Forward? – A 2012 Election Game (Gameplay Thread)

[Senator Spiral]

Walter Jones Campaign GOTV Strategy: Iowa

Sensing momentum, the Jones campaign is going all in on Iowa. All of Jones's surrogates have been barnstorming the state over the past week, as well as accompanying the candidate in each of his last rallies. To separate Jones from the rest of the pack, the campaign has pushed the crucial endorsements of the past month: Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal from the Republican field, and particularly Congressman Steve King and the Des Moines Register from Iowa. Palin and Jindal have wooed conservative voters (especially from the Tea Party) relentlessly, and King has canvassed the state appealing to Iowans through a home state effect. The endorsement of the newspaper also has been pushed to demonstrate the campaign's increasing credibility.

The campaign has been relying on its powerful grassroots effort as well as its many small donors to propel the Iowa campaign in the final stretch. A heavy focus on on-the-ground organizing has been built over the past few months, and the campaign now hopes to see its efforts come into fruition. In urban areas, college students and the 18-34 demographic are being targeted. Rural areas are a strong focus as well, as appeals to farmers, veterans, and Evangelicals have created a strong coalition for Jones. Through all of the hard work, the Jones campaign hopes to out-organize all of the other campaigns.

Ultimately, the Jones campaign sees a large opportunity to come from behind and win the Iowa caucus. Congressman Jones has been devoted 100% to campaigning in Iowa in order to reach this goal. The following are other general actions taken by the Jones campaign for Iowa:

-Present Jones as the populist candidate of the Tea Party
-Show a strong focus on immigration, being the only candidate talking about securing the border and stopping the flow of immigration
-Campaign alongside Steve King across the state for a home state effect
-Promote the endorsements of Palin and Jindal to skeptical conservative voters
-Attack Christie as a creature of the establishment and reach out to his supporters through veterans issues
-Attack Fletcher for his corruption scandals and self-pardon, reaching out to his supporters through abortion, marriage, and his strong faith
-Reach out to soft Paul and Carolla supporters in areas where they poll poorly to Jones
-Barnstorming rural areas with not much outreach from other candidates, hoping to pull more votes away from competitors

[Senator Spiral]

Walter Jones Ad: Our Troops

These are the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives for us in Iraq.

I honor them every day by keeping these pictures in my office.

These pictures remind me that when politicians in Washington make decisions, they often deal with life and death. It's up to us to make sure that they act responsibly, because when they don't, human lives are at stake.

I have written thousands of letters to the families who have lost these loved ones. There is no greater duty that I can think of than to let them know they're never alone.

We must not let our troops and their families down. We must fix our broken VA hospitals, improve the quality of healthcare, and lead them back into civilian life.

Although we can't change the past, the future is in our hands. It's our duty as Americans to take care of our veterans, for they are our brothers and sisters all under God.

[Senator Spiral]

Final Iowa Rally

Are we ready, Iowa? *cheers*

Are we going to vote? *cheers*

And are we going to win? *cheers*

The momentum is all with us now. We've made the establishment running scared. The polls have us close here in Iowa. We're now leading in South Carolina. We have the endorsements of wonderful conservatives like Governor Palin, Governor Jindal, and your own Congressman King.

Let us never forget that this campaign is about changing Washington for good. No longer will we stand by and let these politicians prosper while leaving the rest of us to dry. This is a campaign for you, the average American, and the average Iowan. A message as powerful as ours can't be stopped by big money. This is a grassroots campaign that's been powered by millions of small donations, and I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart.

Here in Iowa, we're in it to win it. We have the message, we have the energy, and we have the voters. Now all we need to do is show up at the caucus place.

Thank you all, God bless this country, and go vote!

[Senator Spiral]

Walter Jones Debate Responses

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We see adversaries out there like Iran, North Korea, or even rogue terrorist networks like al-Qaeda, but let's look at who is really the biggest challenge to the United States over the next century: China.

It's China that have built themselves up from rubble to become one of the world's superpowers, but they won't be playing nice with anybody now that they have all this power. Look at their record so far. They don't want to just dominate Asia, but they want to dominate all of global politics through their military and economic might. Many of their values are hostile to our own. They are a communist state who have brutalized their own people, like in Tienanmen Square. They continue to prop up North Korea as a satellite state even when the whole world agrees that they are an unstable force who must be controlled.

They have also hurt the U.S. along the way. They steal our intellectual property on a regular basis. They engage in cyber warfare. Also, ever since China joined the WTO, our manufacturing base has been decimated. All of those good-paying jobs were shipped away, and communities were left for broke with no help from the government. We may have cheaper goods now, but at what cost? These are real Americans we're talking about here, many of whom have stayed in one company their whole working lives. Now where do they go after what China has done to our economy? We used to be the manufacturing center of the world, and now China has been a direct threat to our own economy and to Americans' livelihoods.

You won't hear this kind of talk from other candidates. People like Governor Christie turn a blind eye to the costs of unfettered free trade. We must have a president who fights for free trade--an economic policy that puts America first. That means holding China accountable for a change. They are a threat to both our economic and national security.

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Well, I'm one of the few candidates who have owned a business before getting into politics. I used to work in the family business back in rural North Carolina, and that kind of experience really shows you what the value of hard work and an earned dollar is. I know the struggles of small business owners. They need help that they haven't gotten from the Obama administration. They need lower taxes and a better regulatory environment so they can actually survive and grow.

Not only that, but I've been talking about issues that not every Republican here has talked about: the plight of the average worker. I'm talking about the people who don't own businesses but work for one, and who lives paycheck to paycheck. These people need help too. Many American workers have lost their jobs to outsourcing, and what has Washington done to help them? Virtually nothing. That would change under a Jones presidency. I would work to create better trade deals: ones that keep the sovereignty of the U.S. intact and extract better labor and environmental protections while keeping American jobs here.

Think about the issues affecting you and your family, folks. What has worked and what hasn't worked over the past two decades? Governor Christie would do nothing to stop the bloodshed of American labor to countries like China and India. His donors would do anything to cut costs for themselves at the expense of all of you watching at home. We can create a manufacturing renaissance in this country for the 21st century if we get smart on trade. That would create a boom of jobs and economic growth that would keep the U.S. in the driver's seat globally for many decades to come.

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Under a President Jones, police departments across the country would get the support they desperately need again. Obama has failed our men and women in uniform by equivocating and not being firm on crime. We can't risk a spike in crime nationwide again through these passive policies.

That means spending more money in our federal budget to assist law enforcement. We have to work more closely with state and local officials to make sure we're all on the same page and that no one gets left behind. We must stay firm on measures to deter crime.

Here's where I differ from some other candidates on this stage. I'm in agreement with people like Congressman Paul and I would seek to be more lenient on medical marijuana. Many people who suffer from seizures and other terrible conditions are genuinely helped by the drug, and they're committing no crimes otherwise. We've got to show compassion to people and realize where our real priorities lie.

One thing that hasn't been talked about is the problem of illegal immigration. A good number of these illegals end up committing other crimes like theft, reckless driving, or even murder. We must truly enforce the laws on our books, secure our border, and deliver justice. Many illegal alien gangs have been able to roam the streets of this country without fear of punishment for far too long. That won't be tolerated any longer.

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This is yet another reason why we shouldn't mess with the Middle East. *laughs*

It's clear that the current policy isn't working for us. What we've got to do is create a truly American energy policy, where we don't have to rely on rogue Middle Eastern states to supply our oil. That means using our natural resources here within reason. If we're able to become self-sufficient in energy, then our country can create its own future much better.

I support the Renewable Fuel Standard. I also support what my friend Governor Palin has deemed "drill, baby, drill." We've got these vast resources right in front of us, and it could boost our economy and create many well-paying jobs for folks. Of course we should be concerned about the environment, but the Obama administration has taken it way too far and strangled many businesses. We also need to really invest in alternative energy sources. That means wind, solar, hydrogen, and nuclear all have to be part of the solution here. A President Jones would be committed to putting this great country on the right track again for a truly independent energy supply.

Closing statement:

Since this campaign has exploded, many in the media have anointed me as "the Tea Party candidate." That may be true. But, what I'm really running as is the candidate for all of America. I'm running to put this great country back on track after the same old politicians have left it to ruins. Because of the policies pushed by the establishment, we're trillions of dollars in debt, stuck in multiple Middle Eastern wars, and Americans have been left to pick up the pieces after the greatest recession in 80 years. How can we stomach this any longer?

Now the attacks on me have intensified. I welcome the fight. It will show the American people who has a record worth defending. It clearly isn't the establishment, who have burned over Americans time and time again. This campaign is based on ideas, but also based on regular people. What I'm here to tell all of you at home tonight is: I'm not quitting. I'm fighting this campaign for you.

We came in a close third in Iowa when nobody would have predicted this result months ago. This campaign is gonna keep rolling ahead like a steam-train thanks to the support of all of you. Let's go out there and shock the establishment to the core. Thank you all.

[Senator Spiral]

Debate response to Christie's attack ad:

You know, Governor Christie, I caught that ad of yours the other day. That one where you talked about voting for someone who can "keep America safe." I'm proud that now I'm apparently worth your attention. *laughs*

Let's set the record straight, though. The reason why I voted against the PATRIOT Act is not because I want people like Osama bin Laden to go free. I voted against the act because it's a gross invasion of privacy on all Americans. There's no presumptions on innocence: everyone is recorded regardless of whether they're guilty or even suspicious. It's a remarkably un-conservative thing to grant that much power to the federal government, and yet you seem to not question it at all, Governor.

You say I'm weak on terrorism because I want to pull out of Afghanistan. You forgot to mention that I fully support going after bin Laden and tracking him down once and for all. In fact, that's the only real business we have there! Why don't we spend all of our resources on the war to find bin Laden? The actual war is unwinnable because there's no end goal. I'm not saying this as some peacenik, because I voted to go to war in Afghanistan. I now see that our priorities have been wrong.

I've consistently been in favor of a strong national defense in Congress. I also happen to have served my country. I'm not going to question your credentials, Governor, because you've served your country well in your own capacity. You just haven't been honest about my record, but that's to be expected when your feet are on the fire now.

[Senator Spiral]

Walter Jones Schedule: January 4-10

January 4
-Barnstorming in Greenwood, SC
-Barnstorming in Mount Pleasant, SC
-Barnstorming in Irmo, SC
-Barnstorming in Georgetown, SC
-Interview with Fox News

January 5
-Barnstorming in Fort Mill, SC
-Barnstorming in Beaufort, SC
-Barnstorming in Simpsonville, SC
-Rally in Charleston, SC

January 6
-Barnstorming in Hanahan, SC
-Barnstorming in Lexington, SC
-Town Hall in Spartanburg, SC
-Town Hall in Aiken, SC
-Rally in Summerville, SC

January 7
-Barnstorming in West Columbia, SC
-Barnstorming in Myrtle Beach, SC
-Barnstorming in Easley, SC
-Rally in Rock Hill, SC
-Voter Registration Drive in Columbia, SC

January 8
-Town Hall in Kingman, AZ
-Town Hall in Buckeye, AZ
-Rally in Glendale, AZ
-Voter Registration Drive in Phoenix, AZ
-Outreach to conservative groups in Tucson, AZ

January 9
-Barnstorming in Goffstown, NH
-Barnstorming in Salem, NH
-Barnstorming in Concord, NH
-Rally in Nashua, NH
-Rally in Manchester, NH

January 10
-Barnstorming in Derry, NH
-Barnstorming in Hudson, NH
-Conducting local interviews statewide
-Election Night Rally in Manchester, NH

[Senator Spiral]

Walter Jones Ad: Faith

I am a Christian.

This means more than words. This means I must stay true to my family, friends, neighbors, and God.

I count on the Lord to show me the right path in life. Though I may not always know what's ahead, I'm bounded by my trust in Him.

I try to serve God every day of my life, no matter what I do. I am not perfect. I have sinned. But, I try to repent and hope that I can reverse the pain I have caused others.

This is the philosophy of my life. It's been true as a husband, a father, a businessman, and a Congressman. If I'm elected President, I will be the same in the White House.

I will serve according to my faith.

[Senator Spiral]

Walter Jones Ad: Our Troops

These are the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives for us in Iraq.

I honor them every day by keeping these pictures in my office.

These pictures remind me that when politicians in Washington make decisions, they often deal with life and death. It's up to us to make sure that they act responsibly, because when they don't, human lives are at stake.

I have written thousands of letters to the families who have lost these loved ones. There is no greater duty that I can think of than to let them know they're never alone.

We must not let our troops and their families down. We must fix our broken VA hospitals, improve the quality of healthcare, and lead them back into civilian life.

Although we can't change the past, the future is in our hands. It's our duty as Americans to take care of our veterans, for they are our brothers and sisters all under God.

[Senator Spiral]

Walter Jones Ad: Governor Palin Speaks

Well, hi there, folks! This is Governor Sarah Palin talking to ya straight from Alaska.

You know who I'm voting for this year? Congressman Walter Jones. Here's why all you good folks should, too!

He's a man of integrity. He's been fighting the corrupt Washington establishment from day one. He stands for what he really believes in, and ain't that a rare sight up there?

He's been fighting for our brave men and women in uniform. There's no one else like him who knows how badly the VA needs to be reformed.

He's pro-life and pro-Second Amendment, 100%, no questions asked. He's a proud conservative and a good family man.

And, you know what? He's never lost his roots. He stands for the proud, hardworking, average Joe out there who can't seem to get a break.

Isn't it just about time we had some real change in Washington? That's why I'm for Walter. What about you?

I'm Walter Jones and I approve this message.

[Senator Spiral]

Walter Jones Campaign GOTV Strategy: New Hampshire

The Jones campaign has not invested in the New Hampshire primary as much as others. However, they are hoping to exceed expectations with a strong GOTV machine. The campaign has utilized its grassroots supporters to attract people to the polls, and has been particularly seeking independents and Tea Party Republicans. One surrogate seen frequently on the stump for Jones in the final week is former Senator Bob Smith, who still holds a following among New Hampshire conservatives. One area focused on by the campaign is the rural north, whose voters can be more easily reached one-on-one and who might find an independent candidate like Jones receptive. One final hallmark of the New Hampshire campaign has been to peel off voters from Fred Upton, who has been MIA over the past few weeks. The Jones campaign is appealing to Upton supporters by highlighting Jones's breaks from Republican orthodoxy as well, and as the real viable anti-establishment candidate in the state. With these efforts, the Jones campaign hopes to break double digits and make a respectable showing.

[Senator Spiral]

INTERVIEWER: Do you expect to win here in New Hampshire?

JONES: That doesn't seem likely. Governor Christie's built up quite a lead here. What we can do, though, is expose Governor Christie as the establishment candidate that he is and show conservatives that there's a better way forward in 2012. That's why I've been going back here in New Hampshire and meeting some more voters until the polls close. We can still make a dent here.

INTERVIEWER: You're hovering in the polls here with Governor Fletcher and Congressman Upton. Do you think you can beat them?

JONES: Sure! I feel rather confident about that. Congressman Upton in particular seems to have given up campaigning recently. I'd like to make an overture to his supporters. He's talked about being an independent Republican who isn't bound by the party line. Well, so am I. No one in the Republican leadership can control me or how I vote. This is the Live Free or Die state, and I think people who like Fred's message--as well as many other voters--will find my message to be refreshing. We can't stick with the same old Washington politics if we want to see people's lives get better. That's why I'm running.

[Senator Spiral]

An announcement from Walter Jones

Friends,

You may have been wondering why you haven't seen me on the campaign trail in the past few days. A recent trip to the doctor has led me to discover that I have stage IV prostate cancer. With this development, I have had to rethink many things about my life. What it has caused me to realize is that I must fight this cancer with every ounce of energy in me. Unfortunately, this means that I can no longer have my first priority be politics. For this reason, I am hereby suspending my campaign for President.

I do not take this decision lightly. We have come so far in this campaign, from 2% to being a viable contender. I also must thank the passion of all of my supporters throughout this process, as well as the friends and family who have kept me strong along the way. I am forever indebted to all of you. Together, we highlighted the corruption of Washington, and we showed a better path for this nation: one of peace, prosperity, and the American way of life. This campaign may be over, but the spirit of the people has been ignited for years to come.

I also don't want my announcement to mean that I will stay quiet. I endorse my good friend Congressman Ron Paul for the Republican nomination. Serving in the House with Ron for many years, I know he is a man of profound integrity. He means what he says, and nobody can corrupt him. He is just the kind of leader we desperately need in the White House, and I encourage all of my supporters to stand with Congressman Paul in the primaries ahead.

The fight to take back this country isn't over. Once I finish my battle with cancer, I will return in full force to stand up to Washington. Thank you all for the support you've given me over the past year.

[Senator Spiral]

SCOTT BROWN FOR PRESIDENT

Boston, MA:

It's good to be here with you all tonight!

As we all know, we've seen some seismic shifts in the primaries. It's a tragedy that Governor Christie and Congressman Jones have had their own health problems to deal with, and I wish them the absolute best in their recovery. This can't all be prevented, though. It's life. We deal with the unpredictable all the time, and when the goings get tough, we've gotta be there to fight it out. That's why I'm giving them my total support.

Why am I here on this stage tonight, ladies and gentlemen? After hearing from so many of my constituents, and from Americans all across the country, I've felt as if I have to serve my country in this new and unexpected role: running for President of the United States. I'm running for President to change the lives of millions of Americans for the better. I'm running to give families a decent living and for kids to have the opportunity to succeed. When I say that, I think about my own upbringing. I had a rough childhood. When I was 16, I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't think I was going to amount to anything. Enough people gave me a chance in this great country, though, and now I stand before you as the man who succeeded Ted Kennedy in the Senate.

The American Dream is real! We can all aspire towards this. It's clear that the dream has gotten harder to achieve in the past few years, though. We've seen a horrible recession, a lagging recovery, and a failure of leadership at the very top. The vision that Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden share is not the way to go. The question is, who will take the fight to them? I'm a survivor. I'm a lieutenant colonel and a member of the National Guard for over 30 years. I know what it means to be confronted with a challenge, but also to overcome them. As President, I'll take that same philosophy to the White House.

Over the coming weeks, you'll see this campaign begin to take shape. I'll be out stumping across the country just as I did in Massachusetts: talking to voters, shaking hands, getting to know people. I've never forgotten where I've come from in life. Now it's my turn to give Americans the same opportunity that I was granted.

I'm Scott Brown, I drive a pickup truck, and I'm running to be your next President. Thank you all!