Hunting for votes(Duncan Hunter)

World ^ | February 1, 2007 | Jamie Dean

[WFTR]

Absolutely gulfbreeze...also, donate to the campaign. Running a successful campaign takes money, and with the number of conservatives that frequent this website, there's no reason that the one conservative candidate in this race can't be as great a fundraising success as Howard Dean was...

Actually, the better reason to give to the campaign for those who like Mr. Hunter is that an influx of donations of any size will be a sign of support. If the number of contributors to his campaign were suddenly five or ten times the number giving to other candidates, that early sign of people voting with their checkbooks would get the media's attention. For the time being, the big money is going to follow McCain, Guiliani, and Romney because they are considered the candidates "who can win." If the little money followed someone else in a big way, the big money might start to change.

Bill

[WFTR]

I support Romney. So go ahead, tear into Romney.

I still haven't made up my mind about Governor Romney. What are the two or three biggest factors in your supporting him?

[Cindy]

sp=remove

[Hydroshock]

Fair trade, we put the same restrictions on a country's good as they put on ours.

[Liz]

MAJOR STUDY BY THE PEW FORUM ON RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE:

Republicans Can't Win Without Christian Conservatives

SOURCE: http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:QS6fK2c8AP0J:pewforum.org/events/index.php%3FEventID%3D115

Americans who regularly attend worship services and hold traditional Christian religious views increasingly vote Republican, while those who are less connected to religious institutions and more secular in their outlook tend to vote Democratic, according to a major study by the Pew Forum.

Some of the conclusions of this report were already evident in 2004 exit polling data. For example, voters who attend church more than once a week (16 percent of all voters) chose Bush over Kerry by a margin of 64 – 35 percent.

Likewise, those who attend Christian denominational Churches on a weekly basis (26 percent of voters) supported the President by a 58 – 41 percent margin. Also very telling, those who never attend Church (15 percent of voters) overwhelmingly supported Kerry 62 – 36 percent.

The study further found that traditionalist elements within each religion tended to vote Republican, while modernist groups within the religions trended towards the Democrats. A multiple regression analysis of exit poll and public opinion survey data from 2000 and 2004 enabled the Pew Research Center to assign a relative weight to various demographic markers.

Interestingly, church attendance was tied with race as the most significant factor. But even that number is deceiving; in that race is only an important factor due to the high level of support the Democrats receive from black voters.

These trends represent a major shift over the past forty-five years. White Christian Evangelicals in 1960 favored Democrats by a two-to-one margin; now they are Republican by a 56 – 27 percent margin. Seventy-eight percent of them voted for President Bush in 2004.

In 1960, 71 percent of Catholics were Democrats and now Democrats have only a slight edge among Catholics (44 – 41 percent) and Catholics voted for President Bush (52 – 47 percent) in 2004. These trends have also brought an increased acceptance of religion in the public square.

While Americans do tend to favor the separation of church and state, 70 percent of voters want their President to have strong Christian religious beliefs. Likewise, the study reveals that 52 percent of Americans believe that Christian churches should express political views. Surprisingly, support for political involvement of churches is strongest among younger voters age 18 to 29 (59 percent).

[Liz]

DEMOCRATIC STRATEGISTS ISSUE MEMO ON LOSS OF CATHOLICS

Washington, DC, Apr. 13, 2005 (Culture of Life Foundation/CWNews.com) - A memo authored by a prominent Democratic strategy organization calls the decline in support of white Catholics for Democrats "striking" and "a big part of the 2004 election story." One of the analysis' key findings is that Catholic voters are becoming more pro-life, which the authors called "a factor in the recent losses and one of the blockages for Democrats, at least in the Midwest."

The data also reveals that young Catholics are more pro-life than their parents and that bishops who speak out against pro-abortion politicians help bolster the pro-life vote.

The abortion issue is particularly potent for a group called "Democratic defectors" who either identified themselves as Democrats or voted for Bill Clinton in 1996 but voted for President Bush in the last election. Among this group, "26 percent believe that abortion should be illegal in all cases, nearly three times the number for all Catholic Democrats."

The memo was issued by Democracy Corps, a research and tactical advice organization founded by Democrat strategy virtuosos James Carville, Stanley Greenberg and Bob Shrum. Titled "Reclaiming the White Catholic Vote," it is based on data from a nationwide survey of more than 1,000 white Catholic voters.

The decline in the white Catholic vote has been steady over the last decade. Clinton won it by seven percentage points; Al Gore lost it by seven points; and Sen. John Kerry lost it by 14 points. The data provided in the report provides a fascinating window into the much discussed Catholic vote and makes it clear Democrats are losing ground because of their stance on a range of cultural issues.

It turns out that one of the most contentious and visible issues in the 2004 election, the denial of the Eucharist to pro-abortion politicians, did not hurt the pro-life side as many said it would.

The poll found that when white Catholics were asked whether or not they were more or less likely to vote for a Democrat that "is denied Communion by the area's bishop for voting to support abortion rights" 49 percent said they were less likely while 33 percent said they were more likely.

The memo also made it clear that the abortion issue is not going away. "Although the pro-life position is strongest among seniors, Catholics' current pro-life position does not appear likely to lessen with time.

While middle-age Catholics lean toward keeping abortion legal, voters under 30 are more pro-life: 53 percent believe abortion should be illegal in most cases." The pro-life position could be a winning one for Democrats according to the study.

Fifty-nine percent of white Catholics say they are more likely to support a Democratic candidate who is pro-life and 35 percent say they are less likely, giving a pro-life Democrat a 24 point advantage. Even on the East Coast where Catholics are less pro-life, a pro-life Democrat has a 12 point advantage over a pro-abortion candidate.

The memo advises Democrat candidates to get around the issue by presenting themselves as one who "[b]elieves in a woman's right to choose but believes all sides should come together around the common goal of preventing and reducing the number of abortions, with more sex ed, including abstinence, access to contraception and more adoption."

This common ground approach is reminiscent of a recent speech given by New York Senator and likely presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, in which she softened her approach to abortion by calling it a "tragic choice." In the speech she said faith-based abstinence should be embraced but also called on increased funding for "family planning services," a euphemism for contraception, abortifacients, and abortions.

SOURCE http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=36492

[JoanneSD]

Duncan is the one to watch.... go Hunter

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I must have missed this incredible steam roller.Aside from the fealty of infatuated Freepers, where can I find evidence of all this visibility in which Hunter's campaign basks?

You are talking about a Ranger, be careful...

"Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be. One-hundred-percent and then some."

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

They are right there, because if they were to succeed nominating Rudy, they would definitely lose me.

My sentiments exactly...

The only way the Left can win is to destroy the Republican Party from within. They have lost the public argument and cannot win on the issues, they have to have despotic judges do it for them and they have to undermine conservatives in the Republican primary.

[Liz]

Duncan is the one to watch.... go Hunter.

Hunter CAN pull the party together---and more---much more. Hunter's recent call for pardonning border agents (read below) was a masterful stroke. Hunter knows that anti-amnesty is a rare consensus issue---he will get support from many on the entire political spectrum. Read on:

Bush Considering Pardon for Border Agents Convicted of Shooting Mexican Drug Runner
Fox News | 1/19/2007
FR Posted on 01/19/2007 by Antoninus

WASHINGTON — President Bush promised to review a case for a possible pardon of two former U.S. Border Patrol agents serving time in prison for shooting a Mexican drug runner. Bush said in an interview with KFOX-TV in El Paso, Texas, Thursday that he would "take a sober look at the case" as it works its way through the appeals system.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., introduced a bill on Thursday to pardon the agents, joining a growing group of supporters of the men, including Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., and Ted Poe, R-Texas. Hunter collected 76 co-sponsors on a House bill he introduced that would pardon the agents. The bill is the first of its kind in Congress, said Hunter spokesman Joe Kasper. The legislation is likely to head to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration.

"We cannot turn our back on agents Compean and Ramos or the rest of the men and women proudly serving in the U.S. Border Patrol. These two agents deserve our full support and the congressional pardon provided by this legislation," Hunter said in a statement.

Hunter also sent a letter to the director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons requesting the two former agents be segregated from the general prison population — some of which the ex-agents may have helped put away.

[OMalley]

Thank you:)

I know some would like to think our vote doesnt matter, but it does. they cannot elect a republican without the base.

theres alot of hype, but i dont think rudy will make it.

Go Duncan!!

[Rudder]

From the article: ...his platform is unique enough to gain traction.

I trust someone will let us know when that happens.

[GulfBreeze]

PING - Antoninus please ping the list - Thanks

[Liz]

I see where Mrs Giuliani (Rudy's third wife, to date), is becoming more visible (but only AFTER Freepers commented on her absence from campaign trips). Now, we're all wondering if Judith Giuliani is as "conservative" as Rudy is.

ROTFLMCO----just seeing that in print is a laugh riot (nyah, nyah, we already know the answer).

So now that Rudy's handlers emailed this post to his campaign hdq, betcha good ol' Judy will soon be forced to mutter conservative-sounding phrases in an effort to continue the Rudy-as-conservative fiction---AND to fool the conservative base.

As Borat indicated to Rolling Stone---you can tell those "dumb" Christians anything and they'll believe you.

[Calpernia]

>>>The webmaster needs to removed the finger pointing photo ASAP.

I absolutely agree with you.

I even called the campaign office about a week ago and said the same thing to them about that picture.

I have no idea what they were thinking using that one.

[bushfamfan]

Just some background info on Hunter and his outspoken nature to go where not many(I don't think any) Republicans go with their spineless nature.

Hunter on Abu Ghraib(courtesyhttp://www.larouchepub.com/other/2004/3128goss_hunter_block.html : )
Probably the single loudest obstructionist voice in the House of Representatives in support of the Cheneyac "Beastman" policy in Iraq has been Armed Services Committee chairman Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.). Hunter has been able to use his position to block any meaningful inquiry into the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and at every public opportunity, has railed against those who are demanding such an investigation. He even went after his GOP counterpart in the Senate, John Warner (Va.), for holding three hearings in two weeks on the scandal, practically accusing Warner of treason.

Under great public pressure, Hunter has since held one hearing, for part of one day, and has no intention of having any more. During debate on the Fiscal Year 2005 Defense Authorization bill, on May 19, Hunter declared, "We have had enormous publicity the last number of days about the mess at Abu Ghraib. I estimated we have probably devoted as much media attention to that mess involving now, as identified, some seven personnel, as we did to the Normandy invasion. And that is an imbalance. It is time to refocus." What did he want to refocus on? "The 135,000 great personnel doing their job in Iraq."

On June 14, when the committee took up a resolution of inquiry sponsored by some 40 Democrats, demanding the Pentagon be more forthcoming with documents relating to the prison scandal, Hunter placed the 6,000 pages of the report on the abuse and torture of prisoners filed by U.S. Army General Anthony Taguba (the Taguba Report) on a table at the head of the hearing room and railed at the Democrats, "Isn't that enough for you?"


Hunter on Guantanamo(courtesy http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20050613-033125-4935r.htm:)

California Republican Duncan Hunter held a press conference to discuss the treatment of detainees at the island jail, and spent his opening statement going over a daily menu for prisoners that included oven-fried chicken and fresh fruit.

"This is what Osama bin Laden's bodyguards will eat several times a week. Lemon chicken, rice, broccoli, carrots, bread and two types of fruit," Hunter said, inviting a reporter to come eat with him.

Hunter was digging himself out of small hole he got into over the weekend when he said on a news program that the White House is divided over whether to close the jail.

"I think they've come to the conclusion, some members of the White House have come to the conclusion that the legend now, that the legend is different than the fact, and when that's the case you go with the legend that somehow Guantanamo has been a place of abuse and you close it down and you shorten the stories, you shorten the heated debate and you get it off the table and you move on," he said.

[Condor51]

****I see where Mrs Giuliani (Rudy's third wife, to date), is becoming more visible (but only AFTER Freepers commented on her absence from campaign trips). Now, we're all wondering if Judith Giuliani is as "conservative" as Rudy is.****

Liz, did you see the thread yesterday about 'Mrs Giuliani III', the "First Lady of The Hamptons"?

I LOL, this was my post......

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful, Veeery Rich,
Slightly Pretentious, And .. My Hubby Is A Democrat

And not only did I read the article about this "First Lady", I went through that whole magazine, sheesh. These Hampton people make Kerry, Dubya and the Kennedy's look like peasants. So it's apparent that Rudy cleaned up BIG time milking 9-11 for all it's worth (or he was very frugal living on his Mayor's salary /s). 'Little people' they AIN'T.

Phony, phony, phony and PHONY!

[Liz]

Feb 1, 2007

Ann Coulter On Rudy Giuliani : "I Think He's The Only Republican Who Can't Beat Hillary."

[trisham]

The more I read about Hunter, the more I like him. I think he's got a chance in this race. It's too early how good that chance is, but it's a start.

[nepppen]

He is going to be on the cover of World magazine.