Posted on 08/23/2007 8:42:30 AM PDT by pissant
GRAPEVINE -- The good news for U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter is that he should get plenty of exposure during the Texas Republican Straw Poll during the Labor Day weekend.
The bad news is that on Wednesday afternoon, only one newspaper reporter and one TV news crew showed up for his news conference at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center.
But the California Republican was all smiles. He was courteous when members of Gaylord security staff showed up and mentioned that they had learned about Hunter's news conference on the Internet. Politely but firmly, they told him that they expected to be notified of future events.
Hunter was eager to talk about the 2006 legislation he co-authored that requires the construction of 700 miles of fencing along the Texas-Mexico border. The Department of Homeland Security is not moving fast enough to build the fence, he said, and he is trying to put pressure on President Bush.
"Today, I am giving them an 'F' for execution on the border fence," said Hunter, whose House district in San Diego County extends almost to the Mexican border.
Hunter pledged to have the entire border fenced within six months of taking office, if he is elected president.
On Aug. 11, Hunter finished ninth out of 11 candidates in the Iowa straw poll. But he might fare better in the Texas straw poll, to be conducted in Fort Worth on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, because so far, only he, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee are scheduled to attend.
"I respect the views of Texans," Hunter said. "I think this is a great event."
Hunter, 58, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has two bedrock issues: support for the military (he's an Army veteran of the Vietnam War and has a son serving in Iraq) and opposition to illegal immigration.
He has been in Texas for six days making campaign stops around the state, but he has been spending most of his time in North Texas.
He said he's returning to San Diego on Friday to help his son's campaign for Congress. The younger Hunter -- Duncan Duane Hunter, a Marine reservist on active duty -- is running for the House seat that his father will vacate after almost 30 years.
The elder Hunter plans to be back in Texas next week to prepare for the straw poll.
"I told my son he's ahead of me in the polls in Texas," Hunter said. "They like him. I told him he needs to stay for another tour because he's going up in the polls."
Low profiles like Hunter's are common for candidates without huge money-raising machines, said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University.
"They have raised very little money, which means they have very slim organization on the ground, and no one to do preparatory visits," Jillson said. "All they can do is fly in and hope they can have a small crowd."
Hunter is finding ways to stretch his shoestring budget.
When he is in North Texas, he said, he stays with family in Hurst.
Heads Up!
Duncan Hunter will be on Neil Cavuto (FOX) at 1:00 PST
4:00 EST discussing Illegal Immigrantion
I stand corrected!
Semper Fi
You are one of the few who understand!
I hope Hunter does a good job. He may not have a large amount of name recognition there, but if the people get to know him and how he stands on issues such as the war, border, China, guns, abortion, and family values, I’m sure they will love him.
That sucks about all the Ron Paul people at the picnic. I’ll tell you something interesting. I was curious what Muslims talk about on their message boards. I noticed some of the Muslims liked Ron Paul or Democrats. One liked Guiliani, and a radical one claimed that is because Rudy would send a lot of Americans over to fight and, “Muslims love to kill kuffar on our land”. (sick isn’t it?) We need a guy like Hunter who will be tough on them, not a guy who will pull out, and let them think they won.
“I want someone anti-illegal and anti-china above ALL!”
can’t do better than Duncan Hunter!
“The younger Hunter — Duncan Duane Hunter, a Marine reservist on active duty — is running for the House seat that his father will vacate after almost 30 years.”
Are these people serious? This is America. We don’t have hereditary succession. This is one reason of many we shouldn’t have elected GWB and one reason of MANY why we shouldn’t elect Hillary Clinton.
As one who lives in San Diego, your thinking would not pass the smell test with Republicans or Democrats here.
His son happens to be someone more qualified than many to run. Some who have good qualifications are not running in
the primary as most know he also has the background and
being a Marine Capt. with three tours in the war is needed
in D.C. to counter the left. He has walked the walk.
Then vote against him.
There are some Paul supporters who are decent people and get lost in the symbolic proffers to Constitutional Democracy and Federalism. There are also a great deal of RP supporters who are just plain Bat-$h!t crazy twoofers.
He isn’t a bad guy he just hasn’t a clue as to the threat Islam poses to Western Civilization. When you think about it, why would he? He much like Islam lives in the fantasy-world of some by-gone era.
You have to give RP some credit he does have some very good positions on some issues, but I agree, it’s time to take the gloves off.
I heard Tancredo on Fox speaking about illegal immigration and he said he has noticed all the other candidates must be listening to him because essentially they have taken his message on immigration.
Well that’s great except he conveniently omitted Duncan Hunter in his thought process. I don’t think anyone who is informed would consider him to be anything other than a Hunter apprentice. Well before anyone even announced or was even thinking of the 08 election, I started out with Tancredo/Watts. I found out Tancredo said he would not seek another term, that he would serve and leave. He can spin all he wants and arrogantly proclaim it was because he was needed to oppose illegal immigration, but in the end, for me, he was just one more whose word I could not trust.
It doesn’t matter what you say, if your word doesn’t mean anything. Fred went into my Tancredo pile of candidates who said one thing and the truth turned out to be something very different.
Rudy and Romney, they belong in the pile, and you’re never sure why they belong there, but you just know deep inside they are both as fake as Hollywood sweater puppies. Damn I ramble, what I meant to say was, “GO HUNTER!”. Heh :)
Yes, the most cross over appeal for assorted moonbats and peaceniks.
Keep ramblin. Tanc is excellent on illegal aliens. But he should be dropping out and supporting the guy who is even better.
That is some great insight, I hope Hunter doesn’t stray far from what you have suggested :) Since he is in Texas as long as he is mentioning Hamer he might as well throw in the Alamo. It would certainly be apropos. A few brave Americans trying to stop a Mexican invasion against all odds. Hmmmm, sounds familiar, huh?
“...brave Americans trying to stop a Mexican invasion against all odds. Hmmmm, sounds familiar, huh?”
I’m afraid it does. Ha! Now it is bravery-lite in just standing up to PC but things could get heavy again if we don’t get that border under control.
“It never ceases to amaze me people who are otherwise staunchly conservative see a Man like Hunter and then dismiss him out of hand “because he’s not a front runner”
well duh
if you continue to support people like Julieannie he’ll never BE the front runner and you’ll be left with another do nothing president or a do something bad liberal one.”
Yep. Then these same people wonder why they don’t like the candidates who win the nomination and/or the election.
I am starting by backing a conservative. I will make other decisions only if I have to, or find very good reason to change.
Wasn’t Hunter’s big breakout from the third-tier of also-rans supposed to happen in Iowa?
http://dhgrassrevolt.wordpress.com/2007/07/24/article-from-realclearpoliticscom/
Didn’t happen. Okay, so now it’s Texas. And if it doesn’t happen in Texas, what then?
Face it, the man just isn’t presidential timber. He would be an outstanding SECDEF, however.
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