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."

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[Republican Wildcat]

Dole is a carpetbagger, regardless of how you slice it.

A person running in their home state for office is not a carpetbagger, and to suggest that they are just out of some personal dislike for someone is just flat-out dishonest. If she's such a bad candidate, surely you can come up with truthful reasons, rather than dishonest ones.

[cynicom]

Tactics....

One candidate, a conservative, withdrew from the primary race after Dole was "annointed" by Bush. A few days later he received $200,000 from RNC to pay off his campaign debts.

Does anyone here think the RNC will bail out the ones that have refused to bow to the beltway?????

[from occupied ga]

home state

It depends on how you define "home state" She was born in NC, but she's been living in WashDC/Kansas for the last 50 - 60 years. I'd say Kansas is her "home state" with DC (inside the Beltway of course) being her home mindset - not what NC needs.

[wimpycat]

So overthrowing the U.S. government in North Carolina is a patriotic ideal, is it? You've got to be kidding.

Elizabeth Dole is going to be elected to the U.S. Senate, and you guys talk about seceding from the Union. Brilliant.

[Baseballguy]

A person running in their home state for office is not a carpetbagger.

carpetbagger

NOUN: 1. A Northerner who went to the South after the Civil War for political or financial advantage.

2. An outsider, especially a politician, who presumptuously seeks a position or success in a new locality.

I think she really is number two since she would have no chance in Kansas.

[cynicom]

Wildcat....

Dishonest??? How so??? Check the voting records for Dole for the last 40 years or so.

[occam's chainsaw]

Nothing gets the attention quicker than a 2x4 between the eyes. I think it would be a serious mistake for conservatives to stay home in the fall elections. On the contrary, I think we should turn out in droves and work to get the vote out. But instead of voting for Republicans, we should vote for Libertarians or the Constitutional Party or anyother conservative candidate or party in the race. Voting for Democrats or other liberal candidates would be a serious mistake.

The problem is - voting for the less popular, more conservative candidates will hand the victory to the openly liberal candidates who will screw things up even more than the RINO's. Without adequate backing, your 2x4 becomes a feather, your message gets misinterpreted (and has the reverse effect), and the liberals win. The Republicans will analyze their losses to liberal candidates and decide that in order to win they must take a more liberal stance. Such actions carry the potential of disastrous results.

[rdb3]

While your argument is correct, you have ignored or are too stupid to get the point.

So I'm both correct and stupid at the same time.

I stopped reading right there.

[Sangamon Kid]

...you guys talk about seceding from the Union. Brilliant.

A drastic option, but an option nonetheless. Am I saying that this particular situation warrants such a radical solution? No. But, somewhere down the road of progressive tyranny, the patriots of old drew a line in the sand and said, "This far and no further!" Who among us has the depth of committment that these men had? And where will the courage be mustered in a land of "contented slavery"? You tell me when enough is enough?

[cpprfld]

I agree, I have been wondering lately if there is anyplace in the Republican party for conservatives anymore.
I hate to say this, but us conservatives are being taken for granted, like the African-American vote in the
Democrat party. Nothing is done to further the issues that we care about, but we continually give our money,
time, and support to the Republicans.

[KC Burke]

You make your point quite well and there are many that would join you in your position.

I do believe that the third party, the empty threat, does have some motivating influence. It is however like the hostage threatening to break his own knee -- double edged. Succession is an empty issue with no regional emphasis at this time. Internal, local impact within the counties and caucuses is where the change to the National Republican agenda can be made. What we don't yet have is a clear understanding of why that isn't occuring in NC.

[cynicom]

Kid....

There are two ways to save ourselves from socialism and the loss of freedom. One is term limits, do away with the professional politicians that have a deathgrip on congress. This includes of course good and bad, pub and dem. I am ashamed that we have a man 99 years old in the senate, regardless of his belief. Kennedy coming up on 40 years in the senate and we all know his moral and political views. To leave people this long is to make a statement that the states do not have another person that could do the job as well or better.

If term limits are not palatable, then the other recourse is revolution. This country was born of a revolution because some men wanted to be free. The others were willing to live on their knees all their lives.

[Hank Rearden]

DoleBushDoleBushDoleBushDoleBush.

Time for some fresh blood in a creaky party.

[Williams]

Yes, you might just as well elect your local communist candidate, as make sure the democrats continue to run the Senate, and maybe get the House too. Even a RINO will give Bush control of the Senate. Do you see the trouble Daschle is creating?

I love it when a true Reagan conservative is elected. But I'm not too happy with the job Governor Schundler is doing in NJ, because HE LOST IN A LANDSLIDE.

Libby Dole is reasonably conservative and she can WIN. I hope. But go ahead, make sure you all don't vote for Republicans and elect liberal democrats. Just like you brilliantly cost Bush Sr. his reelection, and gave us slick Willie.

[pgkdan]

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

She'll fit right into Congress. Seems she's as totally ignorant of the Constitution as the incumbents. Someone needs to tell Ada that her right to Free Speech doesn not include a right to simply show up somewhere and give a speech uninvited. Good grief.

[Osage Orange]

You write:

"Snyder or Fisher would get my vote."

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

I'm with you. And I don't know squat about either one of them...except what I just read.

This is the type of malarky from the Grand Old Ones....that starts my smell O' meter to wiggling.

FRegards,

[goosie]

Unless I missed it, nobody has mentioned that Jesse Helms has endorsed Liddy also.

[Baseballguy]

You are right he said, "She is a good looking woman." If Jesse would say"Oh you know that NCGOP told me to endorse this woman." How would the media take that and the rest of the GOP....

[BlackElk]

What does a Republican have to do to lose your vote? It apparently does not matter how low the GOP goes in the nomination process. If a candidate like Liddy Dole is 85% DemonRat, that's OK because she is rich and she will vote for money and business interests sometimes.

I certainly would not blame her for switching from Democrat to Republican after coming to DC as a White House aide to LBJ because her megabucks daddy gave big bucks to LBJ. For her next act, she broke up Robert Dole's marriage of many years to the nurse who cared for him through his long rehabilitation through war wounds. That was probably a veiled favor to the prior Mrs. Dole, considering that Robert Dole would abandon her under the circumstances. "Hi, honey, I'm home, we're getting a divorce."

In 1996, Liddy Dole told the New York Post editorial board that she and her husband were pro-life and pro-gun. It would have strained credibility beyond the breaking point to claim to be anti-tax. He proved rather unreliable during the rest of the campaign and got his just desserts. Unfortunately, conservatives had four more years to suffer for his sins. Then Liddy Dole made a brief hilarious run for president, told everyone what they wanted to hear and revealed the new pro-abort and anti-gun Liddy Dole before folding her tent. Now she wants a Senate seat as a 60+ or 70+ year old freshman. After all, she is rich and vacant between the ears. It's just not fair that this aging Muffy hasn't had a Senate seat of her very own.

You know, an awful lot of people around here get their knickers in a twist over Campaign Finance Reform while Rush rants away on the radio about free speech (like NJ Senator Corzine's $60 million in free speech) but they don't get very worked up about the increasing percentage of self-financed zillionaires buying up Senate seats to protect their own interests.

And then we have those who think that anything whatsoever is worth voting for so long as the affiliation is GOP. I respectfully disagree.

[Theodore R.]

Where is Robert J. Dole registered to vote? Is he still claiming the KA residence, when he lives (and loves) in D.C.?