Midterm Game Thread

[KaiserDave]

Can I take Jim Douglas?

[KaiserDave]

Wikimedia Commons

Vermont Governor Announces Senate Campaign

Vermont Republican Governor Jim Douglas had earlier announced he wouldn't seek another term was Governor, but today confirmed what many had suspected, that he will be making a run for the open Senate seat vacated by Jim Jeffords. Douglas, a moderate Republican who has become very popular in Vermont for his pragmatic, almost liberal approach to governing, and his One-Nation, progressive conservatism in comparison to the Christian conservatism of President Bush and Senator Lott.

Jim Douglas announced his campaign on a brisk spring morning in April in Middlebury, in the town which is centered around his alma matter. He declared that, "Washington has for too long failed too many people. Partisan bickering has turned politics into a shouting match, big money has pushed out the voices of citizens and farmers, and pivoting to extremes becomes expedient. Senator Jeffords has been a light in the dark, providing an example of practical, people first, country first, party second leadership. I hope to continue his record of fighting for the people of Vermont, it's for that reason I've filed to run for the Republican nomination for United States Senate."

Jim Douglas has begun meeting with Republican county chairs and limited campaign activities.

Summer 2005 Schedule

All items are interspersed between day to day Governing duties, all unmentioned days are rest or day to day governing duties


June
June 7-17: Meeting with Republican chapters in each county
June 21-25: Meeting with Republican voters and top donors in each county
July
July 6-13: Town Halls in every county
July 15: Campaign Launch in Barre with State Senator Phil Scott
July 19-25: Meeting with Republican chapters in each county
August
August 10-15: Town Halls in each county
August 22-27: Meeting with top GOP donors and officials

[KaiserDave]

Douglas for Senate Strategy

Governor Douglas and his team, led by Campaign Chairman State Senator Phil Scott and Treasurer Dustin Degree are formulating a strategy that will win the U.S. Senate election in Vermont for Governor Douglas. Jim will spend the year of 2005 building awareness of his campaign among key Republican figures and core Republican voters, and make overtures to the liberal voters who have powered his landslide reelection in 2004.

Governor Douglas will remind core GOP voters of his effective management of the state's finances, his opposition to new taxes and fees in Vermont, and his tempered moderation compared to the self declared "democratic socialist" Bernie Sanders. Key GOP figures and donors, who have been excited for such a gubernatorial campaign for some time should be easy to sway to Governor Douglas, who is not expected to have significant primary opposition.

Governor Douglas's overtures to liberal voters will be based on his existing popularity as Governor, his independent nature, and always attempting to localize the race based on his effective gubernatorial leadership and fiscal stewardship. Governor Douglas will stake on maverick positions on national issues, usually to the left of Republican orthodoxy, and criticize both "Washington dysfunction" and "extremism in both parties." With moderate Democrats, Douglas will always emphasize his moderate views.

Autumn 2005 Schedule

All items are interspersed between day to day Governing duties, all unmentioned days are rest or day to day governing duties


September
September 11: Remarks on the 9/11 Attack

September 11th was a day that we will never forget-we must never forget. I..will never forget seeing people jump from the highest floors to avoid the inferno. Those images have burned themselves into my mind, and into the national consciousness. We must never forget what we lost, and we must never forget the spirit of selflessness and sacrifice that emerged among so many good, decent Americans.

September 15-19: Meet with focus groups of Vermonters to discuss the issues September 28: Fundraiser in Brattleboro with major statewide GOP donors
October
October 6: Fundraiser in Rutland City with major statewide GOP donors
October 12: Meet with Senator Jeffords and Leahy on a non campaign economic opportunity conference
October 14: Unveils Campaign Slogan "The Third Way" to emphasize Douglas's difference from both right wing Republicans and partisan Democrats
October 15: Speech to the University of Vermont on leadership and crisis management
October 21: Meet with former President George H.W. Bush in Kennebunkport
October 28: Fundraiser in Bennington with major GOP statewide donors
October 30: Town Hall in Manchester
November
November 1: CNN Appearance to introduce himself to a national audience, notes his bipartisan credentials and talks about being a Republican governor in a Democratic state
November 8: Congratulates Jon Corzine and Tim Kaine on their gubernatorial victories (Assuming this is the same as RL) in a brief press release
November 10: Creates campaign MySpace Account
November 12: Delivers speech "Why I am a Republican" at the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation in Plymouth Vermont firmly defining himself as a moderate Republican, a one nation conservative and not a Ronald Reagan/George W. Bush conservative.

I'm a member of the Vermont Republican Party, because as a young man I was inspired by statesman and Vermont heroes like George Aiken and Robert Stafford. These were men of integrity, who put country before party. They were not afraid of standing up to bullies, like Senator Aiken did when he so boldly denounced Joseph McCarthy. They weren't afraid to buck pressure, like how Robert Stafford angered a lot folks in Washington with his unafraid environmentalism. These are the ideas of patriotic, sensible men, and these are the ideas that are key my Republican identity. I am a Republican because like President Coolidge I put faith in individual men and women, in families, rather than bureaucrats to make decisions on people's lives. And I am a Republican because like President Eisenhower I believe that our government works best when it works together for the common good, not dominated by partisan squabbling or the excessive influences of big business or special interests. I'm a Republican because I believe in good, trusted government

November 16: Holds fundraiser in Stowe with major GOP statewide donors
November 28: Organizes Campaign Panel of Small business people, worker's leaders, and community associations on working together for Vermont chaired by Jim Douglas

[KaiserDave]

Turn ends end of September, I thought that was clear

I sometimes like to get ahead of myself for my own organizational purposes. I'm sorry if that's confusing. Loving the game.

[KaiserDave]

Love this game
Will we get an update soon?

[KaiserDave]

Love this game
Will we get an update soon?

[KaiserDave]

Instructions noted
Love love love the news format

[KaiserDave]

Can we make a chat thread to avoid clutter?

[KaiserDave]

Pat Bradley/WMAC

Jim Douglas Interview on Radio Vermont WDEV

Host: Hello, coming at you from U.S. Route Two Waterbury Vermont, WDEV AM radio station. Today we've got the distinct pleasure of hosting Vermont Governor Jim Douglas, and candidate for United States Senate to boot! Glad to have you Governor on this fine December day!

Douglas: Thanks, happy to be on, always good to be snugly inside on a day like this.

Host: So Governor, what ultimately caused you to pull the trigger on running?

Douglas: Well it was not an easy decision, and I would certainly prefer to be Governor of this great state than be a United States Senator. I think Montpelier works a lot better than Washington, and I certainly prefer spending my time in Middlebury than in the national Capitol, but I believe that we all have a duty to serve our country, as Americans, and a duty to our state as Vermonters, and its for that reasons that I feel that I needed to run. Senator Jeffords, a giant of the Senate is resigning, and I think that will leave a hole in the Senate where his presence was felt. I will try my best to fill that spot and serve the people of Vermont, and so I've decided to run.

Host: You say you don't want to be a Senator, so why are you running?

Douglas: Well, one's patriotic duty is more than a question of want. I believe that I can do good work in the United States Senate for the people of Vermont, and give Vermonters a voice in the Senate that puts people before politics, and upholds fairness, dignity, respect. I believe that the legacy of Senator Jeffords, who carved a great path in his time in the Senate should be continued, I hope I can do that, and I ask the good people of Vermont for their vote. Washington may be broke, but I want to help fix it.

Host: Now onto Washington. Right now the Senate is embattled in a Supreme Court confirmation battle. Democrats are fiercely opposing President Bush's nomination of Samuel Alito, saying he's an arch conservative, much like Robert Bork, and not suited to be on the bench. Do you agree?

Douglas: Well, I think Judge Alito is very qualified for the bench, but beyond the question of qualification I believe that we need to hear from the man himself in January when he will face the Judiciary committee. I think President Bush made the wrong call nominating Harriet Miers, that was a partisan pick, it was designed to serve political ends, and she was entirely unqualified. Judge Alito is definitely a more qualified pick that Ms. Miers. In general when I look to a Supreme Court appointment I look for the Judge's commitment to objectivity, to neutrality, they should be divorced from politics and politicians as much as possible. It should be the job of the Court to interpret the law, not make the law. I think Justice O'Connor is a good example of a fine Justice, Justice Souter and Breyer as well. I look forward to seeing Judge Alito's confirmation hearing.

Host: How do you view the Court's decision in the highly controversial Bush vs. Gore decision?

Douglas: Well it's hard for me to say much on the legal reasoning, but at the end of the day it probably would have been best to let the recount play out. I think that decision has damaged our political discourse.

Host: Moving on from the nation's highest court, there is the persistent issue of the war in Iraq. The Iraq Study Group just released a bipartisan report declaring that "the situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating." How do you view the mission in Iraq Governor?

Douglas: Well it's veered off in an uncontrollable direction. We're committing more men, more resources, more materials, we're sending dollars we could use at home to Iraq every day. Well...are we accomplishing the mission? No, I don't think so. Saddam Hussein is going to be executed later this month, no biological or chemical weapons have been found, no evidence of a nuclear program. If there was a mission, we haven't pursued it. I think Senator Jeffords had the right idea when he voted no on authorizing the use of force given what's occurred since 2003. It wasn't an easy vote, or a popular vote by any measure, but in hindsight Senator Jeffords made the right call.

Host: What should we do now?

Douglas: Well I think we should refocus. The Global War on Terror is worth fighting, we can never allow what happened to us on September 11th to ever happen again. But we're not protecting Americans by staying in Iraq, when we send a billion to Iraq to develop their country, that's 1 billion we're not using to develop our roads, our bridges, that's 1 billion we're not investing in working people, that's 1 billion we're tossing onto the mounting debt. Let's start to withdraw from Iraq. And remember, we still haven't found Osama Bin Laden. That should the the primary focus of our efforts. The Taliban harbored Osama Bin Laden, we should continue our efforts to wrest control of Afghanistan from them and their warped view of Islam. We need to work with President Putin to achieve that as well. As for Iraq, it's a war that's pretty clearly, not worth fighting.

Host: Funny you bring up Putin, you majored in Russian Studies did you not?

Douglas: I did, I did. Middlebury of course. Loved my time there, had the pleasure of being College Republican Chairman and majored in Russian Studies. You know if President Bush wants to send me to Moscow to talk to President Putin on making Afghanistan stable, I'd be happy too. Moy russkiy neplokhoy.

Host: Alright Comrade. About President Bush. How do you view the Bush Administration in general?

Douglas: Well, not all too favorably. I think President Bush has brought a lot to the White House, his words to the nation after 9/11 were particularly meaningful, and I think he brings an earnest desire to improve our government, but I think he's been swamped with this endless war in Iraq, by these ethics issues in his Administration, and I think he's lost focus on these key domestic issues. Education, jobs, and the health of our constituent states. I think his Cabinet has issues, just look at Secretary Rumsfeld, I'm of the view he should step down after the examples of incompetence we've seen. If I'm elected I'll work with the President to refocus on these kitchen table issues, improve Vermont's quality of life, get more infrastructure spending in Vermont, and do my best to bring the issues that concern Vermonters to the President's attention, especially those relevant to farmers. If I can get the White House to focus on farmers in Vermont and not nation-building in Baghdad, I consider that a win.

[KaiserDave]

Douglas for Senate Strategy

December will be primarily spent raising money. It will be important to spend time accumulating substantial funds for the coming campaign. It Douglas can maintain a funds advantage over Sanders, he may be able to dominate the airwaves well up to election day. His campaign activities will be mostly limited to radio and TV appearances (one of which is outlined earlier) where he will continue to define himself as a common sense moderate, and the effective Governor who has become very popular.

December 2005 Schedule

All items are interspersed between day to day Governing duties, all unmentioned days are rest or day to day governing duties


December
December 3: Public Funds Drive on Burlington Main Street
December 10: Public Funds Drive on Burlington Main Street
December 12: Yard Sign Distribution in Burlington
December 14-16: Radio Tour, one radio interview a day
December 18: Fundraiser with major statewide GOP donors, 1,000 Dollars a Plate (32 attendants)
December 22: Fundraiser with major statewide GOP donors, 1,000 Dollars a plate (35 attendants)
December 24: Public Funds Drive on Burlington Main Street
December 25: Christmas Speech as Governor, urging togetherness and good cheer
December 27: Joining the Sugarbush Resort Grooming Team on the Mountain for an (early) morning of mountain adventure, questions from the press at 8 AM

[KaiserDave]

only returning if @GotFan does