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Schiff for Senate
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« on: April 18, 2022, 05:06:38 PM »

COOPER GIVES SPEECH IN CHARLESTON (May 1); EXCERPTS BELOW


On the bathroom ban bill and more: "Look, I feel like the Republicans should stop fixating, and targeting, trans children and gay children. It's hypocritical that the party of small government also wants government to interfere and stop gay and trans kids from being themselves. The Republicans in North Carolina, and Governor McCrory, they signed a transphobic bathroom ban bill that targeted a marginalized group that comprises under 1% of the state population. Why is this? Well, one big reason is that they are hostile towards the LGBTQ+ population of our nation. Another is that they don't have solutions on important problems like the economy, gun violence, and climate change. To deflect attention, they try to divide us with wedge issues. And in North Carolina, this had disastrous consequences. Companies boycotted us for the shameful, bigoted bill the Republican state legislature passed and Governor McCrory signed. I ran back in 2016 promising to repeal this divisive bill that does no good, and to work to tackling real problems with real, workable solutions. The people of North Carolina elected me. And since then, I have done everything in my power to help our state. I got the bathroom bill repealed and my administration, over the past several years, has gotten that and so many other problems fixed. We worked on expanding Medicaid in North Carolina so that every North Carolinian has access to dencent, afforable healthcare and doesn't die at the hands of Big Pharma. I passed common sense COVID restrictions to curb the spread of disease, and it worked. I did all of this with a Republican legislature hell-bent on stopping me at every turn. I tell you this because today, I see our country has great potential to do good. But I see also that if we make the wrong decisions next year, and if a Republican Trifecta is elected, we might see many of the same problems confronting North Carolina back during the McCrory administration on a national level. We are running against Donald Trump, a man who tried to overturn democracy when he lost, a man whose party, rather than disavow him, actually aided and abetted him in supporting a violent insurrection. We are running against Ron DeSantis, a man who has passed hateful legislation against gay children and who has fired state government employees who encouraged getting the vaccine. We cannot afford to have these men lead our country and drive it into the ground. We cannot afford to turn around the progress we have achieved under the Biden presidency. If our interest is in making the uber-rich pay their fair share, in curbing gun violence with common sense background checks, in protecting our environment by transititioning to green energy, if our interest is in electing someone who can get all that done even with a hostile Congress, we need to be careful in selecting the right candidate. We need to make sure our great Democratic Party nominates the candidate who can win, who has a record of winning and getting things done. We need somebody who knows how to get moderate Blue Dogs and progressives together, so that we can make accomplishments for the betterment of America. That is why I am running. I am running because I am THAT candidate, because I am the one who has, can and will move us in the right direction. I am the one who can defeat Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis and make sure neither man ever gets to become president. I am the one who can and will advance a pragmatic, liberal agenda. And in that spirit, I am running for president."

As an outsider: "You know, unlike Kamala Harris, I'm not a Washington dealer. I'm not a wheeler-dealer owned by the corporate interests. The only people who I listen to are my constitunts. Never have I and never will I cave to or bow to Big Pharma or the big corporations. I will bow only to the will of the people, for in this country, it is the people who elect our officials, not big companies, and it is time that all of us get from our elected officials the representation we deserve, the results we deserve. To that end, I intend to have my campaign be a GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN fueled by the people, for the people, and of the people, and when I'm president I'll make sure we get the campaign finance reform we desperately need so that the lobbyists and oil executives and organizations do not dicate the vote of our senators any longer. That is something Kamala Harris would never do, for she is just another Washington insider who has grown accustomed to serving her donors and not the American people. But I won't stand for it and I will never stand for it."

On Harris' comments: "Kamala Harris says I am insufficiently liberal. I am by no means insufficiently liberal. Rather, I am a pragmatic liberal who can get things done. It's an important quality to be able to compromise, to be able to meet your adversary halfway, to get things done and achieve progress even if you're up against a Republican legislature. I've done just that in North Carolina. Sometimes, the North Carolina legislature, controlled by Republicans, has stopped me, but I have never not gotten things done for a lack of effort or drive. It's good to be liberal, but it's also good to get things done and do more than just virtue signal. It's good to be a workhorse and not a showhorse, to have substance as well as style, to give back to the people who elect us. Just because Kamala Harris has achieved little does not mean that those who do are 'insufficiently liberal'. Getting stuff done is a concept Kamala Harris is unfamiliar with, but which I am quite familiar with."

Other (attacking Harris): "We need someone who can win and has won in purple states, not somebody who's got underwatever approvals and alienates Americans at every turn."
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Schiff for Senate
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« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2022, 11:47:08 AM »

May 2: Fundraising in Charlotte, NC
May 3-6: In NC
May 7-8: Campaigning with Landrieu
May 9: Visit Anderson, SC for a town hall
May 10: Visit Greenville, SC for a rally + fundraiser
May 11: Visit Spartanburg, SC for a rally
May 12-18: In NC
May 19: Meet with potential donors in Atlanta, GA
May 20-21: In NC
May 22: Meet with potential donors in Alexandria, VA
May 23: Fundraiser in Baltimore
May 24: Fundraiser in Philadelphia
May 25: In NC
May 26: Fundraiser in Chicago
May 27: Fundraiser in Memphis
May 28: Fundraiser in New Orleans
May 29-30: Campaigning with Landrieu
May 31: Return to NC


TO DO LATER:

Campaign and host town halls in Laurens, Newberry and Lexington Counties, SC
Visit Columbia for a rally
Attend fundraiser in Columbia
Hold many rallies and town halls in Calhoun, Orangeburg, Bamberg, Barnwell, and Allendale Counties, SC
Hold many rallies and town halls in Hampton, Jasper, Beaufort and Colleton Counties, SC
Hold megarally in Charleston
Attend fundraiser in Charleston
Attend fundraiser in Florence
Campaign in Florence
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Schiff for Senate
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« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2022, 02:49:55 PM »
« Edited: April 19, 2022, 02:55:32 PM by CentristRepublican »

May 2 Charlotte fundraiser: Meets with donors and highlights his liberal record as NC governor

May 7-8 Campaigning with Landrieu: "It is with great pride today that I'm endorsing the absolutely terrific Mitch Landrieu for governor! Mitch will work effectively for all Louisianans, of all races, religions and genders, and of all political persuasions! I know that Mitch will be a great governor for all of Louisiana!"

May 9 Town Hall In Anderson: Answers questions on economic issues and foreign policy

May 10 Rally+ Fundraiser in Greenville: Touts endorsement of State Senator Karl Allen: "Senator Allen has done much good for the people of Greenville, and I'm honoured to have his endorsement. I promise that when I'm president, I'm going to build a good future for all of Greenville's children, for all of South Carolina's children, for all of America's children, white or nonwhite, male or female, rich or poor - I'm going to build the sort of future for all of us that Senator Allen has worked towards here in the State Senate."

May 11 Rally in Spartanburg: Says of the GOP tax policy, "You know, what George W Bush and what Donald Trump have done is that they've given tax breaks, but only to the rich. Whether you're looking at Bush's 2001 tax cut or Trump's 2017 tax cut, both of them were really only helpful to the rich. And at whose expense? At the expense of the hardworking, lower- and middle-class Americans of this country. So when they tell you they're for tax cuts, what they mean is, they're for tax cuts for the rich. Not for tax cuts for you. They aren't for tax cuts for you. They aren't for tax cuts for you, and they're also against Medicaid. What they want is low taxes for the rich, and high taxes on the middle- and lower-classes. Good healthcare for the rich, and bad healthcare for the middle- and lower-classes. Well, let me tell you that when I'm president, I'm going to turn things around by expanding Medicaid and giving decent-quality healthcare to those who need it, and I'm going to turn things around by reversing the Trump tax cuts for the rich and making them pay their fair share. Because the Biden administration has worked towards this, but there's still a long way to go till we have the healthcare we deserve and the rich are paying all the taxes they should be. I'm going to increase Medicaid and taxes on the rich, and I'm going to finally close all the tax loopholes that the rich exploit."

May 19 Meeting with Potential Atlanta Donors: "Look, North Carolina is a Trump state. It's purple, it's a pinkish state. And you know, despite that, I've won here twice, and the second time around, by a pretty decent margin. I outperformed Joe Biden by nearly 6 points. Now look at Harris. She's got underwater approvals and alienates moderates at pretty much all turns. Don't get me wrong - her policies are all right. But we need someone who can win. Harris' only experience at winning races in her own right is in San Francisco and California - which are both safe blue states. At a national level, I honestly think if we see Harris get nominated, we might end up with another Trump presidency or a President DeSantis. I don't think Kamala Harris could hold Georgia, I don't think she could hold Wisconsin, and I think we could end up with a repeat of 2016 unless we make the right choice. We need to make sure we nominate someone who can keep the White House in safe hands first and foremost. I can promise you that I'm better suited for that than Kamala Harris is, and the reason I'm asking for your donation today is so that I can spread that message among Democrats, so that we can make sure we don't choose somebody unelectable."

May 22 Meeting with Potential Fairfax Donors: Uses 2021 Virginia governor election as example of Democrats underperforming (contrasts with his own overperformance in 2020). Stresses that the same will happen if Harris is nominated and that Donald Trump will win the nomination.

May 23 Fundraiser in Baltimore: Speaks about racial justice and BLM

May 24 Fundraiser in Philadelphia: Says he can win Pennsylvania and Harris can't

May 26 Fundraiser in Chicago: Discusses how "Republicans are stopping children from learning"

May 27 Fundraiser in Memphis: Speaks about racial justice and BLM, talks about MLK and how his "dream has still yet to be fullfilled"; attacks Harris for 'tough on crime' comment - ""Tough on crime" are the words Richard Nixon, are the words George Wallace have used. What Kamala Harris is saying could not be clearer. She has no interest in reforming the police and every interest in arresting and prosecuting teenagers, disproportionately African-American, for first-time marijuana offenses, just like she did as DA in San Francisco."

May 28 Fundraiser in New Orleans: Lets slip Mitch Landrieu's endorsement and promises that he will win the election and will persue a solid liberal agenda and will shift SCOTUS in a more liberal direction

May 29-30 Campaigning with Landrieu: Landrieu publicly reveals his endorsement
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Schiff for Senate
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« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2022, 01:54:44 AM »
« Edited: April 24, 2022, 02:10:44 AM by CentristRepublican »

To Cooper and Hochul: Would you support Medicare for All?

Cooper: "Frankly, Fareed, we have a healthcare problem. Premiums and prices of prescription drugs are going through the roof, people with preexisting conditions get jacked up prices, and we have a lot of people denied healthcare because they simply cannot afford the high prices. Now, Obamacare was certainly a big step in the right direction, and when the Republicans tried to get rid of it and replace it with nothing - and leave the 20 million people Obamacare ensured out in the cold - I was horrified. Because I think more people should have healthcare, not less, and as governor in North Carolina, I've expanded Medicaid. But now as to Medicare for All, I'm going to say this. I principally do not disagree with Medicare for All in theory. But here's the thing. This would require passage in Congress. And even with Democratic majorities, if we're able to get them back this year, which we will if I'm the nominee, there probably will just not be enough votes to get this to pass. It's a sad truth. But I am not a quitter, and getting everybody good insurance is a noble goal and one we should most certainly strive towards, one a Cooper Administration most certainly will strive towards. Yes, getting from where we are now to Medicare for All will not happen in one step. But I have a series of steps so that we can gradually get there. We'll expand Medicare and insurance until we've reached the point at which something like Medicare for All is feasible. Any candidate who promises you they can get Medicare for All immediately is either lying or doesn't understand the reality of the situation. I can promise you progress, and I will say that if we don't get Medicare for All within my first term, we will certainly have moved a very great deal towards getting it in my next."

(ANSWERS FOR OTHER DEBATE QUESTIONS TO COME LATER)
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Schiff for Senate
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« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2022, 03:29:20 PM »

To All: Would you commit the United States military to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?

Cooper: "This is an important question, Fareed. We need look no further than than the recent past, President Biden's handling of another similar crisis from a few years back, when Russia invaded Ukraine, for the answer. What did we do? We did not send troops in to Ukraine. However, we aided the effort by sending arms, by sanctioning Russia, by taking in refugees. We did this, and most of the rest of the world joined us in doing this and in isolating Russia. And ultimately, there was a lot of bloodshed and a lot of lives lost, but Russia backed off and Ukraine is still a free and sovreign. If China was to invade Taiwan, I would absolutely and unequivocally oppose committing troops there in advance. That should always be not the first, but indeed the last, resort. If I was president and China were to invade Taiwan, well, I'd first want to persue diplomatic channels and see if we can avoid any bloodshed. If China were to then not listen to us, America - and I'm sure many other countries would join us - would sanction China. We would not trade with it and we would isolate it. We would send arms and supplies to the Taiwanese fighters. And if, after all those steps, China still was occupying Taiwan, then yes, I would then most likely call for the deployment of American troops. But only then. Because I want to make it very clear: I have not and will never take sending in our troops lightly. It is a very serious move and it should be used only as a last resort and where necessary. I know I hope that China does not invade Taiwan, that if it does we will be able to thwart it without having to come to that."
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Schiff for Senate
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« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2022, 03:49:43 PM »
« Edited: April 30, 2022, 08:13:34 PM by CentristRepublican »

To All: If you could unilaterally amend the constitution once, what amendment would you add?


Cooper: "Well, Fareed, this is a tough question to answer for a lot of people, but I think for me the answer is fairly clear. Most of the progress and changes we need - action to address climate change, gun control, building up infrastructure, healthcare for more people, affordable higher education - all of these can be addressed, really, by simply passing a law through Congress. Not that it'd be easy, but it's possible if we have the majorities we need and we have the determination to persue those goals - which I can honestly say I do. But you know the important change that we could only implement with a constitutional amendment? Abolishing the electoral college. We need a national popular vote. The arguments against the electoral college are abundant and many of us are familiar with them already, but to put it succintly - it is redundant and very often antimajoritarian. I mean, in the past quarter-century, it's happened twice that one candidate wins the popular vote and the other becomes president through winning the electoral college. Incidentally, both times, it was a Democrat who won the popular vote. The electoral college is unfair, period. And besides, it is slanted against the Democratic Party nowadays. Earlier it was that it had no obvious bias, but today, it actually helps the Republican Party. It has in the two most recent presidential races. 2016, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by more than two percentage points and lost the electoral college. 2020, Joe Biden won the popular vote by 4 and a half percentage points. And yes, he won the electoral college. But in fact, had the Republicans done just slightly better, had they done even just seven-tenths of a percentage point better in every state? There'd have been an electoral college tie, and it'd go to the House of Representatives. In the House, however, every state gets one vote. Yes, you heard that correct. California, with 53 representatives and over 45 Democrats, would ultimately have the same voting power as Wyoming, with one representative. Guess who this favours - the Republicans. And had this happened in 2020, most experts on the subject agree that Donald Trump would have won. Donald Trump would have utlimately won the presidency despite losing the popular vote by close to 4 percentage points! And all the progress we have had in the Biden presidency would not have happened - instead, we'd get more tax breaks for the rich and no action to tackle gun violence or climate change. This is important for two reasons. It shows how flawed the Electoral College is and why we must remove it, and secondly, it reveals just how close we came to a second Trump term. Joe Biden was a good candidate, and even he just barely beat Donald Trump. So unless we want Donald Trump to win the White House in 2024, we need to nominate a candidate just as strong as President Biden. Clearly, that's not VP Harris, whose approvals have consistently been and currently are several points below Joe Biden's. It's also not Kathy Hochul, who, as much as I respect her, has only experience winning in a deep blue city and a deep blue state. I'm the oone who actually did better in North Carolina by a full 6 points than Joe Biden. I'm not saying I'll outrun him by 6 points on the national stage, but I think it's evident I am just as electable as Joe Biden and just as capable of beating Donald Trump. This is not something Kamala Harris can say. This is not something that Kathy Hochul can say. We cannot take the risk of a second Donald Trump presidency. If and when the electoral college is abolished, then we don't need to worry quite as much about electability. We've won the popular vote in every presidential election but one in the past 35 years. But as long as the electoral college is around and continues giving the GOP a slight boost at the presidential level, we need to nominate strong candidates who have both liberal credentials and a record of winning tough races, and doing well."

(ANSWERS FOR OTHER DEBATE QUESTIONS TO COME LATER)
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Schiff for Senate
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« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2022, 10:19:33 PM »

CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE

May 31 - June 2: Governor's duties
June 3: Campaigning in South Carolina SD 40 with Minority Leader Brad Hutto
June 4: Campaigning in Greenville with Karl Allen
June 5: Fundraiser in Greenville
June 6: Fundraiser in New Orleans
June 7: Debate in New Orleans
June 8-10: Governor's duties
June 11: Town hall in Nashua, NH
June 12: Town hall in Portsmouth, NH
June 13: Fundraiser in Portsmouth, NH
June 14: Rally in Manchester, NH
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Schiff for Senate
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« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2022, 02:18:15 AM »

June 3 - with Hutto: "I'm absolutely honoured to have Brad Hutto's endorsement. He has fought for the people of South Carolina and the 40th district - the working-class voters the Republicans ignore - all his life and he's fought, as Minority Leader in the Senate, for the very same values I've championed up in North Carolina. When I'm president, we can and we will move towards the vision that Brad and I both have for this great nation - one where nobody gets left behind and everybody gets a fair shot!"

June 4 and 5 - discusses Karl Allen's endorsement, Brad Hutto's endorsement, and lets slip the very recent endorsement of State Senator Dick Harpootlian, who is also the former Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party: "South Carolina's Democrats have come all in behind me because we want to advance our values. They, like me, want affordable healthcare, action on climate change, higher taxes on the rich, a decrease in gun violence. And clearly, they've found the man who'll get the job done!"

June 6 - Mentions Landrieu's endorsement, lavishes praise upon him: "Mitch did great as mayor, and he'll do just as great as governor. He is a model for good governance and I will follow his example."

June 7 - Remaining two questions for Cooper in debate (on climate change and foreign policy) to be answered later today.

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Schiff for Senate
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« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2022, 08:40:30 PM »

To Cooper: How would you approach negotiations with states with Iran or North Korea?

Cooper: "Well, I think the key with Iran is being very careful. We have not had diplomatic relations with Iran since the Revolution in 1979, since Iranian revolutionaries deposed the Shah and took Americans hostage. At some point, we might want to look into changing that and perhaps resuming diplomatic relations with Iran and sending an Ambassador to Iran. On this matter, I would ask foreign policy experts and experts on Iran what they consider to be the best and wisest course of action, but I think at some point, this will be something we might consider. I believe that we must continue working to ease tensions with Iran. We've had a hostile relationship with Iran for quite some time, but Iran has nuclear weapons and is within striking distance of Israel, a close ally of ours. We need to work with Iran, persuade Iran to not view us so antagonistically and agree to some level of nuclear disarmament. This is precisely what President Obama proposed - he had a good nuclear deal with Iran worked out, a deal that could have gone a long way in helping fix this problem, before Republicans and Trump scuttled it for partisan reasons. Of course, we must remain weary of Iran, but we must work towards fixing our relationship and make sure we continue to defend our ally Israel. To that end we need to work on negotiations and diplomacy.

As for North Korea, well, we need to address some important truths. It has no real democracy and the people there are starving. They are being fed state propoganda and there is no freedom of speech whatsoever - those who dare to speak out against the government, who dare to dissent, are tortured, executed, intimidated, silenced permanently. There is a cult of personality over there - people are required to keep pictures of North Korea's dictators displayed prominently in their homes. What I would do is talk to North Korea, not have as intimate a relationship as Trump did with Kim Jong Un, but I will talk to him. Because first and foremost we need to see more human rights in that country. Their needs to be freedom of speech, of expression, of travel. Currently there is none whatsoever, and we need to work towards changing that. So far we and the UN have not done enough to address this, we've not had the frank and open discussion we need to have. When I'm president we will have that discussion, and we will politely but firmly demand that North Korea work to move towards becoming more democratic and less of a dictatorship. This is crucial. We will be polite but we will be firm. If North Korea refuses to expand human rights and allow us to ensure that their citizens are not still being abused, we will need to cut off trade and diplomatic relations with Russia. There needs to be more work done in this theatre and when I am president I promise I will make sure that the people in North Korea are less brutally oppressed. Because we stand for freedom and for expanding freedom, for human rights and against the human rights abuses North Korea has perpetrated upon its people. Anyone who is interested in advancing the causes of human rights, free speech, free movement, free expression, free elections, democracy, will support me in my fight for these values in North Korea.
The truth is that Democratic and Republican presidents alike have not been firm enough with North Korea on the matter of human rights. It's well past time we are firm on this matter, and we will when I'm president. We cannot continue working with dictatorships if we are to truly stand for human rights and democracy and advance those causes. We will give North Korea the choice to either keep its relationship with us by expanding human rights, or risk losing this relationship and have its people continue to miss out on human rights. I sincerely pledge to be diplomatic, but do whatever is necessary to get North Korea to embrace human rights, because it's well past time that it did so. And I challenge all the Democrats debating me tonight to join me in doing so."
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Schiff for Senate
CentristRepublican
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Posts: 12,132
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« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2022, 01:29:26 AM »

To All: New Orleans is considered one of the most at-risk cities for climate change in the world. Tell me what your climate plan does to protect New Orleans.

Cooper: "Climate change is one of if not the most important issues to me. Greenhouse gases are making the Ozone Layer melt away. This has led to the Sun's ultraviolet rays passing through more, and higher and more extreme temperatures. In turn, this has caused the ice and inceburgs in the oceans to melt. Not only does this lead to a loss of habitat for polar bears and other living things that reside there, it leads to a rise in sea levels. From there, I'm sorry to say but by 2050 we could see New Orleans and other cities on the coast, such as San Francisco, Jacksonville, Charleston, Boston and New York all underwater. All this can still be stopped and it is my number one priority. The coal and oil executives don't want to transition from the dangerous greenhouse gases and nonrenewable energy that will lead to inevitable destruction, devestation and loss of life, to safe and renewable energy, because it will cost them profits. The Republicans in Congress are paid by them to parrot their ideas, be their minions, and question the science. And it scares me. However, I have a comprehensive plan that will help us transition to green energy.

1. First, we will be subsidizing solar energy. This will be crucial in making us move away from depending upon coal and oil for our energy needs. The government will personally invest in solar and other forms of renewable energy, and other Americans who agree to switch to solar will get tax breaks.
2. Companies will also be incentivized to manufcature vehicles that do not guzzle gas through tax breaks - and those that continue to do so will face higher taxes. More companies will move to producing electric, solar cars. Consumers who buy these more environmentally friendly vehicles will also be given small tax breaks.
3. To stop smoke and smog going into the air and making our air difficult to breath and our urban centers harder to live in, companies that release smoke and smog will face high fines. In fact, all companies throughout the nation will have what I call a 'carbon receipt' that tracks the renewable and nonrenewable energy. Companies that prove carbon-neutral or carbon-positive will accordingly receive small tax breaks, while companies that continue to be carbon-negative and companies that continue to emit much smoke into the air will face much higher taxes. Of course, I understand that smaller businesses will be unable to comply with such regulations at first, so this will only apply to larger companies and smaller businesses that are still in the process of starting up will be exempt and, at least temporarily, given some leniency.
4. Companies that cut down trees will be required to grow an equal or higher number of trees back - noncompliant businesses will face very high fines and taxes as a consquence.
5. I also hope to help both reduce unemployment and help the oceans by having the government hire young men and women to, for a low price, try and clean up plastic from our beaches and our oceans. The plastic makes it way into the stomachs of unknowing animals, with terrible conseqeunces. These people can also help by growing trees and helping reverse deforestation.

My goal for us as country is for us to reduce our carbon emmissions rapidly and begin making the transition from nonrenewable to renewable energy before it is too late. This simple 5-point plan of mine will help to do just that, as will the other pieces of legislation that have been proposed and that will continue to be proposed. It is my hope to be able to put pen to paper to a comprehensive, watershed law that accomplishes these aims - the Obamacare for the environment -  and if I am unable to do so during the first term of my presidency, I pledge here and now to not seek a second. Because I would consider one of my biggest or possibly the biggest accomplishment for me if I am able to play a role in helping to save our environment, and to save cities like New Orleans from going underwater."

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« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2022, 01:41:33 AM »

June 11 - Nashua town hall; answers questions about the court: "Look, the Republicans have really played hardball. What Republicans did to Merrick Garland was unacceptable and Mitch McConnell's double-standard when it came to Amy Coney Barrett a couple years later was absolutely outrageous. That said, to quote Michelle Obama, 'When they go low, we go high.' We must maintain standards and not compromise the integrity of the court. This might cost me votes, but I'm for a fair standard. Expanding the size of SCOTUS would not be a wise move. That said, I have every intention when I'm president of appointing proven progressives to the Supreme Court if and when I get the opportunity."
June 12 - Portsmouth Town Hall. Also goes to nearby Rye to announce the endorsement of native son State Senator Tom Sherman. "Tom's been a great representative for the people of Rye and coastal New Hampshire and the 24th district. I'm very happy to have his endorsement as we fight the coal and oil lobbies to make sure coastal New Hampshire doesn't get underwater because of climate change."
June 13 - Portsmouth Fundraiser; rips into Hochul ("Frankly, she doesn't have the judgement to choose a good second-in-command, and I'm worried who she'd choose as her running mate presidentially and what she might do or not do on the campaign trail") and Harris ("Her approvals are completely and totally underwater, and at this point, though I hate to say it, she is a dead weight on the Biden Agenda - she's gotten little done and alienates moderates and other otherwise persuadable groups at all turns"). Also discusses how he'd be a bit more moderate than Baldwin: "Honestly, Tammy Baldwin's been a fairly good senator for the people of Wisconsin. The real question is just whether you want someone who's very progressive, or someone a bit more pragmatic and mainstream. I myself agree with Tammy on many things. I only fear her progressive rhetoric may stop her from doing everything someone more pragmatic and mainstream, with their eye on the prize, might be able to achieve as president."
June 14 - Rally in Manchester; Congressman Chris Pappas announces his endorsement; Cooper says, "Chris has gotten stuff done and very well served the people of New Hampshire's 1st district and the people of Manchester. He's tough and he's stood up for his principles and his values. I have great admiration for Chris, and I'm honoured he'd endorse me in this race. I have every intention to win!"
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« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2022, 01:19:05 PM »
« Edited: May 03, 2022, 09:48:11 PM by CentristRepublican »

COOPER'S CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE
(JUNE 15 - JULY 4)


This turn, Gov. Cooper will focus exclusively on Iowa, the Hawkeye state. He will tout many surprise endorsements as he familiarizes himself with the people of Iowa.


JUNE 15 - Cooper sets ground in Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa. He is immediately welcomed by the mayor of that municipality, Mayor Brad M. Cavanagh. Mayor Cavanagh greets Cooper and Cooper holds a rally with Cavanagh, where Cavanagh announces he is endorsing Cooper.
JUNE 16 - Travelling through Buchanan and Delaware Counties on the way to Waterloo, Black Hawk County, with a few impromptu mini-rallies along the way. At one such rally in Delaware County, Cooper also reveals the endorsement of longtime Attorney General Tom Miller.
JUNE 17 - Holds a large town hall in Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa.
JUNE 18 - Town hall in Benton County, Iowa.
JUNE 19 - Rally in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa. Accepts the endorsement of State Senator Todd Taylor.
JUNE 20 - Rally in Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa. Accepts the endorsement of Mayor Bruce Teague.
JUNE 21 - Town hall in Muscatine County, Iowa.
JUNE 22 - Rally in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa.
JUNE 23 - Town halls and meeting with Iowans in Clinton and Jackson Counties.
JUNE 24 - Town halls and meeting with Iowans in Jones and Cedar Counties.
JUNE 25 - Returns to Iowa City to announce and accept the endorsement of Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls, a native of the city.
JUNE 26 - Town halls and meeting with Iowans in Muscatine, Louisa, and Washington Counties.
JUNE 27 - Town halls and meeting with Iowans in Keokuk, Iowa and Benton Counties.
JUNE 28 - Campaigning in Tama and Poweshiek Counties.
JUNE 29 - Begins day campaigning in Marshall County, drops down for rally in Jasper County, then returns to Marshall County at night.
JUNE 30 - Rally in Ames, Story County, Iowa.
JULY 1 and JULY 2 - Rallies and other campaigning in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. Endorsement of Mayor Frank Cownie revealed and accepted.
JULY 3 - Town hall + rally in West Des Moines, Dallas County, Iowa.
JULY 4 - Spends the 4th of July with his family in North Carolina, having visited 24 of Iowa's 99 counties.
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« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2022, 12:05:45 AM »

Quote
To Harris: Your approval ratings with Independent voters currently leave you as the most unpopular Vice President since Dick Cheney. How do you plan to rectify that if you wish to win a general election?
I have been a major voice in the Biden administration since day one. I was a major influence on vastly popular bills such as BIF and BBB. I have also been placed in extremely important positions to help solve our inflation and immigration crises. And yes, I'm calling them crises. The Biden Administration is not afraid in the slightest to admit that. However, these can take time. We have to be patient. If we are, we would have risen to the challenge and solved them without any inconveniences. But more on topic, as these hardships and more are still prevalent in today's society, everyone in our current administration has seen their approval ratings hit hard. I believe with a solution to these crises, which is on track to occur very soon, I might add, as well as independents seeing how dangerous and reckless most of our companions with trunks are, I believe they would break for us in a general election.
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To Harris, Hochul, Warren and Baldwin: Each of you has a chance to become the first female President. Explain why you would be the best person to earn that lofty status.
You know, when growing up in the mean streets of Oakland, women were almost seen as second-rate citizens in that time period. The Cult of Domestication was still the widely subscribed idea for how to treat women. We were seen as our sole purpose was to beat and raise children and serve their husbands with no exceptions, with possibly teaching our youth or nurse our ailling if lucky. And minority women were essentially left to dry by everyone. They had to raise their children in dire conditions with no help from the Government. But as the years went by, women started to become lawyers, doctors, scientists, architectures, business leaders, politicians, etc. I have fought for my constituents for my entire adult life. I have tried to make their lives better. With my policies and experience, as well as being our nation's first female Vice President, it would frankly be an honor to serve as our wonderful country's first female President.
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To All: If you could unilaterally amend the constitution once, what amendment would you add?
It's a travesty the ERA has not been passed into an amendment yet. Congress passed it, but sadly, state governments and lowlife activists successfully stalled it actually becoming a part of the constitution. But we are here to change that, and finally get women equal protection under the law at once.
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To All: New Orleans is considered one of the most at-risk cities for climate change in the world. Tell me what your climate plan does to protect New Orleans.
The marshlands and coastal areas are vital at shielding New Orleans from Hurricanes and the such. However, these areas have been eroding due to rising temperatures caused by climate change. Specifically for New Orleans, I would suggest more funding and resources for restoration attempts of these crucial marshes and wetlands. We want to avoid the damage caused by Katrina at all costs. You don't hear about my opponents talk about this plan.
  As for Climate Change in general, we have to continue our efforts to curb rising greenhouse effects. It's good that some of the public had tried to play their part in this, but there's a major elephant in room I have to address: Our companies have to play their role as well, and it's a damn shame that our government and most activists have not been putting enough of the blame on most of our major corporations. And I admit I haven't done enough on my part calling out these elitists, but the buck stops here! Also, we have to negotiate with countries such as China and India, who are major greenhouse gas emitters, to start to phase out fossil fuels and the such.
   I agree with Governor Cooper, with frankly, all of his proposed policies regarding climate change. However, we need to do more. Along with the actions already mentioned, we have to pour more resources in educating the youth on the dangers of climate change. That's why we have to strongly recommend a mandatory climate change course in Middle and High School, with adequate teachers, of course. We also have to subsidize wind and nuclear energy. These energy sources are vital in transitioning out of fossil fuels, whether you like it or not. And lastly, we have to cooperate more with our international brethrens. We cannot do this by ourselves, and this will also build relationships with the outside world.
Quote
To All: Would you commit the United States military to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?

  I would firstly try to negotiate with the PRC to back off with their efforts. If that unfortunately falters, we and most of the world will sanction Beijing into oblivion, similar to what we did to Russia during their war with Ukraine. I would prefer that we don't send American Soldiers into deadly conflicts, but we cannot abandon our most treasured allies. If the PRC did decide to invade, I can guarantee right now that Taiwan will have the most up-to-date weapons and resources, as well as ours and the free world's support.

I would like to say thanks to Mr. Zakaria, my opponents, and whoever decided to spend their time watching this debate. Goodnight.

COOPER RESPONDS TO ALL OF HARRIS' DEBATE ANSWERS


ON APPROVAL RATINGS: "VP Harris, your approval ratings have constantly lagged behind President Biden's. Constantly and consistently! You've alienated moderates and swing voters, and I can't honestly see that changing. Besides, you have handled the immigration situation with anything but compassion and tact, and I say this of you specifically. Ma'am, in 2021, you said to the illegal immigrants from Mexico, from Central America, 'Do not come.' That's it. Do not get me wrong when I say that I by no means condone illegal immigration, but these people often face abuse, and violence, and vicious cycles of poverties in their home countries. They turn to the United States because the see us, rightly so, as a beacon of freedom and land of opportunity, because they have nowhere else to turn. Once again, I oppose illegal immigration, but it's not as simple as 'Do not come' when these families put everything on the line because they want a better future in which to live. Your answer - 'Do not come' - was extremely crude, callous and tone-deaf, VP Harris."

ON FEMALE PRESIDENTS: "Vice President Harris, what you said was honestly quite rousing. However, it offered no substance. There are 3 other women - Senators Baldwin and Warren and Governor Hochul - who also vye to be the first female president. You, however, offer no real reasons or evidence of your support. To quote you directly, this is what you say of your experience: 'I have fought for my constituents for my entire adult life. I have tried to make their lives better. With my policies and experience, as well as being our nation's first female Vice President, it would frankly be an honor to serve as our wonderful country's first female President.' I'm sure the other female candidates in the race can also claim they have fought for their constituents their entire life, and tried to improve their lives, especially if they do not also have to offer specific examples. You simply say you've done this, give a rousing speech, and mention you are the first female vice-president. Well, VP Harris, Joe Biden pledged to choose a female running mate, and Tammy Baldwin was also considered. You were ultimately selected. Any woman Biden chose as his running mate would have been our first vice-president. Frankly, the fact that you have not stated concerete policy proposals and actions you have taken, but only that you are the vice-president, speaks volumes. This is because you have achieved quite little substantially for the people of California. As vice-president - yes, as the first female vice-president - you've alienated moderates and told illegal immigrants 'Do not come'. You've consistently had a very low approval rating. Before that, as District Attorney, your primary policy actions were getting marijuana convictions and sending people who committed no bigger a crime than consume some marijuana, to jail for a long time. This was a policy which, it's worth noting, disproportionately hurt African-Americans. You have achieved so little that your primary achievement, it appears, is getting picked by President Biden to be his running mate."

ON THE AMENDMENTS: "Frankly, VP Harris, I'm shocked. I'd think that with issues such as climate change, gerrymandering, the electoral college, gun rights, COVID19, and the Supreme Court, your amendment might pertain to one of those issues. However, you are not creative enough to come up with a meaningful new policy to be enshrined in our Constitution should you be hypothetically allowed to do so. So you've dug up a decades-old amendment that is at this point little more than symbolic. Don't get me wrong - the ERA is absolutely a positive and it's unfortunate it did not become an amendment. However, today with other laws such as the Violence Against Women Act and other such acts, the aims the ERA strived for have, I'm happy to say, been all but achieved. Certainly the ERA, mostly symbolic at this point, could not be more important to you than, say, an amendment abolishing the Electoral College, or ending gerrymandering, or reforming the Supreme Court, or expanding Healthcare, or fighting gun violence? I honestly think the reason you chose the ERA is because you did not know any new iniative that should become part of the Constitution."

ON CLIMATE CHANGE: "I'm happy to say, Vice-President Harris, that it seems you and I are in agreement on this issue. I'm happy you'd institute the same 5 changes I would, and I agree with some of your other proposals to tackle climate change as well. I will say that this is not an issues us Democrats should bicker amongst ourselves on - we already need to fight the coal lobby and we  need to be vigilant in our crusade to reverse the effects of climate change before it is too late. I would love if you, I, Senators Baldwin and Warren, and Governor Hochul could come together and we could all concur on certain policies that would help us to transition to renewable energy, including both your suggestions and my 5 ideas, as well as any other innovative solutions any of them might think of. We need to be unified, and we need to collaborate on this issue. Ideally, this would be a bipartisan effort, but the Republican Party is tied to the coal and oil lobbies, so we must put in double the effort to save this planet from the disastrous effects of climate change that might otherwise ensue."

ON TAIWAN: "I'm similarly happy that we agree on Taiwan and China. I think we should learn from history - very recent history, in fact - and look at President Biden's excellent handing of the Russia-Ukraine War for guidance. I am glad that you and I are both committed to ensuring Taiwan retains its independence, and that we both agree that we should send in troops only if it proves absolutely necessary."
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« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2022, 12:18:35 AM »
« Edited: May 02, 2022, 12:24:45 AM by CentristRepublican »

ROY COOPER PROPOSAL TO HARRIS, BALDWIN, WARREN AND HOCHUL: WE MEET AND DISCUSS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY WE WOULD ALL PLEDGE TO ENACT AS PRESIDENT

"I'm happy you'd institute the same 5 changes I would, and I agree with some of your other proposals to tackle climate change as well. I will say that this is not an issues us Democrats should bicker amongst ourselves on - we already need to fight the coal lobby and we  need to be vigilant in our crusade to reverse the effects of climate change before it is too late. I would love if you, I, Senators Baldwin and Warren, and Governor Hochul could come together and we could all concur on certain policies that would help us to transition to renewable energy, including both your suggestions and my 5 ideas, as well as any other innovative solutions any of them might think of. We need to be unified, and we need to collaborate on this issue. Ideally, this would be a bipartisan effort, but the Republican Party is tied to the coal and oil lobbies, so we must put in double the effort to save this planet from the disastrous effects of climate change that might otherwise ensue."
[/font]

Other news: Cooper clarifies he too opposes the Taft-Hartley Act: "It's not a major issue compared to other issues like climate change in the scheme of thing, but in fact I agree completely with Senator Baldwin. The Taft-Hartley Act should have been repealed a long time ago and I'm surprised it's not already been repealed. But yes, I would absolutely have this destructive law repealed as commander-in-chief. That said, in all honesty, it'd be much lower on my agenda list and my list of priorities when compared to issues such as say, climate change. Frankly, returning to climate change, I'm sure Senator Baldwin genuinely would like to fix our environment too; however, she has proposed similar reforms as Presidents Obama and Biden, but with a dangerously high price tag. Do not get me wrong - I am willing to go to any lengths and any cost to save the environment, but this money could be used more efficiently. If Senator Baldwin was to see my proposal, I have 5 simple reforms that would cost less and do more. Many of these have not yet been properly considerd by Presidents Obama and Biden, quite honestly. I think we need a new and more innovative approach. We need new ideas. This is also why I'd love to meet with the other four candidates to discuss other such ideas that all 5 of us can get behind. This is a top if not the top priority of my campaign."
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« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2022, 10:43:22 AM »

ROY COOPER PROPOSAL TO HARRIS, BALDWIN, WARREN AND HOCHUL: WE MEET AND DISCUSS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY WE WOULD ALL PLEDGE TO ENACT AS PRESIDENT

"I'm happy you'd institute the same 5 changes I would, and I agree with some of your other proposals to tackle climate change as well. I will say that this is not an issues us Democrats should bicker amongst ourselves on - we already need to fight the coal lobby and we  need to be vigilant in our crusade to reverse the effects of climate change before it is too late. I would love if you, I, Senators Baldwin and Warren, and Governor Hochul could come together and we could all concur on certain policies that would help us to transition to renewable energy, including both your suggestions and my 5 ideas, as well as any other innovative solutions any of them might think of. We need to be unified, and we need to collaborate on this issue. Ideally, this would be a bipartisan effort, but the Republican Party is tied to the coal and oil lobbies, so we must put in double the effort to save this planet from the disastrous effects of climate change that might otherwise ensue."
[/font]

Other news: Cooper clarifies he too opposes the Taft-Hartley Act: "It's not a major issue compared to other issues like climate change in the scheme of thing, but in fact I agree completely with Senator Baldwin. The Taft-Hartley Act should have been repealed a long time ago and I'm surprised it's not already been repealed. But yes, I would absolutely have this destructive law repealed as commander-in-chief. That said, in all honesty, it'd be much lower on my agenda list and my list of priorities when compared to issues such as say, climate change. Frankly, returning to climate change, I'm sure Senator Baldwin genuinely would like to fix our environment too; however, she has proposed similar reforms as Presidents Obama and Biden, but with a dangerously high price tag. Do not get me wrong - I am willing to go to any lengths and any cost to save the environment, but this money could be used more efficiently. If Senator Baldwin was to see my proposal, I have 5 simple reforms that would cost less and do more. Many of these have not yet been properly considerd by Presidents Obama and Biden, quite honestly. I think we need a new and more innovative approach. We need new ideas. This is also why I'd love to meet with the other four candidates to discuss other such ideas that all 5 of us can get behind. This is a top if not the top priority of my campaign."

UPDATE: Senator Baldwin has signed on! Still waiting on responses from VP Harris, Senator Warren and Governor Hochul.
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« Reply #15 on: May 02, 2022, 02:48:13 PM »

Governor Kathy Hochul Accepts Roy Cooper's Invite, Issues Statement

"Climate change is the existential issue of our lifetime, and of our children's lifetime. We Democrats can't allow political bickering to obscure this fact. Beyond this, one of us will be the nominee and have to work with the others on tangible policy plans to combat it, so there is no reason we don't start now. I'm hopeful we can put the results of this meeting into the party's platform at convention."

Cooper: "I'm very happy Governor Hochul has also agreed to appear for a discussion. Now, only Senator Warren and Vice President Harris have yet to answer. I hope they agree, because climate change is one of our most important issues. Nonetheless, even if they choose not to attend, I think myself, Governor Hochul and Senator Baldwin can soon start planning a discussion between the 3 of us, at least. But we will see - hopefully, Senator Warren and Vice President Harris can put politics aside in favour of a unified front to tackle the issue of climate change."
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« Reply #16 on: May 02, 2022, 03:05:15 PM »

COOPER ANSWERS HOCHUL


Quote
To Harris, Hochul, Warren and Baldwin: Each of you has a chance to become the first female President. Explain why you would be the best person to earn that lofty status.

Quote
“I’m ready for the job of President on day one. I have governed one of the largest states in this country, worked in Congress, and on the local level. The job as President is demanding and requires someone who is tough. I grew up in a trailer to a union family, I worked hard to fight for In my time in office, I’ve been known as an iron fist in a velvet glove, meaning I’m not afraid to be tough without sacrificing my experience as a woman. I want little girls around this country, especially those in working-class families, to see someone like them taking on the job as President.”

Quote
To Cooper and Hochul: Would you support Medicare for All?

Quote
“I think we need to be realistic about what will pass from Congress. I would not veto a bill that achieved universal healthcare, as that is a human right that we are well overdue for achieving in our country. I support a public option and prescription drug reform, which would expand coverage to 100% of Americans while reducing costs for just about everyone. I am not in favor of banning people's private insurance and think if you like your insurance you should be able to keep it. We need to keep our eye on the ball, our goal is to get everyone coverage, not some purity test talking point.

But something needs to be clarified here, Governor Cooper, you’ve said you want to get Medicare for All or something close to it by the end of your first term. In many versions of the plan that would mean entirely banning private insurance. Do you support banning private insurance if it means getting Medicare for All? I think there are much better ways to get to universal coverage without taking away people’s options.”

Quote
To Hochul: Your First Lieutenant Governor was forced to resign after being caught in a corruption scandal. How can voters trust your judgement as President?

Quote
“The truth of the matter is the former Lieutenant Governor admitted he hid the probe and the subpoena from me during his background check, and this came as a surprise for me as well as the people of New York. I responded by completely restructuring the vetting process for Lieutenant Governor, streamlining the process, and ensuring something like this would never happen again. I didn’t do this for my own sake, but so the people of New York could trust their government. Those changes include working with district attorneys and federal prosecutors to see whether or not there is any potential wrongdoing. This is on top of taking the State Police’s background check and the one conducted in-house. We need a President who can own when a mistake has been made, and more importantly, ensure it never happens again with concrete policy changes. As your President, I will be committed to transparency and reform, I will work to be sure corruption is rooted out at every level, and that no one is above the law.”

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To All: If you could unilaterally amend the constitution once, what amendment would you add?

Quote
“It’s about damn time we pass the ERA. The fight for the Equal Rights Amendment has gone back decades, and we keep inching closer only for the fight to die down on the state level or in Congress. In fact, as President, I will pressure Congress to formally extend the deadline for ratification so we can get to the point where the United States Constitution prohibits discrimination based on sex.

Governor Cooper has insinuated that the aims of the ERA have been ‘all but achieved.’ I think that is one of the most ludicrous things I have ever heard. The Supreme Court still argues whether or not women get to control their reproductive health, the pay gap persists, and paid family leave is still no more than a policy goal that we talk about on stages like this one. The last thing American women need to be told is that the ERA is ‘symbolic’ when the only mention of women in the Constitution is giving us the right to vote. American women need the ERA to enshrine equal protection under the law, provide a federal standard, and allow for constitutional protections for our rights and liberties.”
Quote
To All: New Orleans is considered one of the most at-risk cities for climate change in the world. Tell me what your climate plan does to protect New Orleans.
Quote
“There is so much we need to do to protect cities like New Orleans from the impact of climate change. The first part of my plan involves seeing through on our promise to invest in green infrastructure, which means investing in coastal protection, water management, and adapting existing infrastructure to protect from extreme weather. This is a worthwhile investment and ensures communities like New Orleans are protected. Beyond that, we must invest in green energy. As Governor of New York, I have worked to shift all school buses to electric, to keep us on track to make all new buildings carbon neutral by 2027, and to keep our climate promises to cut emissions in half by 2030, and by 80% in 2050. The truth is, what happens in New York impacts New Orleans, we need federal action to match state and local action. As your President, my budget will greatly expand on funding infrastructure and green jobs, this will help us minimize risks while also building upon our economy. There’s no reason New Orleans needs to worry about whether or not your government will protect your home and livelihood.

I think my colleagues and I agree, we need to invest heavily in green energy, ensuring it is not only environmental but also economical for the American people. In terms of accountability, I will instruct the EPA to put together and publish an annual report showing what has been accomplished in terms of our carbon and energy goals. There has to be some sunshine on this process to be sure we don’t just talk about the problem, but that we actually shift to carbon neutrality and prevent the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.”

Quote
To All: Would you commit the United States military to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?
Quote
“Simply put, I oppose putting boots on the ground. The last thing our country or world needs is another world war, and supporting military deployment against China would absolutely lead to this very outcome. I agree with my colleagues on stage, we must not allow Taiwan to be overtaken, and we should use Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a blueprint for how to navigate such a delicate situation.

I also believe we need to keep all economic and diplomatic options on the table, and that means using sanctions where necessary to prevent such an action from taking place. The United States needs to stand strong up against international bullies who look to throw around their power.”

Quote
Closing statement:

“I never saw myself in elected office. I saw myself as a fighter for the people in my community, fighting for my fellow students against the rising costs of textbooks, fighting for small businesses against big-box stores threatening their livelihood. Even when I got elected, I kept this fighting spirit, fighting against tax breaks for oil companies and the wealthy, against efforts to repeal the ACA, and for paid family leave, free college tuition, and a $15 minimum wage. America needs a fighter, someone who won’t back down to the challenges ahead. As your President, I will fight for workers everywhere and make sure every single American has a shot at the American Dream.”

On Healthcare: "Good question, Governor Hochul. The fact is that yes, I would like for a private option to continue existing. It would - and I don't like this term to be used lightly or thrown around freely as the Republicans do - be borderline communism if the government were to completely monopolize healthcare. My stance is that ideally, decent-quality healthcare should be available to each and every one of us. But that said, I also know that certain private-owned and more exclusive hospitals that are for profit would have a higher quality. That's all right - as long as everybody has access to some type of healthcare, it's fine. It's fine if those who would prefer to and can afford to pay for private-owened healthcare choose to do so. If I were ever to be able to get Medicare for All, let me say here and now I would not be making it entirely-government run, and private-owned and for-profit options would still exist for those who chose that. My objective is not to make healthcare entirely run by the government, but for everyone to have access to healthcare and for the government to provide those who cannot afford healthcare with healthcare at little or no cost, for healthcare is a human right indeed. I would, however, vehemently oppose any action that sought to shut down private healthcare providers. I hope that the other three candidates - particularly the self-identified progressives, Senators Warren and Baldwin, can agree that they would refuse to shut down private-owned hospitals - for doing so would be bringing us dangerously close to communism."

On the ERA: "Look, Governor Hochul - the ERA is certainly a good thing. But I think you're vastly overestimating what a largely symbolic amendment would do. Most certainly, as Senator Baldwin also said, other issues are more pressing and demand a constitutional amendment - an end to gerrymandering or the Electoral College, reforming the Supreme Court, championing the environment, healthcare, anything. I realize that the ERA is important but I vehemently disagree that it is important enough, and accomplishes enough, for it to be a higher priority as a constitutional amendment than one that would, say, end gerrymandering, or end the electoral college. Such issues would have a greater impact on most Americans' lives. I'm also quite unsure that the ERA would enshrine abortion as a constitutional right. Certainly, it is unclear that it would, and highly debatable. The Supreme Court or some other court might decide that it does not, in fact, protect abortion. A safer way to protect abortion would be to keep Roe vs Wade. How would we do so? We would make sure the Supreme Court is not packed with conservative judges inclined to favour Roe's repeal. This would be achieved by implementing reforms to Supreme Court appointments. This could happen through - surprise - a constitutional amendment. Such a constitutional amendment, one that reformed the Supreme Court to ensure it's never packed with Republican appointees, would be much more everlasting and a much more effective way of ensuring abortion is still protected at the national scale. I genuinely believe that the reason VP Harris and you chose the ERA is because you do not know of any other groundbreaking amendment that would truly achieve a lot. Well, some ideas include amendments reforming SCOTUS, ending gerrymandering, and abolishing the electoral college. Hopefully, next time you'll name something that would actually have a meaningful impact instead of taking up a decades-old amendment that would achive significantly less."

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« Reply #17 on: May 02, 2022, 10:19:37 PM »

Kamala Harris Accepts Governor Cooper's Climate Change Invite/Issues Statement

You know, at the end of the day we all believe in the major perils of climate change and want to take action immediately. I also believe that we have to work together to be able to achieve our goals of saving our planet. So that's why I will be attending a summit with my Primary opponents to discuss climate policy and actions regarding Climate Change. If we fail, we will have allowed the Republicans to continue stalling on Climate Change before it's too late.
Scott reaches out to Cooper, expresses interest in attending meeting about climate

COOPER: "I'm very happy that this is a bipartisan effort now that Governor Scott is also interesting in joining. I am also happy that VP Harris has accepted. Now I think we can give Senator Warren a day or two to make up her mind, but otherwise, I believe we can proceed and get talking on ideas. My campaign and I will contact the campaigns of Baldwin, Hochul, Scott and Harris, and the four candidates themselves, because believe me when I say I'm very excited and very optimistic about what we can accomplish through a meeting like this."
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« Reply #18 on: May 03, 2022, 10:32:18 PM »


JUNE 15 - Cooper sets ground in Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa. He is immediately welcomed by the mayor of that municipality, Mayor Brad M. Cavanagh. Mayor Cavanagh greets Cooper and Cooper holds a rally with Cavanagh, where Cavanagh announces he is endorsing Cooper.

Cooper: "Dubuque is a great city, it's really a great city. And Mayor Cavanagh has done an absolutely great job as mayor. And I'm so happy to have his endorsement." Discusses taxes: "Here me loud and clear - we will make sure the rich finally pay their fair share! There's going to be a big increase in taxes for the rich. The Bush and the Trump tax cuts were outrageous. Between all the loopholes and all the exemptions and all the decreases the Republicans have caused, rich people - like Trump himself - are paying a lower percentage of their income to the government than the hardworking, the working-class voters here in Dubuque, and across eastern Iowa."

Cooper dines at 1st & Main and spends one night at Redstone Inn & Suites, and leaves early to travel west early the following morning. "You know, I haven't been to Iowa before, but this has been a great start! And before I go - I want to say this from the bottom of my heart: I will not forget the hospitality this wonderful city showed me! I only regret I couldn't stay here longer."


JUNE 16 - Travelling through Buchanan and Delaware Counties on the way to Waterloo, Black Hawk County, with a few impromptu mini-rallies along the way. At one such rally in Delaware County, Cooper also reveals the endorsement of longtime Attorney General Tom Miller.
JUNE 17 - Holds a large town hall in Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa.

On June 16 morning, Cooper goes west, crossing the Delaware County Line. He stops at Manchester, the county seat. He makes a quip about visiting both Manchester, New Hampshire and Manchester, Iowa, in the course of just a few days to an onlooking crowd, then gives an 'impromptu stump speech' and min-rally at the steps of the Delaware County Courthouse. Cooper discusses his climate change plan. Then - surprise! - appears Attorney General Tom Miller, who announces out of the blue that he is endorsing Cooper. Cooper warmly receives the endorsement - "This endorsement means a whole lot to me. From one Attorney General to another, Tom, I know how important the work you do is and you've been excellent. The people of Iowa are lucky to have someone as brilliant, astute and intelligent as their attorney general. I am just as lucky to be graced with your endorsement. I will say this - I won't disappoint you, Tom. Nor will I disappoint the people of Manchester, Iowa." To whoops and cheers (some from secret Cooper volunteers he has mixed in the crowd), Cooper makes a dramatic exit.

In Independence, Buchanan County,  Cooper, still with Miller, then discusses SCOTUS appointments: "The law is extremely important to me. And when it comes to the law the highest authority there is is the Supreme Court. Now, we all know how unfair Republicans like Mitch McConnell have been. Months before election day, Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland, our present Attorney General, to the Supreme Court. McConnell didn't even give him a hearing - citing the closeness to the election! Yet, when weeks before the race Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, McConnell jammed through her confirmation. The double-standard, the hypocrisy, is ridiculous! It's outrageous! And what's outrageous about Barrett's appointment is that it basically stopped the people and their votes from deciding who decides who sits on the Supreme Court. And I'll tell you I won't stand for it. If Mitch McConnell ever tries to stall one of my Supreme Court nominees, I'll make sure there's hell to pay."

Cooper arrives at Waterloo, Black Hawk County that evening. The following evening he has his town hall. He outlines his comprehensive climate change plan, as well as his discussions with Hochul, Baldwin, Harris and Scott: "And you know, between myself and four other presidential candidates, we've met together and we've brainstormed and we have a bunch of creative and innovative solutions that we've all promised to implement. And we will be excited to unveil our solutions a little later." He also discusses the election: "Mail-in ballots were all legitimate. There was no voter fraud. Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden. Period. He did not win Wisconsin, Georgia, or Arizona. Instead of accepting his loss, Trump has stoked suspicion and lies about the election. This culminated in the January 6 attack. And you know, to this day the January 6 attack angers me when I think about it, so I'd rather keep discussion of that subject to a minimum. But I will say this - it's outrageous that some of Trump's supporters thought they could subvert the will of the people, stop their voices from being heard and their votes from being counted, attack our democracy and our democractic process, and install Trump as dictator. They were soundly defeated. But there were grave consequences. We had a Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, who died trying to fight these rioters. And instead of condemning these riots, the Republican Party has doubled down on them. It's disgusting how it's a litmus test now among Republicans to promote what's called the Big Lie. And Republican politicians and state legislators have tried to implement laws that would tighten voting restrictions. It's voter suppression by another name - and this voter suppression targets nonwhite voters and disproportionately stops them from voting. As president, I will make sure we renew the Voting Rights Act and put a stop to this insanity. We are in the 21st century and no American citizen should have their voting rights suppressed. We know all too well what happens when legislators pass legislation that suppresses the right to vote for African-Americans and other minorities. My philosophy is the right to vote is just that - a right, not a priviledge. And it is not a right the Republicans can take away, ever, as they have tried to do."

JUNE 18 - Town hall in Benton County, Iowa.


Immediately after the town hall and after giving a rousing closing statement, Cooper heads southeast to Benton County, spending the night in the township of Cedar.

[TO BE CONTINUED]
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« Reply #19 on: May 09, 2022, 05:01:10 PM »

JUNE 18 - Town hall in Benton County, Iowa.
JUNE 19 - Rally in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa. Accepts the endorsement of State Senator Todd Taylor.
JUNE 20 - Rally in Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa. Accepts the endorsement of Mayor Bruce Teague.

Cooper hosts a town hall in Vinton, where he fields questions regarding the economy, foreign policy, the environment, and social issues such as abortion. "Roe getting overturned was an absolute travesty. We need to get a liberal majority in the Supreme Court so we can reverse the damage caused. In so many red states, abortion is now banned or almost completely banned. We need to ensure that there is a national standard allowing abortion nationally. We need to bring back an equivalent of Roe v Wade."

Cooper thanks the audience, and then departs east to Linn County, home to Cedar Rapids. He spends the evening in Cedar Rapids itself, and the following afternoon, hosts a large rally attended by many. He reveals and accepts the endorsement of native son Todd Taylor, a Democratic state senator. "Todd's done a great job for Cedar Rapids." He dsicusses healthcare: "Mark my words, we will expand on Obamacare, and build upon it. We need sweeping national healthcare legislation, and under a Cooper presidency, we'll get it!"
After the rally, Cooper goes to bed early.

He awakens early on June 20 to set out for Johnson County, to the south. He discusses making college more affordable: "We will get free or very inexpensive community colleges set up. This will ensure that other, private universities and colleges also reduce fees in order to avoid losing students and to remain competitive. Furthermore, I will personally do what Joe Biden did, and I will forgive a further $10,000 in loans." Loud cheers. "And I'm very happy today to reveal a special endorsement: that of Mayor Bruce Teague!!" Out pops Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague. "Bruce has dedicated his life to public service and has helped people across Iowa City. I'm very glad to have his endorsement in this fight." Cooper dines and spends the evening in Iowa City, intending to traverse southeast to Muscatine County the following morning.
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« Reply #20 on: May 10, 2022, 04:39:52 PM »


JUNE 21 - Town hall in Muscatine County, Iowa.
JUNE 22 - Rally in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa.
JUNE 23 - Town halls and meeting with Iowans in Clinton and Jackson Counties.


Cooper arrives in Muscatine early on the 21st in time for a town hall in which he touts the recent bipartisan climate change meeting between him and 4 other candidates. "You know, all candidates contributed ideas. We've gotten down a total of 17 ideas we will all support as president, and all of us our excited to unveil our ideas." He hints at an announcement that might come soon.

That evening itself, Cooper traverses to Davenport. The following day, he holds a big rally with Atty. General Miller. He slams Trump and emphasizes electability. "One of the biggest differences between Vice-President Harris and I is that she is a lot less electable than I am. She is polarizing and has constantly alienated moderates. While her approvals are constantly lower than President Biden's, down in North Carolina, I don't mean to brag but mine have consistently been higher. I know how to win and I'll get it done...With me on the ballot, we'd win North Carolina, as well as every state President Biden won three years back. With Harris as the nominee, though, not only do we lose North Carolina, we likely lose Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin too. And that alone would be enough to deliver the win to Ron DeSantis or Donald Trump."

The following day, still with Tom Miller, Cooper goes north, campaigning across Clinton County (including the townships of De Witt, Bloomfield, Welton, Waterford, and Washington). After lunching in northern Clinton County, he traverses further north, campaigning across Jackson County with Miller before, after a dinner in western Jackson County, leaving for neighbouring Jones County (while Miller flies back to Des Moines).
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« Reply #21 on: May 11, 2022, 02:40:23 PM »

JUNE 24 - Town halls and meeting with Iowans in Jones and Cedar Counties.
JUNE 25 - Returns to Iowa City to announce and accept the endorsement of Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls, a native of the city.
JUNE 26 - Town halls and meeting with Iowans in Muscatine, Louisa, and Washington Counties.

One June 24, Cooper campaigns across Jones and Cedar Counties. In Jones County, he highlights gun control. "Our gun violence epidemic is absolutely out of hand! Whether or not the NRA likes it, we need to take more steps to make sure that firearms are not in the hands of dangerous people who shouldn't have them. We need very comprehensive, mandatory universal background checks." Down in Cedar County, he focuses on taxes. "We will reverse the 2017 Trump tax cuts and we will make the rich pay their fair share! Time for guys like Jeff Bezos to pay more in taxes and his employees to pay less. We're going to implement a progressive tax structure, with the rich paying a much greater percentage of their income in taxes than minimum wage workers, lower-class Americans, and the middle class. I guarantee you this much - there will be more taxes on the rich, and there will be less taxes for the middle class." To raucous cheers, Cooper departs.

On June 25, Cooper returns to Iowa City to tout the endorsement of Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls. Predictably, he focuses on LGBT issues. "Ron DeSantis has waged war in Florida against gay people. Republicans across the country have made it their mission to suppress trans rights. State legislatures controlled by the GOP have passed bills targeting young, marginalized trans kids to score political points with an anti-LGBT base. They've accused pro-LGBT people and LGBT people of being 'groomers.' None of this is okay. Bigotry is not okay, ever. Zach has fought for greater awareness and tolerance of LGBT+ people throughout his career. I'm grateful to say the least for his endorsement, and I'll make sure he does not regret it. We will at a federal level work to pass legislation outlawing discrimination based on gender identity. It is shameful that we as a nation pick and choose which kinds of bigotry to allow. Bigotry is never okay, and this includes transphobia. We will fight transphobia and we will fight homophobia and we will champion LGBT equality when I'm president!"

One June 26, Cooper returns for a brief campaign stop in Muscatine, before swinging into Louisa County. He holds town halls in Wapello and Columbus Junction, promising to be a president "for the working class."
He hammers on the same themes while campaigning in Washington, Washington County: "The Republican Party is really only interested in its corporate interests. It does not care about the working class and Americans who work long hours. It cares for the donor class who bankroll their campaigns. They are the ones who get tax breaks under the GOP administrations. Think about it! The Republicans want tax breaks - not for you, mind you, but for the ultra-rich, for the wealthy, upper-class donors. They don't favour expanded healthcare - they want tax breaks for the rich only. They don't care about healthcare (they tried to repeal Obamacare), they don't care about the debt, they don't care about giving the working class a break - they care entirely for the wealthy."

Cooper travels to eastern Koekuk County to spend the evening.

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« Reply #22 on: May 12, 2022, 12:21:14 PM »


JUNE 27 - Town halls and meeting with Iowans in Keokuk, Iowa and Benton Counties.
JUNE 28 - Campaigning in Tama and Poweshiek Counties.
JUNE 29 - Begins day campaigning in Jasper County, then goes for rally in Marshall County at night.

On June 27, Cooper holds a meet-and-greet and impromptu outside town hall near the Keokuk County Courthouse in Sigourney. Cooper then traverses north, swinging through Iowa County and meeting voters along the way before a stop at the Iowa County Courthouse in Marengo. He lingers for some time before campaigning in Benton County that evening. Thereafter, he makes a short journey west, into Tama County. He spends the evening in Clark Township, on the county's eastern border.

He spends the first half of the following day visiting a dozen of Tama County's townships, including stops in Toldeo (the county seat) and next-door Tama (the county's largest city). He says in Tama, "Tama's a great city and I'm grateful for the hospitality I've been given by this city. It angers me that the other candidates, they don't care about Tama or Tama County or the other hundreds of places in Iowa like it. Has a single other candidate bothered to campaign outside the big cities? Have they bothered to come and see the rest of the state, counties like Keokuk and Tama? I myself have not yet visited much of this state, but I absolutely intend to visit each and every one of Iowa's 99 counties properly. You have my word on it that neither on the campaign trail, nor in the White House, will I forget the people of rural Iowa or the people of Tama!" There are loud cheers. "I'd like to see DeSantis or Warren or Trump or Harris or Baldwin or Hochul come visit Tama and show any interest in talking to the people of Tama." After lunch in Tama, Cooper goes south to Poweshiek County, campaigning mainly in Grinnell. He familiarizes himself with Poweshiek County natives for the rest of the day, and then enters into eastern Jasper County for the evening.

The following day he campaigns across Jasper County. He holds a rally in Newton. Next to the nearby Newton Correctional Facility, he discusses prison reform. "Some of the people here have committed minor crimes. And you know, they serve their sentence, right here in the Newton Correctional Facility. But the state of Iowa has a law that people who are in jail ever, even for minor crimes, can never, ever vote again. I really don't understand that, I don't. You should not have a punishment for life. You should serve your sentence in prison and most certainly you should not be denied your constitutional rights for the rest of your life. We as a society need to allow ex-felons back into society after they serve their sentence. One of the few good steps Trump took was the FIRST STEP Act. It was a step towards reforming our system. But I will go farther as president." He enters Marshall County and campaigns there as well, slamming Trump and DeSantis and promising to be a powerful liberal continuing many of Joe Biden's policies as president. "Kamala Harris will doubtless say the same thing, but the difference is, she won't win the White House, and I will." He slams other candidates too. "I'm worried what a Kathy Hochul Cabinet would look like. Governor Hochul chose someone corrupt as her first lieutenant governor. Of course it was a mistake, but it displays poor judgement on her part. What if a Hochul Administration proves to be a lot like a Harding Administration? It's really a valid question." He spends the evening in Marshalltown.
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« Reply #23 on: May 13, 2022, 01:46:22 AM »
« Edited: May 13, 2022, 01:15:10 PM by CentristRepublican »


JUNE 30 - Rally in Ames, Story County, Iowa.


At the rally in Ames on June 30, Cooper gives an impassioned speech to an audience with a lot of students at Iowa State University present. "You are the future. You are the next generation. We owe it to you and to the generations to follow better than what we had. Not worse. Not worse. Not worse air quality. Not a worse environment. We owe a better world, with cleaner air and cleaner water, more trees and more wilderness, a better environment. We have not lived up to a single one of those things, and it's high time we did so. As I'm sure many of you here in the audience are aware, I organized a meeting between three of my four challengers - Vice-President Harris, Senator Baldwin, and Governor Hochul - as well as Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, to discuss innovative solutions to fixing our climate and transitioning to renewable. We put aside all politics and did not argue amongst ourselves. All of us Democrats have attacked each other during the campaign, but all of us as well as Governor Scott also realize we face a common enemy that is much bigger than any of us. That enemy is climate change and the havoc it will wreack and disaster it will leave in its wake, climate change that will manifest on you and your children. That enemy is the oil and coal lobbies that have suppressed the truth and more or less bought the votes of Republican legislators. We need to fight those enemies, not each other. We know this and that's why we met and we came up with well over a dozen ideas between us. It's safe to say our discussion was a success. In fact, we've agreed to meet together and unveil all our ideas in Miami, Florida, on July 10. We will unveil the ideas that will help to save this generation from the disasters that climate change will doubtless otherwise bring about across the globe. We will all implement these ideas, if elected president. Because of each of us want, and our willing to fight for, a better future for you and today's children and tomorrow's children." Raucous cheers as Cooper slowly transitions to other topics.
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« Reply #24 on: May 16, 2022, 12:40:02 PM »
« Edited: May 16, 2022, 01:26:10 PM by CentristRepublican »

JULY 1 and JULY 2 - Rallies and other campaigning in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. Endorsements of Mayor Frank Cownie and House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst revealed and accepted.
JULY 3 - Town hall + rally in West Des Moines, Dallas County, Iowa.
JULY 4 - Spends the 4th of July with his family in North Carolina, having visited 24 of Iowa's 99 counties.[/font]

On July 1, Cooper arrives in Des Moines in Polk County. He shakes hundreds of hands, kisses babies, and gives loud, unifying speeches. He is paraded down the streets and continues campaigning. At around noon, he accepts the endorsement of Mayor Frank Cownie.
"I'm glad to get your support, Mayor Cownie!" Cooper discusses BLM in a rally a little later. "We need to have police reform. We need to reform our police so that systematic racism stops, so that African-Americans and Latinos and other minorities are not targeted for their race, or abused by the police for the race. We need accountability and we need officers to have body cameras." He spends the evening in Des Moines and continues campaigning countywide the following day, in Des Moines as well as its surburbs.

At a rally, he accepts the endorsement of House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst. "Minority Leader Konfrst has led the Democrats in the Iowa House. They've crusaded for important changes and reforms and laws that'd help all Americans. Though they have been stopped by the Republicans controlling the legislature, their ideals are the same for which I stand, and which I will bring to the White House.

Later, he rips into Elizabeth Warren. "You know, I really hoped all us candidates could put our bickering aside and meet together so we could discuss some ideas we'd pursue to tackle and combat climate change. Well, I'm happy to say 3 of my 4 Democratic rivals agreed to join, as did a Republican, Vermont Governor Phil Scott. But Elizabeth Warren didn't come. Why not? Where is Elizabeth Warren? Why did she refuse to put politics aside and meet and work out some solutions for climate change? Elizabeth Warren has been missing from the campaign trail. Where is Elizabeth Warren? She can't even be bothered to campaign for your votes in the Democratic primaries, and yet she wants our party's presidential nomination. I really despise that. Say what you will of all the other candidates in this race, most of them have campaigned for your votes. They've met the voters, face to face. Elizabeth Warren hasn't done even that." He then breaks into chants of "Where is Elizabeth Warren?" with the crowd joining in.

He moves on to slamming Donald Trump. "Donald Trump is a race-baiter, a bigot, a xenophobe, and a racist. He's bragged about groping and raping women. He's spread misinformation about COVID19. When he lost in 2020, he tried to establish unilateral control and topple our democracy. I'm sure we all remember January 6. For the past three and a half years, I've always been reminded of the fact that this dangerous man is no longer our president. But recently I've been worried by the increasingly realistic possibility that he will be come 2025. He may very well win the Republican Party's nomination for a third time. And what's stopping him from winning in the general election? One of the reasons I entered this race is because I want to stop Donald Trump. I want to hold the White House for your party and pursue our nation's ideals, of equality, of justice. I want to help all Americans, including the struggling lower-class Americans who go from paycheque to paycheque. But one reason I entered the race is because I truly believe I stand a greater chance of beating Trump than a vice-president with approvals that have been consistently underwater, a greater chance of beating him than a governor who's shown very poor judgement skills, and a greater chance of beating him than a progressive who will scare off independents. I'm in it to win it - to stop Trump, but also to win it for myself, and to win it for the millions of Americans who have been left behind." Loud cheers as Cooper moves on.

He then covers his record as governor when asked at a town hall by a voter "Why are you the best candidate to beat Ron DeSantis?" Cooper replies, "The transphobic and homophobic bills I've seen states like Florida pass remind me a great deal of a law in North Carolina, a transphobic law. It was the infamous bathroom ban. This bill was meant to play to people's fears, to their bigotry, to their hate. It was meant to tap into many people's transphobia. The party of 'small government' passed a bill in North Carolina that had the government enter our state's bathrooms, that forced trans men and women across the state to use the wrong bathroom. And Governor Pat McCrory signed that bill. That was the biggest reason I ran against him in 2016. I have been opposed to bigotry in all its forms. I was taught by my parents that bigotry, discrimination, and hate are not okay. And I was horrified at this bill, which exacerbated the problem of transphobia. It drove away businesses from North Carolina as well. I ran in 2016 promising to repeal this bill and I won. And the bill has been repealed. Well, let me tell you, Ron DeSantis is to me nothing more than another Pat McCrory. Another bigoted Republican who plays to the fears and bigotry of some people. And I will beat DeSantis in the general, just as I beat McCrory. I will fight for the LGBT+ people of our country and I will fight against the bigotry Ron DeSantis has promoted. I sincerely hope that each and every one of you join me in that fight. We as a country our better than bigotry and transphobia and hate. Because he man not say it explicitly, but Ron DeSantis is the candidate of hate, fear, transphobia and bigotry. I am the candidate who will fight him and each one of those things. And mark my words, I'll beat 'em."

Cooper departs for a small fundraiser in Des Moines later where he stresses electability and promises to beat the Republican, be it Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis. "Here's the thing. Kamala Harris cannot win - moderates and independents and swing voters would stay home, or worse, vote for Trump. Kathy Hochul is also a weak candidate. We all remember the disaster that occurred with her first pick for lieutenant governor. What happens if she makes similar mistakes in assembling a Cabinet as president? Voters will ask these questions. They're valid questions and they deserve answers. Hochul lacks good judgement. I can see the GOP attack ads right now. And I don't think she can overcome them. Now look at Elizabeth Warren. She's been off the campaign trail and didn't attend our climate meetings. She didn't even answer the debate questions. Lastly, there's Baldwin. I'll be the first to admit she's a strong candidate, but policy matters, too. And Baldwin is a progressive. Would you rather have an extremist radical progressive who will never be able to actually enact her agenda, or a pragmatic liberal who will? I think ideology matters, but results do too. I've delivered for North Carolina. In the Senate, Tammy is one of a hundred legislators who vote on bills. All she does is vote with the party. And don't get me wrong, that's important. But you need some level of executive experience, you need to know how to get things done, how do you get what you want, how to pass liberal bills and stop bad things. I was limited in my powers as governor thanks to the North Carolina Legislature, but as president, I'll have more power. And I will get our liberal ideas enacted. Tammy will propose them and she'll fight for them,  but at the end of the day, who would really be likelier to pass what they want? Me, or her? And there, the answer is me. We need results. And I think a liberal agenda that gets passed is infintely better than a visionary, a bold, progressive agenda, that never does get passed." Cooper collects donations and spends the evening in Des Moines.

In West Des Moines on July 3, Cooper hosts a town hall. It is brief, but he gets his points across. He emphasizes his experience, electability, and liberal views. "I have a liberal agenda that I will pass as president. If what you want is a Democrat in the White House who gets good legislation passed, join me. Together we will win the White House and we will get passed an agenda for all Americans. But to do that, we first need to win the Iowa Caucus. Will we win the Iowa Caucus?" Loud chants of "Yes we will" in response.

That evening Cooper boards a flight to Raleigh to spend July 4 and the coming days in North Carolina with his family after a long absence.
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