Posted on 01/14/2008 2:45:59 PM PST by mdittmar
Lest you forget it, Rep. Duncan Hunter of the 52nd Congressional District of California is still running for president. In recent weeks, the Republican congressman's presence in the campaign has all but evaporated. He was barred from appearing at the New Hampshire debate moderated by Charlie Gibson and more recently was excluded from the Fox News debate in South Carolina.
But Hunter is still running for president, even if his campaign appearances have now been reduced to opening acts for the big players still in the game.
Last night, Hunter delivered a pro-family, pro-military stump speech at what appeared—by most measures—to be a campaign rally for Mitt Romney in Taylor, Mich., near Detroit.
Romney, who had been campaigning earlier in the day in upstate Michigan, was late to arrive. The crowd was getting restless. Kids were crawling on the floor, crinkling empty bags of potato chips, and unpeeling Romney bumper stickers and slapping them across their mouths. The press platform became a makeshift jungle gym for the impatient.
The local politicians passed a few minutes showing videos of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, designed to rally the Republican faithful. The videos were simple pastiches, involving spliced video cued up to catch the candidates in a state of double talk. Clinton aroused more indignation than Obama, but the overall reaction was somewhat muted. Then the lights came back on but still no Romney. So they talked about the horrors of the tax increases passed by the state's current Democratic governor, Jennifer Granholm. They talked about taking back control of the statehouse. By this time, around 6 p.m., an hour after the rally had begun, Romney was still missing, but Hunter had conveniently entered from the back of the auditorium, along with two women holding a massive "Duncan Hunter for President 08" banner. They shuffled off to the side wall and stood quietly. A few more local politicians said some additional words. Meanwhile, on stage behind them, a nice scene was unfolding. The American flag, attached by a set of small rings to a lattice of gray poles, was carried from stage right to the center, so it stood behind two rows of otherwise empty chairs. Then the chairs were filled, mostly with healthy-looking kids of various ages. The audience, sensing something was happening, began to perk up. The event coordinator returned to the microphone and started on another introduction. Had Romney arrived?
"This is a man who decided to swim against the tide," she was saying—perhaps a reference to Romney's Mormon missionary work?—"who puts his body where his beliefs are"—a bit more cryptic?—"who went to University of California-Los Angeles"—what?—"And, of course, that man is Duncan Hunter."
Hunter got up, talked about some of the issues at stake, thanked a few people, mentioned his son's bid for Congress, and moved back to the wings. And the local politicians started talking again. Romney showed up around 7:15 p.m.
And how lucky we are! Consider that the rest of the candidates are the epitome of the stereotypical politician personified. President Hunter is what we need.
The only quitters are people like you. Duncan Hunter is not a quitter and I can only be thankful that I am afforded the opportunity to support and VOTE for such a man. I am not thankful for the other candidates and that’s what makes it all the more appealing because I honestly would not want to vote FOR any of them.
You ought to enjoy Fred’s endorsement of McCain when he drops out...
LOL, you and your precious Fred. Fred’s going to NEED a VP people will actually want to be President MORE THAN Fred because he just doesn’t have it and is a disaster waiting to happen IF he got the GOP nomination. Clintoon/Dole all over again...
Case in point.
Sounds like a Paulistinian.
Likely Fred himself, writing without a script.
When have they gone to such lengths against any candidate in the history of politics? It is an obvious attempt to throw an election to their liking. They do not want people to hear of Hunter and now they are actually LYING that he is out! Time for the Hunter campaign to crash debates and such. Charges need to be filed and the RNC needs to take its share of responsibility. This is unjustifiable and enraging.
At this point, Hunter has put up the good fight, but if he really wants to get a conservative elected, he needs to drop out and throw his support fully behind Fred. Hunter may only pull 1 or 2 percent, but in SC, that is the diff between 2nd and 4th for Fred. At this point, a vote for Hunter is a vote for a liberal nominee.
That’s a joke. A vote for Fred is really not much of a difference when he is part of ‘compromise’ politics to begin with. More of the same as the other candidates and he has no right to claim the mantle of ‘Mr. Conservative’ either. It is those who support Fred who can live with the guilt of ‘vote for a liberal nominee’. He is a dud and Hunter has always shown himself to be reliable when Fred never was.
>>>>It is an obvious attempt to throw an election to their liking. They do not want people to hear of Hunter and now they are actually LYING that he is out!
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59683
Emphasis:
“There would be virtually no incentive to try to mobilize constituencies, organize specific interests or devote any resources to such things as voter registration and education. … **What we would have is a political system that combines the worst of network television with the worst of the modern campaign**,” he concluded.
Media choosing our president.
Well, the reality of the situation is that Duncan is not leading in ANY state, and so unless there is some magical formula you know of where he can win the nomination ... at this point all he is doing is blocking. Now, look at those who do have the chance to win states ... does Duncan want Rudi or Huck to win ... doubt it. Ron ... I dont think so. How about Mitt ... ok, then that leaves Fred. Enthusiasm is great, but we have come to the point where Duncan no longer even gets coverage to get his message out. Everyone voting for Duncan is a conservative ... I get that ... so I am assuming they want a conservative to win. Fred needs support, and at least he is the most conservative of the viable candidates.
Fred is not much of an improvement. Save yourself. I’m sick of you types attempting to tell us we should not vote for who we believe and, frankly, know is the best candidate and man in this race and it is Duncan Hunter. It’s on those who play these machinations who get us into this position to begin with. There is not a candidate outside of Hunter I want to vote for and if Hunter was never in the race, I frankly wouldn’t want to vote for any of them anyway. Which only proves the GOP is stuck in a rut and doesn’t want to change it’s current course.
Perhaps things are getting too boring on WideAwakes...
I don’t know what rock this clown crawled out from under.
I’m purchasing much ammo!
Wake Up America!!
Bingo!
>> The only quitters are people like you.
Like me? Who quit? I wasn’t ever a Hunter guy ... I recognized the futility early on.
>> I am not thankful for the other candidates and that’s what makes it all the more appealing because I honestly would not want to vote FOR any of them.
The reality remains — Hunter’s not going to last much longer. He’s got no money and statistically negligible support. Thus, you’ll have to choose where your vote will go once Hunter is officially out.
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>> Fred’s going to NEED a VP people will actually want to be President MORE THAN Fred because ...
Perhaps, perhaps not — but, on what planet is Hunter a person people want to be President “more than Fred”?
>> ... he just doesn’t have it and is a disaster waiting to happen IF he got the GOP nomination.
Again — perhaps, perhaps not. Thompson isn’t the greatest campaigner ... but I don’t generally support people for their ability to campaign. Thompson would be a good President, and is clearly the most conservative among those with a legitimate shot at the nomination.
>> Clintoon/Dole all over again...
First — Hillary is no Bill ... people LIKE him.
Second, Thompson’s not Dole — he’s a compelling speaker, a strong personality, has far more likeablility than Hillary Clinton, and has the ability to be an actual leader. Thompson will have to beat several strong campaigners — Giuliani, Romney, McCain, Huckabee — in order to be nominated ... so he’ll be “battle-tested”.
Dole was a bit feeble, not much of a speaker, not much of a leader— and, compared to Bill, not as likeable. And Dole faced no significant primary opposition other than Pat Buchanan (unelectable) and Steve Forbes (the worst campaigner I’ve ever seen).
Thompson may lose — but he’s not Bob Dole.
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OT: Sort of
Link to funny video about polls
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/poll_bullshit_is_most_important
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