North Carolina: Two Senate candidates walk out of GOP dinner

Durham Herald-Sun (Durham, NC) ^ | March 26, 2002 | Associated Press

[Constitution Day]

Two Senate candidates walk out of GOP dinner

The Associated Press
March 26, 2002   1:16 am

CONCORD, N.C. -- Two Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate walked out of a GOP dinner after a party official refused their request to speak.

Elizabeth Dole was the keynote speaker at the Cabarrus County Republican Party's annual Reagan Day dinner on Monday. Other GOP candidates were invited to attend but not speak.

One of the candidates, Ada Fisher, posted herself outside the club with a sign protesting the denial of what she called her "free speech."

When Dole arrived, Fisher complained about the perceived slight.

"I'm delighted to have you come in and speak," Dole told her. "Why don't you go tell them that it's fine with me."

Dole made similar comments to rival Jim Snyder of Lexington.

Last week Cabarrus GOP Chairman David Black said Dole campaign officials had said they prefer other candidates vying for retiring Sen. Jesse Helm's seat not speak at Monday's dinner, which served as a party fund-raiser.

Though Snyder left, Fisher went into the dinner and took a seat at a table with fellow Senate candidate Douglas Sellers of Rowan County. During the introductions, Fisher blurted out: "Do we get our chance to speak that Mrs. Dole said we could have?"

"Mrs. Fisher I'm sorry," Black replied. "But we're running about 45 minutes late tonight."

Fisher and Sellers stood up. Turning to leave, Sellers announced, "I'm not afraid to look at any of you. Please don't be afraid to look at any of us."

Fisher, Snyder and other GOP candidates have complained about what they see as the preferential treatment party officials accord Dole. Critics complain that Dole is getting unusual help from party officials -- including President Bush, who has plugged her on three trips to North Carolina since January.

As she left the Speedway Club, Fisher was still angry.

"I can beat anybody in a fair race," she said. "But when you tie me down and stuff my mouth so I can't talk, it's a little difficult."

URL for this article: http://www.heraldsun.com/state/6-209897.html

© Copyright 2002. All rights reserved. All material on heraldsun.com is copyrighted by The Durham Herald Company and may not be reproduced or redistributed in any medium except as provided in the site's Terms of Use.

[JoeMomma]

Also, I think that they were protesting the special treatment that Dole is receiving at an official GOP party event when all GOP primary candidates should be afforded equal treatment at such events.

But heck, don't mess with the anointing of a GOP candidate. The stuffed suits know more than the unwashed masses.

[Constitution Day]

I do not flame...

Didn't mean to insinuate that you would.
That was more addressed to those who would excoriate me for daring to support the GOP even if it meant "settling" for Liddy.

I think she is really a nanny-statist at heart and remember the stories of her checking employees' seat belts when she was at the DOT.
That's the type of meddlesome do-gooderism that gets my blood pressure up.

I also feel that I am an "unwanted foster child in the republican family" - LOL.
This is why I vote GOP but am registered "Unaffiliated" (what the Elections Board calls "Independent" here in NC).

I have been taken to task over this, but as long as the GOP continues to drift to the LEFT (I refuse to say to the "center"), I will stay Unaffiliated.

NC voted overwhelmingly for Bush, but the state GOP can't gain control of our legislature.
This is the same GOP who puts up lousy RINO candidates like Richard Vinroot & former Gov. Jim Martin.

[southern bale]

Pleeeez....bribe is such an ugly word. As a genteel southerner, I would not infer such ugly behavior on another without hard proof. I do think, however, that there was some political back-scratching.

P.S.

Look for Vinroot to run for Gov. again in the next cycle, although he has proven time and again that he cannot be elected to statewide office.

[Phantom Lord]

I agree 100% that ALL the Senate candidates in attendance should have been afforded EQUAL time to speak and take questions. I agree 100% that the NCGOP should not be affording Mrs. Bob Dole special treatment.

My beef is with Fisher's claim that her "Free Speech" was being denied. I have met Ms. Fisher and she presented herself as a very nice lady but a little loony.

[Phantom Lord]

NC voted overwhelmingly for Bush, but the state GOP can't gain control of our legislature. This is the same GOP who puts up lousy RINO candidates like Richard Vinroot & former Gov. Jim Martin.

And Dole is not a lousy RINO?

I think she is really a nanny-statist at heart

CD, I do not want to hear a single peep from you if Dole wins the election and then acts and votes like the left winger RINO that she is. You know what your voting for and you are going to get what your buying. No complaining allowed.

[Constitution Day]

And Dole is not a lousy RINO?

Never said that. I think she definitely is.
You don't agree she's at least a little better than Irksome Bowels?

CD, I do not want to hear a single peep from you if Dole wins the election and then acts and votes like the left winger RINO that she is. You know what your voting for and you are going to get what your buying. No complaining allowed.

That's why in my #83 I said "I think that I should vote for Dole in November... I think we should support her."

Tell me why Bowles is preferable to her.

[cynicom]

bale...

Ok, so as to not upset southern decorum, I can describe the $200,000 check as payment for sevices rendered, or, an RNC donation to a worthy cause, or for future considerations. Somehow, I think it all means the same in this case.

[Phantom Lord]

Everybody seems to be operating under the assumption that Bowles has got it locked up. Do not discount the chances of Elaine Marshall.

The continual "lesser of two evils" is what has led us down the path we are on. So insted of a hard left person we get a little softer left person. How is that a victory?

At least with Bowles you can bitch about him because you didnt vote for him. But with Dole your vote (and others) put her there. So when she operates as the lefty that she is, those "conservatives" who voted for her and supported her are going to be in no position to bitch when she behaves as we know she is going to.

The one redeming quality I can see for Dole is that I think she might have enough loyalty to GW to not buck him and to vote in a proper fashion in the Senate. MAYBE.

[Constitution Day]

The continual "lesser of two evils" is what has led us down the path we are on.
So insted of a hard left person we get a little softer left person. How is that a victory?

This is true. I hate the "go along to get along" mentality but feel like we've been railroaded on this deal.
It's not a victory at all.
I guess I feel a bit defeated regarding this. Maybe that's why I'm considering the "hold my nose & vote" approach.

The one redeming quality I can see for Dole is that I think she might have enough loyalty to GW to not buck him and to vote in a proper fashion in the Senate.
MAYBE.

We damn sure don't need another Jeffords!
That we can agree on.

[Phantom Lord]

We have another Jeffords. His name is Lincoln Chafee. If the GOP regains control of the Senate he has stated he will bolt.

[itsahoot]

So, since it was a GOP function, that means that it is by default
a function of the state?

I give up, I thought the Clinton apoligists were bad,
but this forum is completely Ga Ga over Bush. The
appoligists are just as irrational in their defense of
Bush, as the Clinton Zombies, ever were.

Let's not forget the real enemies are those that
would trash the constitution, no matter what label
they choose to hide behind.

[itsahoot]

So any GOP party member should have been allowed to get up
and speak? Not the way it works.

Of course not, only the person hand picked by the party elite
are entitled, that way we can vote for whom ever they please.

[rdb3]

I'm explaining to you how this woman's Constitutional rights were not violated, asked you a question about this gathering being private or an official function of the state, and you come back with a "Bush Apologist" label?

I thought you were concerned about the Constitution. Apparently, you don't understand it. She asked to speak and was denied. She had no God-given right to speak at this private function (even if it did have a GOP title), and then she executed her right to protest by leaving.

So, what's the problem here? Give up all ya want. Makes me no nevermind.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Dole's the annointed candidate of the GOP's bigger a$$holes. I'm beginning to see just how little weight our opinion carries with the tyrants at the top. I despise the liberal Democrats party, but damned if I will continue to support the Republican party, if it is to be completely chorographed to dance to the tune of a few arrogant sob's in positions of absolute power.

[Rowdee]

I believe you are undoubtedly correct in regards to mis-use of the bylaws.

That said, it often times seems as though those 'rules' were meant to be broken, too.....well, depending on who you are, after all.

It certainly seems like it used to be that the GOP would NOT endorse a candidate if there was a primary.

I know when I ran for a House seat at the State level in Montana in 1986, I had a primary...[just for the record: my opponent was a male/I was female]....the State party would NOT endorse either of us and I was told by the State GOP executive director that; and 'under the table' was told they were very hopeful for my candidacy--and this was repeated by one of the high up GOP legislators.

I believe the party should be neutral rather than coming out for one specific candidate where there is primary contesting. We saw it happen during the last election cycle, too....I noticed during the debate period especially....and I'm not even a GOP anymore.

[who knows what evil?]

Those who were alive in the late eighteenth century bore witness to the birth of a Nation. Those of us alive in the early twenty-first century will bear witness to the death of that same Nation. Fasten your seat belts.

[JoeMomma]

Tell me why Bowles is preferable to her.

Standing up for principle on this one is more important that defeating the Democratic nominee. I'm a bit more moderate than many of you here and have been called a RINO more than once in these forums.

However, the kingmaking tactics of the NC GOP disgusts me to the point that I would rather see Dole defeated in the primary, and if not in the primary, defeated in the general election. Liddy Dole is a result of a good-ol'-boy network pushing her candidacy, and the NC GOP is clearly afraid of letting GOP primary voters know their choices.

The Democratic nominee may be a tyrant, but voting for Liddy Dole in the general election will only serve to endorse the tyrranical, good-ol'-boy means used by her campaign and the NC GOP to get her the GOP nomination.

The NC GOP needs to be taught a lesson. What better way to teach them a lesson by forcing Liddy Dole to defeat in 2002? We shouldn't stay home, but how about we group up and vote for the libertarian or other third party nominee?

6 Years of a Democrat in this Senate seat is preferable to several terms of Liddy Dole in this seat. It will be easier for a GOP candidate actually chosen by the people (rather than party bosses) in 2008 to defeat an incumbent Democrat than to defeat an incumbent Senator Liddy Dole in the 2008 GOP primary. If Dole is elected in 2002, you will get multiple terms of her -- and the NCGOP's good-ol'-boy kingmaking network will have succeeded.

The NC GOP is wrong for their effective endorsement of Liddy Dole and should not be allowed to get away with it.

[bimbo]

This must be an example of the new and "improved" compassionate GOP…

This New Republican Party advocates the “anointing” of one candidate by the leadership, and expects all good little Republican voters to fall in line. They did it with Bush in 2000, and now they are doing it with Dole in N.C. This successful tactic was developed by the Leftist/Marxists who took over the Democrat Party 30 years ago.

[Rowdee]

I like your way of thinking.....i.e., the good old boy network provides these elite candidates, not of the peoples' making, but of theirs--so obviously it is for their purposes they are being put to the people!

Were I in your state, I would obviously vote for whom I wanted in the primary.....and in the general, were her name on there, I would write in a name.

Were there enough principled people to do that, at the end of the day, there would be X cast for the Dem, X cast for the GOP, and X cast for a write-in candidate. The Republican Party could easily see that there were X cast for a write-in candidate--that would soothe the "I can't vote for anyone by a GOP" limp wrists, and send a message to the party at the same time.

It can be done.....in the state of Washington a few years back, Linda Smith won a house seat running as a write-in candidate. She handily rewon election, and then challenged Patty Murray, the dumb stupid Democratic Senator....and, thanks to Mitch McConnell and his Republican Senatorial Committee, who preferred to have a Democratic Senator over a Republican one with a BRAIN, wasn't given much in the way of financial aid...and she lost....so the Senate is stuck with the dumb stupid Democratic Senator from Washington!!! Real smart thinking when you consider Jeffords jumped ship, huh!

[MissAmericanPie]

Sad isn't it, now we have Socialist heavy and Socialist lite.