Forward? – A 2012 Election Game (Gameplay Thread)

[GoTfan]

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Simple: Negotiate. We tried the carrot and stick approach, and it hasn't worked. We've tried beating them with a stick, and it hasn't worked. We need to never be afraid to engage these rogue nations in dialogue in order to achieve a desirable end. How would things have looked if Kennedy had employed the same strategy during the Cuban Missile Crisis as we do with North Korea?

We need to negotiate with these countries. Negotiation is often a more powerful weapon than a gun, and we should never be afraid to use it.

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I stand opposed to any trade agreement that harms our nation. I am opposed to NAFTA, CAFTA and the TPP. We are haemorrhaging jobs thanks to these deals. The current administration has failed to do anything to reform these deals, and that is the great failure of this administration. Our jobs need to be protected, and I have been fighting for them since day one! I will protect our jobs and only sign deals when the American worker benefits from it.

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My loss in 2010 was part of the voters' answer to an administration that failed them. It was part of a larger response. Voters were angry at being left behind. Granted, I did not run the best campaign I could've. I floundered quite badly at several points and ran a poor campaign. However, like I said, it was part of a larger answer.

I am attempting to address the issues of the people who voted me out of office. Let me know how I failed you, and we can work on that. So take my 2010 defeat how you will. I'm not going to tell you how to look at it.

[Jaguar4life]

Carolla campaign update 2
Carolla went back to California and Nevada from December 8-15th campaigning on reforming the Patriot Act and auditing the federal Reserve.  Congressman Dana Rohrabacher would open up for Carolla in front of about almost 10,000 people on most of these rallies in which he called Adam Carolla “The next Ronald Reagan”

[Jaguar4life]

Carolla campaigns in Iowa on bring back the Gold Standard
The Gold Standard will reduce inflation and give good competition for the dollar.  Studies show that if we bring back the Gold Standard we would reach 4% Economic growth. It will fight and defeat of raising prices on goods and services and it will help us save Social Security and Medicare. It’s not perfect however it’s better than what we got. In barring of a economic rescission or crash it will come in real handy.

Now to you young folks in the crowd. The repeal of the Gold Standard extended the Great Depression however you are never told about that in school. 

[Orwell]

1.- With the sentence of former Governor Rod Blagojevich the issue of corruption in government has gained some significant exposure, particularly as the nation seeks answers and solutions. What would you say is the current level of corruption in America, and what would you do to address it?
__________________________________________________________________________________

We have widespread corruption in the United States, Im not just saying it is Democrats, or Republicans it is a factor in politics, we shouldn't be running as Democrats or Republicans, but on Merit, Im Fred Upton and I have done this this and this and that's why you're supposed vote for me. However, I would like to quote President Washington “However political parties may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” This system ingrained into the American Political System has infected our most basic fabric something eating through at our democracy like a tumor. I am not declaring that we are a broken society which we may very well. We need to fight for reform to get lobbying to help not the Politicians, but those who really need it the American people.

__________________________________________________________________________________
2.- One of the apparent disadvantages of the Republican Party at the moment is the legacy of the Bush Presidency, which while improving somewhat in numbers remains unpopular among the public. What is your personal view of the Bush years?
__________________________________________________________________________________
President Bush, was a good man, but he got us into needless spending drags in which we didnt need. I would like to say that we are out of Iraq, but that just isnt true yet. The way he handled 9/11 was good, but I do not agree with many of his policies President Bush inherited a Surplus and what did he do with that? He put us into a record breaking deficit that's not a lie, but President Obama hasnt handled it well either, but we need a new leap forward. Im not calling for a 2nd new deal Im calling for a 2nd square deal, one pioneered by one of the Fathers of our party Teddy Roosevelt started. Im calling for people to have equal footing in life not equal but to help the little guy fight.



__________________________________________________________________________________ 8.- To Congressman Upton: Congressman, there's growing disdain between many Republicans regarding your surprising stances on the issues as of lately, to the point in which the Tea Party will field a candidate against you in the upcoming primary. How do you explain running for President while presenting so few policies that appear to appeal to the Republican voters?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Well, I dont give a Damn if some Republicans dont like me. It is their constitutional right to try and primary me if they believe they will defeat me then I believe the people of Southwest Michigan will vote for the right choice and that choice is Fred Upton. 

[adamevans]

"He Served"

Ernie Fletcher's 3rd Television Ad

Aired in South Carolina, Iowa, Colorado, and Maine.

Veteran #1: "We arrived in Vietnam in December, December 10th"
Veteran #2: "We were fighting in what was called Viet Cong. Some just called it North Vietnam."
Veteran #3: "I was there for more than a year, and by then, we had at least 75 wounded"

Veteran #1: "They broke through our lines. It was hell. We had about 52 wounded and 21 killed after the first year, maybe more. I was one of the 12 to come back home."

Veteran #2: "We had over 100 wounded at least and 62 dead. Vietnam was hell. Stuff like that, you just don't forget."

Veteran #3: "48 years ago, I had my helicopter shot down. I know several of the people I knew had died in combat. I can't believe I made it alive. Life after the war was tough. We didn't get thanked for our service. Never."

Veteran #2: "Corporal Ernie thanked me for my service. It was a... rewarding feeling. Especially coming from another veteran."

Veteran #1: "Takes a Veteran to understand a Veteran,"

Veteran #1: "And he is a Veteran."

Veteran #3: "He has a Veteran's best interest in mind. He knows when he makes foreign policy decisions that it affects lives. Ernie Fletcher is a Veteran's best friend. After all, he did serve."

Veteran #1: "And he said.. 'Thank you for your service.' tearing up"

I'm Ernie Fletcher and I approve this message.

[Jaguar4life]

Instant Carolla campaign update in Iowa
Mr Donald Trump dropped out of the race and endorsed Adam Carolla in Cedar Rapids Iowa in which he said “Adam Carolla is the best man to beat Crooked Hillary Clinton,No Name Russ Feingold and Crazy Joe Biden”
Trump ended the speech by yelling a famous Reagan campaign slogan in that Adam Carolla will “Make Amercia Great Again”.

[adamevans]

"A Leader"

Ernie Fletcher's 4th Television Ad

Aired in all early Primary & Caucus States

Narrated by Ernie Fletcher from the 2nd Presidential Debate

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I'm Ernie Fletcher and I approve this message.

[Blair]

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You know being a U.S Attorney in New Jersey I've seen political corruption from the school board, all the way to the statehouse. And you know what the worst part is; it absolutely rots everything else around it. You can't reform public housing if Assemblymembers are taking kickbacks, you can't fix the state's budget if Mayors are giving out jobs to their friends and allies, and you can't get ordinary voters to give a damn about politics, if they see the same old corrupt cabal just going around in circles to make themselves even richer.

I know that New Jersey has a reputation for corruption, but by god, I've fought against it. I made fighting corruption the 2nd most important priority for my office as U.S Attorney, behind counter-terrorism. And you know what, when you stand up and confront the rot of corruption you can get a lot done. I convinced 130 Politicians, from every level of state government, and from both the Republican and Democratic parties. Corruption is an issue frankly, that we cannot treat as a party political issue; and it's one that we need to tackle.

As Governor in New Jersey I've begun to tackle it. I've put forward a serious ethics program that would ban dual office-holding; the ridiculous practice where mayors were taking salary's to not even turn up to the State Senate. I've made sure elected officials release much more detailed financial transactions, and I froze, and reformed how the state created public jobs. But I know that we need to do a lot more.

That's why as President I'd introduce legislation to clean up our politics; I'd want to put at least a two year ban on elected officials becoming lobbyists, I'd want to ensure that people who are acting as lobbyists, like Tom Daschle, register as a lobbyist, I'd want to clean up some of the rules on Dark Money, to stop foreign money flowing into our politics, and like in New Jersey, I'd want members of congress to be submit more detailed, and regular financial reports.

If I'm elected President people will know that I'll take a tough stance because that's what I've done as US Attorney, and as Governor.

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The thing I think a lot of the public forget about President Bush is just how instrumental he was in those hours, and days after 9/11. We all remember the pain that American was going through, the fear, the uncertainty. President Bush not only brought our country together, but he also brought the awesome might of the US against Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, and against the Taliban. I'll tell you this; when I was a U.S Attorney I had every tool, every bit of funding and every bit of support from the Bush administration. It's thanks to President Bush, and the dedicated leadership that he put in, that our country has not suffered another awful day like 9/11.

I'll also say something else; President Bush knew how to win (cheers). It's hard to remember now we've got President Obama, but President Bush knew how to talk to Americans in states like New Hampshire, in New Mexico, in Florida, because he had a clear message. He gave Americans the biggest tax cut for a generation, he gave us two great Judges; Justice Alito and Justice Roberts on the Supreme Court, and he fought, and fought for pro-life values, with the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban.

Now look I'll be honest; I think President Bush struggled after 2004. Second terms are always hard for a President. As republicans we should have done more to tackle, and reduce the deficit. We relied too much on the housing bubble for economic growth, and didn't do enough to keep good, high quality jobs in America. Republicans simply didn't do well after 2004, and there's a reason we lost congress in 2006, and then the White House in 2008.

But it's not fair for our party to run in 2012 and just close our eyes, and pretend that it didn't happen. Where I agree with President Bush; whether on tax cuts, counter terrorism, or on expanding the republican coalition I'll be clear. And where I disagree; such as the national debt, the deficit or the economy I'll be equally clear.

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Look me and Governor Romney exchanged some harsh words in the campaign. It's the nature of politics. Governor Romney believed he was the best candidate for the Presidency, and I believe I'm the best candidate, so it was only natural that we'd put forward our cases.

But I'll tell you what; if Governor Romney had won, I would have been by his side in every swing state after August, because Governor Romney would have been 100 times a better President than Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden.

I'd say to supporters of Governor Romney, that I'm not going to lie and say that you'll agree with me on everything, or think I'm perfect. But ultimately we've got the same goals; we both want to repeal the job-killing taxes in Obamacare, we both wanted to fix the tax system to reduce taxes for working Americans, we both wanted to create high quality jobs, and we both wanted to fix this mess that President Obama has left us in.

I've been delighted to have the endorsement of Governor Sandoval, and Senator Ayotte, who both endorsed Governor Romney to drop out, and I'm going to spend a lot of time in this campaign reaching out to supporters of Governor Romney. I know that me, Mary Pat and everyone in my campaign is praying for Anne's health, and we know that Mitt's service to America isn't finished yet.

[Blair]

Debate Answers Part 2

Reply to Adam Carolla

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Mr Carolla, come to New Jersey and tell the servicemen and women in Fort Dix, that the Patriot Act hasn't stopped any major attacks, because if you knew anything about National Security, and Counter-Terrorism, you'd know that the Patriot Act has stopped numerous terror attacks.

I know this for a fact, because as U.S Attorney I used the Patriot Act to get roving wiretaps on the suspects in that case, when 5 radical Islamic terrorists plotted to gun down our brave soldiers. No-one ever said that the Patriot Act would be able to stop all violent acts; that's just absurd. But what it does is give our law enforcement agents the tools; whether that's roving wiretaps, or surveillance of lone-wolf terrorists, to stop a major terrorist attack.

So please Mr Carolla, can you actually learn the facts about counter-terrorism if you want become President. This isn't some radio phone in show where you can just say whatever pops into your head; this is serious.

Closing Statement

I think it's fair to say that 2011 has been a pretty grueling year for Americans. We've seen our economy continue to cater, our businesses continue to fail, and our reputation round the world continue to decline.

But we can change that. In Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida voters will be voting in the primary for who the republicans will nominate. It's a great responsibility, and frankly one that should be taken seriously.

I'm the only candidate running who can do three things; I can unite our party, I can beat Hillary Clinton, or whoever the Democrats nominate, and I can carry out real meaningful, conservative reform in Washington. I'm sick of seeing our country in the state it's in; jobs moving overseas, factories and businesses closing down, our allies in Israel wondering if we even care, our enemies in Iran wondering where they can expand next. It's no wonder that so many folks hate politicians, and ask 'when will will things get better?''

They'll get better if you put someone who fight for you interests in the Oval Office. We don't need another Clinton in the White House; we need someone who has the experience, and the skills to fight for America's interests both home and abroad. And you know what else we need; someone who can bring some hope to the people in this country. I'm the candidate who can do that.

[PPT Spiral]

Walter Jones Debate Responses

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Governor Blagojevich was no exception to the rule. Far from it. He just happened to be one of the unlucky souls who got exposed for his misdeeds, but the fact of the matter is that this culture of corruption runs deep in the very fabric of Washington D.C. I've seen it with my own eyes while serving in Congress for a number of years. Many of these people running for office say one thing to voters, hold big promises, and act like they're above it all, when they just follow the crowd once they get in. Politicians are routinely paid off by big banks, insurance companies, foreign governments, you name it! Need I go on? *laughs*

So, this isn't new to Americans. It can be big and blatant, or it can be small and undercover, but the end result is still the same: People lose faith in the system, because they think nothing can be done to stop this. The establishment of this country has had its way for a long time because they've lied, cheated, and bullied their way into power. What's more, they have big money backing their goals and conspiring against the American people. It's time to finally stand up to these crooks and tell them their time in the front seat is over.

My record in the House shows I've got the fortitude to fight off corrupt politicians. I've had to do it all the time just to survive, and I always come out on top in the end. A President Jones will take that same approach to the White House. The biggest issue driving corruption by far is big money in politics, so I would seek real campaign finance reform: that means limiting campaign contributions by these big lobbyists and donors, and putting focus back on the small donors that drive grassroots campaigns. I would seek term limits on legislators so they can't build up their stature and power forever and be invincible to accountability. Finally, I would change the very culture of Washington from the bottom up. We need dedicated public servants, committed to the Lord, who would put country first and leave partisan politics aside.

If we can go all of that, by God, we might just solve the corruption problem once and for all.

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If we want to move forward and grow as a party, we must leave the Bush years behind us for good.

I gave President Bush a chance. Many chances, in fact. I liked his original platform when he first ran in 2000, back when he was talking about "compassionate conservatism" and being responsible with our national debt. I was also arguably his biggest cheerleader for the Iraq War at first, because I believed we were trying to do good. So, what happened? What happened was President Bush not only deceived me, but he deceived the entire nation through his deeds.

Let's go through the record. The American public did not get the honest truth about why we were going into Iraq and staying there. Once we got in, and even after we toppled Saddam Hussein, we had no mission and we seemed set on staying there indefinitely. The Bush administration might not have been thinking very hard about the consequences of that, but we're talking about human lives here. I have written thousands of letters to families who lost their loved ones in the war, because I can only apologize and try to atone for my sins after my vote. The President never apologized for his decisions in Iraq.

Bush was also terribly reckless with spending. His first Treasury Secretary quit after being told by Dick Cheney that "deficits don't matter." Those words sure rung true in the White House, since they spent money like a drunken sailor and ran up our national debt by a few trillion dollars. This just won't be impacting us now, but it will impact our children and grandchildren for generations to come. We as conservatives must truly be conservative with how we spend, and President Bush failed in that regard time and time again even as he was campaigning as a fiscally responsible leader.

Is this really the making of a compassionate conservative? It sounds to me like Bush failed the American people time and time again. As long as we continue to defend this man and his administration, the Republican Party will have a big albatross around its neck for a generation. We can do better, and we will do better with new leadership. The reason why I first ran for President was to offer an alternative to Bushism. If you agree, then I ask that you consider me for your vote.

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It's simple: I'm 100% behind what the Tea Party stands for. They want balanced budgets, cutting the debt and deficit, and more accountability in Washington. So do I. Many Republicans will claim they believe in the same thing, but I've put it in practice. That's the reason why I've fought off John Boehner and his gang in Congress, and it's why I have a big target on my back wherever I go in Washington. *laughs* To see a movement like the Tea Party spring up organically is a very good thing for our democracy, and I'll stand behind whatever shakes up the establishment.

You mentioned Governor Palin. I'm quite proud to have Sarah's endorsement, and she's really a fiercely independent leader along with being a conservative. When she ran in Alaska, she too ran against the entire establishment and managed to win as the underdog. Once she became governor, she acted on her promises, so it's no wonder she's been adored by many in the state. I would emulate Governor Palin should I be lucky enough to become President by actually meaning what I say and working on my promises from day one. She endorsed my campaign because she has her full trust in me.

I also recognize that when you get more attention, you'll get more critics. You're bound to come across disagreements in politics, but what I will say is that even people who don't entirely agree with me on foreign policy actually have quite a bit more in common with me than they think. I would rather build more roads in cities here than to build roads in Iraq and Afghanistan. That's the fiscally conservative approach: we could save so much of our taxpayers' dollars by focusing on our problems at home first than abroad. But what I'd like to hit home is that we don't always have to agree on the details when we agree on the big picture. Like Reagan said, "The person who agrees with you 80% of the time is a friend and an ally, not a 20% traitor."

Closing statement:

It's clear this campaign has the momentum. I want to thank all of the people who have stuck with me on this ride so far. For those who aren't supporters, I want to reach out my hand to you. Your voice is just as valuable to me, because we're all Americans are we're all in this together. If you're tired of the same old business in Washington, tired of the corrupt politicians, tired of the endless wars, tired of the skyrocketing debt, and ready for something new, then I am your voice in this campaign. We the People are able to change Washington, but it will take a team effort.

When I was polling at 2% and pundits laughed at my campaign, they didn't realize that regular Americans outside the beltway saw something different. Now they aren't laughing. We've already changed the dialogue of this race. Let's continue to shake things up. Thank you all, and God bless this fine country of ours.

[Blair]

Chris Christie.
Fighting For You.

Surrogate Performances

[/b]

Governor Sandoval endorses Chris Christie at Nevada Rally

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Ayotte endorses Christie: 'We need someone ready to be Commander-in-Chief on Day one.''

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Governor Huntsman joins Governor Christie for Carson City, Nevada Rally

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Martinez: Governor Christie has a record that Floridians can trust

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[Jaguar4life]

Carolla debate response to Chris Christie

Mr Christie I have the most up most respect for the Milltary.  I’ve had family members who have fought in the toughest times for Amercia. From the First World War, World War II Korea and Vietnam. I’m sorry but just because it has the title “Patriot” in it doesn’t make it patriotic.  Here’s some good research that’s supports my view.
In 2006, the Military Commissions Act was put into place to expand upon what the Patriot Act covers, and widens the definition of "illegal enemy combatant" to include US citizens as well.

Simply put this So without waiting for any sort of investigation of what had just happened, and with Congress in a panic, DOJ came to Capitol Hill with a list of powers it said it needed to fight terrorism. Congress passed it while Ground Zero was still smoldering.

Because Congress was in a rush to pass something quickly, they didn't take much time to examine or debate the bill. They didn't notice that:

Few of the provisions limited themselves to terrorism; Patriot Act powers have since been invoked in all sorts of cases. Take, for instance, the "sneak and peek" warrant, where the government doesn't have to tell the target about the search. In 2013, 51 sneak and peek warrants were issued for terrorism cases, while 9,401 sneak and peek warrants were issued for drug cases. Drugs are bad, sure, but they have nothing to do with terrorism—and Congress had previously rejected sneak-and-peek for drug cases.

A lot of provisions included gaping loopholes. For instance, Section 215 was intended to allow the government to get secret warrants to search business records relevant to a terrorism investigation. One would think that the government would have to show some sort of reasonably strong connection to a specific investigation—but that wasn't actually stated in the law, and so the government used it to get secret warrants for things like "records of every single phone call made by any Verizon customer", since some of those calls might someday be relevant to an investigation of a terrorist.

The government actually had all the information it needed to prevent the attacks; it just couldn't put it all together before it was too late, but Congress didn't know about that until long after the Patriot Act passed. The 9/11 Commission wouldn't even be created for another year, and it took two more years to release its final report. The Patriot Act was basically a complete guess at what might have stopped the attacks—and now that we have more information, that guess looks like it was totally wrong.

And now that we've had the Patriot Act for 10 years, we know that, in practice, these powers don't really help us with terrorism cases. The FBI can't point to a single major terrorism case they cracked because of it.
So in short, I oppose the Patriot Act because it was an opportunistic power grab which ultimately did nothing to address terrorism or the failure to stop the 9/11 attacks.
It’s not that I hate the Milltary, I just want peace.

[Jaguar4life]

Carolla campaign update

Carolla campaigned back in the Pacific through mid to late December on brining back the Federal Reserve and the Gold Standard.
Carolla also campaigned on the issue of bringing peace to the Middle East and Amercia.

[PPT Spiral]

Walter Jones Schedule: December 1-25

December 1-7: Town halls and meet and greets in Nevada; rallies in Henderson, Reno, and Las Vegas; massive outreach to Tea Party groups; continued outreach to Latino, Mormon, and veterans groups; beefing up campaign HQ in Las Vegas; multiple radio and TV interviews statewide; establishing new campaign offices in rural counties; canvassing statewide with Governor Palin; voter registration drive.

December 8-16: Town halls and meet and greets in South Carolina; rallies in Myrtle Beach, Goose Creek, Conway, North Charleston, and Columbia; massive outreach to Tea Party groups; continued outreach to Evangelical and veterans groups; multiple radio and TV interviews statewide; persuading soft Paul and Carolla supporters to join campaign; establishing new campaign offices in central South Carolina; canvassing statewide with Governor Palin; voter registration drive.

December 17-22: Town halls and meet and greets in Iowa; rallies in Davenport, Council Bluffs, Mason City, Sioux City, and Cedar Rapids; massive outreach to Tea Party groups; continued outreach to Evangelical and veterans groups; multiple radio and TV interviews statewide; persuading soft Paul and Carolla supporters; grassroots campaign to attract disaffected, working-class voters; canvassing statewide with Governor Palin; voter registration drive.

December 23-24: Town halls and meet and greets in New Hampshire; rally in Concord; massive outreach to Tea Party groups; continued outreach to Evangelical and veterans groups; grassroots campaign to attract independent voters; multiple radio and TV interviews statewide; canvassing statewide with Governor Palin; voter registration drive.

December 25: Spending time with family in North Carolina.


Walter Jones Campaign Strategy
-Continue loud, populist campaign message across the country
-Promote Sarah Palin's endorsement and feature her regularly in campaign rallies
-Make extended new outreach to Tea Party groups and supporters, stressing common ground and assuaging concerns on foreign policy
-Strengthen grassroots fundraising machine with regular "money bombs" staged nationwide
-Reach out to soft Paul and Carolla supporters in states where they poll poorly to Jones
-Promote campaign rallies in hopes of being televised and seen by millions
-Major radio ad buys in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada promoting Jones as a humble man of faith

[PPT Spiral]

RISE OF THE BARRACUDA

Speaking at a massively televised rally in Des Moines, Iowa, former Governor Sarah Palin made the following remarks in a speech endorsing Congressman Walter Jones:

Are you people ready for something new in Washington? Are ya tired of the same old, same old nonsense and bushwhacking from these career politicians? I'm behind Walter Jones because he represents a movement! It's a movement to make America strong and proud and fierce. We don't need people like Wicked Hillary or Goofy Ol' Uncle Joe up there, so why vote for someone who's old news just like them?

[. . .]

Let me tell ya: Walter's fighting the establishment every day. How do I know? I was there! I've done it. I've seen it. It's crazy business, folks! He can't be corrupted, he won't be corrupted, and he's the people's choice this election! He won't give you the spiel about being electable and blah blah blah like some people. He's in it to win it, and I'm gonna be there with him all the way!

[Blair]

Chris Christie.
Fighting For You.

Schedule

1st December-3rd December: Governor Christie held a new leg of his 'Telling it like it is' Tour in New Hampshire, with town halls across the state. Governor Christie told New Hampshire voters that his first legislative effort as President will be ''to get real, meaningful tax reform. Let's have 3, much lower tax brackets. Let's get gut the estate tax, let's get rid of the job-killing Obamacare mandates, let's get this country back to work''.

4th December: Governor Christie joined Senator Ayotte for a tour around the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and meet with active service members, and officers to discuss National Security, and other military related matters. Later in the evening Governor Christie held a 'Veterans of Foreign Wars' Town Hall meeting, and then met military families at a meet, and greet in a Diner.

5th December: Governor Christie held a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire with Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, and Senator Ayotte, where Governor Christie argued that ''Republicans need someone who can bring our country together, we need someone who can bring people together, but stay committed to our conservative principles''. In the evening Governor Christie held a fundraiser with Senator Ayotte.

6th December: Governor Christie traveled to Miami, Florida, to campaign with Governor Martinez of New Mexico. The Governor met with members of the Cuban Community, and in a speech reasserted his opposition to opening relations with Cuba, and denounced the Castro regime as 'the center of evil in the Caribbean''.

7th December: Governor Christie traveled to Tampa Florida to hold a series of Tele-Town Halls, where he took questions from voters around Florida about issues ranging from the deficit, to National Security. Governor Christie reaffirmed his intention to work together with ''both parties to eliminate the deficit'' and ''pay down our enormous national debt''.

8th December: Governor Christie returned to New Jersey to carry out his duties as Governor.

9th-16th December: Governor Christie kicked off his marathon 7 Day tour of Iowa in his campaign bus. Vowing to go to 'every corner'' of Iowa, the Governor begun with a fiery Q&A at the University of Iowa where he proclaimed ''you can shout at me as much as you want'' after being heckled for his support for pro-life causes. Later the Governor delivered a speech in support of 'Ethanol'' and other 'alternative energy sources'', telling the crowd 'it's bringing in jobs for rural America, we've gotta support that.'' Governor Christie held over 20 town hall events in Iowa over the 7 days.

17th December: Governor Christie returned to New Hampshire to hold a round-table discussion, and meet and greet with former supporters of Governor Romney. Accompanied by Senator Ayotte, Governor Christie told voters that he shared Governor Romney's commitment to 'cutting taxes, cutting regulations, and fixing this awful mess in Washington.''

18th December: Governor Christie traveled with Mary Pat for a campaign rally in South Carolina where he announced that his number one priority to keep Americans safe would be to capture or kill Obama Bin Laden. Governor Christie also promised to appoint as Defense Secretary someone 'committed to protecting our military, caring for our veterans, and renewing American Leadership.''

19th December: Governor Christie returned to Sioux City, Iowa, to meet with Evangelical Leaders ahead of the caucus, and gave a speech where he pointed to his experience in New Jersey where he 'veteod, and blocked out of control activist judges, who were nothing more than rubber stamps for the Democrats.'' Governor Christie said that he would 'appoint Justices, who take a 'restrained view of the the Constitution like Justice Alito''.

20th-25th December: Governor Christie returned home to New Jersey to deliver a Christmas address to the state, to turn on the festive lights and to meet with the families of Military Veterans, and distribute Christmas presents on Christmas eve. He spend Christmas, and boxing day with his family in Trenton.

[Blair]

Debate Response

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That's not true Mr Carolla. As the person who was personally running the case, I know for a fact that the Fort Dix case used the Patriot Acts amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, to get a wiretap on the suspect. But lets look at what the FBI Director, Robert Mueller, himself said

'' the PATRIOT Act has proved extraordinarily beneficial in the war on terrorism and has changed the way the FBI does business. Many of our counterterrorism successes, in fact, are the direct results of provisions included in the Act.''

You know I think we should trust the opinion of dedicated, career National Security officials on this one.

[Blair]

Campaign Ads

Campaign Ad 1: Go to Work.

Run in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and Nevada.

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Heartbeat

Campaign Ad 2: Heartbeat (Airs in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida.)

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[/quote]

[Blair]

Campaign Ad 3- 'Citizens'. Airs in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, Nevada.

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Campaign Ad 4: Bold and Brave. Run in Iowa, New Hamsphire, South Carolina, Florida and Nevada.

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[PPT 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.

[PPT Spiral]

Walter Jones Ad: Momentum

This is Congressman Walter Jones.

Why have establishment Republicans spent hundreds of thousands to take me out before? Because they know I stand up for my beliefs.

I'll do what's best for you, the American people. There are no big donors or lobbyists behind this campaign. This is 100% funded by everyday Americans with a hope for a better tomorrow.

Together, we can stand up to the Washington consensus. They fear they'll no longer be in charge if their people can't get in.

They're right. We have the momentum.

I approve this message because the only good unemployment is a Washington crook without a job.

[Former Senator Haslam2020]

Ad: America the Beautiful



America, home of the brave and land of the free.



We live in a beautiful and naturally great nation, but recently, we’ve gotten into some major problems.



Two men: George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, have destroyed America’s standing on the world stage. We’ve had an economic collapse that we’re struggling to get out of, our debt is rising out of control, we’ve gotten ourselves into numerous foreign entanglements that we don’t need to be in.



America, we’re reaching the point of no return, But hope is on the horizon. There’s only one candidate who can end the gridlock in Washington, fight for American jobs, make a lasting and long recovery from the Crisis of ‘08, one candidate who will get us out of war and keep America safe. That man is my dad, General Wesley Clark.



”I’m Wesley Clark, and I approve this message!”

(To be played in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Utah)

[PPT 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.

[adamevans]

4th Republican Presidential Debate
Ernie Fletcher

Debate Answers & Responses

General Questions

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First things first, what Governor Rod did is absolutely inexcusable. When he tried to get money from appointing a vacant seat, that's corruption. When he abused his power in attempting to get money from a Children's Hospital, that's corruption. When he attempted to bribe the Chicago Tribune, that's corruption— and the fact that the public has noticed it, pointed it out, and has him convicted is proof that our democracy WORKS! (audience applause)

I think everyone up here is strongly against corruption, or at least, they say they do, and I'm not here to argue if they don't. Here's what we're going to do: Let's make sure departing members of Congress can't lobby for 3 years, and to make sure it's enforceable, we're going to make lobbyists register. In such a dark time, we can't shy away to corruption for our unelected officials, and I'm not going to let them

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That's a very big question, and it's not just a yes or no answer. You can call Bush a good president for his tax cuts followed by hundreds of thousands of jobs, and that's true. You can call Bush a bad president because he spent trillions overseas and didn't act very fiscally conservative on his foreign policy, and with the reliance on the housing bubble for growth which led to the collapse. The truth is there is a grain of truth to each argument.

As a party, we should move past spending trillions overseas and acting fiscally liberal which carried into the Obama Administration. If we're going to call ourselves fiscally conservative, let's have budgets that are actually fiscally conservative. I supported Bush in his campaign because I believe he had change to give, and he did when he passed tax cuts for millions of middle class Americans.

However, it is never good to keep sticking to the same President's policy, and the Republicans shouldn't start to do that. Let's do the policies that are better for Americans NOW instead of the policies from 2004 (applause). Let's keep tax cuts and domestic fiscal conservatism. Let's become more fiscally conservative abroad. We need to focus on the future, and not the past! (applause)

Candidate Specific Questions

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This is really not a black- and- white answer. The Kentucky Supreme Court decided not to throw out my election because of that. This is something that effected nobody, nowhere, no how, and it's important to realize that. I've spent my entire life improving people's lives: From my service in the Air Force, to my career as a Doctor, to my seat as a U.S Representative, and my time as Governor. This was nothing more than a little bit of extra paperwork. I can promise everyone watching that I will never put extra paperwork over my job as a public servant.

Closing Statement

Now that 2011 about to close, we can say it's been a pretty bumpy ride for Americans the past year. Our only choice is to set our eyes on the future. It's time for politicians to stop divisive, useless rhetoric, and begin to focus more on the ethics, the policy, the vision. It's time for politicians to act more like public servants because that's what they are. I can promise you tonight that I won't stop focusing on that policy. It's time for us to get some actual recovery with an actual leader, and it's time for us to Win the Future.

[adamevans]

Huckabee to Iowa: "Show Fletcher the support that you showed me in 2008"

FOX News

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