Duncan Hunter Buzz, A Plan to Support the Man

My own thoughts... | 11/07/2007 | DoughtyOne

[DoughtyOne]

During this Presidential pre-Primary and Caucus season, we are evaluating who the best Conservative man for the job is.  Many of us have expressed support for Fred Thompson as the most viable Conservative candidate.  And of those of us who have, I have seen many express a noticable preference for Duncan Hunter, who in fairness we have deemed not be looking viable at this time.

While there is still time, I would like to suggest a reasoned strategy to help create buzz for the best candidate out there.  What I have in mind would continue until the mid to last part of December.  Then at that time we could re-evaluate what the status is, and continue our effort or move our support to the more viable candidate.

I do not want to drag down a good man.  I don't want to continue to support a lost cause.  I don't want to split the Conservative vote at Primaries and Caucuses.  So this does need to be handled in a timely planned manner.

At this point in time it seems to me the two most important questions should be, in our heart of hearts who is the best Conservative candidate with the most consistant record over the last few decades, and how best can we help that candidate achieve more visibility and there-by traction?

From my observation, Congressman Duncan Hunter is the most tested long term Conservative candidate on the radar.  As mentioned earlier, Hunter is barely on that radar, but he is there.  And acknowledging his presence and credentials, it seems a must for me to mention that we have the ability to help the man.  And that being the case, I think we should.

It is important to Conservatism's principles that we create the maximum buzz for Hunter that we can.  We should talk him up whenever possible.  We should provide a link to his site whenever possible.  And we should be ready to explain our own persoal top five reasons we support him, on a moments notice.  We should do it on this forum.  We should do it on other conservative sites.  Whenever there is a poll, I want to urge folks to vote for Hunter.  I still believe that he can catch on if our members will spread the good word far and wide.  And Hunter is the good word this pre-election season.

I do want to acknowledge an important issue before I end these comments.  Fred Thompson is an important viable and supportable fall back position to Duncan Hunter.  It is important that when we get the word out about Hunter, that we make sure to mention that Fred Thompson is also a good man, a man we will gladly vote for if we need to.

Ideally, I would love to see a Hunter/Thompson ticket.  Being realistic, we may have to settle for a Thompson/Hunter ticket.  Well, that's a ticket every Conservative should be able to support in good concience.  And the best way to get that ticket, is to spend some time talking Hunter's numbers up.

Don't settle for my five good reasons to support Hunter.  Go to his site and determine your own best five reasons, the ones most important to you.

Then go out there and talk him up and keep Fred front and center too.  These are good men folks.  As Freepers we should be proud to support either one.  I still think Hunter is the solid choice, if Conservatism is the guidepost.

Those of you who do not support Hunter or Thompson, I'm not here to convert you.  If you can't see the value in these men, I understand.  I would ask that you develop your own thread to talk up you candidate, and not spend time here talking down ours.  No offense intended.  Take care. 

Thanks folks.

Hunter/Thompson 2008

Hunter:           http://www.gohunter08.com/
Thompson:   http://www.fred08.com/

[DoughtyOne]

I would like it known that I understand some folks will probably not see value in this type of strategy.

If you would like to dissent, please do so.  We can talk about it and go our separate ways.

Cordially;

D1

[Sun]

When I called a talk show to tell a few things that Duncan Hunter stands for, I asked if I could give Hunter’s website, www.gohunter08.com, and I also included it in my letter to the editor. Hopefully it will generate some donors, as well as getting folks to learn more about him.

[DoughtyOne]

Very good.  That was great.  Thanks for the note.


D1 4

Hunter/Thompson 2008

Hunter:           http://www.gohunter08.com/
Thompson:   http://www.fred08.com/

[Vaquero]

I will vote for either Hunter or Thompson in the general election.

I will vote the primaries for whomever of the 2 has the best chance at the time the primaries happen.

I will neither vote for Rudy or Mitt in the primaries nor in the general election.

I am a pragmatist, not a liberal.

[DoughtyOne]

That’s my view as well. Thanks for your comments.

[catfish1957]

Thankyou.... Get back to us when Hunter breaks 1%.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Yep, That is the way I see it as well.

[RogerFGay]

From Hunter's website:

I strongly believe Congress needs to remain actively involved in ensuring parents’ rights are protected and I have significant concerns with recent judicial rulings recognizing “de-facto” or “psychological” parents, individuals who assist in raising a child. These types of decisions undermine parental authority, allowing any adult with an association with the child to make parental claims.

Way far from strong enough and very Republican (not Conservative) approach generally (marriage amendment to the constitution which is never going to happen; blaming the judiciary without acknowledging the role of Congress and the two parties) - but the statement almost provides a glimmer of hope. Maybe if they repeat it enough - "parental rights undermined" - they might eventually get it to the point that they'll feel a need to do 180 degree turn on their family policy agenda and do something to fix it. "parental rights undermined" is this millenium's understatement.

Taken into Custody: The War Against Fatherhood, Marriage, and the Family

[Flintlock]

Think country and party.
Thompson for eight years.
THEN his VP, Hunter, for another eight.
What could possibly be better than that?

[Sun]

Hunter is 4% in a CNN poll I just looked at.

[no-to-illegals]

I hope my nick doesn't scare anyone off of this thread. I agree wholeheartedly. I too am one who cannot support a liberal Republican. My reasons for not supporting a liberal Republican are perfectly clear to me, perhaps only clear to me and nobody else. My post will never go down in history as a defining moment, but Mr. Hunter deserves Conservatives' support. I pray everyday for Mr. Hunter to gain traction. I have sent money to Mr. Hunter's campaign. I had only previously sent money to Former President Reagan's campaign.

Without a conservative in the top two slots of the Presidential ticket, I will be forced to recognize and realize my home (America) has fallen from the Reagan Revolution to less, much less, than I desire for my nation.

The Republicans have a White House to Win, and Win that office Republicans must. One cannot counter the liberals if a liberal holds the office.

The problems, in our nation, are going to become worse, much worse, if a liberal comes to power. I fear Hillary, but I fear some of the liberal Republicans as much as I fear Hillary.

May God help America, and may God help the best Man for the job, Mr. Hunter.

[wgflyer]

Well put.

Personally, it is no longer possible for me to vote for liberal republicans and the only two GOP candidates I could vote for, even against Hillary, are Hunter and Thompson...in that order.

No more incrementalized socialism. None of the other GOP candidates will make the turn around.

[George W. Bush]

Maybe you guys should try for a one-day fundraiser event like Ron Paul did two days ago. It's generating lots of positive coverage for him and has given him the means to run a big ad blitz in the first three primary states. You see a lot of RP supporters coming out in support now and it's inspired his supporters to do even more for him. Duncan needs something like that. For that matter, so does Fred.

You should try to find a way to keep the Iowa GOP from excluding him from the last FNC debate in early December. Supposedly, the criteria is having 5% in averaged national polls. That's a very fluid and unaccountable standard, I think. Especially since they're using the documented and censured poll fraudster, Frank Luntz. I don't see why any Republican should assent to some boob and fraud like Luntz determining who gets to debate in Iowa. You guys need to make Fox News hear that you won't put up with it.

Just my thoughts.

[Jim Noble]

I like Duncan Hunter, and I agree he is (by far) the most conservative candidate in the race.

I think his electability quotient is very low.

I suppose we would not agree on what constituted the Ronald Reagan "special sauce" that got him from a unified base to a national landslide. I think most Hunterites believe it was some type of social conservatism (I wouldn't want to speak for you).

What made me a Reagan voter, twice, was the belief that if he were elected the 1970s trend to big government and high taxes (and I'm certainly including RMN here) would be arrested and then reversed.

That I can't cut down a tree on my own property (in freakin' NEW HAMPSHIRE, for heaven's sake) is what would get me out to the polls.

I haven't heard from Hunter what he's offering me to shrink the Federal government, grow freedom and Liberty, and get the government, at all levels, off our backs.

In many ways, Reagan did not (could not) accomplish the things I hoped he could. He had a huge leftist majority in Congress, and it is our representatives at the end of the day that call the tune.

But he gave me a clear sense that he "got it", at least in terms of the things I think are important, and he did that for millions of other people, too.

I don't get that sense from Hunter. He's the best man to represent what is called around here "the base", but I believe that base is less than 30% of the voters, maybe less than 25%, and that the closer a candidate comes to being perfect for the base, the less likely he is to be elected.

I understand that a lot of FReepers don't agree, and that they think the base (if energized by the right guy) can carry the day on its own.

I don't believe that, which is why I take the positions I do.

How big a fraction of the national electorate do YOU believe the base is?

[Man50D]

After watching and listening to the candidates I’m leaning towards Hunter. He seems to have those conservative ideals that once was the base and core of the Republican party.

[John Valentine]

I like Hunter’s position on illegal immigration, but I like Thompson’s positions on everything.

Moreover, Hunter is a big government type of guy and Thompson is committed to a smaller, less intrusive federal government. there is no question where I come down on that one.

When I go for Thompson, I’m not settling.

If Thompson were to crash and burn, and I don’t think that will happen, then I’d probably gravitate to Hunter, but frankly, I’d be settling. I would not be happy or comfortable. I’d be grateful that at least I didn’t have to choose among Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee or Paul, but that’s about it.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the comments. At least he understands there is an issue there. I’ve seen little evidence of that from anyone else.

I understand where you are coming from.

[Calpernia]

Hunter:           http://www.gohunter08.com/

Tancredo:           http://teamtancredo.org/

[DoughtyOne]

That was my take as well until someone told me Hunter’s age. I’m not sure he would run in eight years. BTW, I don’t remember it at the moment or I’d mention it. He’s older than I had originally thought.

[DoughtyOne]

Than you Sun. That would be nice if accurate. Let’s hope it is.