. They've decided not to actively campaign in order to help Bilbray beat Busby.
The Dems are pouring massive resources into winning this seat for Busby in a mostly Republican district and, for now, polls suggest she will win the run-off and as incombent will probably win in November.
This is my district, FWIW.
Self-proclaimed conservative Bill Hauf is best ignored. He's another one who thinks his money can buy him a congressional seat.
Uh... Maybe the Deputy Mayor should take a look at the ballot. There are two 50th Congressional races: one is a run-off between Bilbray (R) and Busby (D) to finish out this session's term and the other is a primary for the next term.
Even Roach finally got the message. Bill Hauf is making an ass out of himself and as someone in the district I wish he'd stop sending me junk mail and doing recorded calls.
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO - SPECIAL ELECTION 50TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Tuesday April 11, 2006 THESE RESULTS ARE OFFICIAL Last updated on: 04-20-06 at: 17:00:57 Precincts: 445 Counted: 445 Percentage: 100.0% US REP. 50TH DIST. FRANCINE BUSBY - DEM 60010 43.74% BRIAN P. BILBRAY - REP 20952 15.27% ERIC ROACH - REP 19891 14.50% HOWARD KALOOGIAN - REP 10207 7.44% BILL MORROW - REP 7369 5.37% ALAN UKE - REP 5477 3.99% RICHARD EARNEST - REP 2957 2.16% BILL HAUF - REP 2207 1.61% SCOTT TURNER - REP 2041 1.49% CHRIS YOUNG - DEM 1808 1.32% WILLIAM GRIFFITH - IND 1111 0.81% VICTOR E. RAMIREZ - REP 912 0.66% PAUL KING - LIB 819 0.60% JEFF NEWSOME - REP 574 0.42% SCOTT ORREN - REP 345 0.25% DELECIA HOLT - REP 261 0.19% BILL BOYER - REP 204 0.15% MILTON GALE - REP 58 0.04%
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