Blood, Sweat, and Gore Gameplay Thread

[Mycool]

Kathleen Sebelius Democratic Townhall Responses

US China Bilateral at World Health Assembly by United States Mission Geneva, on Flickr

Opening statement:

“I know many of you are just meeting me, so I’ll introduce myself. I’m Kathleen Sebelius, I’ve been a businesswoman, I was the first Democrat to be elected Insurance Commissioner of Kansas in over a century, and I’ve been the Governor since 2003. During my time as Governor, we’ve erased a billion-dollar debt without raising taxes or cutting the education budget, in fact, we expanded education funding in the state. Here’s the thing, I couldn’t do it alone, not only did I build a coalition of voters across the political spectrum, but I also built a governing coalition in the Kansas legislature of Democrats and moderate Republicans. That’s the task that the next President will have, building an electoral coalition to win and a Congressional coalition to govern, and I’m here tonight to explain why I’m the candidate best equipped for that challenge.”

Typical political wisdom would say that after 16 years of Democratic control in the White House, that the American people would opt for a Republican candidate. How are you best equipped to win over independents and Republicans to keep the Democrats in the White House for another 4 years?

“Well, as a Democrat that’s been elected four times statewide in Kansas, I have experience winning over Independents and Republicans. We have to be honest with American voters about our values, even when we disagree. During both of my campaigns for Governor, I had longtime Republicans come up to me and say, ‘I’m pro-life, and I’ve never voted for a pro-choice candidate, but I like your education plan, so I’m voting for you.’ As much as the media and special interests in Washington would like you to believe otherwise, Americans care more about kitchen table issues like healthcare and education than the wedge issue of the week.

The campaign I’m running is centered on kitchen table issues like making college or trade school available to everyone, expanding healthcare coverage, and rooting out corruption and wasteful spending. Democrats can win in November if we participate in the politics of addition, expanding our tent and the electoral map, not writing any state or group of voters off just because of a focus group.”

In 2006, Congress repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell which did not allow gay, bisexual, or transgender people to serve in the military. Do you agree with this action by Congress, and if elected, would you be in favor of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act?

“Congress did the right thing repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and I applaud the decision. No one who is serving their country should worry about being discharged based on their sexuality. As Governor, I signed a law protecting LGBT employees of the state from discrimination, and as President, I will do the same for federal employees.

I’m a firm believer in federalism, so I believe the issue of same-sex marriage is best left up to individual states. As long as section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act is law, states cannot make that decision. As President, I would work to ensure the rights of states are respected and that same-sex couples in states passing civil unions are entitled to the same rights as heterosexual couples by overturning DOMA and allowing individual states to make their own decisions without interference from the federal government.”

Some critics of President Gore have said that the Department of Homeland Security isn't needed because there have only been small terror attacks, which aren't worthy of creating a whole new federal government department. Where do you stand on the Department of Homeland Security?

“I don’t think it’s wise to rush to judgment here, as those of us here on this stage aren’t briefed on the same intelligence as the President, so I’m not ready to support shuttering the Department of Homeland Security without having all the information in front of me. What I can and will commit to is a full audit of the federal government, including this department. I believe the taxpayers deserve to know their dollars are being spent as efficiently as possible in every area, which is why I also will put out year-end reports on our government programs to shine a light on where your money is going and how it’s being spent. We’re going to be accountable to the American people, not lobbyists or special interest groups in Washington.”

For Governor Sebelius: In 2003, the death penalty was outlawed for federal crimes. Do you agree with this action taken by the federal government and the Gore administration?

“I’m personally opposed to capital punishment, and I’m happy to see the President making this decision. We owe the American people an honest discussion about the death penalty, how it’s used, and how much it costs them. As the Governor of Kansas, I signed a bill that would end capital punishment and replace the sentence with Life Without Parole, which not only saves the taxpayer money but also allows us to account for the cases of people who should never walk the streets again. I truly believe it is the better choice for us as a country to move past using the death penalty, and as President, I would continue this policy.”

[RGM2609]

The answers of Russ Feingold at Democratic Town Hall

Opening statement -

Good evening, my fellow Americans. I have been representing the great state of Wisconsin in the US Senate for 15 years. During this time, I have seen the big swamp of DC politics, a swamp formed of politicians only interested in being re-elected and corporations writing their own interests in legislation. During this time, I have also learnt how to fix Washington, how to take it away from the pocket of the billionaires and give it back to you, the people of this great nation. Because what you deserve is not tax cuts worth billions, some even say trillions, of dollars to corporations and billionaires, instead you deserve tax relief for struggling working class Americans combined with increasing the already unfair shares for millionaires and the top 1%. If you want the reality of heads, Wall Street wins, tails, Main Street loses to end, I am your voice. Because what you deserve is not this unfair healthcare system, in which the greed of the insurance companies is the main priority not the health problems of the American people, nor an incomplete plan which would still leave out millions of Americans. Instead, we need to join every other country on earth and grant health care to all of our citizens, not just those who can afford it. If you want a healthcare system which is fair and compassionate, I am your voice. And what you deserve is for the government to be concerned with how to put food on the tables of American families, not playing the guardian of the world in faraway lands. There is no reason for our troops to be in places like Uganda. If you want an effective military which does not provoke all kinds of countries, but protects the US and its allies, I am your voice. My Administration will be one of the people, by the people and for the people. Thank you.

Question 1 -

Well, I normally would think that a transition of power after 16 years would be more then welcomed. However, the agenda our opponents would implement is far too dangerous to be allowed to be the way our country is governed, and this is why I am running. What they would do is cut the taxes of billionaires and millionaires, raise the taxes on working class Americans, tax health benefits while pretending to do the middle class Americans a favor. They will continue to protect NAFTA, the biggest disaster of the last 50 years, and not even help workers affected in any way. They will protect the greed of the insurance companies and the drug companies, help corporations in their way against family farms, repeal all things Al Gore has done for the environment and favor polluting oil companies, give Social Security over to Wall Street and, obviously, invade the Middle East. That is their real platform, confirmed by decades of actions, and I will go to the working and middle class Americans and tell them - This is not the way forward, here is what I want to do instead to help you and your community. I will do so with the credibility of a Senator who broke ranks with his party when any of its proposals harmed the American people, worked across the aisle when I found common ground, and took principled stands on all issues facing America today. That is why I think our movement will win this election, and start bold, progressive reforms necessary to create prosperity.

Question 2 -

Yes, I agree with the decision to repeal DADT. It was an odious, clearly discriminatory policy, and there is simply no reason for which a person willing to bleed and die for his or her country should be rejected, regardless of their sexual orientation, and the army should be focused on defending the United States, not on investigating its members on issues related to their personal life. I am also an opponent of the Defense of Marriage Act, and I was against it even in 1996, when it was voted on. I believe that this whole issue is a charade by some Republican politicians to hide the fact that they have no sane agenda on issues which matter most to voters, like the economy, education, environment, energy, healthcare, foreign policy or social security. But, in the end, we are all Americans, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation, and we should focus on what united us while cheering on the differences between us, accept each other and work together with optimism for a better future, instead of falling for demagogues attempting to divide us.

Question 3 -

Well, I agree with them. I am sure that President Gore has had the best of intentions when he created this department, but it became redundant, breaking the civil liberties that we as Americans value the most without doing much work in preventing terrorism at home. If I am elected President, I will abolish it, as the agencies we had before were and still are perfectly capable of dealing with this threat, and use the money to boost funding for crucial government programs such as Medicare, Social Security or the EPA. It is vital for the tax dollars of the people to be used in their own best interest.

Personalized question -

Well, let me first of all thank my colleague and distinguished public servant John McCain. Even as we disagree on many things, he is a man of an outstanding integrity and moral compass and the country will be forever grateful for his service. Now, back to your question, I will absolutely pass new campaign finance reform, as well as lobbying reforms, to stop lobbyists and billionaires from controlling our politicians. For example, I will centralize ethic and lobbying information for voters, require independent monitoring of lobbying laws and ethics rules and close the revolving door on former and future employees. With broad changes like this, we will ensure that DC listens to the people and not to special interests like it did until now.

[Cabbage]

MORNING CONSULT RELEASES FIRST POLLS FOR 2008 RACE

Democrats
Senator Hillary Clinton - 20%
Representative Barbara Lee - 10%
Senator Russ Feingold - 10%
Vice President Joe Lieberman - 8%
Senator Tom Daschle - 7%
Governor Brian Schweitzer - 7%
Senator Barack Obama - 5%
Governor Kathleen Sebelius - 5%
Senator Blanche Lincoln - 3%
Governor Phil Bredesen - 3%
Former Senator Sam Nunn - 2%
Former Senator Mike Gravel - 1%

Republicans
Senator George Allen - 23%
Senator John McCain - 22%
Governor Ernie Fletcher - 9%
Governor Bobby Jindal - 7%
Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. - 5%
Representative Ron Paul - 5%
Governor George Pataki - 4%
Mayor Michael Bloomberg - 3%
Former Defense Secretary Colin Powell - 1%
Representative Adam Putnam - 1%

General Election

If the election were held today, who would you vote for?

Generic Democrat - 41%
Generic Republican - 40%
Mr. Donald Trump - 7%
Undecided - 12%

(Note: these polls are neither prohibitive nor set in stone; things can change as the race goes on, so don't feel discouraged if you're behind right now)

[adamevans]

Ernie Fletcher: "The Senate must ratify the Marriage Defense Amendment."

Excerpt

This week, the United States Senate will take the first step in deciding who gets to define marriage for the entire nation: activist judges - or the American people. Although not the final vote on marriage by any means, the vote your senator casts this week gives a clear signal on how much he trusts you and your fellow citizens to determine the defining issue of our generation. A vote against the amendment means your senator is willing to allow activist judges to make the decision for you. A little background on how we got to his point is helpful. In 1996, a liberal state court in Hawaii threw out that state's laws against same-sex marriage. Lawmakers around the nation knew that if a few judges in Hawaii could destroy the traditional definition of marriage, judges anywhere could and would do it. Within months, a law that defines marriage for the federal government as the union of one man and one woman, and prevents states from being forced to recognize contrary definitions - which lawmakers thought would solve the problem - passed both houses of Congress by veto-proof majorities.

It was called the Defense Of Marriage Act, and it caught on like wildfire. Within eight years, 38 states had adopted their own DOMAs, and five other states had inserted DOMA language into other laws. Many thought the issue was settled once and for all, but, again, activist judges - this time in Massachusetts - took power away from the people of that state and declared same-sex marriage legal. Other activist officials started thwarting the will of the people and breaking the laws in their states and began issuing same-sex licenses. Homosexual couples from many states traveled to Massachusetts to be "married" - mayhem resulted. Today, Americans are rising up to make their voice of reason heard - citizens in Michigan, Montana, Arkansas and Oregon have gathered enough signatures to put state constitutional amendments protecting marriage on the fall ballots, and North Dakota and Ohio are close. Michigan organizers expect the measure to pass by a 2-to-1 margin or more, with 80% of Republicans and more than half the Democrats in the state planning to support it.

American citizens seem to understand instinctively what's at stake here. Marriage has meant one man and one woman in every successful nation on Earth since the beginning of mankind. Marriage is about propagating not just the human race, but also the values of a society, the difference between right and wrong. By promoting social order, it creates a safety zone for the man and woman involved as well as for their children. A raft of social science research shows that children who grow up in households where the mother and father are married have the best chance at a good life. They earn more, learn more, get in trouble less and have fewer problems with drugs, alcohol or abuse.

Unfortunately, many of the senators ready to debate the amendment this week do not understand its importance, and I'd point to Senator John McCain as an example of that. Thanks to the efforts of Sens. Wayne Allard, Sam Brownback, and Zell Miller, and their co-sponsors, senators at least will get the facts, and will be forced to take a stand on whether or not they believe the issue is even worth debating. Many senators say they oppose same-sex marriage, but don't see the purpose in an amendment. Perhaps these senators are just afraid to take a stand. But when a few activists judges around the nation are determined to redefine this most basic of human institutions through court decisions which thwart the will of the people, our elected officials must take a stand on whether or not they believe voters should determine this issue for themselves. Unfortunately, we've now reached the time where the only way - I repeat - the only way to protect marriage and civil society as we know it is to pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

Redefining marriage - the most basic of human institutions - is akin to reprogramming the DNA of a nation. This week is a crucial one in who will determine our future.

Kentucky Governor endorses right-to-work, amidst union backlash

Among many reports coming from the Kentucky Governor's upcoming agenda, including a highly-discussed potential Presidential bid, Governor Ernie Fletcher, today, publicly endorsed a statewide right-to-work law, in spite of union backlash, and he pledged to fight to pass it in the upcoming legislative session. The Governor spoke to press today regarding the law, which would allow non-union workers to be employed at union workplaces, stating it was "time to get Kentuckians to work. It's time to make Kentucky business-friendly." Read the excerpt here:

"In today's stagnant national economy, Kentucky must become more commerce-friendly to maintain growth seen in recent years. Right-to-work states are much more attractive for businesses investment. Unionized firms earn lower profits, invest less, and create fewer jobs than comparable nonunion firms. It was no accident that foreign automobile brands located their U.S. plants primarily in right-to-work states like Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. States that attract more investment create more jobs. In fact, right-to-work states have lower unemployment rates than states without right-to-work laws. To get around this problem, researchers have studied neighboring counties on state borders with and without right-to-work laws. Such counties share the same geography and economic environment, but their main difference is the presence of a right-to-work law on one side of the border. The share of manufacturing jobs in counties in right-to-work states is one-third higher than in adjacent counties in non–right-to-work states. Right-to-work laws attract jobs.

Moreover, the government should not force workers to pay for unwanted union representation. In a free society, workers alone should make that choice. Right-to-work laws also make good economic sense. They reduce the incentive for union organizers to target companies that treat their workers well. Since unions hurt businesses, less aggressive union organizing attracts investment and jobs. Union contracts frequently require employees to pay union dues or lose their jobs. This forces workers to support the union financially even if the union contract harms them or they oppose the union’s agenda. A right-to-work law would reduce the financial benefit from organizing workplaces where unions have limited support. This makes unions less aggressive and encourages business investment, creating jobs. Kentucky can and should reduce unemployment by becoming a right-to-work state."

Excerpts from Governor Fletcher's Speech on the Second Amendment

Few public policy debates have been as dominated by emotion and misinformation as the one on gun control. Perhaps this debate is so highly charged because it involves such fundamental issues. The calls for more gun restrictions or for bans on some or all guns are calls for significant change in our social and constitutional systems. Gun control is based on the faulty notion that ordinary American citizens are too clumsy and ill-tempered to be trusted with weapons. Only through the blatant abrogation of explicit constitutional rights is gun control even possible. It must be enforced with such violations of individual rights as intrusive search and seizure.

It most severely victimizes those who most need weapons for self-defense. The various gun control proposals on today's agenda - including licensing, waiting periods, and bans on so-called Saturday night specials - are of little, if any, value as crime - fighting measures. Banning guns to reduce crime makes as much sense as banning alcohol to reduce drunk driving. Indeed, persuasive evidence shows that civilian gun ownership can be a powerful deterrent to crime. The gun control debate poses the basic question: Who is more trustworthy, the government or the people?

I passionately believe in the doctrine of small government, and that extends to the issue of the second amendment, but we must first assume gun control laws could even be effectively enforced, and to that measure, I disagree. As Stanford law professor John Kaplan has observed, "When guns are outlawed, all those who have guns will be outlaws." Kaplan argued that when a law criminalizes behavior that its practitioners do not believe improper, the new outlaws lose respect for society and the law.

Even simple registration laws meet with massive resistance. In Illinois, for example, a 1977 study showed that compliance with handgun registration was only about 25%. A 1979 survey of Illinois gun owners indicated that 73% would not comply with a gun prohibition. It is evident that New York City's almost complete prohibition is not voluntarily obeyed; estimates of the number of illegal handguns in the city range from one million to two million.

Policy Recommendations:
1.) Prevent the Federal Government from passing any new ban of any particular type of firearm.
2.) Prevent the Federal Government from establishing a national gun ownership registry.
3.) Allow citizens to obtain concealed-carry permits without requirement of vague “good cause,” or egregious fees and training.
4.) Allow citizens to purchase firearms across state lines regardless of residence.
5.) Repeal the Assault Weapons ban. (assuming this still exists)

[adamevans]

Ernie's Schedule

April 1st to April 8th: Governor Fletcher began April meeting with South Carolina's many gun rights advocacy organizations, defining himself as an unwavering defender of the 2nd amendment. He emphasized his upbringing in Kentucky as a core reason towards his belief in gun rights, and stressed the need to "elect people to the House, Senate and White House" who "will protect both yours and my 2nd amendment rights." He pointed this as an issue "where many politicians talk one way and give you something else." The Governor later met with the state's local Republican organizers, gauging potential support and aiding in grassroots efforts.

April 9th to April 12th: Ernie Fletcher continued his stay in the Palmetto State, meeting with local church leaders and defining himself, early-on, as an unwavering defender of family values. He emphasized the need for family values and faith to have a place in the Republican Party, and he brought note to his roots in the church as a critical reason for his entry in politics. Across the state, he'd pitch this message to religious and social conservative activists.

April 13th to April 18th: The Governor traveled to Michigan to meet with manufacturing workers across the state, discussing cutting red tape and lowering taxes on industry to strengthen the manufacturing sector. He would stress government intervention as the critical reason for manufacturing job loss in recent years, articulating that the 'best way to protect American manufacturing is to simply get Uncle Sam off their back and out of their wallet.' Fletcher would meet with the state's local right to life chapter, in a continued bid to present himself as an authentic social conservative in each of the nation's early states.

April 19th to April 23th: Ernie Fletcher traveled to Michigan's inner cities to discuss the issue of poverty. He blamed government welfare programs for creating a "culture of poverty" in inner cities, and he expressed his belief that the most effective ways to create wealth in urban areas was to "strengthen family values, preserve the sanctity of marriage, and eliminate red tape regulations." Fletcher articulated that "strong, moral families are the most effective solvers of poverty." He proposed opportunity zones as an effective way to produce investment and wealth in inner cities.

April 24th to April 27th: Fletcher traveled to Iowa to meet with the state's gun rights organizations, emphasizing the need to protect hunting and the 2nd amendment. He lambasted "far-away bureaucrats imposing gun restrictions" and stressed the need for law-abiding citizens to exercise their right to vote and elect Republicans to Congress and the White House. He delivered a speech to the National Rifle Association on gun rights and the 2nd amendment, laying out a set of policy recommendations to protect gun rights.

Policy Recommendations:
1.) Prevent the Federal Government from passing any new ban of any particular type of firearm.
2.) Prevent the Federal Government from establishing a national gun ownership registry.
3.) Allow citizens to obtain concealed-carry permits without requirement of vague “good cause,” or egregious fees and training.
4.) Allow citizens to purchase firearms across state lines regardless of residence.
5.) Repeal the Assault Weapons ban. (assuming this still exists)

April 28th: Governor Fletcher toured a local oil & gas refinery. Meeting with workers, he spoke on the need to unleash the power of the American energy sector, scrapping many of President Al Gore's regulations and taxes. He emphasized the need for America to declare it's "energy independence" from Russia and Iran. The Governor highlighted the many jobs that could be produced out of the oil & gas sector as a response to the recent economic slow-down.

April 29th to May 3rd: After touring Michigan, Iowa and South Carolina, the Governor made the rounds with national media to double-down on defining his national image as an unwavering conservative. In a sit-down interview with Larry King, he discussed social, economic and foreign policy, particularly his firm support for a Marriage Defense amendment. The Governor underlined the need to define one of the "fundamental building blocks of society" and criticized John McCain over his unwillingness to back the amendment, stressing the need for faith to "have a place in the Republican Party."

May 4th to May 25th: Governor Fletcher returned to his home state of Kentucky only weeks before the state's gubernatorial Republican Primary. In a bid to woo conservative voters, the Governor announced his endorsement of right-to-work in the upcoming legislative session. Across the state, he'd continue the stump for his re-election bid, speaking on the accomplishments the Governor has made over the past four years, from cutting taxes to undoing the state's billion-dollar deficit.

May 26 to May 31st: After securing the Republican nomination for Governor, Fletcher would prepare to officially launch his campaign, which had served as an unofficial "exploratory" campaign for the past few months, concerting endorsements, support, fundraising and staff in preparation of his announcement. In national media, Governor Fletcher would explain what begets him to consider a run to begin with, explaining his passion for family values and concern over the need to "rebuild the Reagan coalition" and "defeat the policies of President Al Gore and Bill Clinton."

Campaign Strategy:
- Brand Ernie Fletcher as the candidate of social conservatism
- Tout conservative record as Governor, successful job growth record
- Tie Fletcher to "Reaganism," stress need to rebuild Reagan coalition
- Stress tax cuts & regulation cuts to alleviate economic stagnation

[John King wannabe]

PLANNED PARENTHOOD ENDORSES HILLARY CLINTON

The Planned Parenthood Board of Directors has officially motioned to endorse Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for President of the United States, citing her support of reproductive health and her experience in Healthcare. Senator Clinton held talks with Planned Parenthood in recent weeks and has said she is honored to have their endorsement.

"Planned Parenthoods mission is simple, provide the tools to plan the future for you and your partner in life, and to ensure the proper sexual health of your partner, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has shown that she knows the mission of our organization and is prepared to fight for what we believe in as the President, and we are honored to endorse her." A spokesperson from Planned Parenthood released.

Senator Clinton remarked: "I am absolutely honored to gain their support this early in the campaign, I am excited to be able to work with and for Planned Parenthood and to do everything I can to promote their cause."

[Continential]

Sam Nunn's Debate Resposes

Typical political wisdom would say that after 16 years of Democratic control in the White House, that the American people would opt for a Republican candidate. How are you best equipped to win over independents and Republicans to keep the Democrats in the White House for another 4 years?

-For a Nunn Administration, we will do common sense reform preposals like healthcare reform to allow all Americans to optionally have healthcare. We will have gun control by background checks to prevent the insane from getting guns, and I support concealed carry.

In 2006, Congress repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell which did not allow gay, bisexual, or transgender people to serve in the military. Do you agree with this action by Congress, and if elected, would you be in favor of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act?

I believe in a right for a man and a man or a woman and a woman to express their love and I support gay marriage, I support the repeal of Don't ask and Don't Tell.

Some critics of President Gore have said that the Department of Homeland Security isn't needed because there have only been small terror attacks, which aren't worthy of creating a whole new federal government department. Where do you stand on the Department of Homeland Security?

I believe that the Department of Homeland Security can be handled by the other government departments.

Senator Nunn: In 2001, you founded the Nuclear Threat initiative, working to end the production and use of nuclear weapons. Would you bring this fight to the White House if elected?

I will negotiate with China and Russia and India and Pakistan to disarm the nuclear weapons so we can end the idea of the end of the world as we know it.

[Brother Jonathan]

Senator McCain's Republican Town Hall responses:

DSC 0206 (2854419153)
Republican Party of Shelby County / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Opening Statement

Thank you for having me here tonight. I've been here before, but it's always a real treat I think to be able to speak directly to so many people. I have been across the nation over these last few weeks, and I've done quite a few town halls recently, and I wish more candidates would take time to field questions from voters. It's great that our hosts tonight have decided to broadcast a town hall to such a large audience.

I'm running for President to restore America's leadership. I'm running to ensure that their is leadership in the White House and American leadership in the world. For 16 years we've had administrations that triangulate principles, truncate the facts, and tarnish the truth. I know the American people are sick and tired of double talk, back room dealing, and the new politics as usual. We need to change direction. Our economy isn't working well for middle class Americans, our tax system is broken, and Main Street is feeling the pinch of almost two decades of over regulation and high taxes. I'm running for President because we need a real leader to take on these issues, to cut taxes on American families and small business, who will balance our budget, and protect our values at home and abroad. That's why I am running for President, and I look forward to answering your questions.

Typical political wisdom would say that after 16 years of Democratic control in the White House, that the American people would opt for a Republican candidate. How are you the best candidate to make sure that there is a Republican in the White House for the first time in 16 years?

"That's an excellent question, and I think it's one that speaks to many in our party. We can't seem to win right now, even after years of rule by the Democrats. Why do we face such long odds, even as the Democrats hamstring our economy and force through bill after bill outside of the American mainstream? I think the reason is fairly clear, if unpleasant. American's haven't seen a Republican nominee that was standing up for middle class Americans, who was willing to take on a system in Washington that's not working for Americans of all stripes across this country. George Bush and Dick Cheney are good men, but they weren't prepared to go to bat to take on a broken campaign finance system, to pass meaningful tax reform that focused on the middle and working class, as well as main street. People, when they think of our party and its economic policies, too often think of Wall Street, and not main street. Democrats love that line. I have always gone to bat for the middle class and working class, fighting for tax cuts that put them first. I am not just committed to fixing our broken campaign finance system, but I've helped draft and fight for bipartisan solutions to do just that. I think we have a great field of candidates running this year, but when it comes to fighting for middle class tax cuts and reform in Washington, my record is second to none and I'm proud to stand on it. I'm not offering the American people soundbites, I am offering them solutions. Above all, I am promising leadership, and that's what we need more than anything right now. I think the American people know that, and I think they will remember that come November."

In 2006, Congress repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell which did not allow gay, bisexual, or transgender people to serve in the military. Do you agree with this action by Congress, and if elected, would you be in favor of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act?

"I voted against repeal of this policy, and I think when you ask our military officials, they will tell you they were against it. Look, my friends, I served 23 years in the United States Navy, and there is no room for sexuality. Period. And that's what our Generals and our Admirals told us, and what retired military officials told us. My good friend Bill Cohen had questions about the policy when he became Secretary of Defense, and he had the policy reviewed in 1999. The review came back, and he kept the policy in place because our military said it was working. Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell was a political move, and so I opposed it.

I was also in the Senate during the debates on the Defense of Marriage Act, and I supported that bill. As President, I would seek to uphold it. It's a fine law, one that says clearly that the federal government won't recognize same sex marriage. so in short, no I would not support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act."

Some critics of President Gore have said that the Department of Homeland Security isn't needed because there have only been small terror attacks, which aren't worthy of creating a whole new federal government department. Others have said that this didn't go far enough. Where do you stand on the Department of Homeland Security?

"I supported the creation of the DHS, and I think it was a smart move. It has to be remembered that DHS was created to stop attacks, not deal with their aftermath. The fact that we haven't seen a major attack is reason to praise the Department, not abolish it. The DHS has to look at the future of terrorism, seek to be ever vigilant in protecting our nation, and my hat is off to the men and woman in that Department who have done good work in preventing many, many attacks. They are some of the best this country has to offer, and they have done a great job.

The Department of Homeland Security should only be one part of our nation's response to terrorism and the growing threat it poses. Sadly, President Gore has failed to act to build the international diplomatic and military alliances needed to put pressure on regimes around the world that are supporting and promoting terrorism. The President's failure on this front is frankly unacceptable. We need to act now to create an international coalition dedicated to fighting the growing threat of terrorism, and to take on the state sponsors of these heinous acts."

Conservative groups are reluctant to support your candidacy because of your streak of voting with Democrats in the Senate on some pieces of legislation. Some have referred to you as a RINO. What will you do as president to make sure that conservatives made the right choice for president, if elected?

"If you want to talk about conservative credentials, I am more than happy to. I worked for then Governor Reagan's 1976 Presidential campaign in the Republican primaries when I was stationed in Florida. I worked so hard for the campaign that my commanding officer had to reprimand me. When I was Navy liaison in the Senate, I fought for and got funding for aircraft carriers over the objection of the Carter administration. I fought hard for President Reagan's policies in Congress, and he supported me in my runs for House and later Senate. I helped pass the 1986 Tax Reform Act, the Defense of Marriage Act, and welfare reform. It's true, though, that I don't always vote the party line, like when I ignored the whips and voted against President Bush's tax increases in 1990 or against wasteful pork barrel spending.

As President, I will cut taxes and roll back the excessive over-regulation that has come out of the Clinton and Gore administrations. I will fight to restore America's role as a leader in the world, and I will rebuild our military after years of harsh cut backs by the Clinton and Gore administrations. I think that's an agenda all conservatives, all Americans really, can agree with."

[McGovernite]

Bobby Jindal Townhall Responses

Credit to The Wikimedia Commons for the Photo

Question #1

You see, there is one thing that is needed to combat the left, which is surging to power across many states in our great country. These left wing lunatics are taking over our State Governments, passing far left legislation that is destroying our country and our traditions. Now, my parents came to this country, but they did so legally. They came here because they wanted to give me a better life in the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave. Yet, when we see what is happening to our country now, that same vision is not a reality. People are coming here illegally, and taking free handouts that President Gore is giving out, and not putting anything back in. It's an absolute shame. After 16 years of Democratic Rule, Civil Unrest, and the destruction of America as we know it, I believe that millions of Americans are going to opt for a change. I believe that we need to combat Al Gore's Democratic Party with it's polar opposite, an Unapologetic Conservative who can win in a Tossup State. I believe that we are going to send a Republican to the White House next year, but we have to send the right one. Many of my opponents are to the left of me, and let me just say, they aren't really Republicans in my view. I am a strong willed Republican who is not afraid to take up arms against this tyrannical Democratic state in support of our Constitution and our freedoms.

Question #2

When President Gore made this move to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, what he did was sell our country out to the Far Left loonies. Don't Ask, Don't Tell has allowed for many conflicts, lawsuits, and problems to be avoided in our military. People don't need to know your sexual orientation, whether you are gay, straight, bisexual, or other. What matters in the military is what you're willing to put in to defend our country, and ensure that we keep our people and our democracy safe. This has created so many problems, because now we see people flaunting their sexuality, when what they should be flaunting is their medals and ribbons. As President, I will re-institute Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and abide by my Constitutional Conservative Values that have been instilled in me since my birth. I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, not because I hate gay people, but because it is what God wants, and what God says in the Bible. We must follow our Constitution, but most importantly we must follow our hearts and souls. I will repeal the Defense Against Marriage Act, and restore our Social Values in this country, and I will do this unapologetically.

Question #3

Listen, I'm a Southern Conservative, I believe in Small Government, The Free Market, and the Constitution. People don't want the Government meddling in their business, they want to OPEN businesses. As President, I will keep the Department of Homeland Security, but I will reduce the spending of this Department, since our country is fairly stable and secure at this time. However, if we were to face a Major Global Threat, I would meet with the Cabinet and Members of Congress to decide the course of action regarding Financial Appropriations. Do not get me wrong though, we must keep our country safe. That is why I believe that our biggest threat is Al Gore's Foreign Policy, of selling out to the Chinese Government, when we get nothing in return. I will reverse Al Gore's and Bill Clinton's Anti-American Trade Policies, and actually work for a system that works for American Workers and Businesses.

Specific Candidate Question

The American Civil Liberties Union doesn't really stand up for what it's saying it does. It has consistently sided with left wing groups and people, when it was obvious that the right wing group or person was within their Constitutional Rights. They don't stick up for our Civil Liberties, what they stick up for is the Washington Elites, that are devoted to defeating a growing amount of people getting tired of the same old, same old in Washington. In that ad, I said what was on my mind, and what was on the minds of many Americans. When people immigrate to this country, they must do so legally, or face the consequences. We have a border for a reason, and there is no compromising when it comes to our National Security. If I have the honor to be elected President, I will ensure that crossing the border illegally stays a crime, which the left wing elites in Washington want to reverse. I will continue to devote more support to I.C.E. and organizations like it. I will always stand up for Americans against the Far Left and Illegal Immigrants coming to destroy our country. Our Constitution gives us the rights to protect our borders for a reason, let's actually do something about it.

[zoz]

RON PAUL TOWNHALL ANSWERS

Thank you to NBC and South Carolina for hosting us tonight. My name is Ron Paul, and I've represented the great state of Texas in Congress with pride for a few years now. It's time we get down to business as Republicans. Let's face it: The Democrats have run this country into the ground over the past 16 years, and we need to reverse that. We need to seriously talk about all these problems in our country, and nominate someone who can take the fight to the Democrats and win. I'm running for president because we need a new direction, one where we don't have a surveillance state, or dictate healthcare decisions for people or strip away their rights. I have a long record opposing all these failed plans in Congress and more, and I look forward to discussing and defending my plans to fix America.

Typical political wisdom would say that after 16 years of Democratic control in the White House, that the American people would opt for a Republican candidate. How are you the best candidate to make sure that there is a Republican in the White House for the first time in 16 years?

Have you seen the Democrats running this year? It'd be impossible not to beat them! On a more serious note though, we have had, as you said, 16 years straight of Democrat control of the Oval Office. They've become stagnant and lackluster, pushing failed policies that don't work. On the other hand, the Republicans are trying to nominate candidates that are eerily similar to the Democrats. I offer the people a unique choice: Instead of flipping the same coin every four years to see which side we get, let's try something entirely different. My campaign can unite the GOP around its core principles, and when it comes to voters, I can attract those conservatives who might not otherwise vote for the nominee. In addition, I can win over Libertarians, as well disaffected Americans who either don't vote or are considering voting for people like Mr. Trump.

In 2006, Congress repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell which did not allow gay, bisexual, or transgender people to serve in the military. Do you agree with this action by Congress, and if elected, would you be in favor of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act?

I agree with repealing it insofar that our military personnel are more focused on protecting themselves and their reputation more than they are focused on their job at hand, which is the defense of this nation. I don't think anyone in America should live in such fear as these folks do. I don't support discharging troops simply for being gay, but if their homosexual actions are disruptive, then I would support it, just as someone in disruptive heterosexual actions is discharged.

As for the Defense of Marriage Act, I personally believe that marriage is a union between one man and one woman, but government should not be involved in this matter. This is purely a religious question. It's up to churches to decide if they support it, and we shouldn't target those that don't. If government is going to get involved, which again I oppose, it should be at the state level. We need to return more power to the states, and de-centralize power.

Some critics of President Gore have said that the Department of Homeland Security isn't needed because there have only been small terror attacks, which aren't worthy of creating a whole new federal government department. Others have said that this didn't go far enough. Where do you stand on the Department of Homeland Security?

That's easy. Abolish it. *throws hands in the air* Abolish it, that's all there is too it! This is government overreach. We already have police units, we have other units and organizations that deal with these kinds of things. We don't need another bureaucratic wasteland to further infringe on the rights of our citizens. This is why I'm running for president, to end these unnecessary, and frankly un-Constitutional governmental violations.

In the 1990s, you wrote a series of newsletters in a Texas newspaper. Recently, some racist and homophobic comments in those newsletters have arose. One quote says "Given the inefficiencies of what DC laughingly calls the criminal justice system, I think we can safely assume that 95 percent of the black males in that city are semi-criminal or entirely criminal." You also said "even in my little town of Lake Jackson, Texas, I've urged everyone in my family to know how to use a gun in self defense... for the animals are coming." You said that New York City should be renamed to "Welfaria", "Zooville", "Rapetown", "Dirtburg", and "Lazyopolis". Do you stand by these comments?

Y'know, I have a problem with this. The media is taking these remarks out of context. Did I go too far with the name calling and all that? Perhaps I did, and I'll apologize for that. But I won't apologize for criticizing the criminal justice system that arrests many people for pointless charges, and as a result artificially inflates the crime rate. We also have a problem at the border, with criminals coming over illegally. And in addition to this, our welfare system keeps people trapped in poverty, which encourages them to go into crime to get by. We have some big problems in this country that I want to seriously address with common sense, but you would never know it the way the media talks about me and takes my words out of context.

[John King wannabe]

CLINTON CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE - AUGUST

August 1st - 2nd | Arkansas

August 1st:
Rally in Fayetteville, AR
Attend campaign office opening

August 2nd:
Eat at a local breakfast restaurant.
Tour old Fayetteville house.
Fly to California

August 3rd - 5th | California

August 3rd:
Rally in Los Angeles, CA with Senator Dianne Feinstein
Attend campaign office opening in Los Angeles, CA
Phonebank in Los Angeles, CA

August 4th:
Rally in San Francisco, CA
Meeting with California Democratic Delegation.
Fundraiser in San Francisco, CA

August 5th:
Rally in Santa Barbara, CA
Fundraiser in Santa Barbara, CA

August 6th - 10th | Iowa

August 6th:
Rally in Ames, IA
Launch “College Students for Hillary”
Phonebank in Ames, IA

August 7th:
Tour warehouse in Iowa City, IA
Small Speech in the local community center in Ames, IA
Participate in a food drive in Iowa City, IA

August 8th:
Rally in Des Moines, IA
Barnstorm in Des Moines, IA
Phonebank in Des Moines, IA

August 9th:
Rally in Sioux City, IA
Meet local teachers union in Iowa City, IA

August 10th:
Attend Iowa State Fair 2007 in Des Moines, IA
Fundraiser in Des Moines, IA
Fly to New Hampshire

August 11th - 13th | New Hampshire

August 11th:
Rally in Concord, NH
Barnstorm in Concord, NH

August 12th:
Major rally in Manchester with President Bill Clinton
Phonebank in Manchester, NH
Attend local school supplies drive

August 13th:
Eat breakfast at a local waffle house.
Attend DNC Conference in Nashua, NH
Rally in Nashua, NH
Fly to South Carolina

August 14th - 16th | South Carolina

August 14th:
Fundraiser in Clemson, SC
Rally in Clemson, SC
Barnstorm in Clemson, SC

August 15th:
Rally in Greenville, SC
Barnstorm in Greenville, SC
Phonebank in Greenville, SC

August 16th:
Rally in Columbia, SC
Fundraiser in Columbia, SC
Barnstorm in Columbia, SC

August 17th - 19th | Michigan

August 17th:
Rally in Ann Arbor, MI
Phonebank in Ann Arbor, MI
Rally in Grand Rapids, MI

August 18th:
Rally in Flint, MI
Rally in Detroit, MI
Fundraiser in Detroit, MI

August 19th:
Rally in Lansing, MI
Roundtable on Economic Reform
Fundraiser in Lansing, MI
Fly to Florida

August 20th - 22nd | Florida

August 20th:
Rally in Jacksonville. FL
Town Hall on Environmental issues
Fundraiser in Jacksonville. FL


August 21st:
Tour local warehouse in Miami, FL
Townhall on Criminal Justice Reform
Visit small businesses

August 22nd:
Rally in Tallahassee, FL
Fundraiser in Tallahassee, FL
Roundtable on voting rights
Fly to Iowa

August 23rd - 25th | Iowa

August 23rd:
Rally in Ames, Iowa
Door-knocking in Ames, Iowa

August 24th:
Major rally in Des Moines, IA with President Bill Clinton
Interview with CBS News
Town Hall on Union Rights

August 25th:
Rally in Cedar Rapids, IA
Roundtable on Women’s Rights
Barnstorm in Cedar Rapids, IA
Fly to New York

August 25th - 29th | Rest Days

August 30th - 31st | Nevada

August 30th:
Rally in Las Vegas, NV
Fundraiser in Las Vegas, NV
Phonebank in Las Vegas, NV

August 31st:
Rally in Carson City, NV
Town Hall on Civil Rights
Roundtable on Economic Reform.

[VirginiaAaron]

BREAKING NEWS: REP. KING (R-IA) TO CHAIR COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE GORE AND IRAQ

Images from Wikimedia Commons

Good evening, I'm Wolf Blitzer from the CNN newsroom in New York City. Tonight we begin from an update from the House of Representatives. A few moments ago, Iowa Congressman Steve King began a press conference announcing the formation of a committee to investigate President Gore and the Gore administration to see if the administration is hiding reports that there are indeed weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. A group of Republican lawmakers led the effort to create this committee, particularly Congressman Steve King of Iowa, Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio, Congressman Peter Roskam of Illinois, and Congressman Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia. On a party line vote, the committee was established.

Members of the committee were announced today with all of the Republicans previously stated along with Congressman Eric Cantor of Virginia, Congressman Virgil Goode also of Virginia, and Congressman Joe Barton of Texas. On the Democratic side, Congressman Elijah Cummings will serve as Ranking Member of this committee. The other Democrats on the committee include Congressman Adam Smith of Washington, Congressman Adam Schiff of California, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez of California, and Congresswoman Gabby Giffords of Arizona. Chairman King has already promised that there will be several subpoenas if necessary, lots of testifying, and that he would like to see President Gore himself testify on the matters of Iraq.

Meanwhile, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's office recently commented on these "unknown reports" that some Republican members of the House, "There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, period. We've had peaceful discussions with the President of the United States and that's that. There's nothing to this story."

[RGM2609]

Senator Russ Feingold @RUSS

The military industrial companies are desperate to get our country into a war (getting to supply military presences in Uganda or Botswana is not enough for their greed) - and ordered the House far rightists and racists to drag us into Iraq! President Gore did nothing wrong in dealing with Iraq and the alleged (in a conspiracy theory) WMDs are just a pretext for those military company CEOs to get even richer! SHAME!

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Trump/Flynn Campaign response on investigation into Gore and Iraq

Well it is great to know that Congress has finally taken the opportunity to investigate the potential of WMDs in Iraq that the Gore administration ignored, it is saddening to take note that these actions seem to be on partisan lines and thus could likely lead to a result that'll obviously make the Democrats look bad. The Trump/Flynn campaign will keep a careful eye on this investigation and will determine for ourselves whether the evidence is there or not. If it is, then send in the troops, if not, continue the sanctions. However, a bi-partisan investigation must be utilized first.

Trump on George Allen in Albany, New York

Did you see that interview that Senator Allen did the other idea with the Mainstream Media. He did alright, he did pretty good during it but then he decided to say that I was a fraud  and I take some offense to that, alright? A fraud doesn't build an international real estate empire in a matter of year and doesn't know how to get the job done, but I think you all know I can and I did. Lyin' Allen, that's my name for him. Lyin' Allen, kinda suits him. And did you hear what he wants to do? He wants to ban the ability to burn flags in protest. Now, personally, I love the flag, it's a great symbol, but people are free to protest it in however fashion they like. That's what we call the first amendment. Freedom of the Press, Speech, and Protest were the first thing our founding fathers granted towards us in the Bill of Rights in 1789, yet lyin' Allen seems to have not understood that. People have the right to protest. We aren't in a dictatorial regime or in the Presidencies of John Adams or Woodrow Wilson, were people were locked up for protests against the government by doing certain actions such as Flag Burning. Also, I gotta remind people that only a year ago, Allen called a certain man a very nasty word, a very nasty one. Well, that person has stated that he'll support me all the way to November and remind others about how horrible you have been to specific groups of people. We can't have a man like Allen in the white house. He'll ruin our image, I promise you that.

Trump/Flynn Campaign Statement on Gay Marriage

While it is clear that the debate over gay marriage must be settled sooner rather than later, the Trump/Flynn campaign announces that it'll support the idea of it going to the states with the promise that should 2/3rds of the states legalize it, then a Trump Administration will codify it into law. Otherwise, the states will continue to decide for themselves while the federal government must focus on other issues that is more important.

[John King wannabe]

Sen. Clinton Senate Floor Speech on Iraq

Mr. President, what we have seen on the other side of the Capitol is bitter, divisive, partisan politics. Congressman King knows as well as anyone that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction. He has proven to us how bitter our politics is and how much we need to reform it.

Mr. President, I do not support this committee or their actions, no-one should. This is a partisan issue plain and simple meant to hurt the President and his agenda. There is proof there are no weapons of mass destruction so why do House Republicans continue to push this theory? It's not necessary.

So I ask my fellow members in this chamber to join me in sending a clear message, that this is wrong, we do not stand for it. And we never will. We can not let partisan politics divide our country any further we were elected to serve our constituents and that is what I intend to do.

I yield the remainder of my time.

[RGM2609]

During a speech in Iowa, Senator Feingold spoke about the new investigation. Here is what he had to say -

Well, the big companies involved in military industry are more desperate then ever to get us into a war. Even as the US Army is too expanded as it is, that is not enough to satisfy their greed, and so they ordered the Congressional far rightists and racists to drag us into a war with Iraq. They, as it fits their partisan goals, accepted it with eagerness. President Gore did nothing wrong, and handled the Middle Eastern situation with competence, despite overwhelming pressure from the Republicans to invade and open up a huge theater, and the alleged WMDs that Iraq owns are nothing more than conspiracy theories with no proof, a pretext for both the politicians to get more power and the billionaires to get more wealth. It is shameful, and I will not stand by it.

[Mycool]

Kathleen Sebelius Surrogate Schedule

Senator Ben Nelson will be heading the Iowa arm of the Sebelius campaign, leveraging his elevated name ID in western Iowa due to representing a neighboring state. The Senator will spend his time primarily barnstorming Council Bluffs, Sioux City, and the areas in between, campaigning on Kathleen’s bipartisan record as Governor of Kansas and ability to win over Independent and even Republican voters.

Roll out the endorsement of Governor Claire McCaskill

Source

“I’m proud to endorse a fellow Democratic woman serving as Governor, especially of a neighboring state. Governor Kathleen Sebelius has been a real leader, she works hard to make life better for everyone in her state, whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, or neither. She knows how to balance a budget, work across the aisle, and find solutions to problems facing her constituents. Now more than ever, that’s what we need out of our President.”

Governor Claire McCaskill will split her time campaigning in her own state of Missouri and in neighboring Iowa. Governor McCaskill will primarily work out of the Kansas City campaign office and coordinate frequently with Kathleen on strategy. When campaigning, the Governor will highlight Kathleen’s steadfast commitment to both the second amendment and keeping abortion safe, legal, and rare as Governor of Kansas. She will also point out Kathleen’s approach to trade being a middle of the road approach that won’t upend agricultural communities that benefit from freer trade but will address the problems of bad trade deals hurting manufacturing communities. While Senator Nelson’s region for campaigning is western Iowa, McCaskill will stump across southern Iowa, working on outreach in the region that borders her own state, with headlining events in Des Moines and Iowa City, and smaller events in between and south of each.

[Mycool]

Kathleen Sebelius Early Summer Schedule

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius at the DNC by
WEBN-TV, on Flickr

Roll out new policies on the road:

Make banks work for you: re-implement postal banking, allowing underbanked communities, those in poverty, and rural communities to all have greater access to a bank. Reinstate Glass–Steagall Sections 20 and 32, protecting consumers and the market from the risks of uniting investment and commercial banking

Immigration reform: Form bipartisan policy team on immigration, work to pass the bipartisan DREAM Act. Go after businesses that hire undocumented immigrants, paying them a sub-minimum wage, rather than the immigrants themselves.

May: Return to Iowa and begin introduction to West Coast

1-8: Iowa
Joint rally with Governor Claire McCaskill in Des Moines
Tour West Des Moines school district, hold a roundtable with educators and parents about education policy
Speech at Iowa State University in Ames, touting Governor Sebelius’ plan to make education more affordable, in particular cutting out the middleman by allowing the Dept of Education to issue loans directly to students
Rally in Marshalltown
Rally in Waterloo
Rally in Cedar Rapids
Spend several days in Dubuque, holding student townhalls, educator roundtables, and rallies at the various colleges in the city

9-13: Arizona
Fly to Tucson
Rally in Tucson
Hold a series of townhalls in Phoenix suburbs, with events in Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, and Glendale
Rally in Phoenix

14-15: Nevada
Cross into Nevada
Rally in Henderson
Tour casinos and hotels in Las Vegas, holding a style of ‘listening tour’ where the Governor hears the policy concerns of workers there

16-20: California
Cross into California
Rallies in Victorville, Anaheim, and San Bernadino
Large rally in Los Angeles, speaking on immigration
Townhalls in Santa Barbara and Bakersfield
Listening tour townhalls en route to San Francisco
Rally in San Francisco

21-23rd: Oregon
Cross into Oregon
Townhalls in Medford, Eugene, and Salem
Rally in Portland

24-26th: Washington

Townhalls in Olympia, Kent, and Tacoma
Speak at the University of Washington in Seattle
Rally in Seattle

27-31: Back to Iowa
Fly to Davenport
Rally in Davenport
Hold townhalls across the southern half of the state, joined in various ones by Governor Claire McCaskill and Senator Ben Nelson, with events in Mt Pleasant, Centerville, Leon, Creston, Atlantic, and Avoca

June: Early state investment and Super Tuesday presence

1-5: New Hampshire
Fly to Manchester
Open NH Campaign HQ in Manchester
Rally in Manchester
Speak at Southern New Hampshire University
Rally in Concord
Rally in Dover

6-10: South Carolina
Fly to Charleston
Visit Port of Charleston
Townhall in Charleston on trade
Townhalls in Summerville, Orangeburg, and Lexington
Open SC Campaign HQ in Columbia
Educator roundtable at University of South Carolina
Rally in Finlay Park
Townhall in Aiken

11-15: Georgia
Cross into Georgia
Rally in Augusta
Townhall in Sandersville
Rally in Macon
Townhalls in Dublin and Statesboro
Rally in Savannah
Barnstorm local businesses in Savannah
Tour coast of Georgia, holding townhalls in Brunswick and Kingsland

16-20: Florida
Cross into Florida
Rally in Jacksonville
Townhall tour of Florida, with events in Gainesville, Ocala, Orlando, Melbourne, and Fort Lauderdale
Wrap up Florida tour with a rally in Miami

21-23: Minnesota
Fly to Duluth
Hold a roundtable in Duluth on investing and protecting agritourism
Rally in St Cloud
Rally in Minneapolis, highlighting Kathleen’s support of anti-discrimination protections for the LGBT community
Hold roundtables at the various higher education facilities in St Paul

24-26: New Jersey
Fly into Trenton
Visit charter schools in Trenton
Rally in Edison on renegotiating NAFTA
Visit Port Newark
Rally in Newark

27-30: New York
Cross into New York
Five Borough tour of New York, visiting schools and businesses holding townhalls and roundtables in every borough

[romanthaddeus007]

**DASCHLE SPEECH FROM THE SENATE FLOOR**
(excerpt from the beginning)
Mr. Preident, I rise today to share the utter disappointment of the Democratic Party of our partisan colleagues in the house. A meritless investigation chaired by a partisan hack leaves us in the same position we had with Kenneth Star a few years ago: A partisan investigation that wastes taxpayer dollars on this useless investigation. It seems as if Republicans need a boost in the polls, and congressman King has shown his true colors. This partisan hackery shall not be tolerated, and would never happen in this institution...

[Orwell]

Hello, I'd like to begin the night by thanking Mr.Brian Williams for hosting this town hall, and thanking my fellow candidates for participating in it. This election is much like that of 1980, many years of Democratic rule, and an incompetent Democratic President. That President having betrayed the American values they promised to protect. In 1980, the GOP nominated someone who was not going to play the political games in Washington, the GOP nominated someone who wasn't going to stand by and wait for the Washington machine to drag their feet, that man was and today is an idol to millions of Americans, that man was Ronald Reagan and he would go onto lead America into a new age, with lower taxes, a smaller government, and a strong national defense. I will, as President strive to repeat the successes of President Reagan and to be your nominee for President of the United States would be the greatest honor that could be given to me. As President, I will fight for lower taxes, fewer regulations, and for the first time in our nation's history enshrine into our constitution the Marriage Defense Amendment, to define marriage as between one man and one woman the Balanced budget amendment, to make sure the federal government can balance their pocketbook like a middle-class family and the Flag desecration amendment because the symbol for which brave Americans gave the ultimate sacrifice should not be desecrated. I will take these actions because the American people should be able to preach the freedoms ordained to them in the constitution, and live life without the threat of federal intervention, because as President Reagan said, "The 9 most terrifying words in the English Language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help".

Typical political wisdom would say that after 16 years of Democratic control in the White House, that the American people would opt for a Republican candidate. How are you the best candidate to make sure that there is a Republican in the White House for the first time in 16 years?

For the past 16 years, the Democrats in Washington have weakened America, and strengthened their friends in New York and California. 4 more years of a Democratic administration would mean higher taxes, more regulations, and less freedom. This election is not about deciding between the Democrats and Republicans this is about striking out for what is right, as Governor of Virginia I brought together Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who wanted to keep traditional American values, be tough on crime, and lower taxes, by doing that I was elected by the largest margin in 50 years. I am the best candidate not just on the Republican side for President, but out of any candidate because I have helped people and I want to continue to help people. As Governor, I lowered taxes, because when Americans know how to better use their money than the government does. As Governor, I helped cut 75% of Virginia's regulations, because businesses need less red tape and government bureaucracy, not more.  

In 2006, Congress repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell which did not allow gay, bisexual, or transgender people to serve in the military. Do you agree with this action by Congress, and if elected, would you be in favor of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act?

Repealing The repeal of Don't Ask Don't tell was a massive mistake by this administration, I would prefer if homosexuals did not serve in the United States military, a study from the RAND corporation says that with the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell the United States military will lose up to 10 percent of its possible recruits every year, homosexuals should not serve in the military, because they can disrupt unit cohesion and I believe that Senator McCain, Governor Fletcher, and Secretary Powell would agree with me, and during my time in the Senate and as Governor of Virginia I spoke with many servicemen and veterans and many of them too were against homosexuals serving openly in the military, because of unit cohesion, and we cannot put our brave soldiers in harm's way to please a few Americans trying to push a radical social agenda.

In regards to the Defense of Marriage Act, I believe it hasn't gone far enough. That is why I proposed to Congress a constitutional amendment, the Marriage Protection Amendment, which defined marriage as being between one man and one woman, but those on the radical left, such as Hillary Clinton, Russ Feingold, allied with John McCain to defeat the amendment and continue to let American values be pushed to the wayside to push their radical social agendas, as President I will appoint conservative judge's to the Supreme Court, not judges who will bend over backward to please the radical liberal crowd, because this is the United States and we have our laws made from the constitution.

Some critics of President Gore have said that the Department of Homeland Security isn't needed because there have only been small terror attacks, which aren't worthy of creating a whole new federal government department. Others have said that this didn't go far enough. Where do you stand on the Department of Homeland Security?

I am ashamed of President Gore when Americans were massacred in Laredo, Berkley, and Boston he took the normal left-wing Democrat position of throw money at the problem. Gore is nothing more than a tax and spends liberal, I'll tell you what we should have done and what we will do on Day 1, we will strengthen our national security and end the wasteful tax and spend policies of the Gore administration if we are going to combat radical Islamic terrorism perpetrated by the likes of Osama Bin Laden, let us first ask ourselves of who let these attacks happen? These attacks and every single life lost in them was a failure by the Clinton and Gore administrations to protect American citizens in their own nation.

I supported the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, and I support it to this day, but I question why it took so long and why so many American lives were lost before the Gore administration acted. As President, I will strike at Terrorism before it takes the lives of innocent Americans. In Laredo, Texas, innocent Americans were slaughtered in the pews of their church, these people who committed these attacks are monsters, and they should be dealt with like they are. As a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations I have been apart of numerous hearings on the success of the Department, and I have been apart of hearings detailing the failures of the Clinton and Gore administrations to stop these violent hateful and disgusting acts of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism.

During your 2006 re-election campaign, you referred to someone who was a staffer for your opponent, Jim Webb, as a "Macaca," a Portuguese word that's translated to 'monkey'. (Here's the exact quote: "This fellow here over here with the yellow shirt, Macaca, or whatever his name is. He's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere.") What do you say to your critics that say that your remarks are racist?

What I said to Mr.Sidharth, was a slip of the tongue. My remarks may have not been appropriate for the time, but they were not intended to be racist, they were a simple mistake, and I apologized to him if I had offended him. I think the real question is why is the Liberal mainstream media pushing this non-story? I believe it is an attempt to hurt my candidacy because when I am elected I am promising to fight the corruption that the Democrats and the mainstream media have perpetrated these last 16 years, and when I am President we're going to take the fight to corruption.

As I finish my remarks tonight, I ask you not as Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, I ask you as Americans. I ask you to help return American values to our nation because for these last 16 years the Democrats have pushed for a radical social agenda, and tried to crush the American middle class with higher taxes and more regulations. I SAY NO MORE! I say that we restore American values. I say that we balance the budget. I say that we cut taxes. I say that we defend the sanctity of traditional marriage in the United States. In Washington today the Democrats are trying to defund medicare with their unconstitutional Gorecare proposal as President on day 1 we're going to start repealing the disastrous Gorecare. I'm George Allen, and I'm not going to be playing the Washington games like the Democrats are, I'm not a career politician I'm a businessman, thank you, good night god bless you all and god bless America.

[KaiserDave]

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Schweitzer Slams Partisan Republicans

Governor Schweitzer slammed the partisan games being played by the House Republicans at a campaign stop in Iowa. The main thrust of his speech in rural Iowa was on gun rights, and the rights of hunters and fisherman to public lands, but he eventually spoke on the new investigations led by Steve King into potential weapons of mass destruction in Ba'athist Iraq and potential in. Brian Schweitzer did not mince words when he slammed the inaction, partisanship, and hackery of the GOP investigation.

It makes me mad folks. It makes me mad. The price of gas is gonna be over 3 bucks a gallon, we're losing jobs, wages are stagnant, but Steve King he has his priorities in order he says. He thinks need a Congressional investigation into chemical and nuclear weapons in Iraq, that so far no evidence suggest  exist. But why would they do something so foolish? Well folks they know exactly what they're doing, we all know how Washington works. I don't put it past some of Washington's creatures to fudge the numbers, and get this country into a large scale war. I believe in protecting this country folks. But do we protect this countries by sending thousands of American boys to die in the desert? (crowd says NO) No not at all. We gotta take the petro dictators, like Saddam Hussein, biggest weapon against us. Our reliance on their crude oil. We gotta make ourselves energy independent! But Steve King and George Allen would prefer to fight a war in the middle east. Maybe it's for the benefit of Raytheon and Lockheed? I wouldn't put i past them! But we gotta vote them out Iowa! We gotta vote them out, and in November we will and we will change this country!

Iowa continues to be a hotbed of activity for the Schweitzer campaign, where volunteering and fundraising in the state has been a big priority. The Governor has visited the state often.

[Cabbage]

Election Update 2008
with your host, Tom Brokaw

Brokaw: Good evening. I'm Tom Brokaw, and welcome to tonight's edition of Election Update 2008.

Brokaw: And tonight is marked by the first major polls of the election season, which shows Senators Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and George Allen out front in the races for presidential nominations currently, but it is still early, and these factors may change.

Brokaw: And now, of course, for our special guest tonight, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer. Governor, how are you tonight?

Schweitzer: I'm good, Tom. Glad to be here.

Brokaw: And we're glad to have you, as well. Now then, you’ve recently introduced healthcare legislation that would go much further than President Gore’s policy; would you push a similar bill as President, and, given the difficulty this more moderate version has been having, how do you intend to pass it?

Schweitzer: Tom, I support the President's efforts. I hope his bill passes, it will bring more affordable care those who need it. But I believe in many respects this bill doesn't do enough to protect the vulnerable. There are a lot of Democrats and Republicans who have taken the corporate cash on this issue and they've stopped President Gore from doing more, they've tied his hands up. In Montana we've tried to do things differently, I strongly believe in our federalist system, and we're trying to deliver affordable care to every Montanan. If elected President I'd work on the President's proposal and try to incorporate a public insurance option that all evidence shows would boost competition and reduce costs. But what's also so important, Tom, is the prescription drug issue, our seniors are paying way way too much for survival, yes surviving of these necessary medications. In Montana we're letting far cheaper Canadian drugs in to boost competition, and I'd do that at the national level. Our seniors deserve it and golly they need it.

Brokaw: A number of measures expected to cut costs substantially. Now then, despite President Gore twice losing your state by more than 15 points, you have consistently held a more than 60% approval rating for most of your term as Governor. Do you believe this means you could make inroads into the Plains states if you’re the nominee?

Schweitzer: Oh yes I do, Tom. We can't afford to write off the west, we can't afford to write off any state in this election. In Montana, what I did is I took over the middle, me and a Republican teamed up to push for common sense policies. We pushed for cheaper prescription drugs, energy jobs, and affordable healthcare. There's no reason Democrats can't win the west, and that's why I'm making the case for these progressive policies. Progressives used to win big in the plains, Theodore Roosevelt, Bob La Follette, Franklin Roosevelt, we can't just ignore them. If Democrats write off "red state" America, we will lose, but I'm not doing that. I'm making the case to these states that these policies are the right ones, and when you make the argument, Tom, you can win.

Brokaw: A string of ardent progressives who fought to win all of the country, not just the parts they could win. Now then, assuming you do win the Presidency next year, what would you first 100 days be like?

Schweitzer: I'm happy you asked, Tom. The first thing I'd so is a posthumous pardon for all those imprisoned during the First World War for violations of the Sedition Acts. These were unconstitutional laws, and they are a national disgrace. I can tell you my grandparents had to prostrate and humiliate themselves just to prove they were Americans and it ain't right. Then I'd slash the red tape getting in the way of our energy independence, I'd invest and make it easier for an American energy explosion. Biofuels, solar, hydro, natural gas, coal liquifying, you name it. Energy jobs through the roof and gas prices falling to the floor. Then I'd tell Mexico and Canada to come back to the table to renegotiate NAFTA, we gotta get a better deal, Tom, we're hemorrhaging jobs and we gotta stem the bleeding. And you know I gotta make sure our small towns and farmers are getting their due, we're gonna smash the monopolies and trusts that are running all over our farmers.

Brokaw: A call for more jobs for the American people; can't go wrong with that. Finally, Governor, if you could say one thing to the American people, what would it be?

Schweitzer: Well one thing I'd say is that if you're concerned where this country is headed, if you believe that the choice between right wing Republicans determined to tear up the social safety net and Democrats who think everything is fine is an unfair one, if you believe that the Democratic Party ought to be the party of the people, then I ask for your vote. We can pick a status quo candidate, or we can pick a people's democrat. I'm gone out to small town America and I know if we make the case for populist policies, policies that put the little guy before Walmart and Goldman Sachs, we can win. If we put blue collar jobs before hedge fund profits, we can win. And if we pick a platform that puts people before politics, we can make this country prosper and progress like never before.

Brokaw: Governor Schweitzer, always a pleasure to have you on.

Schweitzer: Always one to be here, Tom.

Brokaw: And that will be all for tonight. Tune in Sunday when we interview Senator Russ Feingold from Wisconsin.

Brokaw: Until then, I'm Tom Brokaw, and this has been your Election Update.

[NewYorkExpress]

Obama Town Hall answers

Typical political wisdom would say that after 16 years of Democratic control in the White House, that the American people would opt for a Republican candidate. How are you best equipped to win over independents and Republicans to keep the Democrats in the White House for another 4 years?

After sixteen years of being in power, the country needs a candidate that represents change. Since I am not the most experienced candidate running, compared to Senator Daschle, Vice President Lieberman or Senator Clinton. But what I do bring is the promise of change from the Washington status quo. The way I see it now, there are only three agents of change running in this race. Myself, Secretary Powell, and Mr. Trump. Each of us brings a different type of change, and I believe my vision of change would be best for America, but we all represent change.

In 2006, Congress repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell which did not allow gay, bisexual, or transgender people to serve in the military. Do you agree with this action by Congress, and if elected, would you be in favor of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act?

Let me come out and say it. I support the right of two consenting adults to marry each other. Period. As President, I would indeed be in favor of ending of the Defense of Marriage Act, and it's a shame more candidates who are here tonight won't support me.

Some critics of President Gore have said that the Department of Homeland Security isn't needed because there have only been small terror attacks, which aren't worthy of creating a whole new federal government department. Where do you stand on the Department of Homeland Security?

Saying the Department of Homeland Security wasn't needed because there were only small terrorist attacks is like saying saying a second front in World War Two wasn't needed because Hitler was going to bleed himself out in Russia. It just isn't true. Besides, how do you define "small" anyways? Because what you have as a definition of small, and what I have as a definition of small, are very different things.

Critics have said that you're not qualified to serve as President of the United States. You were elected to the Senate 3 years ago, and before that you were in the Illinois State Senate for 7 years. What makes you qualified to seek the presidency?

I genuinely don't think I'm any more or less qualified than say...Senator Clinton, who's only prior government experience of any kind before becoming Senator was Hillarycare, and then the scandals of the Clinton White House. And she's one of the frontrunners.

[Cabbage]

Morning Consult Democratic Primary Poll, 1-4 April 2007
Senator Hillary Clinton - 21%
Senator Russ Feingold - 11%
Representative Barbara Lee - 9%
Governor Brian Schweitzer - 9%
Senator Tom Daschle - 8% (suspended; endorsed Clinton)
Governor Kathleen Sebelius - 7%
Vice President Joe Lieberman - 6%
Senator Barack Obama - 6%
Former Senator Sam Nunn - 3%
Senator Blanche Lincoln - 2%
Former Senator Mike Gravel - 1%

Morning Consult Republican Primary Poll, 1-4 April 2007
Senator George Allen - 25%
Senator John McCain - 23% (suspended)
Governor Ernie Fletcher - 12%
Governor Bobby Jindal - 8%
Governor Mitt Romney – 6%
Representative Ron Paul - 6%
Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. - 4%
Governor George Pataki - 4%
Mayor Michael Bloomberg - 2%
Former Defense Secretary Colin Powell – 1%

Who would you vote for in the 2008 general election?
Democratic Nominee - 41%
Republican Nominee - 40%
Mr. Donald Trump - 8%

Endorsements

Democrats

Hillary Clinton
Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator from California
Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
Frank Cownie, Mayor of Des Moines, Iowa
Planned Parenthood
Tom Daschle, U.S. Senator from South Dakota
Tom Harkin, U.S. Senator from Iowa[/color]

Russ Feingold
Bruce Braley, U.S. Representative from Iowa’s 1st District
Dick Clark, former U.S. Senator from Iowa

Barbara Lee
NAACP
Xavier Becerra, U.S. Representative from California's 31st District
Jim Clyburn, U.S. Representative from South Carolina’s 6th District

Brian Schweitzer
Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator from Vermont (Independent)
Tom Vilsack, former Governor of Iowa

Kathleen Sebelius
Ben Nelson, U.S. Senator from Nebraska

Joe Lieberman
None

Barack Obama
John Lewis, U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 5th District
Patty Judge, former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

Sam Nunn
Jim Hodges, former Governor of South Carolina

Blanche Lincoln
Mark Pryor, U.S. Senator from Arkansas

Mike Gravel
None

Republicans

George Allen
Chuck Grassley, U.S. Senator for Iowa
Adam Putnam, U.S. Representative from Florida’s 12th District
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
Mike Pence, U.S. Representative from Indiana’s 6th District
Tom Latham, U.S. Representative from Iowa’s 4th District
Steve King, U.S. Representative from Iowa’s 5th District
Chuck Norris, actor
Kid Rock, musician

John McCain
John Sununu, U.S. Senator from New Hampshire
Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida

Ernie Fletcher
Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator for South Carolina
Jeff Lamberti, U.S. Representative for Iowa’s 3rd District
National Right to Life

Bobby Jindal
Jim DeMint, U.S. Senator from South Carolina
Pete Hoekstra, U.S. Representative from Michigan's 2nd District

Mitt Romney
None

Ron Paul
Walter B. Jones, U.S. Representative from North Carolina’s 3rd District

Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Judd Gregg, Governor of New Hampshire

George Pataki
Charlie Bass, U.S. Representative for New Hampshire’s 2nd District
Jim Leach, U.S. Representative for Iowa’s 2nd District

Michael Bloomberg
Tom Corbett, Attorney General of Pennsylvania

Colin Powell
Susan Collins, U.S. Senator from Maine

Independents

Donald Trump
Jeff Sessions, U.S. Senator from Alabama (Republican)
Tim Allen, actor

Candidates received all reserved endorsements they could afford; if you would prefer to save up for a bigger reserved endorsement that you mentioned earlier, please let me know. The following candidates have whole credits they can still use to get endorsements now:

Kathleen Sebelius: 1
Joe Liebeman: FREE + 1
Mike Gravel: FREE
Mitt Romney: FREE + 1
Ron Paul: 1

[Brother Jonathan]

Senator McCain Announces End of Presidential Campaign, Citing Health and Growing Tensions with Iraq

My personal computer just broke, so I won't have the access needed to continue this game. Which is a shame, because I really quite enjoyed it. Hopefully I can try again another time, but for right now I just won't be able to.

Senator McCain's Remarks

Delivered on the Floor of the United States Senate, speaking on the proposed Marriage Amendment

John McCain official portrait 2009
United States Congress / Public domain

Thank you Mr. President. I, like many of my colleagues, enjoy the loving support of a caring spouse. My Cindy has been with me for 28 years now, 28 lovely years. She has been with me through my entire political career, in the House and Senate, making me a better person in the process. And she has stood by me through three Presidential campaigns, which afterday I must be forced to say will have all ended with me short of my desired goal. She has, most importantly, been with me in sickness and in health. I am afraid she shall soon see me in the latter state in the coming months, as I undergo treatment for cancer once again. While my doctors fully expect me to recover in time, I do not feel that it would be right for me now to seek the office of President with the intention of holding that office when I know that I may still be fighting this terrible disease. I therefore will be ending my campaign for the Presidency, and I would like to pause here to thank all those, my staff and the millions around this country who have donated, volunteered, or evenly simply believed in our message, for all they have done for this campaign. I am sure you will all agree that this campaign, if nothing else, was about putting our country first, and with that in mind it would be wrong for me to serve with this aliment hanging over me. I thank you all for your support, you truly are the bedrock of our democracy, and I applaud every single one of the work you have done.

But, Mr. President, the Floor of this august body should not be used as bully pulpit for campaigning, and so I shall turn to the reason I rise to speak today. We are asked to consider an Amendment to our Constitution, the highest law of the land, that would recognize marriage as an institution reserved for the union of one man and one woman. I know I am not alone in this chamber when I say that to me that is the meaning of marriage. A great many members, on both sides of this chamber, believe that to be true, and in this country it is accepted widely by people of many backgrounds that marriage is a sacred institution, reserved to one man an one women. I have, throughout my political career expressed that view, and do to this day. But, Mr. President, I must oppose this Amendment, and I urge my colleges across this chamber to oppose this radical Amendment to the highest law in the land. 

Since the founding of our Republic, their has been a great balancing act at work, as we seek to delineate between the powers of our federal and state governments. Few political questions have been as persistent or so frequently acrimonious in nature as the question of the balance between the rights of the states and the duties of the federal government. But this should come as no surprise; this debate cuts to the heart of who we are as a nation, what sort of government we are to have, the very structure of our politics. Today, we debate an amendment which will upset the precarious balance we have established by ripping from the states a right that has gone uncontested over two centuries; the right to regulate the institution of marriage.

Thomas Jefferson did not want the federal government to regulate marriage. John Adams would have scoffed at the idea. Even the ardent Federalist and advocate for centralization Alexander Hamilton would have balked at an Amendment that so blatantly extended the powers of the federal government into realms of policy that it has no business being involved in. This Amendment, more than anything, is a direct challenge to the doctrines of federalism that we as a nation have long cherished and defended. We have tinkered with that balance in the past, yes, but this proposal would not rebalance or redress; it would radically destroy that balance, and open the floodgates to ever greater federal interference at the state and local levels by a Washington bureaucracy that is ever more intrusive.

I ask my fellow Republicans, how can we call ourselves 'conservatives' if we stand here to support a massive erosion of the same rights that we claim we are so eager to defend? How can we in one breath call for the federal government to get out of our schools and in the next breath demand that it get into our county courthouses and our churches? We ask ourselves 'how is it that we have been kept out of power for sixteen years'? The answer, I think, can at least partly be found in the bare opportunism and hypocrisy of legislation like this. The American people want a Republican party that truly stands for what it believes, rather than try to use the same solutions as our Democratic friends to address different problems. You can dress the wolf up like a sheep, but the American people see through it.

The American people are sick of political Amendments that snatch power from the states being cynically advanced in Congress to grab headlines, to fuel campaigns, and fire up crowds. This isn't leadership, this is partisanship, more than that it is blatant showmanship, and the American people are sick of it. They should be. This Amendment is the creation of concerned Americans, seeking to defend an institution we all hold dear; it is the creation of political strategists trying to juice up campaigns and get free air time on cable news, land interviews on talk shows, and stoke populist fires up and down the country, fires that will, if we are not carefully, consume the very politicans and party that started them. This Amendment is un-Republican, and I implore my friends in the Republican caucus to take a long look at themselves in the mirror before they vote to usurp powers that have, since our nations creation, been reserved to the states. 

Washington is broken. I've said it before, and I say it again now because I think this Amendment represents the sort of ideological bankruptcy that comes with a broken system like ours. Special interests and corporate donors ride roughshod over the will of the people. They get sweet deals, massive no bid contracts, give jobs to former staffers, write bill after bill to grease their own wheels. We have to reform our campaign finance system, we have to end the nonsense that is pork barrel spending, and we have to work for the American people again. We are fueling populist anger, and we can see it in this campaign. Donald Trump, a New York hack businessman I wouldn't trust to run a Seven-Eleven during the graveyard shift, is trying to stoke up anger in this country, and he is finding an audience because we here in Washington haven't taken on the special interests. He's a demagogue of the worst sort, lacking the temperament, intellect, and ability to serve as President, and yet he runs across our nation in a vanity campaign that attracts the disaffected in droves. All because we, as Republicans, have all to often engaged in political games, and because we as representatives of the people of have been all too willing to ignore their concerns about a political system that has been so perverted that it would be unrecognizable to the great men who founded this nation.

Our founders were not really sure if man was good by nature, and so they created a system that didn't require angels to run, but simple required a few good men who could ensure that our government never strayed too far from its designated course. I think that system still works. But it has become ever harder for those people, whose mind is made for service and not self aggrandizement, to wield the powers needed to serve our nation. The challenges the next President will face our immense. As we speak, tensions with Iraq are growing quickly, Russia is growing more aggressive, and our allies around the world are losing faith in our ability to stand up and lead the free world. When we think back to the last time America turned its back on the world, we find nothing but tragedy. A Great Depression and a World War came in the wake of our neglect, and we once again see a rising tide of  abroad and an impulse for isolation and inaction at home from the highest levels of government. We can't allow our nation to slip into the background simply because it is easier than facing the world. It is in dark times like these that the world needs our leadership most, and we cannot afford to ignore that duty.

We must work with out allies to face the threats we face in the world, from fascists of all stripes. From Putin's jack booted thugs in Eastern Europe, to Saddam Hussein and his chemical tools of murder in Iraq, to al-Qaeda and their terror and hate across the world. The road ahead may be ardours, but we are required to walk it if there is to be any hope of a brighter future, of a more peaceful world, what George Bush called "the new world order". We must lead by example at home, by fixing our political system and by standing for what we preach abroad. We must never forget that we are, as Ronald Reagan said, a "shining city on a hill". We must no ignore the tired, poor, and huddled masses of the world who turn their gaze toward us, yearning to be free. We should never begrude immigrants who come here seeking a better life, for they are the very soul of the American experience.

I am still, as ever, proud of my country. For all our ills, we continue to strive for a brighter future. Even in the face of much adversity, I know that the American people will succeed. The indomitable spirit of America is still found throughout this land, it is irrepressible, and it will rise to the challenges that shall face us in the future. I urge all Americans to be involved, to do their part, to be engaged in your community both socially and civilly. Vote, write your Congressman, run for office. Dare to stand up and say what you want to say because no one else will say it for you. In over twenty years of public life, if I have learned anything, it is that only you can truly say what you mean, and you best mean what you say.

Harry S. Truman was famously fond of the saying "The buck stops here", and I think it is a saying all of the candidates running this year would do well to think about. When you are the President, you have the final say. You cannot pass the blame, dodge the questions, or ignore the issues. You have to face the music, and let your record stand. I urge all of the candidates to be frank, honest, civil, and above all true to themselves. Mr. President, as I prepare to depart the chamber for the day, I ask all of my fellow Americans to recall the words of President Truman, and I ask them all to hold us all accountable. The buck stops with us. We need leadership, and I urge all the candidates for President to look within themselves to find that leadership. This country brightest days are ahead of it, this I truly believe, but the future is never set in stone. We need leadership to get their. The next president will need to be guided by his principles, his common sense, and his knowledge. He will need to posses a sense of civic duty and be willing to put in the hard work to complete the thankless tasks that will be required of the next President. Our next President is called to serve, and they shall have to answer that call without hesitation, reservation, or condition.

Above all, the next president must put their country first. I wish all the candidates luck, and hope that they all may rise to the challenges of the future.