Posted on 01/29/2007 5:18:09 AM PST by GulfBreeze
Presidential Hopeful Faces Many Obstacles
SAN DIEGO -- Republican presidential hopeful Rep. Duncan Hunter Sunday lauded San Diego's success in cracking down on illegal immigration and said the United States should be wary of China using U.S. dollars to build a "war machine."
Appearing on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," Hunter said criticism of President George W. Bush's Iraq policies in the media was lowering morale of the troops.
Hunter, whose son is serving his second tour of duty in Iraq, said he believes the American people support sending more troops as reinforcements to Iraq.
Hunter, R-Alpine, also said he opposes amnesty for immigrants in the United States without legal papers.
"We send thousands of people back every week and I think it's wrong for us to send a message to the great Border Patrol of this country and all of the people that work to make sure that people are here legally to say 'you know we really don't believe that stuff,"' Hunter said.
"All we're saying with respect to the fence is we've got this big front door in America -- legal immigration. Knock on the door if you want to come into the United States."
The wall in San Diego, he said, was proof that a massive fence across the U.S-Mexican border could work.
"We have reduced smuggling of people and narcotics by more than 90 percent in that smuggler's corridor between San Diego and Tijuana," he said. "That the fence works in San Diego."
Although the Sunday morning interview programs draw relatively few viewers -- "This Week" attracted about 2.88 million viewers and was seen in 2.1 percent of the nation's television households last Sunday, according to Nielsen Media Research -- they generate both television and newspaper coverage and are watched by many in government and the news media.
The interview, which aired at 8 a.m. on KGTV-TV Channel 10, was conducted in South Carolina, the second state to hold a Republican presidential primary, scheduled for Feb. 2, 2008, five days after New Hampshire primary.
Hunter has been campaigning in the state since Thursday, when he formally declared his candidacy.
Hunter is scheduled to travel to New Hampshire late Sunday and campaign there Monday.
Hunter, 58, was elected to the House in 1980 and re-elected every two years since. He was chairman of the House Armed Services Committee from 2003 until the Democratic takeover of the House earlier this month.
Hunter has billed himself as the most conservative Republican presidential candidate, which he said gives him a chance for victory despite low name recognition.
If elected, Hunter said he would change the way the United States does business with China, which he said could become an enemy.
"If this was a football team, and we were in the NFL, every other team in the NFL would get points on the scoreboard before the game opened because they (China) have preferential tax and tariff laws," he said, adding that he was concerned about China's military capabilities.
"They're smart, they've got dedicated engineers and they're going at our strengths in terms of stealth and in intelligence and our ability to penetrate enemy air space," Hunter said. "So China is building a war machine - we see that with our intelligence - they're building it with American trade dollars. That doesn't make sense."
In addition to having to overcome low name recognition and being at 1 percent in several polls among Republican presidential hopefuls, Hunter will also have to overcome history to be elected president. No sitting member of the House has been elected president since Republican James A. Garfield in 1880.
Copyright 2007 by City Wire. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
China is a concern as well as Russia with their using our enemies(N. Korea, Iran) through proxy to hurt and undermine us. I think Hunter would put them on notice that it won't be tolerated. And that's what we need. We ARE NOT going to get that with Hillary, Obama and I honestly don't see any other Republican being as strong or capable a CIC than Hunter. The man was meant for these times.
Congressman Hunter has had my support since he was on CNN and handled them with finesse and told them off about the way they handled the sniper shooting. He also demanded the Pentagon remove CNN from the troops in Iraq. He has my support. Congressman Hunter has strong leadership capabilities and he reminds me so much of President Reagan.
His PR team should start making comparisons to Ronald reagan to get the image into peoples' minds. He sounds like a possibility.
I hope the skeletons in his closet are small.
Reagan or John Wayne. It's pretty apparent when you see and hear from him. He's secure in who he is and what he believes.
This is a great point. Of course. I don't want to dwell too much on the "loses in the general election."
Because it has seldom happened. Republicans generally lose when they run moderates and win when they run conservatives.
Yes, you're right about finally having a great man who explains and shows conservatism very well. And it's always better with military experience. He would be the first Vietnam vet as President he has the politics and personality to back it up and make a run successful. I think he would be the best voice to put forward for conservatism and would more than show the Demonrat candidates as the fools they are. Just think of how absurd they will look next to Hunter in '08 and with the threats we are facing.
I don't care what the talking heads say... They are just the horse that our guy is riding into town on.
:0)
I am interested. Went to the website and signed up for the newsletters.
Contrary to Romney flipping and deciding he is now pro-life, I think Hunter actually is. The war on radical Islam is huge, but it doesn't distract from my personal desperate hope to get another pro-lifer or two on the SCOTUS. In my opinion, Roberts and Alito are the best parts of W's legacy.
I read the entire article. Nowhere does it even say what his views on National TV are...
I'm curious when a person was elected president and had only been mayor previously.
Ha ha haaaaa.....
Very gooood.
Yep.
Have you seen his website yet?
http://www.GoHunter08.com
BTW this PIC is only 40k... Small actually but, LET ME KNOW if you have problems downloading it for those with dial up. Just curious, because someone complained about the first Pic (a bit larger ) the the Mods removed it. Let me know!
"No sitting member of the House has been elected president since Republican James A. Garfield in 1880."
But how long has it been since we elected a CONSERVATIVE California Statesman to the Whitehouse. 24 years and that's too d*#n long.
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