2012 Election Game: Campaign Thread

[Spamage]

Tweet from College Republicans for Kay Bailey Hutchison:

New Hampshire, today you must help decide who will represent our party this November! Vote for the candidate committed to their principles @KayBaileyHutchison. #govote

Tweet from NRA:

Hey NH, there's only one candidate who will protect our 2nd Amendment Rights, @KayBaileyHutchison, a vote for her is a vote for the Constitution!

Tweets from Hutchinson Campaign:

Before the polls close I'd like to extend a congratulations to every other Republican in this race. We are all committed to defeating @BarackObama and together we will! #govote

Its primary day! Remember to get your votes in before this evening, America needs to hear you! #govote #NHGOP

Tweet from Chris Christie:

New Hampshire vote for sanity! @KayBaileyHutchison is the obvious choice tonight, she'll lead us to true victory this November! #govote

[JerryArkansas]

Message on Ayotte Campaign Facebook page.

Here is a message from Kelly herself-

Now, today we all in the state of New Hampshire will do a time honored ritual of being the first state in the nation to have a primary. So today, I ask that you, the people of my home state do me the honor of voting for me.  If you are undecided on this race, like many of you are, just listen to this.  I will serve you as president with the humility that someone in that high of an office should have.  I don't believe in the principle of the next in line getting the nomination like the rep party has done for the past few decades.  So if you want to help buck this trend, then vote for me, The next Iron Lady.

[Maxwell]

Live: Herman Cain from Sea World




"Mitch Daniels is true leadership, we should elect him for President. Now if you excuse me, I will ride this Dolphin to Victory!"

[Lumine]

OOC: I forgot that we had an extra turn before the NH Primary... Please forget the Final Rally and Party, I would like it to be counted as a rested day.

Mitch Daniels's Schedule: January 9 and January 10, 2012:

Staying Alive (Or, Live Free or Die)

January 9st:

Rally in Manchester, NH, with Condi Rice.
Barnstorm in Manchester, NH, with Condi Rice.
Rally in Nashua, NH, with Rob Portman.
Barnstorm in Nashua, NH, with Rob Portman.

January 10st:

Barnstorm Nashua and Manchester, NH.
Final NH Rally in Nashua with Rob Portman, Condi Rice and the Sununu Family.
Party in Campaign HQ in Manchester, NH.
Speech on the NH results.

Announcements, Messages and Other Things:

1.-  "Real" Final New Hampshire Rally:

"Today you will go out to the polls, and I'm sure that you will deliver a message. Iowa delivered a loud voice against the President a few days ago, and I'm sure that you will deliver an equally strong message. Be either Huntsman, Ayotte, Hutchinson, Roemer or me, you will vote for someone that you believe capable of change. Of course, I'd like to believe that you will vote for me. (Laughter) I'm ready for this night, New Hampshire! Get out and give everybody a big surprise!

2.- Surrogates:

-Herman Cain: (Schedule released)

-Rick Perry and John Kasich:
Holding rallies in Columbia, Charleston, Greenville and Summerville from January 9 to 10.

-Brian Sandoval:
Host a fundraiser in Las Vegas, Nevada.

-Dan and Ben Quayle:
Host a fundraiser in Phoenix, Nevada.

-Tim Pawlenty:
Hold rallies in Minnesota from January 9 to 10.

3.- New Ad: "A new way for America" (To be played in SC, FL and NV)

Voice Over: This country is tired after four years of President Obama. Americans want a real leader, with a vision for America. And Mitch Daniels provides us with that vision, that new way for America. A vision of balanced budgets, a strong military, one that ends the current partisan bickering, and one that creates the jobs that our society needs. A vote for Mitch Daniels is a vote for that new America.

Mitch Daniels: Hi, I'm Mitch Daniels. I'm convinced that I can deliver the vision that America needs right now, and that's why I approved this ad.

[Donerail]

Roemer Campaign Schedule

Today, we vote! Today, the voters of New Hampshire have a choice. We can choose the same old establishment candidates. We can choose the same old, same old, last 4 years, same as the 4 before that, same as however long. Or we can choose to make a change. We have the votes to do it! This campaign beat the two people leading in the polls here in Iowa, and we can do just as well here tonight. We have the opportunity to send a message tonight. Send a message to the establishment in Washington that the 98% of us who don't donate to political candidates have decided that enough is enough. We the people should run Washington, not the special interests. And we have a powerful opportunity tonight to stand up to the special interests, stand up for what we the people want, and show the party establishments that they aren't the ones in control anymore. We are. And today we can show it.


January 9: New Hampshire



Rally in Keene, New Hampshire with State Sen. Bob Odell.
Meet and greet in Nashua, New Hampshire alongside Mr. Pat Choate.
Dinner and question time with Buddy in Manchester, New Hampshire
Appearance on the Colbert Report.

January 10: New Hampshire



GOTV rally in Durham, New Hampshire with Gov. Angus King.
Working GOTV in Plymouth, New Hampshire, including TV appearances, with State Sen. Bob Odell.
Meeting and discussions with students at Dartmouth alongside Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworth in Hanover, New Hampshire
Watch results in a local restaurant in Hanover
Speech on the results in Hanover


We're also going to begin to roll out this ad, and of course running the one I described last time.

[tmthforu94]

Isaac: Good evening, folks! One week ago, history was made as Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels narrowly defeated former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee by a razor-thin margin. Tonight, we expect something similar to go down in New Hampshire, this time between their own Senator, Kelly Ayotte, and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman. While these two lead the polls, it will also be interesting to see how the Daniels campaign does. He has the momentum from his Iowa win, but will it give him a victory here? And what about Hutchison? Many in her campaign were disappointed by Iowa - can she rebound in New Hampshire, or will her campaign hinge solely on South Carolina?

Buddy Roemer is also someone to watch tonight - he started low in the polls here, but has ran a strong campaign, particularly in New Hampshire, and has impressed many in the debates. However, lack of funding has held him back from being a serious candidate in this race - can he prove the doubters wrong tonight?

New Hampshire is certainly split in this race - newspapers were divided, as were many in the legislature, though Ayotte has had the benefit of more big names supporting her.

Tradition continued this year, and at midnight, Dixville Notch was the first place in the state to cast their votes, with 7 citizens voting. The results:

Kelly Ayotte - 3
Jon Huntsman - 2
Kay Bailey Hutchison - 1
Ron Paul - 1

I wouldn't put too much stock in those numbers.

Debbie: Tonight's results certainly will change the dynamics of this race, Isaac. Jon Huntsman and Kelly Ayotte have put all of their resources into this state - while Huntsman still has a fighting chance without a win tonight, Ayotte's only hope for winning the nomination requires a win here.

And what about Daniels? If Daniels win's tonight, I'd tell the other candidates to pack their bags and head home. I doubt that happens, but who knows?

Isaac: Predictions before the results start trickling in?

Debbie: I say Huntsman narrowly takes it here, followed by Ayotte and Roemer.

Isaac: I'm actually going to completely disagree - I think Ayotte will narrowly edge out Roemer, and think Hutchison could be a wild card here. Between the primary five here, I think anything could happen with them - the order of tonight's results are crucial.

And with that, we have our first precincts coming in tonight...

New Hampshire (2% Reporting)
Kelly Ayotte - 29%
Jon Huntsman - 18%
Kay Bailey Hutchison - 16%
Mitch Daniels - 14%
Buddy Roemer - 12%
Mike Huckabee - 8%
Ron Paul - 1%

[tmthforu94]

Isaac: Ayotte is certainly off to a strong start tonight, and it's coming primarily from Hillsborough County, the largest in the state. If she can keep that margin up there and perform decently elsewhere, she stands an excellent shot tonight.

Debbie: Comparing these numbers to 2008, I'm actually quite surprised - Ayotte has come out strong...perhaps undecided voters broke to her? Her camp has reasons to feel optimistic, but we still have a long night ahead.

Isaac: We have numbers beginning to come in across the state, and quickly, I might add...

New Hampshire (11% Reporting)
Kelly Ayotte - 28%
Jon Huntsman - 17%
Kay Bailey Hutchison - 17%
Mitch Daniels - 14%
Buddy Roemer - 13%
Mike Huckabee - 7%
Ron Paul - 1%

Debbie: Ayotte continues her lead - with precincts coming in from each county now, we have Ayotte ahead in every county but Sullivan and Coos.

Isaac: We can now project, as expected, that Mike Huckabee will finish sixth in the New Hampshire primary. While his campaign made an early effort in the state, they just couldn't get off the ground, and it's clear that he gave up on the state towards the end. Nevertheless, his campaign should be grateful they didn't completely collapse here - he's actually ahead of where he was in the polls, I believe.

Debbie: Yes he is. The rest of the race remains too fluid - anything can happen.

New Hampshire (27% Reporting)
Kelly Ayotte - 27%
Jon Huntsman - 19%
Kay Bailey Hutchison - 16%
Mitch Daniels - 15%
Buddy Roemer - 13%
Mike Huckabee - 7%
Ron Paul - 1%

[Spamage]

Facebook post by Hutchinson Campaign:

    "A special thanks to all the volunteers who gave up hours of their own time to participate in one of the most important aspects of our nation, democracy. Also, thanks to all of you who voted, without you we wouldn't be this far, the results are promising, and wouldn't be able to go on further. You guys are the core aspect of this campaign, and you're voice won't go unheard, thanks again!"

[tmthforu94]

Isaac: As the night moves along, we see Kelly Ayotte's lead staying intact. Those first few precincts can produce some wild results, but the race is stabilizing, with precincts from across the state coming in at once.

Debbie: Is it time for the other candidates to begin to worry?

Isaac: Well, I'm sure things are tense in the Huntsman camp right now. Tonight was a big opportunity for many candidates, yet it seems only the women in the race are having success. Huntsman is struggling, Daniels momentum has worn out, and Roemer is right where he was polling at - in fifth place.

New Hampshire (48% Reporting)
Kelly Ayotte - 27%
Jon Huntsman - 18%
Kay Bailey Hutchison - 17%
Mitch Daniels - 14%
Buddy Roemer - 13%
Mike Huckabee - 8%
Ron Paul - 1%

Debbie: I would never have guessed this going in, but what if Huntsman finishes third tonight?

Isaac: Well, we acknowledged before that Huntsman has a path forward without winning New Hampshire. But he at least needs a strong showing to continue - if he can't win, he at least needs to close the gap a little.

New Hampshire (60% Reporting)
Kelly Ayotte - 26%
Jon Huntsman - 19%
Kay Bailey Hutchison - 17%
Mitch Daniels - 15%
Buddy Roemer - 14%
Mike Huckabee - 8%
Ron Paul - 1%

Isaac: And folks, with sixty percent of the precincts now reporting, we are ready to make a major projection...

Kelly Ayotte has won the New Hampshire Primary!

Kelly Ayotte wins the New Hampshire Primary

Debbie: I'll have the fact-checkers do some research, but with her victory, I believe Kelly Ayotte is the first female to win a primary in the GOP race! Certainly a proud night for women across America.

Isaac: Indeed. My congratulations to Senator Ayotte - she overcame some obstacles - mediocre debate performances, a late entrance, and an overall lack of experience, but ultimately, her homestate likes her, and they like her enough to give her a crucial boost on her quest for the White House.

Debbie: Yes. Tonight is the first major obstacle cleared for an Ayotte Presidency. But she still has a long ways to go - her campaign has little organization in other states, besides Maine, and her momentum could come to a standstill with a debate around the bend. Her debate performances have to improve and her campaign will have to work harder than ever. But with tonight's win, she has a real shot.

New Hampshire (81% Reporting)
Kelly Ayotte - 26%
Jon Huntsman - 20%
Kay Bailey Hutchison - 16%
Mitch Daniels - 15%
Buddy Roemer - 13%
Mike Huckabee - 8%
Ron Paul - 1%

Isaac: At this time, we can project that Jon Huntsman will finish second in New Hampshire. He's managed to close the gap some, but not nearly enough to pull out an upset. 3rd - 5th remains in question, with Hutchison, Daniels, and Roemer battling it out. Whoever wins that battle will certainly claim bragging rights, which will be helpful in the upcoming states.

(Sorry the picture is so big - too lazy to edit it with a smaller one )

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Huntsman campaign statement.
Governor Huntsman will take to the stage shortly to give his speech. We give our full hearted congratulations to Senator Ayotte tonight.

[JerryArkansas]

Ayotte Campaign Statement
We would like to thank the people of New Hampshire for this victory, and we congratulate Governor Huntsman and Senator Hutchison on there great performances.  The senator will be out to speak soon to the crowd at Campaign Headquarters.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Huntsman concession speech.

(Crowd is cheering “Join the Hunt! Join the Hunt! Join the Hunt!” as the Governor mounts the stage.)

Well..in every primary there are three tickets out. And let me tell you folks, second place is a ticket to ride! And let’s give a big congratulations to Senator Ayotte, who has made history tonight. I speak for all Republican’s when I say that I am proud to see a Republican woman winning a major primary, even when I would have preferred it to be me quite frankly. So I am very proud to be a Republican tonight, regardless of the results.
(Heavy applause and cheering from crowd)

Thank you New Hampshire! Tonight, we begin our march towards the nomination, and our march towards removing Barack Obama from the White House! I want to thank my wife Mary Kaye, my beautiful daughters, who have gone all across the state, not to mention my sons as well, who I couldn’t be more proud of. I want to thank Senator Coburn, Secretary Ridge, Governor Pataki, Governor Crist (scattered boos upon his name being mentioned), as well as the many volunteers and organizers who made tonight happen. We couldn’t have done it without you. We proved a point! This state wants its candidates to earn it the right way-on the ground, vote by vote, handshake by handshake, hug by hug, conversation by conversation! And I have had the best team in New Hampshire political history help me do that. I can’t thank you all enough! We got it done ladies and gentlemen!
(More cheering and applause)

I'm from the American west, where the view of America is limitless with lots of blue sky. I've lived overseas four times, where the view of America from 10,000 miles away is a picture of liberty, opportunity and justice. The centerpiece of this view is the people who make up the land; people secure in their rights and in love with their liberty. People who have done more good for more people than any other nation on earth. This country has wonderful people. I know it, and so do people all around the world.
(Applause)

You see today Americans are experiencing, through no fault of their own, something that is totally alien to them - a sense that the deck is stacked against them by forces totally beyond their control. No matter how hard they work, save, and plan, the opportunities are not there for them as that were present for previous generations. Perhaps, saddest of all, we have lost faith in ourselves. For the first time in history, we are passing down to the next generation a country that is less powerful, less compassionate, less competitive and less confident than the one we got.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is totally unacceptable and it is totally un-American.
(Thunderous applause and cheering)

And it need not, must not, will not be our permanent condition. We will not be the first American generation that lets down the next generation. We have the power, we have the means, we have the character to astonish the world again by making from adversity a new and better country; this country is an inexhaustible land of promise and opportunity.
(Cheers)

You see, we have everything a nation could hope for. We have our freedom, we have rule of law, the longest surviving Constitution and our abiding belief in personal responsibility. We have freedom of speech, religion and press. We produce a quarter of the world's GDP. And we are the most productive society on earth.
(Cheers)

We have the finest colleges and universities, and the most powerful, skilled and selfless armed forces.
(Heavy cheering)

And we have character; character that made a new world from a wilderness; character that made the desert bloom and the cities rise to the heavens; character that made the world safer, freer, and more prosperous. What we now need is leadership that trusts in our strength. Leadership that doesn't promise Washington has all of the solutions to our problems, but rather looks to local solutions from our cities, towns and states. Leadership that knows we need more than hope, leadership that knows we need answers. We must make hard decisions that are necessary to avert disaster.
(Cheering)

If we don't make this decisions, in less than a decade, every dollar of federal revenue will go to covering the costs of Medicare, Social Security and interest payments on our debt. Meanwhile, we'll sink deeper into debt for everything else - from national security to disaster relief. Our country will fall behind the productivity of other countries. Our influence in the world will wane. Our security will grow ever more precarious. And the 21st Century will then be known as the end of the American Century. We can't accept this, and we won't.
(Cheering)

We must proceed at a time of weak economic growth and very high unemployment. We desperately need jobs and the opportunities they carry. So, we must play to our strengths, and give the most innovative society on Earth the tools they need to succeed. We must make broad and bold changes to our tax code and regulatory policies; seize the lost opportunity of energy independence and reestablish what it means to be a teacher in society. We must reignite the powerful job creating engine of our economy - the industry, innovation, reliability, and trailblazing genius of Americans and their enterprises, and restore confidence in our people.
(Scattered applause)

But we can and we will own the future!
(Heavy applause and cheering)

Now, we did many of these things in the great state of Utah when I was governor. We cut taxes. We flattened rates. We balanced our budget. We worked very hard to maintain our AAA bond rating status, something few states can claim. And when the economic crisis hit, we were prepared. And by many accounts we became the best state in America for business. We also were named the best managed state in America. You see, we proved that government doesn't have to choose between fiscal responsibility and economic growth. I learned something very important as Governor. For most American families, there is nothing more important than a job.
(Applause)

And let me say this, Afghanistan is not this country’s future. Our country’s future is us all coming together, and taking head on the competitive challenges of the twenty-first century. As long as bold solutions are applied to daunting problems, I see no reason to worry about an American decline. This President doesn’t believe in solutions. But I do. And that’s why I am running. Thank You New Hampshire, God Bless, and it’s off to Florida, and lets win there!
(Thunderous applause as Huntsman exits the stage, followed by “Join the Hunt” cheers.)

[Spamage]

Kay Bailey Hutchison Speech: Concord, New Hampshire

   "Hello New Hampshire! I cannot express how excited about the results tonight, while we didn't claim victory tonight, our showing was honorable. If I'd heard a few months ago that we'd have a chance in New Hampshire I would've just laughed, but here we are! Thanks to everyone's support, donations, and volunteering we were able to do so much better than I even expected! Americans are fed up with the same old, same old in the White House. Kelly Ayotte herself is an example of this, while I wanted to be the first female primary winner (laughter) she has my congratulations.

    America is ready for a real change, the fact that our campaign is competitive in so many states is a testament to this, our campaign isn't one for the South, nor the Northeast, nor the West, its a campaign for all of America. From Rhode Island to Alaska and Wyoming to California I've heard stories of people suffering under the Obama Economy, and this needs to be changed. Every candidate in this Primary understands this. President Obama clearly does not. Under his presidency our economy has remained sluggish, other countries strongly dislike us, and our future has looked less and less bright. But here tonight I know thats going to change!

     As the campaign heads onto South Carolina, what we can only hope will be our first victory! I would like to give a special thanks to several people who have given up so much time for this campaign. Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Chris Christie without you guys' tireless efforts for us here we'd still be polling in neat last without a prayer in this state, but because of you, and every supporter in this state and around the nation, we have real potential in this race going forward. Next is South Carolina, then Super Tuesday, then the RNC, and then Victory this November! Here we go!"

[tmthforu94]

Isaac: The last precincts are in, and we can now close the book on the 2012 New Hampshire primary. A big night for the women in the race, while Huntsman is left searching for a way forward, with Daniels also looking to recapture the momentum.

New Hampshire (100% Reporting)
Kelly Ayotte - 25%
Jon Huntsman - 20%
Kay Bailey Hutchison - 16%
Mitch Daniels - 15%
Buddy Roemer - 14%
Mike Huckabee - 7%
Ron Paul - 1%

The next turn will begin tomorrow - also, big news to come from the White House, plus some other national stories to play off of!

Isaac: At this time, we can project that Jon Huntsman will finish second in New Hampshire. He's managed to close the gap some, but not nearly enough to pull out an upset. 3rd - 5th remains in question, with Hutchison, Daniels, and Roemer battling it out. Whoever wins that battle will certainly claim bragging rights, which will be helpful in the upcoming states.

(Sorry the picture is so big - too lazy to edit it with a smaller one )
[/quote]

[Maxwell]

OoC: I don't see how Huntsman or Ayotte move on from this. Ayotte won her home state, but doesn't have much organization elsewhere or a base. Huntsman could've launched from New Hampshire to Florida and become a contender, but now that's over. Not sure if either one is going to make it.

South Carolina is Huckabee's and Hutchinson's last stand. The stakes are a little less high for Daniels, but Daniels could swipe the field clean if he wins South Carolina.

As for Roemer, he could win a state down the line. Maybe.

[tmthforu94]

OOC: Huntsman has spent time in several fairly early states that haven't been paid much attention by others. He's spent the most time in Florida, and has also been in several western states that vote early (even leading in one). There's still a long ways to go - at this time IRL, Gingrich was practically dead.

There will be a full debate this week, with 5-6 questions. This debate could make or break each of your campaigns.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

There will be a full debate this week, with 5-6 questions. This debate could make or break each of your campaigns.

Does Obama/Biden/Bill get to compete in this? We've been hitting the field over the head with calls for a debate. We could even do one of the "candidates question each other" ones.

[Donerail]

A couple of months ago, back around Thanksgiving, d'y'all know how much I was pulling in the polls in this state? Around 1% - less than margin of error. Now we're up to 14% - and that's still more than we got in any poll of the state. We haven't had anywhere near the funds the other candidates have had. We haven't taken any PAC money, any lobbyist money, any special interest money, and we're still here today, with 14% of the vote. And that really shows that when you get out there, talk to ordinary people, they really are angry with the system as it is now, and they will come out and vote. And we're going to continue on - on to South Carolina and Nevada, and make sure they get this message as well. And then, hopefully, we can go all the way to Tampa and Washington - after such a solid showing here, who knows what we can do next? But what I do know is that we're going to be competing, we're going to be spreading our message, and we're going to be appearing in the debates as the best way to get our name out. We can win this campaign!

[Lumine]

Daniels concession speech:

"I want to give my most sincere congratulations to Senator Ayotte on her victory in New Hampshire, it was well fought for all of us and the results were close enough.

Well, perhaps some of you might feel a little disappointed. I was personally hoping for a strong third place, but sharing that position with Sen. Hutchinson and Gov. Roemer is not a bad thing, don't you think so? After all, we weren't able to compete with a really strong ground game. But we are still leading at the polls!

In a couple of weeks we will have to fight in South Carolina, and that showdown will be decisive. So I say to all of you, we shall triumph there! We will repeat what happened in Iowa! We will win a decisive victory with the help of all of you! And there's also a major debate coming, in which I hope we will come out strong, sending the message we want to send.

That said, I give my most sincere thanks to the voters, the endorsers, the volunteers and my family for all of their support during this campaign. It hasn't been easy for any of them, so I'm thankful for every moment, for every effort, and for all the wonderful things they have given me.

On to South Carolina, and then to the nomination! Let us go forward to a new America!"

[NHI]

Statement from Huckabee Campaign:

"Governor Huckabee congratulates Senator Kelly Ayotte on her impressive win in the New Hampshire Primary and to all the candidates. We look forward to seeing her on the campaign trail and in the debate to come. The focus now shifts to South Carolina, the state, which has produced the eventual winner of the Republican nomination since 1976. We like our chances in the state and are confident that the people of South Carolina will vote for the conservative candidate that can win against President November, and that candidate is Governor Mike Huckabee."

[JerryArkansas]

Kelly to Crowd at Victory Rally.

Thank you. Everybody this is a great honor.

I am here today because of you, my staff and volunteers who went door-to-door and made thousands of phone calls. You have opened your homes and your businesses to me. You have also opened your hearts to me and my family. We will never forget it.

We must never forget that this election is about who will hopefully replace President Barack Obama: A man who has not set an example nationwide on fiscal responsibility and fighting for taxpayers. I want to finish what Senator Gregg has begun. And I want to thank Senator Gregg and his wife Kathy for their support and service to our country.

I certainly wouldn't be here today without the support of my family. That especially means my parents, who put up 4 x 8 signs across the state. And of course my husband Joe. He has been amazing. He hasn’t seen this much smoke and fire since he came back from Iraq!

This was an incredibly spirited and close primary. I would like to say a word about Jon Hunstman. Jon is a principled conservative and I have great respect for him and the race he ran. Jon was a gentleman in the race and a gentleman when he called to offer his support. It means a lot that I have also heard from Kay, Mike , and Mitch. I have great respect for each of them. We will be united in this race and we will defeat Barack Obama.

Put simply, this election is about two very different visions for the future of New Hampshire and our nation.

I have a different vision for our future. It is a vision of individual opportunity and responsibility. It is one of less spending, lower taxes, and creating an environment in which our small businesses can grow and create jobs. I will work to stop the spending spree in Washington and to stop this Administration’s looming tax increases.

America faces great challenges. None greater than our economy and crushing national debt. And this election will determine whether we will meet this challenge.

My family is like most New Hampshire families. And we worry about the same things you do.

We want to help our small businesses by cutting taxes and eliminating burdensome federal paperwork.

We want to secure America’s economic future by stopping wasteful Washington spending. That means no more earmarks, no more midnight deals and no more putting off tough decisions.

We want to keep our country and its citizens safe in a dangerous world. We must remain steadfast and vigilant in the fight against terrorists. Coming from a military family, that’s a solemn duty I will keep. 

We must return to the core principles that have made our country great. That means our national leaders must stop apologizing for the United States of America.

As Attorney General, I rolled up my sleeves to tackle the difficult challenges that faced our state.  As Senator, I have done the same

Now I want to take that same tough leadership to Washington. I won’t back down from a fight in the Senate, just like I didn’t shy away from making tough decisions as Attorney General.

To my supporters: You have earned this victory. Thank you for all you have done. But our work isn’t finished. We have seven weeks to win this election. As hard as you’ve worked already, I’m asking you to work even harder.
Tomorrow is the first day of the general election.

I ask you to roll up your sleeves – as I will – to win this election. I am going to Washington to fight for you and take America back.

[tmthforu94]

January 11th - 15th starts now!!!

The New York Times

Polling Update

NATIONAL

Daniels: 28%
Hutchison: 21%
Huckabee: 17%
Ayotte: 14%
Huntsman: 8%
Roemer: 5%
Someone Else/Not Sure: 7%

SOUTH CAROLINA

Hutchison: 25%
Huckabee: 23%
Daniels: 21%
Ayotte: 10%
Huntsman: 7%
Roemer: 4%
Someone Else/Not Sure: 10%

FLORIDA

Hutchison: 23%
Daniels: 23%
Huntsman: 16%
Huckabee: 14%
Ayotte: 10%
Roemer: 2%
Someone Else/Not Sure: 12%

NEVADA

Huntsman: 24%
Daniels: 22%
Hutchison: 18%
Huckabee: 13%
Ayotte: 10%
Roemer: 2%
Someone Else/Not Sure: 11%

MICHIGAN

Daniels: 28%
Hutchison: 19%
Huckabee: 16%
Ayotte: 10%
Huntsman: 8%
Roemer: 2%
Someone Else/Not Sure: 17%

TEXAS

Hutchison: 44%
Daniels: 17%
Huckabee: 13%
Ayotte: 9%
Huntsman: 7%
Roemer: 3%
Someone Else/Not Sure: 7%

GEORGIA

Hutchison: 23%
Huckabee: 20%
Daniels: 18%
Ayotte: 11%
Huntsman: 6%
Roemer: 5%
Someone Else/Not Sure: 17%

TEXAS

Hutchison: 44%
Daniels: 17%
Huckabee: 13%
Ayotte: 9%
Huntsman: 7%
Roemer: 3%
Someone Else/Not Sure: 7%

General Election Poll:
Generic Republican: 45%
President Obama: 42%
Former Governor Ventura: 5%
Undecided: 8%

Ayotte Takes Home State!

Last night was a huge night for Senator Ayotte, who took her state by a margin larger than most anticipated. Now, her campaign must find a way to move forward, and her road ahead looks tricky - the next state to vote where she leads is Maine, where she narrowly leads Daniels.

Mitch Daniels has all but lost his momentum from Iowa, but nevertheless, he remains ahead nationally, primarily thanks to large leads in the Rust Belt states. The race moves on to South Carolina, a very important state for both the Huckabee and Hutchison campaigns.


(I will be re-implementing the "random number generator" game that Sjoyce originally started - will have a number assigned to each candidate - if it is 5 or less, a bad story. If it is 46-50, a positive story)

Major Pro-Life Group Targets Hutchison for supporting Pro-Choice Candidates!
Mike Huckabee's campaign is benefiting greatly from having Chuck Norris on the trail!
Obama too demeaning? Some criticize the tone he's taken recently; say he should stay out of GOP race

Newt Gingrich endorses Mitch Daniels!
John McCain endorses Kelly Ayotte!
Alan Keyes endorses Buddy Roemer!
Terry Branstead: "I voted for Daniels"
Mary Bono Mack and Connie Mack: We're supporting Hutchison!
Scott Brown endorses Jon Huntsman!

Debate!

Ladies and gentleman, welcome to tonight's debate, sponsored by Winthrop University in South Carolina and CNN. Tonight's debate is huge (IRL, this debate launched Gingrich up in the polls and gave him South Carolina). Let's go straight to the questions:

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And that concludes tonight's debate. This turn will last for 72 hours! Please PM me on which states would would like to see polled.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

OOC: I thought I'd pull a Reagan, y'know, his famous 1981 Address detailing the economy. Anyway, this will air on every cable and network station from 7:30-7:40. Yes, it will interrupt programs, but its a Thursday, so nothing's on.

Oval Office Address on the Economy

"In a few days, I will give the State of the Union. But I thought I'd give the American People a less formal session. In the next few minutes, I will outline what I've done about the economy over the past three years, and what still needs to be done.

When I took office three years ago, we were facing the worst economic decline since The Great Depression. Nobody knows that more than the hardworking Americans who were worse hit by it. Unemployment skyrocketed to a high of 10%. In one of my first acts in office, I passed the Reinvestment and Recovery Act, or the Stimulus as its called now. It was 787 Billion Dollars, designed to pump money into the economy and keep it going.

About 300 Billion of that went to tax cuts to middle class families to keep you being able to feed your families, and to small business to keep workers on the rolls and to keep them open.

Another 200 Billion went to relief of state an local governments to keep teachers in the classrooms, cops on the street, and first responders ready for anything. 

About 100 Billion went to spending on infrastructure, to rebuild our country's crumbling roads and bridges.

And another 200 Billion more went to spending to keep Health Care costs down, to education and job training programs, and to help the energy sector to keep your bills down.

Now we've seen the Unemployment Rate fall from 10% to about 8% now, because of that program. But millions of Americans are sill feeling the pains of the labor market. And so I've introduced a bill to Congress to fix that. The American Jobs Act would provide money to state governments to hire more teachers and first responders, boost infrastructure spending to rebuild our country and compete with foreign investment, as well as provide further tax cuts to you. It would also seek to rebuild crumbling schools, and loosen a few regulations holding small businesses from hiring and expanding.

A majority of the US Senate voted for the measure, but thanks to a rule requiring 60+ votes to even debate a bill, it was stalled due to Republcian Obstructionism. Now I will make a simple request of you. Call your Congressman and Senator and ask him to pass this bill. This is a bill that could drop Unemployment back to pre-Recession levels and help millions of Americans. Thank you for your time.

Thank You, God Bless You, and God Bless the United States of America."

[MadmanMotley]

Ron Paul (Ventura Surrogate) Response to President Obama's Address:

Speech in Nevada:
"This evening you heard the President speak on how he wants to help the American people, and how he is promoting the Stimulus bill, and how he wants you to call your congressmen and senators to vote for this "American Jobs Act" just more endless spending. The president in 2008 promised lower deficits and a restored American economy. But I ask where is this restored American economy? Where are the lower deficits? Deficits have only increased during this administration! The economy is barely better than it was 4 years ago! These failed Keynesian economic policies that got us in to this mess have only continued under this administration! Now the president wishes to spend even more money, where will that money come from? We keep borrowing money and printing money, and we wonder why the economy has gotten worse? Prices of goods have skyrocketed! It's the endless printing of money!

(Holds up $1 dollar bill) This piece of paper has value only if you believe the government telling you it has value. (Holds up silver dollar) This dollar is backed by something! It's not the prices going up on goods! It's the dollar losing value! If you look at the price of Oil next to Silver or Gold, prices have remained consistent! We need to end the federal reserve printing all this money! Inflation is going up and wages remain the same! We need a consistent, solid monetary policy to bring the economy back! We need to end the Fed! (Cheers) We must get our finances in order before we go bankrupt! We need an economy where businesses and people can thrive!  I ask the those going to caucus here in Nevada for either party vote for me to show the establishment we mean business! Vote for myself in the Caucus, and then vote Ventura in November! (Massive applause and cheers)

[Senator Spiral]

Jesse Ventura Campaign Schedule: January 11 - January 15

January 11
-Rally and Fundraiser in Los Angeles, CA, with Ron Paul
-Rally and Fundraiser in San Francisco, CA, with Ron Paul
-Rally and Fundraiser in San Diego, CA, with Ron Paul
-Rally and Fundraiser in San Jose, CA, with Ron Paul
-Appearance on The View



WALTERS: Governor, do you really think you can win this election? I mean, you're doing better than a lot of other third-party candidates in the past, but it's still only in the single digits, and you're an independent running in a two-party country.

VENTURA: Well, see, that's the big obstacle for me, isn't it? You're right, the United States is a two-party country. My biggest priority goes along with winning: it's to convince people that it's not. Why do we only have to stick to the Democrats and Republicans? Certainly I don't think that they've earned the right to be in power like they are, because just look outside the window and you'll see what they've allowed this country to become. I did it in Minnesota before, and the country as a whole is in such bad shape that I can do it again.

January 12
-Rally and Fundraiser in Sacramento, CA, with Ron Paul
-Rally and Fundraiser in Fresno, CA, with Ron Paul
-Rally and Fundraiser in Oakland, CA, with Ron Paul
-Appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
-Appearance on The Today Show



You know, Oakland, I need your help. This campaign has been growing steadily ever since I announced I was going to run. Polls have me at 5% nationally, and I'm doing much better in a lot of states. But with all that, the two parties will do everything they can to bring me down and to shut me up. So here's what I need you to do: spread the word. Tell a family member, friend, or coworker about me and what I stand for. Anything like that will help. They may have all the money in the world, and we don't have that, but we've got the ideas that they don't. If we make the awareness spread across the country, then we'll prevail.

January 13
-Rally in Green River, WY, with Ron Paul
-Rally in Gillette, WY, with Ron Paul
-Rally in Rock Springs, WY, with Ron Paul
-Rally in Evanston, WY, with Ron Paul
-Rally and Fundraiser in Cheyenne, WY, with Ron Paul

January 14
-Rally and Fundraiser in Highlands Ranch, CO, with Ron Paul and Barry Goldwater, Jr.
-Rally and Fundraiser in Lakewood, CO, with Ron Paul and Barry Goldwater, Jr.
-Rally and Fundraiser in West Adams, CO, with Ron Paul and Barry Goldwater, Jr.
-Rally and Fundraiser in Southwest Arapahoe, CO, with Ron Paul and Barry Goldwater, Jr.
-Appearance on The Young Turks



UYGUR: Governor Ventura, you've been an outspoken critic of both the Bush and Obama administrations. Tell our viewers what you don't like about both.

VENTURA: Well, first of all, it's obvious that Bush was a failure all around. He was fiscally reckless, he got us into two wars that were unnecessary, he bailed out the irresponsible banks, and I could go on and on. But the thing is that Obama is the exact same as Bush when it comes to this stuff, except because he's a Democrat he's a little more obviously tax-and-spend in policy. However, he's accelerated all of the foreign policy, so now we've gone as far as to kill American citizens with a drone without trial, and now we're able to indefinitely detain people without a trial either. This is crazy. It's not a country I can stand up for as easily anymore.

UGYUR: Your campaign has picked up a little in steam. You got a very notable endorsement from Ron Paul, who's been helping you with rallies and fundraisers across the country. Do you expect any more high-profile endorsements in the future?

VENTURA: Absolutely. I'm already doing better than Ralph Nader did in 2000, and he racked up quite a few famous people. So far I'm quite pleased with where this campaign is taking us, so maybe I should check back with you later, Cenk, and I'll give you my report card again.

UGYUR: All right, Jesse, sounds good. Always a pleasure.

January 15
-Rally and Fundraiser in Fort Collins, CO, with Ron Paul and Barry Goldwater, Jr.
-Rally and Fundraiser in Thornton, CO, with Ron Paul and Barry Goldwater, Jr.
-Rally and Fundraiser in Colorado Springs, CO, with Ron Paul and Barry Goldwater, Jr.
-Rally and Fundraiser in Denver, CO, with Ron Paul and Barry Goldwater, Jr.
-Appearance on Meet the Press