Posted on 04/12/2006 1:25:24 PM PDT by SmithL
Former U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate today by saying he wants the people of Tennessee to hire him for the next six years.
"This is a lot more than a political campaign," Hilleary, a Republican, told a group of 40 supporters at McGhee Tyson Airport. "This is a job interview."
Hilleary said he would bring conservative principles to bear on issues like the war in Iraq, immigration reform and the country’s "looming financial crisis."
Hilleary said conservatives aren’t to blame for ballooning federal deficits, even though the GOP controls Congress and the presidency.
"We’ve filled the Senate up with Republicans, but not conservative Republicans," Hilleary said.
He said he was a pro-military, pro-life and pro-tax cut.
"My record matches my words exactly," he said.
Hilleary bemoaned the lack of an energy policy and said "radical environmentalists" were responsible for high gas prices by blocking oil exploration and nuclear power plant construction.
A veteran of the first Gulf War, Hilleary called for "overwhelming force" to put down the Iraqi insurgency.
"We need more boots on the ground," he said. "We can’t get by on the cheap. The people in the field deserve better."
Hilleary said the federal government has to cut off the flow of illegal immigrants so they don’t become a burden to the health, education and legal systems.
"If we can send people to the moon, I guarantee you we can seal off our southern border," he said.
The stop at the TAC Air terminal was the second of the candidate’s daylong statewide blitz that is to wind up tonight in Nashville.
Hilleary is facing former U.S. Rep. Ed Bryant and former Chattanooga mayor Bob Corker in the August GOP primary.
Hopefully Ed Bryant will get the nod. Hilleary would be okay, but Bryant's a solid campaigner and has this one lined up.
As for the earlier reply about Vietnam, the South lost because Congress cut funding to the bone. They slashed it in half from 1973 to 1974 and then slashed it in half again in 1975. No wonder Saigon fell!
Either Hilleary or Bryant would be good. Hilleary lost because Richie Rich Bredesen innundated East Tennessee with commercials that offset the traditional big vote for the GOP there. Bryant couldn't beat limp-wristed Alexander, so I'm not so sure he can beat Ford if he gets the chance.
He needs to GET OUT ! This is Bryant's baby.
A stunt like this will get us the Brian Bilbray RINO of the race nominated, Bob Corker.
Bryant couldn't beat Alexander because the White House/Rove and the establishment put all their weight and $$ behind Lamar! despite Bryan's excellent grass-roots showing. ANY of the Republicans, even the RINO Corker, will wipe the floor with Junior.
Ed Bryant is better. (and his last name doesn't sound like the beast in NY)
Van Hileary would make a good Senator, but Ed Bryant would make a great Senator. So I predict that conservatives in Tennessee will break along regional lines (eastern TN for Hilleary, western TN for Bryant).
With Chattanooga, the RINO's, and perhaps some crossover liberals supporting Bob Corker, I presdict that the key constituancy will be in the suburban and ex-urban areas surrounding Nashville.
Lamar Alexander was a well-respected ex-Governor who appeared to be a safe bet in a key race. By contrast, Ed Bryant was then seen as a ideological purist with little name I.D. outside his own district. Karl Rove didn't want to take any chances.
In retrospect, Ed Bryant would have won in 2002 and been a better Senator than Lamar Alexander. But supporting Alexander seemed like a good idea at the time.
It's not that I dislike Hilleary, it's the problem that both he and Bryant had races stolen from them. Bryant had the Senate nomination stolen (there was no way he could financially compete or go up against fully the establishment - one issue which truly made me 'Rat mad at Rove for interfering in), and Hilleary had the Governorship stolen (he also couldn't financially compete, nor did he expect our unaccountable 'Rat hack Attorney-General to refuse to enforce campaign finance laws against Pharoah Phil).
As we all know, when somebody has something stolen from them, they have first dibs at getting it returned to them. It went without saying that Bryant was FIRST in line for the Senate seat, and Hilleary was similarly first for the Governorship. Hilleary has known for 4 years that the GOP grassroots supported Bryant without hesistation, yet he acted in his own selfish interests to try to usurp that preference and jeopardize the seat going to a RINO interloper. Now, if both had worked out a "deal" that Bryant went for the Governorship and Hilleary for the Senate, I'd have had no particular problem with that. Hilleary has certainly diminished himself in my eyes, and if his stunt results in the nomination of a Scumquistite RINO, I will consider him persona non grata for the rest of his natural-born life.
reminder bump...sorry I voted for Frist when I lived in Nashville and wished I could move back to vote his ass out...
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