Posted on 02/08/2002 1:49:47 PM PST by Richard M. Nixon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 8, 2002
Former State GOP Chairmen: Riordan Unacceptable as Republican Nominee
SAN JOSE - Three former chairmen of the California Republican Party - John Herrington, Michael Schroeder and John McGraw - today issued the following statement concerning the candidacy of Dick Riordan:
"For the past few months, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan has campaigned across California asking Republicans to support him in the upcoming state Primary Election. As former chairmen of the California Republican Party, we feel it is our duty to weigh in on the unusual candidacy of Mr. Riordan.
"After careful review of Mr. Riordan's record, both prior to his announcement as a Republican candidate for Governor, and through his statements on the campaign trail, we feel only one conclusion can be reached: Dick Riordan is no Republican.
"While we as a Republican Party will individually disagree on one issue or another, we are bonded together by a common commitment to a limited, less intrusive government and the belief that every citizen should have the freedom to achieve his or her dreams.
"Mr. Riordan's record has put him at odds with our core beliefs time and time again. While we believe this Party is more than willing to accept differences of opinion and a healthy exchange of ideas, we believe Mr. Riordan's countless endorsements and financial contributions to Democrat candidates, which began long before he became mayor of Los Angeles, have amounted to nothing more than outright betrayal of our basic principles, something we can never accept.
"Moreover, Mr. Riordan's statements on the campaign trail have not only put him at odds with the majority of California's Republicans on social issues, but his statements supporting tax increases and increases in the size of state government stand in sharp contrast with our core beliefs as well.
"Further, Mr. Riordan has shown a genuine intolerance for Republican candidates and grass-roots leaders possessing other view points and an unfortunate interest in his own political career over the interests of his 'fellow' Republicans. We believe these traits make Mr. Riordan particularly ill-suited to serve as the nominee for our party's top position, as Mr. Riordan is likely to engage in a selective support strategy to enhance his own personal motives that will leave many Republican nominees at every level out in the cold.
"As former chairmen of the Republican Party, we are forced to conclude that Mr. Riordan's Republican credentials extend no further than a check in the box of a voter registration form.
"In contrast, Bill Simon has demonstrated in the past months that he is not only committed to up-holding the core Republican belief of limited, less intrusive government, but has also shown a genuine appreciation for Republicans of every stripe. He has spent months campaigning across the state, building a solid, genuine grass-roots organization that will be of the utmost benefit to our state party in the General Election. He has also pledged whole-heartedly to support every GOP nominee in November.
"Bill Simon is clearly the candidate who should represent the California Republican Party in the General Election."
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Mr. Riordan is heading in the wrong direction -- half-assed and backwards.
"In contrast, Bill Simon has demonstrated in the past months that he is not only committed to up-holding the core Republican belief of limited, less intrusive government, but has also shown a genuine appreciation for Republicans of every stripe. He has spent months campaigning across the state, building a solid, genuine grass-roots organization that will be of the utmost benefit to our state party in the General Election. He has also pledged whole-heartedly to support every GOP nominee in November.
Simon is our future.
Regarding the state of California politics, I think you are just wrong. Many Hispanic voters are conservative to the core. They can definitely be persuaded to vote Republican if we stop making illegal immigrants the focus of our message and start talking about cutting taxes and making it easier do business in this state. A great percentage of the Hispanic community is extremely receptive to this message, as long as they don't think Republicans are targeting them because they are 'lazy' or live off the dole.
They are also very favorably disposed towards George Bush. I happen to have some personal knowledge of this because my wife happens to be Hispanic and most of our relatives on her side of the family voted for Bush.
Oh, yeah. Those guys that bolted to the USTP after being told Adios pendejos by Pete Wilson are definitely conservative. We just ain't ever getting 'em BACK from the USTP.
They can definitely be persuaded to vote Republican if we stop making illegal immigrants the focus of our message and start talking about cutting taxes and making it easier do business in this state.
Where were you in 1994, when the CAGOP jumped the shark? We could've used some brainpower like yours (sigh).
A great percentage of the Hispanic community is extremely receptive to this message, as long as they don't think Republicans are targeting them because they are 'lazy' or live off the dole.
Don't let them near any immigration threads on FR.
And there are some folks here on FR ready to scream that the GOP is "PANDERING TO THE ILLEGALS" if the GOP talks to anyone with darker skin than theirs.
And their hashbrowns ain't too shabby.
Next time we shoot ourselves in the foot, can we leave the selector switch on SEMI?
His reward was a guy shouting from the back of the room, "GO BACK TO TIAJUANA, MOJADO!"
The worst part was almost every other person in the audience standing and cheering.
His reward -- almost every other person in the audience standing and cheering.
The worst part -- one guy shouts some ethnic slur.
This hispanic guy and you have a lot in common -- his reaction and your description. Surrounded by short term negatives, ya both don't see the positive evolution of freedom. For every statist hispanic immigrant of differing legalities, their is a multitude of second and third generation hispanics who will, as the future unfolds, vote for freedom.
Yeah, it's kind of hard to see that when a bunch of people are cheering the local skinhead.
For every statist hispanic immigrant of differing legalities, their is a multitude of second and third generation hispanics who will, as the future unfolds, vote for freedom.
Uh-huh. This guy's family had been in the US since Mexico lost the friggin' war.
I was there. They were cheering the jerk, and not this guy.
Hey, the USTP listened respectfully to his arguments, at least. That's more than the GOP folks ever did. And their opposition to granting public assistance was their opposition to public assistance for ANYONE.
BTW, in the 2000 California election, the Asian vote between Gore and Bush split 48% for Gore and 47% for Bush. I would hardly call that a decisive vote in favor of Democrats. From my understanding of what happened in the 2000 California election, the problem the Republicans had was that more women the men voted in the election (about 53% for women and 47% for men). And the women who voted, voted heavily in favor of the Democrats.
So, as far as the Hispanic and Asian communities are concerned, I am optimistic because Asians and Hispanics tend to be conservative both in their social and economic outlooks. With regard to women, though, I don't know if I have the same optimism.
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