Thread: 'A Conservative in '08?' Hunter?

http://www.americandaily.com/article/17127

'A Conservative in '08?'
By John Bender (01/08/07)

Right now the prospects of having a conservative nominee in the 2008 presidential race are not looking good. The two frontrunners for the Republican nomination, McCain and Giuliani, are certainly not conservative and while Romney’s words are conservative his record is not.

The only conservative actually in the race right now is Rep. Duncan Hunter, but the MSM and the Republican establishment are ignoring the fact that he is running. Mr. Hunter is going to have to find a way to bypass the drive-by media and the Republican establishment, which is firmly in the hands of what we used to call “Rockefeller Republicans”, if he is going to have any chance at all.

There are delusional suggestions on Republican blogs that Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich might jump into the race. That’s not going to happen. Even if it did, neither of them can win a general election. Santorum couldn’t win reelection in his home state and Gingrich is so damaged by being forced out of the Speakers’ office almost any Democrat could beat him badly in a national race.

Of course, some conservative could still jump into the race, but time is running out for that to happen. The money and campaign staff needed to mount a serious race are quickly being committed to people who already took the plunge. Plus, the campaign is already under way.

Our 24/7 cable news networks, internet newspapers, and talk radio have lengthened the campaign season. It now starts the day after the mid-term congressional elections. That’s when the political insiders, political junkies, and activist groups start looking for a candidate to back in the primaries, and they are the people who choose who gets the nomination.

The elites within the party learned little since 1972, 1976 and 1980 when they condemned Ronald Reagan as too radical to win a national election. Conservatives finally broke the establishment blockade and gave Reagan the nomination in 1980. He won the general election in a landslide. In 1984 he was reelected in an even bigger landslide. Unfortunately, in 1988 the Rockefeller Republicans too back the party and have repeatedly nominated one of their own ever since.

Instead of learning that conservatives aren’t, as Donald Rumsfeld, Ford's chief of staff in 1976, described the Reagan supporters a "bunch of right-wing nuts", but are the ticket to winning big nationally. The Republican elites are still parroting President Ford’s fallacious warning in the 1980 primaries; "A very conservative Republican cannot win in a national election", despite the historical evidence against that notion. But, they also learned how to out maneuver the conservatives.

It will be harder to take back the party than it was to take it in 1980. The Rockefeller Republicans now claim they are the conservatives. The MSM also calls them conservatives and the right wing. And the masses believe the deception.

They’ve also infiltrated most of the conservative organizations that backed Reagan against them in 1976 and 1980. Some of them play conservatives on talk radio and the talking head shows on television.

Barring some miracle, or a lot of hard work from conservatives, the Rockefeller Republicans will again nominate one of their own in 2008. The results of that nomination will be to loose the White House, or another squeaker of a win.

But all is not lost yet. As late as March of 1980 it wasn’t sure that President Reagan would win the nomination and he was 25 points behind Carter in the national polls. But conservatives kicked up their efforts, won the nomination and won the election in a landslide. We can do it again. It won’t be easy. But it will be well worth the effort.

The country needs a conservative president in ’08. Republicans need to nominate another “right wing nut” like President Reagan if they hope to win another landslide.

Rep. Duncan Hunter may not be the man who can pull it off. He’s a Reagan conservative, a decorated combat veteran whose son served in Iraq. He’s been Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and understands the importance of a well trained, well equipped military in this troubled world.

He may not be the communicator President Reagan was and may not be able to get his message past the media and Republican establishment. Only time will tell. But right now, Mr. Hunter looks like the party’s only hope of nominating a conservative.

Rep. Duncan Hunter may not be the man who can pull it off. He’s a Reagan conservative, a decorated combat veteran whose son served in Iraq. He’s been Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and understands the importance of a well trained, well equipped military in this troubled world.

If he doesn't pull it off, it won't be because I didn't support him. Actually, I'm extremely excited about Rep. Hunter and hope everyone else sees what I see in him. The real shocker is that he comes from California.

Nothing personal my fellow ALIPAC supporting California residents!

After having lived in the San Diego area for a couple of years, I would say that Duncan Hunter would be a fine choice. There's no comparison with Juan McCain and some of those other posers.
Hunter has a PAC you can donate to that will help his campaign. It's
www.peacethroughstrengthpac.com
I've sent my check. McCain and others scare me.

Does anyone know for sure how Tom Tancredo stands? I don't want to split up my donations. I would rather put all of my money in one place when it comes to a Presidential candidate. Duncan Hunter is a great choice, but my loyalty is to Mr Tancredo, so I will probably hold out until I know for sure. Any info would be appreciated.

Something very interesting happened last night on the Laura Ingraham radio show. I caught it by chance.

HUNTER's candidacy was mentioned and although the 'guest' {can't remember his name but most should know him} said---won't make it --- I personally found this mention very encouraging. Someone, somewhere might be WORRIED which is a good sign for Hunter!!

It's early enough that he could have good shot

.

Neese wrote:

Does anyone know for sure how Tom Tancredo stands? I don't want to split up my donations. I would rather put all of my money in one place when it comes to a Presidential candidate. Duncan Hunter is a great choice, but my loyalty is to Mr Tancredo, so I will probably hold out until I know for sure. Any info would be appreciated.

I know my opinion in this specific matter isn't worth much, but my gut tells me Rep. Tancredo will not run and if he did - he would be a longer shot than Hunter. As I've said before, I greatly appreciate what Tancredo has done and is doing for our cause, but I just can't picture him sitting in the White House in 2008 - too many issues for him to overcome. Furthermore, I'm not sure I want to see him run, because that would split our (anti-illegal immigrant supporters) support.

Perhaps you should email Rep. Tancredo and share your concerns. I don't think it would be to far fetched to expect a response. After all, he should want the same things we do. Honestly, I keep waiting for him to come out in support of Rep. Hunter because they're almost like twins on the issues that are important to us.

Hunter's on the road on the east coast, good.

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=5911187&nav=4QcS

Hunter: It's soon to tell whether the U.S. has failed in Iraq

Jan 9, 2007
CONCORD, N.H. Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter of California, who's launched a 2008 presidential bid, staunchly defends the Bush administration's handling of the war in Iraq and says it's too soon to tell whether the American occupation has been a failure.

Hunter visited Concord (New Hampshire) yesterday.

The 58-year-old Hunter, who was first elected to the House in 1980, said U-S troops must continue training Iraqi troops and building a military that can support Iraq's free government. Hunter, a Vietnam veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star, represents California's 52nd Congressional District, which consists of eastern and northern San Diego County.

He's made his mark in Congress by advocating for a strong military and border security. He played a leading role in the construction of a 14-mile double fence on the U.S.-Mexico border that is nearing completion in San Diego. Hunter also co-authored legislation signed by President Bush that would extend the border fence to 700 miles.

This article was last week but do not believe it is anywhere. Hunter has a sense of humor.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/politi ... visit.html
Friday, January 5, 2007
Hunter to visit N.H. for first time since announcing presidential ambitions
U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter, a California Republican, was flying to Manchester on Friday night and will stay in New Hampshire through Monday evening.

Oddly, no one in the state knew about his upcoming trip until Friday afternoon, when he began calling Republican activists before and after he gave a speech on the House floor.

In one of those calls, for an interview with the Globe, Hunter said he wanted his trip to be “low-key.” Hunter told Republicans that he didn’t have much of a schedule at all and that he would pop in unannounced to local Republican leaders and media.

Hunter, 54, is the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.

On Friday, an e-mail from Mitt Romney’s sons suggested that whoever the Republican presidential nominee is will have to raise $100 million. Hunter said he wouldn’t need to raise that kind of money because “most of that money goes to pay for consultants that help them look like they are conservative and I am conservative already.”
Hunter has already visited Iowa and South Carolina.

Excerpt from Jean post:

Hunter said he wouldn’t need to raise that kind of money because “most of that money goes to pay for consultants that help them look like they are conservative and I am conservative already.”

This may have been intended as a joke, but the "pretend" conservatives like McCain and Guilliani had better beware because now there is a real conservative hopeful in the picture.

I know my opinion in this specific matter isn't worth much, but my gut tells me Rep. Tancredo will not run ...

I get this sense. I don't think he will. This is mainly based on Tancredo saying previously that if no one else who was strong on immigration and border security got into the race, he might. Now with Hunter having declared, my guess is that Tancredo will back Hunter. The other thing is that it's unclear how the immigration/amnesty scenario is going to play out. If this gets stalled and by the end of the year has not been resolved, then it will be put off until after the '08 election, in which case, maybe Tancredo would then jump in.