Keeping up with the GOP Straw Poll (Live Updates from Fort Worth Straw Poll)

Star-Telegram ^ | 08/31/2007 | Various

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Grasping at straws?

Speeches, protests and presidential politics, Texas style.

That's what will be going on in and around the Fort Worth Convention Center on Friday and Saturday, during the Republican Party of Texas' first-ever GOP Straw Poll. Who is coming? What are they saying? What are they doing?

Many presidential hopefuls -- Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, to name a few -- have sent their regrets. But several lesser-known candidates -- U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Surfside, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Ray McKinney and Hugh Cort -- are still expected to show.

Star-Telegram staff writers Anna M. Tinsley and Aman Batheja will be on the ground, giving you an inside look and posting updates throughout the two-day event.

Friday, 10:45 a.m.: Who is this man?

Supporters of GOP presidential hopeful Ron Paul are a visible presence outside the Fort Worth Convention Center this morning. You’ll know 'em when you see them. They are wearing orange T-shirts, with Paul’s likeness on it, with the saying “Who is this man? And why is he going to win the Texas Straw Poll.”

-- Anna M. Tinsley

Friday, 10:35 a.m.: Just breathe

Anyone who gets a little stressed at the first day of the GOP Straw Poll can head over to candidate Ray McKinney’s booth. The Georgia mechanical engineer is offering free blood pressure checks.

“Why not?” he said Friday morning. His mom, Marian McKinney of Florida, is actually the one to administer the checks. She said she’s been able to help people in the past, including a man who had heart problems but didn’t know it until she did the check.

Her heart, meanwhile, is swelling with pride for her son’s presidential campaign: “It’s great,” she said with a smile. “I raised him if you don’t like something, try to change it. If you don’t want to get in the race, then shut up.”

-- Anna M. Tinsley<

Friday, 10:30 a.m.: No hope for Fred Heads

Sorry to dash the hopes of local Fred Heads, but actor Fred Thompson will almost certainly NOT be at the Texas Straw Poll.

Some supporters had held out that the former Tennessee Senator might make a surprise visit to Cowtown and officially throw his hat in the ring, even though he wasn’t expected. But with yesterday’s news that his official announcment will be Sept. 6 , a Thompson cameo looks even more unlikely.

Candidate or not, his name will be still on the Straw Poll ballot and he’s planning a sweep through Texas later next month.

-- Aman Batheja

Friday, 8:45 a.m.: Dems dish up chips, salsa and insults at Blue Mesa

Democrats started warming up with their put-downs of the Republican event at a Thursday night gathering. At the Blue Mesa Grill, local elected officials and activists were having fun mocking the Straw Poll, which they all believed will be an embarrassment to the GOP. The Democratic fund-raiser at the restaurant attracted about 30 people, with the running joke being that that might be more people than attending Saturday's Straw Poll.

Yet there wasn't much enthusiasm for the anti-war protest planned for Saturday, either. Almost none of the Democrats there were planning to attend the non-partisan event and some were skeptical that it would attract the thousands Texans For Peace have been promising.

Pretty soon, people switched targets and started cracking jokes about Idaho Sen. Larry Craig. None were suitable for printing on a family web site.

--Aman Batheja

Friday, 6 a.m.: Coffee with the Paulites

Ron Paul supporters got an early start, meeting over coffee at 6 a.m. But of the 20 Paulites in a downtown cafe, not one was a voting delegate.

"Hey, how many Mitt Romney supporters do you see out at this time of the morning?" asked Clayton Slade, 24, an Allen software professional. "Our goal is to show delegates that Ron Paul has support."

Albert Meyer, 56, a Plano accountant, made an offhand comment explaining why no poll voters came for coffee: "We're the disaffected, the disillusioned ... That's why we're not delegates."

-- Bud Kennedy

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Penny Young??

[Ultra Sonic 007]

I don't think RP has ever gone on a single junket. You know how strict he is about spending and waste by Congress, pay raises, perks, etc.

He's strict about shrimp too.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

One would think that any of Ron Paul’s travels, especially overseas could be traced easily.

Notice that the troll can’t even come up with the name of the country where this alleged incident occured?

[KDD]

Wipe your mouth.

There is bovine excrement running down your chin.

[George W. Bush]

Yes, he is. He voted against it. And it hasn't been funded that we can find out about either. We would readily admit to it if it had.

However, there is nothing wrong with letting USDA know that there is interest in such programs either. That is likely the net effect of RP writing up the shrimpy earmarks (as he does to all earmark requests) and then voting no to all of them.

Instead of endlessly posting about shrimp earmarks, why don't you find a single instance where a single shrimp earmark from Ron Paul actually got funded? I think you wouldn't have much fun with that. And I know some of you have tried and failed.

[George W. Bush]

OPie has told me there is a Penny on RP's staff or in his Texas office or political campaign. I must have deleted the email where he mentioned talking to her.

I'm not holding failure to remember a last name against him. But a fourth-hand report simply doesn't cut it, all of it unsubstantiated, none of it consistent with RP's written speeches which are published on his website.

[mnehring]

Y’all know I am no fan of Ron Paul, but on this story, I’m with George and the others. I can’t find a single article regarding Paul going overseas (on his dime or the country’s) and apologizing to foreign leaders. He did say in a couple of speeches we owe the world an apology, but he never actually went around and said that to foreign leaders (that I can find in LexisNexis or Google.)

At that, the only overseas trip I can find for Paul is to the Czech Republic for an economic summit at the University of Prague. He just doesn’t get out much.

[GulfBreeze]

Look DORK_Lord,

A) You don’t have to translate anything I say. I say it clear as a bell and it’s what I mean.

B) Penny Freeman WAS Langford. She married that tall cowboy Langford about 1 1/2 years ago. So I screwed up her former last name. I knew she had remarried and had a new name anyway that’s why I put it in parenthesis.

C) I was as respectful as I could be in my first post and you dove in like an idiot defending your homo erotic fantasies of how great Paul is. With a bunch of meaningless drivel.

YOU are the troll. I am a trench worker in the CONSERVATIVE movement.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Thanks for the legwork on that issue.

Here is Ron Paul's comments about the travel issue.

Hey OP, you want to jump in on the accusations that a Paulitroll just made? While you're on the subject, Is it Nancy Young, or Nancy Langford-Freeman?

[Ultra Sonic 007]

?

I’m sorry, but what?

You’re making yourself look bad...and nonsensical.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Want some cheese to go with that whine?

A) You don’t have to translate anything I say. I say it clear as a bell and it’s what I mean.

Yeah tough guy, we're all clear on what you mean.

Penny Freeman WAS Langford. She married that tall cowboy Langford about 1 1/2 years ago. So I screwed up her former last name. I knew she had remarried and had a new name anyway that’s why I put it in parenthesis.

Then how much other information is inaccurate?

More important, how much of this bull$#!t are you making up?

Now that we've cut through your bluster, Just supply some specifics,

• Where?
• When?
• What was said?
• To whom?

C) I was as respectful as I could be in my first post and you dove in like an idiot defending your homo erotic fantasies of how great Paul is. With a bunch of meaningless drivel.

You got called on your bull$#!t and got caught. Welcome to the big leagues troll.

[GulfBreeze]

Look at the post I’m replying to.

[GulfBreeze]

You are a complete idiot. Everything I said was plain and straightforward. Call and ask Penny about Afghanistan or Iraq.

1-800-RON-PAUL there is your number ask for Penny, she is not that hard to get a hold of. I can hardly call and ask her to call you can I?

I have put no BS out. NONE! You don’t like what I have said but it is plain and simple fact.

You are an idiotic PaulSheep and you don’t like seeing the facts about your heroes positions.

Troll

[mnehring]

I did find a funny article when I was searching around.

Texas congressman says he fears `another Waco'

WASHINGTON - A Texas congressman said Wednesday that he fears he may be "bombed" by the federal government in an incident similar to the Branch Davidian raid near Waco. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Surfside, also said on C-SPAN's Washington Journal that he did not think the Branch Davidians committed any crimes. He made the comments during a discussion about civil liberties.

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3D8F030408DC4&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

[mnehring]

Just a note for reference on something I found while looking for the overseas trip accusation: (Paul’s illegal immigration/border security votes)

(1) Paul consistently voted every year since 1999 against putting the military on the border:
2006: H. Amdt. 206 to H.R. 1815
2004: Goode Amendment to H.R. 4200
2003: Goode Amendment to H.R. 1588
2002: H. Amdt. 479 to H.R. 4546
2001: Traficant amendment to HR 2586
2000: Traficant amendment to H.R.4205
1999: Trafficant Amendment to H.R. 1401.
(2) Paul voted in 1997, 2001( H.R. 1885) and 2002 (H RES 365) to grant, extend or continue Section 245-i amnesties for illegal aliens.
(3) Paul voted NO on extending the voluntary Basic Pilot Workplace Verification Program (H.R. 2359),
(4) Paul voted NO on the border fence in 2005 (Hunter Amendment to HR 4437 - “Enforcement Only” Bill).
(5) Paul voted YES to increase H2-B (HR 763 in 2005) and H-1B visas (HR 3736 in 1998). In 1998, he voted to allow US firms to lay off Americans to replace them with foreigners.

[GulfBreeze]

To KDD and Calvinist_Dark_Lord,

I am sorry for becoming inultive and combative. I thoroughly disagree with your stances.

I do not seek or desire to impune Dr. Paul or his staff. Despite the damage he does on one hand, his heart is sincere and I know he desires to serve his countrymen.

The facts I laid out to you are forom personal experience. I really don’t care if you beleive them or not. they are my own personal experiences. The positions I listed where I am in opposition to Dr. Paul are pretty well documented so believe what you want there as well.

Once again. Sorry for lowering the level of debate by losing my temper.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

You are a complete idiot. Everything I said was plain and straightforward. Call and ask Penny about Afghanistan or Iraq.

So YOU make bull$#!t accusations, and expect me to source them for you.

You really don't have a clue do you?

1-800-RON-PAUL there is your number ask for Penny, she is not that hard to get a hold of. I can hardly call and ask her to call you can I?

Nice try at dodging the issue, troll. YOur "constituent" called you, and supposedly gave you specifics, and yet you can't name one of them.

I have put no BS out. NONE! You don’t like what I have said but it is plain and simple fact.

It's a fact that you've been caught lying through your teeth.

Hey George, you think this guy is the latest incarnation of Eric Dondero? They're from the same region, and appear to work or have worked roughly the same kind of job.

[mnehring]

GulfBreeze,
There may be some legs to your story, but it has more to do with this Penny Freeman lady and not Paul. From what I can find, ever since she quit the campaign, she has been all over Alex Jones’ radio program and some other fringe programs giving interviews and saying some pretty outlandish stuff, even misrepresenting Paul (saying he voted for something he voted against, etc.)

It looks like she has even posted here, answering questions for Paul.
http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-rlc/1844280/posts

Some of these ‘answers’ are downright illogical. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone called her and she blabbed on about something that didn’t happen.

Now, again, just for the record, I still consider Paul a fraud, RINO.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Ok, the only thing we’re asking for, is for you to name what country Ron Paul traveled to, and what person or persons he ‘apologised’ and for which US action, or ANY US action relevant to the present issues.

If you have that information, post it.