Don't follow the herd! Vote for Duncan Hunter!
Posted on 10/23/2007 7:48:38 AM PDT by pissant
WASHINGTON ---- He doesn't draw throngs like Barack Obama or Rudy Giuliani, but U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter has admirers in his longshot bid for the presidency.
The El Cajon lawmaker, who hasn't been able to move his campaign from the bottom tier of GOP candidates, met one of those fans in his Capitol Hill office recently.
"I really admire you and I'm glad you're running," Joe Sangiorgio, a George Washington University political science student and congressional intern, said while getting his picture taken with his choice for president. "I plan to vote for you, and I would give your campaign $50 million if I could."
Sangiorgio must not be paying much attention to the polls or standings in the race for campaign cash: Hunter is polling no more than 3 percent outside California and has raised a relative pauper's sum of less than $2 million.
Despite those numbers, the congressman told the North County Times earlier this month that he has no thoughts of dropping out.
Hunter also reflected on his record in Congress during the last 26 years, saying he is proud of his efforts on behalf of the military and defense industries, and that he believes large numbers of U.S. troops would leave Iraq next year.
Tough odds
Hunter's odds of getting elected president are pegged at 200-1 in Las Vegas, and his chances of raising anywhere near $50 million that Sangiorgio wished for, or suddenly winning favor among a large portion of the electorate, are seen by most observers as slim and none.
Despite that, the affable Hunter has nothing to lose by staying in the race, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College who specializes in national politics.
"There's really no reason for him to withdraw yet," Pitney said last week. "He gets to take part in national debates standing next to the party's eventual nominee. This could be his last chance for national television exposure, so why give it up?
"He's retiring from Congress, where his party is now in the minority, so staying in and taking part in the primaries is all gain and no pain."
The low numbers Hunter has been getting don't appear to bother the folksy politician, whose 52nd Congressional District includes parts of Poway and Ramona. The former chairman and now-ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee claimed he's had no thoughts of abandoning the effort and suggested surprise at even being asked the question.
"I'm not afraid of an election," he said. "To get out before the first numbers come in doesn't make any sense."
In debates, Hunter speaks forcefully about his desire to protect American jobs, and the needs to improve border security and maintain a strong military.
As the major candidates raise many millions to pay for media buys and dozens of political operatives, Hunter's Oct. 15 campaign finance report shows he has raised a paltry $1.7 million with only $132,741 in available cash. That compares with another bottom-tier candidate, U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, who dropped out of the race Friday despite having raised more than twice as much as Hunter.
"We don't have a bunch of consultants that we have to pay," Hunter said as he munched on a turkey sandwich during a break in a series of votes taking place on the House floor. "We run a highly efficient operation."
'Great effect'
Rather than spend his campaign cash on media buys and staff, Hunter gets his message out through the "free media" at presidential debates and as a frequent guest on conservative radio and television. He travels to campaign events by commercial airliner, often relying on volunteers or a single paid staffer to shuttle him around once he's on the ground.
And despite only winning a couple of straw polls, the hawkish conservative will look you straight in the eye and say he is in to win.
"The real contest doesn't start until the January primaries, and I intend to do well in those elections," he said during a conversation in his congressional office, a large room adorned with numerous mementos and pictures of Hunter and his supporters during his time in office.
Hunter said he believes he has influenced the debate, pointing to his criticism of U.S. trade policy with China, which he says gives the Asian giant an unfair advantage over American manufacturers. He also claims to be the first to call for pre-emptive military action against Iran if it's shown that country is near production of an atomic weapon.
The leading GOP candidates have followed suit on Iran, building a fence along the majority of the border with Mexico and improving the trade and economic climate for U.S. manufacturers to preserve American jobs, he said.
"I think we're having a great effect. I'm out there every day trying to do the best I can to communicate my ideas and see if we can't draw a crowd."
But the crowds haven't responded in the way he had hoped. Nonetheless, he said plans to stay around after the first round of primaries and caucuses.
How long after that?
"If you get to the point where you're not getting any numbers at all and can't possibly recover, you don't stay in just for symbolic reasons," he said.
Congressional career
As he wraps up the penultimate year of his congressional career, Hunter said he will always be proud of his relationship with the military.
"The Armed Services Committee is one where you can really get things done," said the Vietnam War veteran, who was the panel's chairman until this year. "I was able to help rebuild the military during the Reagan era and work through the start of the missile defense system and the Contra wars."
In recent months, he has helped speed the development of new mine-resistant armored personnel carriers and increase funding and attention on efforts to defeat roadside bombs.
"We're in a new era of terrorists with technology and we've got to be able to respond. You take the best positions you can and try every day to do something good for this country.
"It's a long war, and there's not going to be any surrender ceremony like we saw on deck of the battleship USS Missouri at the end of World War II."
Despite some accusations of ties to men convicted or charged in the scandal of his friend and former U.S. Rep. Randy Cunningham, that relationship has not dogged Hunter on the campaign trail. Beyond a defense attorney's failed effort to subpoena him and other lawmakers, Hunter's name has not surfaced in any of the investigations linked to the now-imprisoned Cunningham.
When Hunter leaves Congress, his replacement could be his son, Duncan Duane Hunter, a U.S. Marine now serving in Afghanistan. The younger Hunter will face at least two other GOP challengers during the primary in his bid to keep a Hunter hold on the 52nd District and the family philosophy a part of California's congressional delegation.
Iraq and beyond
Somewhat surprisingly, Hunter is opposed to seeing the Marine Corps leave Iraq and assume major combat responsibility in Afghanistan, which Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway is advocating.
Hunter said he would rather see the 25,000 Marines come home from Iraq, as that country's fledgling army assumes responsibility for security with quick reaction forces called in if needed.
"Al-Qaida has been defeated on the battlefield in Anbar because of the hard work of the Marines," he said. "I would like to see the Marines rotate out of Iraq, and Afghanistan should be a place where our NATO allies really start participating in a more robust manner."
He predicted that the number of U.S. troops in Iraq next year will be far lower than the current 160,000. Putting greater pressure on the Iraqis to provide their own security could lead to substantial withdrawal of U.S. troops in the coming months, he said.
"The Iraq army can take over a lot faster than many people think," he said.
He would be fantastic as SOD...
Would you trust this, MENSA, stuffed inside a Homeland Security bill?
SA 3611. Mr. THOMPSON (for himself and Mr. Frist) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4775, making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: On page 86, between lines 2 and 3, insert the following: ``(5) the provision specifying $835,000 for the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change shall be deemed to read as follows: `The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change in Memphis, Tennessee for an endowment to pursue a broad programmatic agenda that emphasizes the continued importance of the Civil Rights Movement and encourages academic research and community outreach, $835,000’.’’
Yes, the Benjamin Hooks, who testified as head of the NAACP against Clarence Thomas’ nomination and who had this to say about Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell:
“a new breed of Uncle Tom ... some of the biggest liars the world ever saw.”
Glad you like it.
... but... he's going absolutely nowhere... He's at 1% or below, which is disgraceful... He adds NO value to any ticket as no one knows him. He won't make Cali competitive (no one will), won't help FDT, as Fred's suffiently conservative on his own...
Reagan needed "Reagan Democrats" and Indies to win the first election, and held them the next election... How the hell is someone who's so unabashedly conservative even going to try?
You Hunter supporters really need a dose of reality... His candidacy is a JOKE.
>Rosalind Russell vs. Rita Hayworth WOOHOO!!<
Walter Pigeon!
..I think that just about nails it
see 102.
No, I'm saying as the system was configured at the time, kiting large amounts of checks and money was not against the rules of the House. That doesn't make it right or seemly. It is a classic example of how those in congress make one set of rules for you and I to follow, and have a different set of rules that they may choose to follow.
What wasn't accounted for you ask???? How about honesty and integrity??? Honest and trustworthy people don't write checks that they don't have the money to back up. I can't even believe that I'm having to argue the fact that kiting checks is an indication of deficient character on a site known for wanting to give the harshest of punishment for spitting on the sidewalk.
And you make the assumption that if this whole sordid affair hadn't come to light, that DH and all of his colleagues would have stopped abusing that system. I'm certain that if this had come to public attention in 1996 instead of 1992 that we'd be talking about DH kiting 575 checks instead of only 399. There was nothing in his 12 year history up to that point that indicated he was going to stop the practice any time soon or found it to be dishonest.
As a followup to that contention, check out the latest poll results on FR. Tootyfruityboy is beating Hunter HERE ON FREE REPUBLIC. At least the Member opionions are ahead for Hunter, but it is pretty eye opening.
(10/21) Which GOP presidential hopeful did the best job of advancing his chances in tonight’s debate?
Fred Thompson
34.9%
Mike Huckabee
16.9%
Rudy Giuliani
12.9%
Duncan Hunter
12.7%
Ron Paul
12.3%
Mitt Romney
6.3%
John McCain
2.4%
Tom Tancredo
1.6%
[ Details · Polls ]
Excerpted for observation:
....there is not one peep about Hillary, Bill and chinagate. And considering the Hsu/Hillary connection popping up just last month, not even that brought up any past chinagate discussion here on at fr. Why, what’s with this? What’s going on? (I don’t even see that there will be much further discussion here in this thread. Besides you and me Sun, and one or two others, this seems like a ‘last of the mochicans’ chinagate thread again)
(and to boot, as we all just saw, one can’t even ping folks who might be interested in participating, [they might not have checked fr in a week or so, or simply might have been out of town, what’s with this too?] seems like a lot of ‘controlled’ discussion nowadays....
/excerpt
I’ve posted a thread about the Long March, posted excerpts on THIS thread about the Long March, plus we have a dedicated thread in reference to Chinagate.
Tomorrow, China is launching a rocket to the moon. It’s named after the Long March (I find that name sake chilling and full of foreshadowing). Today we also launched our own shuttle. An unarmed shuttle.
The Pentagon has released a report that states China’s a threat. Yesterday we have weapons from China found in our countries we are engaged in. China blatantly stated they were trained by Russia.
Yet, we have freepers here defending candidates that are in support of this.
I sit here shocked.
>It’s funny, in a ssad kinda way. The fact that there are any “conservatives” that do not want hunter’s ascendancey tells me there are many fake conservatives.<
>>***Bears repeating B4DH<<
Bears re-repeating B4DH 2008!!!!
In short, yes a few are.
Don't follow the herd! Vote for Duncan Hunter!
>>>No, I’m saying as the system was configured at the time, kiting large amounts of checks and money was not against the rules of the House.
Kiting and overdrafting have two different definitions.
..classic socialist race-baiting babble
It has always amazed me that the leftist race groups cannot see who is really stuck on the plantation...
That is a beautiful picture.
Remember how mom said “this hurts me worse than it does you” as she took you over her knee; or gave you a chocolate after your tablespoon of cod liver oil as a child?
She knew what was best for you. The voters in America have lost that somewhere along the way. Thank you, Dr. Spock, you old Commie you!
RasterMaster provided this yesterday, which every voter should read over and over again:
http://www.glennbeck.com/news/03212002.shtml
Overdraft and KITE have two different definitions.
“The fact that there are many “conservatives” that do not want Hunter’s ascendancy tells me there are many fake conservatives.”
My thoughts exactly. The phony conservatives are expending a lot of time and effort dissing a great conservative like Hunter.
No we don't. I have no respect for the man and 98% of America has no idea who he is or care.
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