What Comes After: A 2024 Game (Gameplay-PAUSED)

[KaiserDave]

The Delegate Race

Kamala Harris: 619 Delegates
Al Gore: 549 Delegates
Jeff Merkley: 303 Delegates
Gretchen Whitmer: 200 Delegates
Eric Adams: 43 Delegates
Gavin Newsom: 18 Delegates
Kirsten Gillibrand: 3 Delegates

Josh Hawley: 307 Delegates
Ron DeSantis: 288 Delegates
Glenn Youngkin: 259 Delegates
Roger Stone: 141 Delegates
Kari Lake: 10 Delegates
Nikki Haley: 7 Delegates
Matt Gaetz: 2 Delegates
Justin Amash: 0 Delegates
Lin Wood: 0 Delegates

Note: Debate coming as soon as I can make it, maybe by the weekend? GOOD NIGHT!

[McGovernite]

Gillibrand Campaign Announcement

After crossing the United States for the past months, I have met so many wonderful people. From the farms of Iowa to New York City, meeting Americans who shared their concerns with me was such an honor. I believe that there is so much to be done in our nation to help push us forward. From ensuring a woman's right to choose to stopping climate change, we, as elected officials, must take action.

 I believe that, at this time, there is no path forward for our campaign for President. I want to thank everyone who has done anything they can for my campaign. From making phone calls from your living room to standing with us going door to door, you have helped to make history, and I thank you for everything you've done. However, I have not lost my hope for a candidate to continue the progressive vision that I, and all of you, have put forward.

This is why I have decided to endorse Senator Jeff Merkley, a friend, confidant, and fearless fighter for a brighter future for President of the United States. I look forward to joining Senator Merkley along the way to help secure the Democratic nomination for President of the United States for him. I ask everyone who has volunteered, campaigned, and voted to me to please join this effort. We must keep the fight going, and let us never remember, that Brave Wins.

[John King wannabe]

Harris Campaign Celebrates Super Tuesday Victories

The Vice President sat stoically in her Los Angeles home living room watching the results roll in each poll closing time, letting out excited claps at unexpected wins and exasperated sighs at wanted states that turned into losses. All in all the general mood of the night was upbeat and optimistic as it became clear the Vice President would walk away from the night with the most pledged delegates and the most votes across the country.

The Vice President watched Senator Gillibrand's graceful concession speech and called her to congratulate on a race well run. Afterwards the Vice President would eat dinner with her family as results continued to roll in before getting ready for her speech in front of supporters at her LA watch party. While preparing and rewriting her speech the Vice President was informed of voter operations across the country in the coming contests as well as the crowd size at her rally which gave Harris another boost of excitement and relief regarding the night.

Bringing along her family and campaign staff the Vice President left her home and her motorcade took her to the campaign watch party. Arriving at the venue the Vice President danced and recorded videos with her younger campaign staff before laughing and preparing to get on stage. Once announced the Vice President was introduced to Tupac's California Love which she danced along to before walking to the podium.

“Thank you! Wassup LA!”

“It’s good to be home, and it’s good to be home to celebrate a very Super Tuesday!”

“First off, I want to congratulate Former Vice President Gore, Senator Merkely, and Governor Whitmer on their victories across the country tonight. And of course I would like to applaud Senator Gillibrand on a race well run and I look forward to what she has planned next in her career. Tonight, Democrats across this country voted and they have made their voices clear. We have won the most votes, and the most pledged delegates of any candidate in this race tonight! We have inspired millions of young women and especially women of color, and I believe that we have a very clear road ahead to the White House!”

“Now, obviously we aren’t quite across the finish line yet. Many more states have to vote and make their voices heard but I will say this, our campaign was built for the long run and we believe that when it is all said and done we will take the momentum started in South Carolina over a month ago, all the way to the White House!”

“This is a campaign that was birthed and molded for the American people, people of all backgrounds and creeds, whether you be Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, gay, straight, upper class, middle class, or lower class.  This is your campaign and I promise you that when I am President I am going to work everyday for you! Cause that is the job of a President, to work for everyone no matter if they voted for them or not, those are the values that sent Joe Biden and I to the White House, the values of decency, respect, and empathy, and those are the same values that I will cherish and value as President”

“So! Our work and our journey continues, the work to expand healthcare access to every single American once and for all, the work to end the gun violence epidemic in this country by banning assault weapons! The work to end interference in our American elections and to build on what we have done under the Biden-Harris administration and continue to hold our foreign and domestic adversaries accountable! The work to codify the right for a woman to make decisions about her own body, the work to pass Universal Pre-K and to make sure no student in America ever leaves college with Student debt”

“And yes, under a Harris administration we will build on the work of the Biden-Harris administration and do everything we can to fight and curb the climate crisis once and for all”

“The Democratic party is the party of progress, unity, and hope. We have solutions for this country, not just words. And when you compare the message of our party compared to the rhetoric on the other side, the contrast couldn’t be more clear. This November we must elect a Democratic president and I am hopeful that after our strong showing across the country tonight that our party will grant me the honor of carrying our party’s banner.”

“So, to the states of North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, and the great state of California! I thank you all for your confidence in me and as long as this race continues I will always fight for the values we hold dear. So thank you, may God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America!”

After concluding the speech the song would play once again as Harris was joined by family and friends on stage as campaign staffers set off confetti cannons raining confetti on the crowd and on the stage to conclude the night. With this large batch of contests behind them, the Harris campaign prepared to continue their long slog to the Democratic nomination.

[YPestis25]

Super Tuesday Surprise

Source: New Republic/Me

The Gore Headquarters in Nashville began to feel optimistic as the Virginia projection played across the screen. When Tennessee and Oklahoma were called for the Vice President they were buoyant. But when Texas was called for the Vice President and it became clear that Vice President Harris would only gain a net of 32 delegates, and all of those from California, over Vice President Gore when all was said and done, Vice President’s Gore’s headquarters was positively ebullient.

Al Gore’s campaign had survived hurdle after hurdle: the derision when he first announced, the opening primary states deep in their opponents’ turf, and now Super Tuesday which included not just Vice President Harris’s home state, but also her base in the Deep South. They had survived them all, and now on the night of March 5th, they were only 70 delegates away from the lead. The campaign was far from over, but when Al Gore bounded onto the stage in Nashville a little after 11:00 PM Eastern Time, he had every reason to be optimistic.

“Nashville! It is so, so good to be home tonight. I want to start off by thanking all of you. The work that you all put in, knocking doors, making phone calls, talking to your neighbors, has made tonight possible. I don’t know if you heard but we just took home four states tonight! And that is thanks to all of you. I also want to extend my congratulations to Vice President Harris, Senator Merkley and Governor Whitmer for their victories tonight. I also want to thank Senator Gillibrand for her contributions to this race and for a campaign well run - the party and the country are the better for the issues that she raised.

Tonight is just the beginning of a marathon that will take us to the convention and then to the White House! It is going to be a long race, make no mistake, but tonight set us on the path to victory this summer and victory in November!

But let us be clear - this election and this campaign is about more than just winning, it is about what we do with that victory, and I’m going to tell you what we’re going to do.

We’re going to invest in health care, education, a secure retirement and middle-class tax cuts.

I'm happy that the stock market has boomed and so many have done so well. This nation is richer and stronger thanks to the efforts of President Biden and our congressional leadership. But we must do more and we cannot be complacent. My focus is on working families, people trying to make house payments and car payments, working overtime to save for college and do right by their kids.

Whether you're in a suburb or an inner city, whether you raise crops or drive hogs and cattle on a farm, drive a big rig on the interstate or your kids to school everyday, whether you're starting out to raise your own family or getting ready to retire after a lifetime of hard work, so often powerful forces and powerful interests stand in your way and the odds seem stacked against you, even as you do what's right for you and your family.

How and what we do for all of you, the people who pay the taxes, bear the burdens and live the American dream, that is the standard by which we should be judged. And for all of our good times, I am not satisfied. To all the families in America who have to struggle to afford the right education and the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, I want you to know this: I've taken on the powerful forces, and as president, I'll stand up to them and I'll stand up for you.

Let me repeat though, we cannot become complacent. I know all too well what happens when we let four or eight years of progress make us self-congratulatory or lazy. The Republicans are waiting, they are waiting with Hawley, or with DeSantis or with Stone, to roll back the gains we have made. We cannot allow that to happen. We have to keep our feet on the gas through to November.

With that said, thank you Nashville! We have set off on the road to victory tonight thanks to each and every one of you here, and countless more across the country."

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

March 2024

Eric Adams was in it for the long haul, but after totalling zero delegates on Super Tuesday, he sees no other way but to fold. The announcement came at a rally in the Bronx, same as where he started.

This campaign has been great, I have learnt a lot from those I met and hopefully inspired many too. I thank all of you. Gracias a todos! However, one of the best skills in a fight is knowing when to quit, and being faced with the most devastating results possible last Tuesday I don't believe there is a path forward for me in this race.

I have contacted other candidates and I have made the decision to offer my support to Senator Merkley. He may not be a so-called moderate, but he has the right determination and has shown that he wants to reach working people, all working people. He has a record, but is not stuck in the past. I can trust him, and I'll be glad to work with him on topics like bridging the gap between federal and local politicians, police and immigration reform.

[KaiserDave]

Debate Rules and Regulations

Welcome to the third debate of What Comes After. I think you guys know the rules by this point.

Phoenix Republican Debate

Pete Hegseth: Welcome to the Republican Presidential Debate here in the Arizona Federal Theater. I'm Pete Hegseth of Fox News, I'm joined by FOX family members Maria Bartiromo and Brian Kilmeade. Today we're moderating a Republican debate for President of the United States. We'd like to thank the venue, the city of Phoenix, and our many guests. Let's get right into it.

1. China has amassed soldiers in what some analysts are saying could be for a potential invasion of Taiwan, an American ally. They have also engaged in other threatening actions, such as verbal threats, aerospace violations, and naval exercises. If the worst case scenario unfolds and Taiwan is attacked, would you support an American military response to support Taiwan against a Chinese invasion?

2. Many conservatives have voiced concerns over creeping "gender ideology" in schools, teaching children about multiple genders, changing ones gender as a child, information about genitalia and so on, before they even know anything about this. Many have said this constitutes social pressure on our nation's children to conform to a radical left-wing agenda on gender and the family. What would you do to stop the spread of gender ideology in schools and in our culture at large?

3. Do you believe that President Biden should be impeached by the Republican House of Representatives based on scandals such as the Hunter Biden Laptop Story and coverup, Burisma corruption, or mishandling classified documents?

4. Raise your hand if you believe the ongoing criminal case against Former President Trump is a politically motivated prosecution. One sentence or two can suffice for explanation.

5. Would you support abolishing the IRS and the Federal Income Tax in favor of a nationwide sales tax? If not, what kind of cuts would you like to see?

Personalized Questions:
To Governor DeSantis: A lot of conservatives often feel let down by party leaders on issues like culture and immigration. What can you do to assure conservatives that you will act to defend the America they know and love?
To Senator Hawley: What kind of consequences would you support for states and localities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities as President? Would you support sending in federal forces to enforce our immigration laws?
To Governor Youngkin: Some have raised questions about your background in doing business with China, ties to Hillary Clinton, and other criticisms. How can you reassure voters you're a real America First conservative?
To Mr. Stone: You've criticized other candidates on stage for pushing for war, whether that's in Ukraine or China. Some would call this unpatriotic, especially with the threat of Chinese Communism being more and more of an issue in the minds of Republicans every day. Can they trust you to stand up for America?


6. Rebuttal Period/Free Space

Chicago Democratic Debate

David Muir: Welcome to the ABC Democratic Presidential debate. Welcome to the City Club of Chicago, where we have all of the Democratic candidates for president, and we're joined by many leaders such as Governor Pritzker, Mayor Garcia, and Senator Durbin. I'm David Muir and I'm joined by Whit Johnson. Let's get started.

1. Due to provocations against Taiwan by the People's Republic of China, President Biden has deployed a Carrier Strike Group to American base Yokosuka and American patrols routinely approach Taiwan as a defensive measure. President Biden has also said there would be "extreme consequences" for any attack on Taiwan. Do you support President Biden's actions in this area and would you support a military response in the event of an attack?

2. Do you support President Biden's partial student loan debt cancellation? Would you push for more broad action in this area as President? How would you deal with the challenge of a Supreme Court hostile to debt cancellation?

3. Homelessness has been rising in America, and this is no less true in big cities such as Chicago. What would you do to bring homelessness, and rising housing costs in general, under control?

4. America continues to be vexed by the challenge of failing public schools, the effects of COVID-19 shutdown have made these issues even worse, with massive gaps appearing among the youth and catastrophic shortfalls in reading, math, and other areas. As President, what solutions would you push for in the area of public education?

5. Raise your hand if you support continued monetary and weapons aide to Ukraine, as the war now enters its third year.

Personalized Questions:
To Vice President Harris: You have been assailed by other candidates on a myriad of issues. The latest of these is what they say is a failure to take on OneWest Bank over foreclosure violations in your time as California AG, can you take this time to clear the air on this?
To Vice President Gore: Many Democrats feel disappointed by how President Biden's initial proposal for Build Back Better was severely cut down in negotiations. Many provisions such as Universal Childcare, Universal Pre-K, Medicare coverage for dental and auditory health, more robust prescription drug reform, and an expanded Child Tax Credit were lost. Do you support reviving these provisions? What would you do to see that realized?
To Governor Whitmer: As President would you support abolition or reform of the Senate filibuster to more easily enact Democratic agenda items?
To Senator Merkley: Would you support a reduction in federal defense spending at this time, despite war in Europe and potential conflict in Asia?


6. Rebuttal Period/Free Space



Responses and STII campaigning due Saturday Morning!!!

[PPT Spiral]

From Trump to Stone

As the dust settled from Super Tuesday, some influential voices were slowly but surely beginning to come out the woodwork in full force. On the side of Roger Stone: prominent conservative filmmaker and commentator Dinesh D'Souza. Unbeknownst to the general public, D'Souza had been diligently working on a new documentary that he was salivating to now release to watchful conservatives nationwide. After hits including 2016: Obama's America and 2000 Mules, the new project was titled From Trump to Stone: The Road to Political Freedom.

The film vividly chronicles the progression of Trump and Stone's careers, touching on how they have both stood for the best of the best in America First conservatism and have guided each other during critical times. D'Souza also discusses injustices from the DOJ, FBI, and other elements of the Deep State that have gone after both men (as well as D'Souza himself). By the end, the conclusion to viewers is made quite clear: Roger Stone is the antidote to freeing America, and only he can earnestly continue on Trump's work. Reports have surfaced that former President Trump and his team received a first private screening at Mar-a-Lago within the past several weeks.

As a press conference promoting the film's release, D'Souza took to defend Stone and vouch for his stature:

If you look at what both Roger Stone and President Trump have been subjugated to, which is documented very well in my film, we have seen the most ruthless Gestapo tactics and Alinskyite scheming used against them. Leftists and their enablers are petrified. They have no recourse but to wage their holy war on real America. This is still going on, of course, as you can see with the blackballing waged over this campaign.

I believe very strongly in Roger Stone because he has proven that he can withstand whatever is thrown at him. Understand who we're dealing with here: the same corrupt people and institutions that have gone out of their way to silence dissenters however they can. Stone has always worked in synergy with President Trump, whether it's calling out bad trade deals, protecting American greatness, and saving us from the wrath of Hillary Clinton. He is far and away the best person to pick up the Trump mantle, bring us to victory in November, and restore our freedoms from the vengeful hands of socialism.

This is the most important work of my career. I hope that the whole nation watches and is awakened after seeing the full truth about what our country has been brought down to.

[oldkyhome]

Public Domain, via Facebook

'You can't stop what's coming': Hawley assails 'corrupt political establishment' in Super Tuesday victory speech

Hawley's closing rally in Raleigh was a sight to behold. Hosted downtown in the massive J.S Dorton Arena, the event attracted almost 11,000 attendants, where an energetic Hawley was embraced by a multitude of surrogates, including Activist Candace Owens, Senator J.D Vance, Governor (and Senate candidate) Jim Justice, and others. The spectacle mirrored that of President Biden's 4 years ago in the lead-up to Super Tuesday, where he projected a show of unity by flaunting a diverse crowd of the campaign's major endorsements. One after another, each riled up the audience, making their case for Senator Hawley to be the one to take on Kamala Harris. The mood was electric.

Heading into election day, staff were optimistic. They saw Super Tuesday as the break the campaign needed, and it would have to be. While polling showed Hawley as the (narrow) favorite, he had not won a single contest in over a month. This was a make-or-break moment. To cement his frontrunner status to a national audience and perhaps coalesce the party around him ahead of Mini Tuesday, Hawley needed to run the table in the south and stay competitive elsewhere.

For all their buoyancy over large crowd sizes and good polling, that was far from a foregone conclusion. In critical battleground contests, Hawley's winning coalition hinged on whether he could unite a critical mass of the Trump base behind him. Roger Stone had proven to be a consistent thorn in this effort, perhaps now more than ever. Hawley's team recognized that. That's why they focused the bulk of their attacks on the memos that emerged out of the New York Post's report. If everything fell into place, Stone's vote share would fall just enough to pave the way for a decisive victory.

As Josh and Erin settled in for the night, his team on the ground crunched the numbers. "It'll be tight," one aide reported behind the scenes, "What we're seeing is a razor-thin race in Texas, but decisive wins in every other Southern contest, ... also a stronger-than-expected performance out of California, and dismal showings in the New England primaries." A mixed bag, to be sure, but certainly more favorable than not. The question of the night though: would Hawley come out on top in the delegate count? The answer to that would become clear as more results strolled in that showed the Missouri Senator outperforming even internal estimates in North Carolina and Tennessee and boasting strong 2nd-place finishes in Utah, California, and Colorado.

A patient crowd burst into chants and cheers as the call from North Carolina echoed throughout the Asheville watch party. Minutes later, Hawley emerged from his venue to declare victory and assess the campaign's standing. Here's the transcript:

As delivered at 11:03 PM ET

Crowd: "HAW-LEY! HAW-LEY! HAW-LEY!"

"Thank you, thank you! What a night!

What can I say? Tonight, the media cynics and special interests, who believed what happened on a snowy day in Iowa was just a fluke, were told a different story by voters from every corner of this nation. What started as a whisper in a small town in the middle of Missouri swelled into a chorus of millions tired of this administration and fed up with a corrupt political establishment that has robbed and deceived them. Farmers, mechanics, teachers, tradesmen, in every state and every town, especially here in North Carolina.

Now, not all of the results are in, but what has become clear and what will become clear in the coming days is that, tonight, the American people spoke loud and clear. They are ready for the challenge ahead, to take on the swamp, to change Washington from the ground-up, and to once again give a voice to the millions of Americans who have been forgotten and left behind by this administration. They have answered the call of every generation to renew our revolutionary heritage and retake our Republic for the people.

Yes, our time has come; our movement is real.

And we will no longer be ignored or deterred. We will not be pushed around or told to shut up. We will not be drowned out by negative ads or media lies. To the special interests, the dark money groups, the lobbyists, who poured millions to defeat us tonight, you can't stop what's coming. In November, the silent majority of Americans, who have had to foot the cost of every erroneous and self-serving decision of this administration, are prepared to send a powerful wake-up call to America's ruling class.

I want to thank all the people who made this comeback possible: the field organizers, the volunteers, the canvassers. You made the calls. You knocked on doors. You went the distance. This is your victory.

It's been a tough road. We've faced our fair share of setbacks and challenges, but we've also had some incredible moments along the way, and this is one of them. If it were not for my team's persistence and resolve, I'm not sure we would be where we are tonight. When we started this journey, many people said we couldn't do it. They said we didn't have what it takes to stand up and defeat the Republican establishment. But we refused to listen. We refused to give up. And tonight, we proved them all wrong.

It has been such an honor and privilege to meet with people from all walks of life throughout this campaign, from bustling metros to small town neighborhoods to rural farming communities. Their stories have humbled me, they have inspired me, they have reminded me why this campaign is so important to so many.

But the work is far from over, so I want to remind you, too, why we must fight onward.

A hard-working mom in Dalton, Ohio who's forced to work two jobs to keep up with rising costs and declining wages. She wants to spend more time with the kids but the Biden economy offers no relief. A factory worker in Harbor Springs, Michigan who watched as his place of work was outsourced to China where people make $1 or $2 a day. He struggles to find new work to put food on the table for his family but Washington couldn't care less. A young man in Jefferson, Texas who fights every day with fentanyl addiction. He represents a growing swath of Americans who have been forced to give up on their dreams and aspirations because this President has enabled drug dealers and cartels.

These stories remind me - remind us - why this election is no ordinary one. We are in a fight against not just whoever the Democratic nominee ends up being but also a tidal wave of money and power. As we leave Super Tuesday with new wind at our backs, and take our movement to the next slew of states, let's never forget the challenges that lay ahead - and why it is so important at this critical moment in our nation's history to take them on. Thank you all, and God bless!

Crowd: "HAW-LEY! ALL THE WAY! HAW-LEY! ALL THE WAY!"

The spotlight again shone in his direction, and he would not hesitate to make the most of it.

[John King wannabe]

For the People: Debate Night in Chicago

Arriving in Chicago after a quick swing through Kansas City, Missouri, the Vice President was relentlessly prepped by her staff on a series of questions aiming to show her preparedness on the issues and her clear sign of experience. As the campaign has picked up steam the results of any debate at this rate is likely to cause significant headwinds in voters minds and so the Vice President and her campaign have done everything in their power to make a strong show of strength and experience.

So, as the Vice President sat in the green room going over the notes and talking points with her debate prep team she chose to steal a strategy from the words of Michelle Obama. When they go low, you go high. The Vice President has decided to not stoop down to any negative attacks but instead focus on her and her connection to the American people. So, once her name was introduced the Vice President emerged with a broad smile and feeling confident in where the night was heading.

Opening Statement

First off, thank you David, Whit, and the City Club of Chicago for hosting this debate and it’s good to be here for another debate with my fellow candidates where we are here to talk about the issues facing the American people. Solutions like reasonable gun reform, expanding access to healthcare, and tackling the climate crisis. And these aren’t just words, these are the values that the Democratic party stands on and believes in and I know every candidate on this stage believes in those values.

But, there are those on the other side of the aisle that don't agree with these values. They would rather protect the NRA than protect kindergartners, cut access to Medicaid rather than expanding it and deny climate change leaving our children and grandchildren in a worse state than what we received. What we need in a President is someone who knows their playbook and knows how to fight back and prosecute the case against them. I've served as D.A., Attorney General, A United States Senator representing the great people of California and now as your Vice President. I have the experience and the background to best tackle and govern as President of the United States and I hope I can earn your support and confidence as our party’s nominee.

Due to provocations against Taiwan by the People's Republic of China, President Biden has deployed a Carrier Strike Group to American base Yokosuka and American patrols routinely approach Taiwan as a defensive measure. President Biden has also said there would be "extreme consequences" for any attack on Taiwan. Do you support President Biden's actions in this area and would you support a military response in the event of an attack?

Well I think I have the unique distinction on this stage of being the person in the situation room with President Biden and our top military and diplomatic officials when it comes to discussing the situation with Taiwan and the dangerous provocations that the Chinese Communist Party has shown to them. Now, the United States will always stand with and for our allies under a Harris administration as we have in the Biden-Harris administration and we will continue to provide the Taiwanese people with anything they need for as long as they need.

So I do stand with President Biden’s actions and as President of the United States I will constantly stand with our allies in the face of dangerous and irresponsible advances by the Chinese government and the United States will never back down from supporting our allies in the face of aggression.

Do you support President Biden's partial student loan debt cancellation? Would you push for more broad action in this area as President? How would you deal with the challenge of a Supreme Court hostile to debt cancellation?

Absolutely, absolutely I support President Biden’s decision to finally lift the heavy burden of student debt from our nation’s most vulnerable citizens. Now as President I am prepared to go further, I want to make sure no student in America ever has to leave college burdened by debt simply for wanting a quality education that will set them up for successes in their future and in their career, that is the America I believe in, where opportunity doesn’t get unfairly packaged in with debt you spend nearly 30 years paying off, and I hope everyone on this stage agrees with me!

Now, as President of the United States I intend to nominate justices to the Supreme Court who believe in reproductive freedom, in easing the financial burden on young people, and fighting to ensure an equitable country for everyone no matter their income bracket or background. That is what I am going to do as President to continue to fight for the most vulnerable in our society and ease any strain on their hard earned money.

Homelessness has been rising in America, and this is no less true in big cities such as Chicago. What would you do to bring homelessness, and rising housing costs in general, under control?

I’m glad you asked that question because when I was in the United States Senate I was proud to introduce legislation with Congresswoman Maxine Waters to invest over $100 billion dollars into public housing investments to make sure that the people who need them most, the homeless, the elderly, the disabled, and those in the low income bracket and as President I will do everything in my power to get that legislation passed and invest in quality and affordable public housing.

But let’s get down to the root cause of why so many Americans find themselves in situations where they have nowhere to go or nobody to turn to. Let’s look at our opioid epidemic across this country that has destroyed families and put millions of Americans at risk, let’s also take a look at the abysmal situation when it comes to raises in this country, and under a Harris administration we will raise the minimum wage, give middle class Americans a tax cut, not the rich! And let me be clear, $15 an hour is the floor! We will raise wages for the American people to lift them up out of the burden of poverty.

America continues to be vexed by the challenge of failing public schools, the effects of COVID-19 shutdown have made these issues even worse, with massive gaps appearing among the youth and catastrophic shortfalls in reading, math, and other areas. As President, what solutions would you push for in the area of public education?

The first thing is we need to give teachers across the nation a well deserved pay raise! There are a lot of experienced and capable and willing people with a passion to teach and help lift up the future generation but it is very hard to make it by and still have a little bit of money for yourself on $38,000 a year! So that is step number one and I can say right now that as President I will do everything in my power to raise the pay of our hardworking teachers.

And we also need to invest in our public schools by giving them the necessary funding to invest in our students! Too many public schools in America are using outdated textbooks, or doesn’t have access to to computers they need to complete standardized assignments in order to track student’s progress, we must invest federal resources in order to look out for America’s future and that is what we will do under a Harris administration

Raise your hand if you support continued monetary and weapons aide to Ukraine, as the war now enters its third year.

I raised my hand because look, the United States will always stand with our allies in Ukraine and across the globe as I reiterated earlier and as Vice President of the United States I can say we will continue to support the Ukrainian people in their fight for their continued freedom.

To Vice President Harris: You have been assailed by other candidates on a myriad of issues. The latest of these is what they say is a failure to take on OneWest Bank over foreclosure violations in your time as California AG, can you take this time to clear the air on this?

Well, obviously it is clear that there is a lot of confusion on this stage on what a state Attorney General can do, and so I want to clear up that confusion so the American people can finally see the truth and put this matter to rest.

There was a United States Supreme Court ruling which basically said state subpoenas to national banks regarding their core functions were prohibited and I believed that my time would be better served recommending a case to the United States Attorney General for more immediate results than dragging our a long court case all the way to the Supreme Court and still likely facing the possibility of losing due to already set law, that would not benefit the people of California in any way possible.

So, did I want to take on the predatory practices of OneWest Bank? Yes I did, but under federal law could I? I could not, and if you want to read the brief from my office at the time all you have to do is search the public record it’s right there. I was a state Attorney General, I could not prosecute or even subpoena a federal bank.

Those are the facts, period and I hope this doesn’t become a political issue anymore.

After the debate the Vice President would politely chat with her fellow candidates before descending the stage to socialize with supporters in the crowd and take pictures. Afterwards the Vice President would head to a debate watch party in downtown Chicago and crack jokes at her performance with supporters before leaving to continue her campaign spree which will now swing through the state of Washington.

[John King wannabe]

For the People: The Battle Continues

Post Super Tuesday Debrief

With the campaign feeling the momentum of a stronger than expected Super Tuesday performance and with another female candidate out of the race, the Harris campaign believed they had a reason and a right to be excited. Despite only being ahead by 70 delegates the campaign believed that with the proportional system that delegates were assigned the right amount of wins in certain states would grow the Vice President’s lead and make it insurmountable.

So, the campaign began turning their head to Not-So Super Tuesday II. Seeing the next lineup of states the campaign decided to zero in on three for wins; Mississippi, Washington and Missouri. The campaign believes that with Eric Adams out of the race the pathway is open for a clear win in Mississippi and in Missouri with a progressive split the campaign can replicate Hillary Clinton’s narrow win in the Missouri primary and win there although probably not substantially. Washington is the real coin toss, although it has a history of voting for more progressive candidates the campaign believes that with it being a coastal neighbor of California and amping up the Vice President’s appearances in the state, they believe a win is possible.

Dig A Little Deeper
With a crucial set of contests coming up and the Vice President within 70 delegates from losing her precious lead, the Harris is doing everything in their power to consolidate support from the recently departed campaigns, bringing in staffers from both the Gillibrand and Adam’s campaigns who didn’t defect to Jeff Merkley and sending them across the country to organize with their field organizers in the three states that the campaign wishes to win.
 
The campaign is dispatching the Vice President to the more competitive states such as Missouri and Washington believing that her presence will show voters that she is serious about earning their votes in this tough and hard fought primary process. There the Vice President will emphasize her strong work ethic in the Biden administration and demonstrate to voters how her recent experience and background have prepared her for the Presidency.


Moving On, Pressing Forward
While the campaign is looking forward to these upcoming contests, they are also simultaneously moving onto the next which will have a rack of big delegate wins. States such as Illinois, Ohio, and Florida. The campaign is optimistic for wins in the Midwest, the campaign will have surrogates play up Vice President Gore’s support of NAFTA to turn off potential Midwest voters while the Vice President stays positive.

This is all apart of a larger strategy for the Vice President, to keep growing and growing the number of delegates she has going into the national convention. The campaign believes that if the momentum continues the establishment will continue to rally behind Vice President Harris and to continue to shut down any other candidate that is not her.

Young-Ish
With the race becoming a two-way race between her and Former Vice President Gore, the Harris campaign is aiming to show a clear contrast between both her and Gore in terms of age and fresh ideas. While Gore turns 76 in the end of March, Vice President Harris is still only 59 and would also be younger than Jeff Merkley who is now occupying the main progressive wing of the party and could pose challenges in the future.

So, the campaign has not hesitated to be slightly petty with their interpretations of the candidates age, When airing side by side ads or graphics on social media the campaign has chosen pictures of VP Gore frowning, in dark light, or looking angry. When using a photo of VP Harris they have often shown photos of her smiling, with a diverse crowd, and with a dewy light on her face. This is all a part of the campaign’s goal of making Vice President Harris appear closer to the new generation of Gen-Z voters.

With the campaign still working overtime to push Harris closer and closer to the nomination, the Vice President is filling her schedule with meeting voters and reaching out to anyone who may be undecided in the race. As the primary campaign progresses the Harris campaign believes that while the road may be rocky, the path is still clear to the White House.

VP On The Road: Schedule of Kamala Harris

March 6th

After Super Tuesday the Vice President would immediately fly out to St. Louis, Missouri where the largest share of Democratic voters in the state reside. There the Vice President held several intimate events with voters, shaking hands, meeting campaign volunteers and appearing in TikTok videos with teenagers.

The Vice President would then give a speech to a gathering of the AARP about protecting social security and Medicare benefits.

"Well, it's so good to be in the great state of Missouri, and I got to say I am very confident that we will win here on March 12th! But as I look around this room I see such experience, and you know what they say, for each wrinkle is a show of wisdom and I am so honored to be in front of all of you

So, I don't really like to admit my age but ya know I am not a few years off from being eligible to receive benefits from Medicare and Social Security, and can you imagine paying for something all of your life and then a radical few wanting to strip it away from you? Excuse my language but that would really piss me off!

And so let me tell you right now and you can hold me accountable, under a Harris administration we will never ever let anyone try and take away your hard earned benefits! And that's a promise

March 7th:
The Vice President would continue her Missouri tour, traveling to Kansas City cracking a joke with reporters about whether Kansas has a city named Missouri City. The Vice President would once again continue her intimate style of campaigning. Knocking on doors with volunteers, meeting with local Democratic leaders and discussing strategy for the upcoming primary.

The Vice President would also hold a series of town halls in a series of high schools with young voters seeking to draw a connection between this new group of voters which will be essential to a democratic victory in November. Afterwards the Vice President would board Air Force Two en route to Chicago.

March 8th:
Having arrived in Chicago before dawn the Vice President would arrive at her hotel and get a few hours of sleep before departing early to the debate venue to get a view of the stage, knowing where to stand, and to  get the podium corrected to adjust to her height. Afterwards she would travel to one of her Chicago field offices and chat with volunteers and discuss a ground plan strategy for the coming days.

Afterwards the Vice President would hold a quick town hall in the suburbs of Chicago detailing her wish for the United States to adopt more common sense gun laws. The Vice President experienced an overflow crowd and spoke passionately about how tragedy can birth opportunity.

You know, when we see gun violence in the most catastrophic ways we often only then decide to take action when it comes to gun violence, but it shouldn't take more death for us to finally take action, we all remember Sandy Hook, we all remember Parkland. I am so tired of the American people having to continuously be traumatized for us to take action!

So, under a Harris administration I give Congress 100 days to introduce legislation on gun violence or I will travel the country and use the full power of the bully pulpit to make them take action! And we are going to get it done!

After the event the Vice President was motorcaded back to the city to participate in the Democratic Debate before leaving for Seattle.

March 9th:
Once again arriving early in the morning the Vice President would retire to a hotel for the night and get a few hours of sleep. Early in the morning the Vice President would head to a local Seattle diner and chat with potential voters making her most fervent pitches to the elderly and new voters which Harris believes will carry her over the finish line in the Evergreen State.

Once again the Vice President would continue her town halls across the country emphasizing her experience and credentials to voters and saying she has the unique background necessary to understand the issues facing the American people, as well as dropping a laugh line in the mix going; “And the good thing with me is you won’t be able to find a gray hair”

March 10th:
The Vice President would head back to St. Louis to continue her Super Tuesday II swing. The Vice President would continue to bet that her intimate style of meeting voters is making a breakthrough. Seeking to expand her delegate lead, the Vice President is hitting college campuses and talking to students there, creating a frenzy with students and a Secret Service headache.

The Vice President would then hold a roundtable with formerly incarcerated individuals about the need for Criminal Justice Reform. The Vice President would reiterate her pledge to pass legislation decriminalizing marijuana nationwide and highlight to the group the work already done by the Biden-Harris administration on fighting for non-violent drug offenders.

March 11th:
Finally sunsetting the Super Tuesday swing the Vice President decided to visit all of her top 3 states in one day. After a rally in Kansas City the Vice President would fly back up to Seattle, Washington where she would once again continue her outreach efforts to young Gen-Z voters.

Then the Vice President would cap it off with a rally in Jackson, Mississippi where she would hold one final rally for her supporters and meet with campaign volunteers in the state where she expressed confidence and basically preemptively celebrated an expected win in Mississippi.

March 12th:
The Vice President would fly to Miami, Florida where she is going to kick-start the next phase of her campaigning for the next contests as well as host her Election Night victory party. The campaign is confident that an early outreach in Florida, although won’t win them the state in the General will help show the hispanic community that the Vice President is dedicated to reaching out to them.

All the Vice President could do was sit in her hotel room and wait on the results.

[oldkyhome]

Self-made campaign material

Ad #14: Mitt and Glenn.

Mitt Romney by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr

"Mitt Romney."

Mitt Romney 1994 Debate by Dolobolo, via Wikimedia Commons
Wheland Foundry hulk by Thomas Cizauskas, via Flickr

"We know him as the layoff king who made a fortune outsourcing jobs and crushing factories,"

Joe Biden by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr
Mitt Romney by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons

"..or the swamp creature who backed trillions in reckless Biden spending,"

President Hosts a Listening Session by Trump White House, via Flickr

"..or the RINO who voted to impeach President Trump."

Mitt Romney by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons
Glenn Youngkin by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons

"But now we know him as the guy who's endorsing Glenn Youngkin for President."

China Economic Outlook by World Economic Forum, via Flickr

"No wonder, Glenn also made millions at a private equity firm moving jobs overseas,"

Oysters with Obenshain, Rockingham by Glenn Youngkin, via Flickr
Public Domain via the White House

"...then he snubbed President Trump and refused to even be seen with him."

Glenn Youngkin by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons

"Now he wants to be the Republican nominee for President."

Mitt Romney by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons

"Sound familiar?"

Mitt and Ann Romney by John Matthew Smith, via Wikimedia Commons
Rockledge on Mill Mountain by Glenn Youngkin, via Flickr

"Mitt and Glenn: Birds of a feather flock together."

VO: "I'm Josh Hawley, and I approve this message."

Notes: This ad is aired in all Mini Tuesday media markets, as well as Wisconsin and Illinois. Fairly straight-forward approach here, criticizing Youngkin on a variety of fronts and comparing his record with Senator Romney, who has publicly endorsed the Virginia Gov. It will be aired most intensely in the state of Michigan, where Hawley is seeking to contrast his stance on trade with Youngkin's reputation as an outsourcer. This also marks Team Hawley's first television buy directly attacking Youngkin.

All edits to the attributed images are self-made.

[Devout Centrist]

Statement from Kari Lake

Kari Lake will be undertaking a bus tour in support of the Stone campaign in the following states: Michigan, Idaho, North Dakota, Washington, and Kansas. Traveling with Lake will be an entourage of her former backers and celebrity endorsements.

[VirginiaAaron]

Statement from Lin Wood

Lin Wood tried to get ahold of a bus to tour for Roger Stone's campaign but was denied a bus of his own or a seat on Kari Lake's. Instead, Lin Wood is traveling to upcoming primary states by foot with a cardboard sign, inscribed with "HOMELESS VETERAN DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED FOR MURDERING AND TORTURING MUSLIMS, WILL WORK FOR FOOD OR METH, GOD BLESS" and a small Stone 2024 sticker on the bottom of the sign. Lin Wood will park himself at various spots in different U.S. cities and camp on the side of the road with a rabid dog and a bright blue sleeping bag with Elsa from "Frozen" plastered on it. Lin Wood is also attempting to reach out to Andy Cohen to get his own reality television show on Bravo. The show, "Lin's Lovers," would follow former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Wanda Sykes as they attempt to work with each other as Lin's wives. However, trouble soon unfolds as mistress Sarah Silverman enters the picture. So far, Bravo has said they are a "hard pass" on the reality show. But Lin is shopping the concept to other networks, such as PBS in Fargo, North Dakota.

[PPT Spiral]

Roger Stone Debate Responses

1. China has amassed soldiers in what some analysts are saying could be for a potential invasion of Taiwan, an American ally. They have also engaged in other threatening actions, such as verbal threats, aerospace violations, and naval exercises. If the worst case scenario unfolds and Taiwan is attacked, would you support an American military response to support Taiwan against a Chinese invasion?

As Commander-in-Chief, the lives of American men and women should be our highest priority. It will be mine. I would not support a military response on Taiwan that needlessly endangers our troops, and our whole country, if we were not imminently or directly attacked by China first.

All of us here stand with Taiwan as an important ally. All of us here recognize basic reality that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent state! What we cannot do is turn this into a Ukraine situation or worse. China would be licking their lips to start World War III if we were to get in that way, especially under Biden's watch.

China is banking on the long term. They're trying to use our weaknesses against us, helped by our own political class shuttering our factories and selling off our jobs to the CCP. If we want to beat China, we must beat them at their own game. We've got to be the ones ramping up industry across the board, making the world come to us, not China. Instead of spending taxpayer dollars on boots and weapons in Taiwan, let's modernize our military and invest in new technologies right now so not even China would dare to mess with us.

What I'm preaching is the old Reagan principle of peace through strength. A strong America will deter China and force them to come to the table on peace talks. We can also cut China's powerhouses from under their feet and cripple their leverage over the world, much like how we handled the Soviets. We've got to be smart about this, smarter than China. That's how we beat them, and that's how we win.

2. Many conservatives have voiced concerns over creeping "gender ideology" in schools, teaching children about multiple genders, changing ones gender as a child, information about genitalia and so on, before they even know anything about this. Many have said this constitutes social pressure on our nation's children to conform to a radical left-wing agenda on gender and the family. What would you do to stop the spread of gender ideology in schools and in our culture at large?

This has sadly been a problem decades in the making. I've seen it unfold with my own eyes, watching many of our Republican leaders act complacent. The radical left would love nothing more than to destroy our social fabrics and indoctrinate our children even more. It has really become a Godless country in many ways, and we must combat that every step of the way.

First it starts with taking back control of our schools, and that means empowering decision-making at the local and state level. I've been the sole candidate to call for abolishing the Department of Education, an idea as old as Reagan. CRT and gender changes have been pushed on our children from the top, so we've got to cut the snake's head. For those localities that continue to push their ideology, we must provide parents the option to opt out of the public system. I would heavily push for new vouchers on private schools, but I would also turbocharge the homeschooling movement and lift burdensome restrictions on their practice. There is no reason for a state to ban homeschooling when you've got loving parents who are responsible, credentialed, and will teach their children the right way in life.

This goes to our broader culture. We can change a lot at home when we empower the local and family level. We must also be vigilant with our outside enemies. China has sought to poison our culture and indoctrinate our children through platforms like TikTok. This Godless, communist influence on our lives will be squashed under President Stone, that I can tell you.

3. Do you believe that President Biden should be impeached by the Republican House of Representatives based on scandals such as the Hunter Biden Laptop Story and coverup, Burisma corruption, or mishandling classified documents?

Yes, yes, and yes.

What's been clear for eons is that Joe Biden is no clean man. He and his family have personally profited from Ukraine and China to the score of millions, all while supposedly acting in our best interests. It's been so blatant and such a slap in the face to the rest of us. Does anyone in America really believe that Hunter Biden is in any way qualified to have any of the positions Daddy Joe hooked him up with? The only job he's ever been qualified for is snorting lines of coke from his hookers of the day. *laughter and applause*

It's a good thing that the Bidens aren't known for their intelligence, though, and that we have uncovered the breadth of their corruption through Hunter's laptop. Now Hunter and his lawyers have been trying to go after me, accusing me of devising some convoluted plot or that I somehow made up what's on his own damn hard drive! If you want to know who Biden is scared of in this race, look at who they're suing.

Here's the most important aspect on impeachment, though: Only I have been a leader in this race, calling out Biden on his corruption and demanding impeachment since day one. I've worked with patriots like Marjorie Taylor Greene to push forward her articles. My campaign has organized a real nationwide movement since last year to demand accountability from our elected officials. Thanks to the will of the people, we've made Speaker Scalise come to the table and consider impeachment proceedings. Now it's time to go all the way.

I implore my fellow candidates to follow my lead. Josh, you've only been bold enough so far to go after the easy beans like Garland. The base will love you for it! *winks*

4. Raise your hand if you believe the ongoing criminal case against Former President Trump is a politically motivated prosecution. One sentence or two can suffice for explanation.

*raises hand* Nobody here knows this better than me: a former victim of their prosecution—or, as I say, persecution—scheme. Innocent Americans have been targeted for daring to speak up, and this will end once and for all once I'm in the White House.

5. Would you support abolishing the IRS and the Federal Income Tax in favor of a nationwide sales tax? If not, what kind of cuts would you like to see?

You bet your ass. *applause*

This is yet another issue where the other candidates are only playing catch-up to us. Every candidate will talk about the 87,000 new IRS agents that the Democrats bestowed upon us. Well, what are the rest of you planning to do about that? I myself prefer we see 0 IRS agents, and I think the vast majority of America does as well.

My plan is simple, for the answer is simple. On day one, I will push to abolish the IRS and the income tax. They will be replaced by a national sales tax of 15%. We will guarantee exemptions on basic needs like food and utilities, so this will in no way be regressive for working Americans like the fake news media will clamor. Filing your taxes each year will be no more than a single sheet of paper. Imagine that!

Some of our finest conservative leaders like Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and Mike Huckabee have been beating the drums on this for years. The time is now. We need to stop enriching the greedy, vindictive bureaucrats while campaigning against them from one side of our mouth. If you want to change the system, pull it from the root up. Give the American people some real tax relief and lift them up, not crush them with every paycheck. I will be the President for working Americans, and I will fight for real changes, not cosmetic touch-ups for the cameras.

To Mr. Stone: You've criticized other candidates on stage for pushing for war, whether that's in Ukraine or China. Some would call this unpatriotic, especially with the threat of Chinese Communism being more and more of an issue in the minds of Republicans every day. Can they trust you to stand up for America?

Beyond the media-sponsored smear in your line of questioning, Pete, I reject the notion that Republican voters—or Americans across the board, for that matter—are clamoring for outright war with China. Perhaps the Washington establishment is, including the geniuses that brought us into Iraq and the Middle East. We've seen time and time again how wrong and out of touch they've been with the people, though. They also have blood on their hands not just abroad.

Just look at what our country has been brought down to by the political class as we speak! Regular Americans have had all of their earnings eaten away by inflation and they can barely get by on the basic necessities. Many of our cities and towns have been hollowed out. Thugs and delinquents have been let loose on our streets, and now even Grandma has to worry about herself. Need I mention our once again porous southern border? These are the worries and threats I hear about from actual people everywhere I go, not putting boots on the ground in Taiwan.

I have always stood up for America. My entire life and career has been devoted towards fighting for conservative causes and tearing down worldwide communism, including helping to elect two of the greatest and most consequential presidents in American history. I will clamp down on the real threats facing our country and bring our economy roaring back with a new industrial age. We've got the best and brightest patriots on our side, and no one can seriously question or doubt our love or commitment for this dear country.

[oldkyhome]

March 6th

JD Vance by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons
Tucker Carlson by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons

VANCE ON FOX: "We saw our nominee emerge last night."

TUCKER: "Here with us tonight to discuss the results, Senator J.D Vance. J.D, thanks for coming on."

VANCE: "Privilege to be here, Tucker."

TUCKER: "Now, last night we had 15 states vote in the Republican primary. 16 for the Democrats. Not a pretty night on either side, I'll say. Senator Hawley, who you've endorsed, has been declared the winner in 7 contests, and Governor Youngkin in 6. Stone eked out a surprise win in Maine. We'll see what happens in Texas. Governor DeSantis leads there by a little over 10,000 votes. What're your thoughts on these results?"

VANCE: "That's right, Tucker. We expect we'll have to hold a recount before we know who's won in Texas, but here's what we do know. After 19 contests in every corner of this country, Senator Hawley has the most votes, the most delegates, and the broadest coalition of working-class people we've seen in a long time. I understand there are some who want to downplay that and make it seem insignificant, but that's a heavy feat in as divided a primary as we have right now, especially with all the money that has poured in recently to stop him. He's tough, he's tested, he's shown he can take on difficult challenges and win. I think there's no question we saw our nominee emerge last night."

TUCKER: "I see where you're coming from, but some are still seeing this as an open race, could even end up in a contested convention. What do you have to say to them?"

VANCE: "Look, there's a lot of noise and nonsense coming out of Super Tuesday, and you can expect that in an election season, but the facts are clear. There's only one candidate who's built a movement that's been able to resonate with broad swaths of people, from ironworkers in Minnesota to ranchers in Texas to carpenters in North Carolina. Senator Hawley has shown he has what it takes to beat Kamala Harris or whoever the Democrats end up nominating and take our country back. Republican voters are starting to realize, this is our nominee."

TUCKER: "You mentioned the Democratic Primary, and boy, what a mess. Kamala Harris did manage to maintain her lead, but her challengers landed some critical blows to her in Texas and Colorado and even her home state of California. Could we end up with contested conventions on both sides?"

VANCE: "I won't delve too deep into this, but I do think Democratic voters are just not feeling Vice President Harris, and she's struggling because of that. By all ordinary indications, this should've been a walk for her after winning in Nevada and coming exceptionally close in Whitmer's Michigan, but that's just not what happened. We'd be smart to unite around Senator Hawley, who's proven he has what it takes to build a nationwide movement, and let the Democrats scramble to find a nominee. I guarantee you, it'd be a romp in November."

TUCKER: "It'll certainly be interesting to watch. J.D Vance, everyone."

060331_usw_rally - 25 by Carlos Fernandez, via Flickr

'JOB-KILLER': Youngkin layoff victims speak out at Hawley event

Following a strong showing on Super Tuesday, Hawley flew out to Michigan to kick off a new-leg of his 'Forgotten America' bus tour with a stump speech in Kalamazoo. The event featured the Missouri Senator flanked by current and former autoworkers, holding signs that read "Youngkin = Job Killer" and "Hawley for Workers, not Wall Street." Hawley, who has landed increasingly harsh criticisms on Youngkin's tenure at Carlyle, embraced the protesters, delivering a rousing speech where he pledged to be "the toughest President China has ever seen", lambasted Washington's "complete failure" on trade policy, and called for the U.S to withdraw from the World Trade Organization "until we can figure out what the hell is going on."

But the highlight of the event came when five former employees of Carlyle-owned companies took the stage and relayed stories of losing their jobs under Youngkin's leadership. One was a middle-aged woman who worked at Veyance Technologies, an Ohio-based car part manufacturer that Carlyle acquired in 2011, who described having her job shipped to Mexico during the brunt of a recession as "unforgivable." Another was an older man who worked at a nursing home that Carlyle acquired in 2013, recalling rising rents, skyrocketing health code violations, and hundreds of layoffs: "It was unconscionable. These are people's lives."

The heartfelt speech offered a sharp contrast between the two candidate's philosophies on trade, one that further emphasized Hawley's America First bona fides. He thanked the workers for their courage and authenticity before following up their speech with a stinging rebuke of Youngkin's record at Carlyle, blasting him as a "D.C favorite" who is "too beholden" to stand up for Michigan autoworkers. "Glenn Youngkin is a perfect example of what's wrong with this system," Hawley continued, "What good is a job creator if those jobs are created not in America, but in China or Mexico?"

Concluding his stump, Hawley reiterated his promise to reshore American manufacturing and hold 'outsourcers like Youngkin' to account, eliciting raucous applause and chants of 'U-S-A,' before handing the mic over to one of the steelworkers who had shown up to support him. "Josh Hawley understands the challenges that we face," said Kalamazoo resident and USW member Samuel Johnson, "He's young, he's bold, he's got the guts to get the job done." Never one to shy away from a fight, this would define the Hawley campaign's pitch to voters in the week leading up to the Michigan primary.

[oldkyhome]

March 7th

Public Domain, via Facebook

Senator Hawley opened the day by holding a meet-and-greet with factory workers in Lansing, where he discussed his plan to engineer American manufacturing dominance, including through tariffs, tax credits, and renegotiation of major trade deals. He emphasized that "America is the world's largest economy, and has great pull in shaping international trade," but that D.C "is too complacent to do anything" about outsourcing. Hawley touted his plan to withdraw from the WTO as a way of "shaking things up" and "restoring America's economic sovereignty," stressing that he is the only candidate with the guts to make it happen.

Hawley also held a brief round-table with the managers of the factory, where he struck a chord on fiscal conservatism, promising tax relief for companies that manufacture in America and reducing inflationary pressures by cutting back on wasteful spending, primarily by enacting a 'single-subject' rule to prevent Congress from passing debt-exploding omnibus packages.

He then stopped by his Michigan HQ in Ann Arbor to mingle with volunteers before attending a special phone-banking session targeting supporters of Governor DeSantis, who has faltered in the state in recent weeks. Here, his campaign highlighted Hawley's record taking on the woke left, presenting the Missouri Senator as the next-best option for conservatives who want a firebrand lead the ticket.

Public Domain, via Facebook

Rep. John James endorses Josh Hawley for President

At a campaign rally just outside of Detroit, Michigan, Hawley's campaign unveiled the endorsement of Congressman John James, a major figure in Michigan politics. Congressman James called Hawley the 'clear conservative choice', urging his followers to back him in the Michigan primary on March 13th. An excerpt:

"I've had so many people ask me who I was going to support here. We might not be Iowa or New Hampshire, but Michigan has been at the center of some of the biggest upsets in recent history, and we are the biggest prize on Mini Tuesday, and for that I think we have to be responsible with our decision. I happen to believe we have a lot of great choices this go around, but there really is one that stands above the rest, and that's Senator Hawley. For me, it's not even a competition. Let me explain why.

I want you to think for a moment about the guy we have right now in the Oval Office, as hard as that may be, just for a moment. What comes to mind? A sleepy, corrupt liberal phony. Now imagine the breath of a fresh air Josh Hawley would be: an energetic, authentic real conservative. He's like the anti-Biden (cue laughs).

But really, I've always been a fan of the Senator. I was honored to meet him when I got to Congress. If you've seen his work, you know he doesn't mess around. He's ruthless in a confirmation hearing. He would make mince meat of the special interests. That's the kind of fighting spirit we need in the White House, to turn this economy around, to get wages up and prices down, and to drain the swamp in the Biden White House. Throughout this campaign, I've seen him build a movement that represents the independence and service that embodies Michigan values. I'm honored today to endorse the man who has created such a historic coalition, who now has the most votes and the most delegates. Isn't that something? (cue applause)

And he's going to get many more from Michigan. March 12th. Save the date. I want you to get out and vote, I want you to get your friends out and vote, I want you to get your family out and vote, because this is really where it's going to count. We've got a real chance to show the nation what we believe here in Wolverine State: that human life is sacred and it matters, that every child, from Detroit where I grew up to Lexington where Josh grew up, should have opportunity and access to a good life, that no mother or father should have to choose between spending times with the kids and putting food on the table, that American dream should be alive not just for some but for all, for every community.

Silent majority no more. We have to be bold. We have to be loud. And courageous. Senator Hawley illustrates that more than anyone else in this field. He's up to the challenge, to take on the worst of Washington. The phonies, the crooks, the do-nothings. I think Michiganders are too, but we have to show that on March 12th. We have to show up for Senator Hawley. Let's show the world that we are ready to fight back, against this administration, against the media, against the interest groups. Let's send Josh Hawley to the White House."

Hawley Op-Ed: The 2024 Election Will Define the Nation's Future on Immigration.

For the last four years, America has had to grapple with a crisis on its southern border. Record-high illegal border crossings, surging fentanyl overdoses, an alarming number of children circulating in the human trafficking trade. The cause of this is clear. In just his first 100 days, Biden signed 94 executive orders significantly loosening our nation's immigration policies, including halting the construction of the border wall, imposing a deportation moratorium, terminating many of the Asylum Cooperative Agreements we had with Central American countries, and much more.

What a lot of good that did. The cartels are taking us for fools, and ordinary people are suffering the consequences. It's clear that Mexico outfoxed President Biden, calling his bluff because they knew he didn't have the political will to fight back. A full 3 years since this crisis broke, he still hasn't come up with a way to stem the tide of death and destruction coming across the border (or even shown signs of trying).

More and more Americans are realizing the failure of his approach. That's why a new Gallup poll shows just 28% of Americans are satisfied with current immigration levels - the lowest number recorded since 2008.

Contrast this with how the Trump administration treated border security and it's like night and day. Less crossings, less fentanyl, less trafficking. No wonder, President Trump took the issue so seriously he even declared a national emergency to address it. Illegal crossings also fell 87 percent in places where the wall was built. One main takeaway here: elections have consequences, and the 2024 election will likely define the path our nation takes on immigration. That's why it's so crucial the next President has a real plan, a generational plan, to not only shut down the border disaster but prevent it from happening again.

We must remember that immigration is not just a political issue, it is a moral one. President Biden's open-border policies have undoubtedly resulted in the death or suffering of thousands through increased access to fentanyl and enabling of human traffickers. We must go above and beyond to make good on the Republican Party's promise to secure the border.

That's why, today, I'm unveiling my 5-point plan for immigration reform. It ranges from immediate to long-term solutions, with the goal of reining in the cartels, bottlenecking the flow of drugs, and reforming our process to serve the interests of the American people. We must ensure that border security doesn't hinge on which party is in the White House. My plan would accomplish that by finishing the wall on the Southern border and authorizing state officers to enforce immigration laws. It would further make historic, long-term progress to undo the disastrous open-border policies of President Biden and restore our nation's commitment to the rule of law.

Hawley's 5-Point Plan:
1.) Establish a border security trust-fund, paid for with revenues generated at ports of entry, to finish construction of the U.S-Mexico wall and keep it regularly maintained.
2.) Allow state officers to enforce Sections 271 to 280 of the Immigration Nationality Act to deport or prosecute illegal aliens.
3.) Realign immigration policy around merit by increasing the proportion of high-skilled immigrants in visa allocation from 12% to 57%.
4.) Impose new penalties for visa overstays and create 21st-century legal and infrastructure enhancements to significantly reduce it.
5.) Reinstate all Trump-era immigration policies that Biden has since repealed.

[oldkyhome]

Hawley Debate Answers

1. "China has amassed soldiers in what some analysts are saying could be for a potential invasion of Taiwan, an American ally. They have also engaged in other threatening actions, such as verbal threats, aerospace violations, and naval exercises. If the worst case scenario unfolds and Taiwan is attacked, would you support an American military response to support Taiwan against a Chinese invasion?"

"I want to first thank Fox for hosting this debate and my opponents for coming. This is a critical time to address the threat of China. They are our number-one threat, not only to other sovereign nations but also to our people at home. We have watched as our nation's leaders have fumbled and failed to grapple with the peril posed by the Chinese Communist Party. They have stolen our intellectual property, they have manipulated their currency, they fostered a pandemic, and Washington has let them get away with it.

It's outrageous. My answer to the question is absolutely yes.

But I want to be clear that the only reason we've got to this point is because this President and his inept administration have shown total weakness in the face of an emerging threat. If I'm elected, I will take immediate steps to not just prepare for but prevent an invasion of Taiwan. That starts with pulling out of endless foreign conflicts in places we shouldn't even be. We can't even begin to retaliate against China if we're embroiled in places all over the world.

We also need to pull the plug on the global institutions that have enabled them, from the World Trade Organization to the World Economic Forum. I would have the U.S withdraw from the World Trade Organization so our country can start to make decisions for America's benefit, in America's interest, and not some uppity elite class. We cannot beat China by following the rules of the same old order that has allowed them to become a threat to us and our allies. For me, it will always be America first."

2. "Many conservatives have voiced concerns over creeping "gender ideology" in schools, teaching children about multiple genders, changing ones gender as a child, information about genitalia and so on, before they even know anything about this. Many have said this constitutes social pressure on our nation's children to conform to a radical left-wing agenda on gender and the family. What would you do to stop the spread of gender ideology in schools and in our culture at large?"

"This radical gender ideology is poisoning our schools, corrupting our culture, and threatening the very fabric of our society. I've said before that some in this race talk a big game but would love to do nothing on this issue. They'll shower it in flowery words about local control and state choice. That's code for abdication. This is a problem that affects not just red states but blue states too. We can't be complacent with skyrocketing rates of gender dysphoria and an alarming number of young people undergoing irreversible and harmful medical procedures.

We have to combat this by standing up to this administration's attempt to shut parents up. I'm the only candidate in this race calling for a Parents' Bill of Rights, which would enshrine the right of families to know what schools are teaching, to direct their child's education, and to make safe and responsible decisions about it. I know it might outrage some on this stage for me to believe that parents in every state - not just in red states - should have a role in their child's education, but I am prepared to defend that, in both this campaign and in the White House."

Stone: "I implore my fellow candidates to follow my lead. Josh, you've only been bold enough so far to go after the easy beans like Garland. The base will love you for it! *winks*"

"I'm sure you'd know a thing or two about pandering, Roger."

3. "Do you believe that President Biden should be impeached by the Republican House of Representatives based on scandals such as the Hunter Biden Laptop Story and coverup, Burisma corruption, or mishandling classified documents?"

"We have to. What these past few years have shown is that the Justice Department and the swamp couldn't care less about Joe Biden's family dealings and foreign ties. The Republican House has a real chance to send a message about integrity and the rule of law.  If Scalise can't even muster the courage to impeach the most corrupt President in recent history, you have to ask, what did we even elect them for? If I'm nominated, you can be sure I'll take to task Vice President Harris or whoever they nominate on this President's bottomless well of nepotism and corruption."

4. "Raise your hand if you believe the ongoing criminal case against Former President Trump is a politically motivated prosecution. One sentence or two can suffice for explanation."

*Raises hand* Do I really need to explain this one? The prosecution of President Trump is a sham and a farce.

5. "Would you support abolishing the IRS and the Federal Income Tax in favor of a nationwide sales tax? If not, what kind of cuts would you like to see?"

"Not the plan that's currently circulating, that's for sure. I'm sure many here on stage will rile up the audience boasting how much they support it. It sounds so nice when Washington politicians talk it up, but what they don't tell you is that it would raise taxes for working families. Sounds good, doesn't work. That's always the catch.

My plan would create twelve-thousand dollars in tax cuts for the middle class and pay for it by eliminating some of the biggest sweetheart deals Washington gives to companies like Disney and Amazon. I'd eliminate some of the biggest loopholes and deductions woke billionaires benefit from, cut the tax code down to just three brackets, and streamline the system by implementing a return-free option to relieve people from even having to file their taxes.

Now, Roger made an interesting point earlier. Americans shouldn't have to deal with the intricacies and complexities of a tax code created to cater to lawyers and accountants. He says your tax form should be no more than a piece of paper. I think your tax form should be done for you. It's what Reagan and other Presidents pushed for, but lobbyists and influence peddlers have killed it over the years in favor of big-whig tax filing companies. I'll take them on to make sure every American gets a fair shake.

Let me finish by saying, America is a strong and prosperous country. If we just give people the means to support themselves and earn a living, we will come roaring back from the Biden years like never before. That starts with giving working Americans - who have had to bore the brunt of his disastrous policies - a well-deserved tax cut."

To Senator Hawley: "What kind of consequences would you support for states and localities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities as President? Would you support sending in federal forces to enforce our immigration laws?"

"As a sovereign nation, we have a legal and moral duty to control our borders and enforce our immigration laws. Nothing has been a greater testament to that than the failure of Biden's open-border policies. People are suffering, crime is soaring, drugs are pouring through the border; it is absolutely unacceptable for states and localities to obstruct the rule of law even further. If I'm elected, I will use every tool available to me to ensure that all jurisdictions comply with federal immigration authorities, including imposing financial penalties, withholding federal funding, and taking legal action against them. That also includes using federal agencies like ICE and the DHS to enforce immigration laws in so-called sanctuary cities.

We cannot have a patchwork of laws and policies when it comes to immigration enforcement. This is a national security issue. When we allow gangs and cartels to harbor in America's largest cities, that has ripple effects, because that enables them to distribute drugs in - not just those states - but across the country, in Kansas, in Michigan, in my home-state of Missouri. It makes border states out of places that are hundreds of miles from our Southern border. I will stamp out these dangerous policies that put our citizens at risk and incentivize illegal immigration."

[PPT Spiral]

Surrogates Speak

While at a stop in Seattle, WA, Senator Rand Paul went after Josh Hawley's hypocrisy with foreign interventions and touted Stone as the pure America First choice:

I have to laugh at all the posturing Josh Hawley has recently done on Taiwan. The Senator gives all these pretenses on standing up for America and pulling back from our foreign overreach, but he's proposing the biggest foreign intervention in decades! It's far from America First to go guns blazing on the world's largest nuclear power at the cost of trillions of dollars and countless American lives. It's just stupid.

We shouldn't be surprised that Senator Hawley is marching along with the War Party, though. Just look at the company he keeps. You've got massive hawks like Marco Rubio right by his ear, and many like-minded, entrenched D.C. figures also by his side. Given Rubio's role in the Gang of Eight, you have to wonder if Hawley is about to slyly go soft on amnesty too and further appease the donors.

If you don't want to repeat the same mistakes of the last 20 years amplified, and you want to actually rebuild America, Roger Stone is the only candidate who will ensure both.


Following his surprise endorsement, former HUD Secretary Ben Carson began stumping for Stone at an energetic rate (for Dr. Carson, anyway). While rallying conservatives in his native Detroit, MI, he offered the following praise for Stone:

You know, I ran for President as a political outsider. Donald Trump ran as a political outsider. Roger Stone is the only political outsider left in this race. That's very important when you talk about shaking up Washington and reforming the system. Career politicians with a knack for double speak may not always be the most prone to act on that. *laughs*

That's one reason why I support Roger, but there's so much more at stake too. You see, Roger is the candidate of chasing your dreams, pursuing opportunity against all odds. I was very lucky and fortunate in my own life to rise from poverty here in Detroit and work my way up to becoming one of the nation's top neurosurgeons. That is the American Dream in a nutshell. It's become much harder to come by since my younger days. When the Democrats push their fake version of "progress" and destroy communities like my hometown, you need someone who will correctly diagnose the illness and have the right prescription for America. That's Roger.

Roger loves Christ and his policies as President will reflect that. He will reinvigorate the American Dream and give every struggling man, woman, and child a chance to succeed. I proudly served in President Trump's Cabinet, and I know deep down to my heart that Mr. Stone will continue the hard work of making America great again.

You have given me so much, Detroit. I'm counting on you, and all of Michigan, to deliver a resounding victory for Roger on Tuesday!

Much of the remarks from Carsons's stop above was also cut into a TV advertisement to be played across all STII states, but with especially heavy funding into Michigan.

[oldkyhome]

March 8th

Public Domain, via Facebook

In the wee hours of the morning, Hawley landed in Ozark, MO to hold a meeting with high-level strategists in preparation for Mini Tuesday. Here, they assessed how the campaign would delineate its resources in the upcoming states. 'This is where delegate counts start to matter,' one aide remarked. Indeed, as great as Super Tuesday was for Hawley's campaign, it also increased the likelihood of a contested convention greatly, with each of the 4 major candidates easily crossing into triple-digit delegate counts. They opted to distribute their resources fairly evenly across the nine contests (save Hawaii), with an emphasis on Michigan, the greatest delegate prize on Mini Tuesday. Internal estimates showed that most of these contests possessed uniquely favorable demographics for Hawley's coalition. If he managed to run the table and win most of the contests on March 12th, it would easily position the Missouri Senator as the undisputed favorite for the nomination.

Public Domain, via Facebook

Hawley at Town Hall in Topeka: 'My campaign is about giving you the power to live your own life.'

Responding to a question from a former DeSantis supporter about how he intended to address the rise of Critical Race Theory and left-wing gender ideology, Hawley touted his Parent Bill of Rights' proposal as a way of keeping 'rogue ideologues' in check and emphasized his belief in giving people the power to live their own life. An excerpt:

"It's a classic instance of Hollywood trying to push their values and their voices onto the heartland. As a parent of two young boys and a girl, it's personal to me because I don't want them to be taught that they should feel guilty because of the color of the skin when they're supposed to be learning fractions and division. It's outrageous and appalling. As I've traveled across this country, I've learned many others feel the same way. What's being taught fundamentally betrays the values we hold as Americans: that freedom and justice is for all, that people should be judged not by their color of their skin but by the content of their character.

As Americans, we should be proud, not ashamed, of our shared heritage and our country's founding principles of freedom, equality, and opportunity for all. It's what makes our nation unique and exceptional.

Now, I'm not here to make some grandiose, one-size-fits-all proposal. My campaign is about giving you the power to live your own life, so here's what I'd do. On day one, I'd repeal every disastrous Biden executive action that has enabled this racist ideology and stripped parents of the right to even challenge school boards. I'd appoint a Secretary of Education who recognizes and values the contributions of parents in their children's curriculum. I'd push for Congress to enact legislation requiring schools that receive federal taxpayer dollars to let parents know what their child is being taught and make decisions about their education.

There's nothing worse than when bureaucrats and celebrities think they decide our principles and values for us. Lucky for us, we don't have to stand here and take it. We can vote; we can send a message. That's what our great Republic is built on, the idea that we control our own future and destiny. That's why I want you to join me in standing up for our values and rejecting the divisive, identity-based politics of the woke left this Tuesday."

Press Release: National Border Patrol Council endorses Josh Hawley for President

The NBPC had never endorsed a candidate in a primary before Donald Trump. In many ways, he revolutionized the way we discuss border security and immigration. His Presidency marked a radical departure from political orthodoxy, which treated the mass flow of drugs and people through the border as a mere secondary issue. While the media was busy slandering his policies as cruel and inhumane, Trump made unprecedented progress on the border, cutting down illegal crossings, stemming the flow of drugs, and supporting the brave men who work in ICE and CBP. We know now just what a difference that makes as President Biden grapples with a border crisis of his own doing. The next President must be committed to ending this era of open borders for good.

With the prosecution of President Trump rendering him unable to run for another term, we carefully reviewed the new field of Presidential-hopefuls to determine which candidate is most committed to living up to his legacy and taking on the open-border establishment. In this, there is a clear choice.

After much deliberation and consideration of each candidate's record on border security and immigration, the National Border Patrol Council is proud to endorse Josh Hawley for President in the upcoming election. Senator Hawley has shown an unwavering commitment to fighting for the safety and security of the American people and the protection of our borders. Throughout this campaign, he has exemplified the resilience and grit we believe a President needs to take on the special interests that support lax immigration policies, and in the Senate, he has been steadfast in his charge for more funding for border security and against the reckless and irresponsible policies of this administration.

It further goes without saying that he has introduced by far the most comprehensive plan to address the border crisis and immigration at-large. Senator Hawley is right in pointing out that we must go beyond this election and view the issue from a generational perspective. By finishing the wall, creating a border security trust fund, and allowing states to have a role in the enforcement of federal immigration law, we can ensure that the rule of law is upheld no matter which party controls Congress or the White House.

Senator Hawley would live up to the legacy of President Trump and perhaps go beyond it. We have full confidence in his ability to address this issue with the urgency and severity it deserves. We urge the 18,000 agents we represent, and everyone else interested in making lasting progress on immigration, to vote for him this Tuesday and in primaries beyond that.

[oldkyhome]

March 9th

Josh Hawley by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr

Josh Hawley delivers fiery address at CPAC: 'We're up against a tidal wave of money and power.'

"Thank you, thank you, always an honor to be at CPAC.

It's been quite a year, huh? (applause)

For many reasons. It's been a tough year for the American people, who have had to put up with another round of rising costs and falling wages because of this disastrous administration, but it's also been a great year for the hard-working people who are eager to see them defeated in November. I can tell you, from what I've seen on the ground, people are angry, they want new leadership, and - well, if we nominate the right candidate, - (laughter and applause) ... they are prepared to defeat whoever the Democrats nominate and send a message to the world that America is ready to be free, it's ready to be sovereign, it's ready to start making decisions that benefit us and not global bureaucrats. (applause)

But I want you all to know we can't make that happen unless we work towards it. We're up against, not just the Democratic Party and its entourage of crooked politicians, but a tidal wave of money and power. We have to bring everything to the table if we want to take back our country. We need your energy and enthusiasm. The 2022 midterms showed we can't sit idly by and expect America's independent voters to show up if we don't offer them a vision and a platform. We know what we're against, how about what we're for? (applause)

We are the party of freedom. We are the party of opportunity. We are the party of faith and family, and the rule of law, and the sanctity of life, and fewer wars. (applause) To believe in those principles is to be a Republican. It's to be a conservative. But we also need a vision that embraces something grander, that embodies the type of country we can be.

We must never forget that this great Republic was founded on a revolutionary faith that changed the course of human history. We were founded on the belief that all people are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights, and that government derives its power from the consent of the governed. We would like to believe these values still define our Republic, but today in America, just 20% of Americans trust their government to do the right thing. That is outrageous. It is appalling. But I'm afraid it's not surprising.

Just look at the towns across America filled with people who have lost faith and hope in our nation's future. In the places where TV cameras never go, where town squares sit half empty, where businesses stand shuttered, where you can buy fentanyl with the snap of a finger on any street corner. Here, the great challenge of our age is unfolding.

I’ve seen it in country places where meth is so common they tell me dealers hang bags of drugs from tree branches for their buyers to retrieve, a literal landscape of addiction and despair. I’ve heard it from young mothers raising kids alone, and working a job, and trying to go to school at night, and trying to shield their children from the drugs and the pathologies online. I’ve heard it in the words of young men who graduated high school only to find no jobs, and no place to learn a trade and no hope for anything better.

And so have many of you. This is the struggle millions of Americans face today under President Biden.

It is a struggle shared by white and black alike, and those of every race, because the breakdown of family and neighborhood, the loss of good work, and the epidemic of addictive drugs—these things know no racial boundaries. This is a struggle we are in together, a struggle that brings us together, a struggle for the things we love together, for home, family, and country.

The future of our Republic will be defined by how we meet this challenge.

Theodore Roosevelt wrote that “the Roman Republic fell” when “the sturdy Roman plebeian, who lived by his own labor, [and] who voted without reward according to his own convictions” ceased to exist. Our present-day leaders, and especially this administration, seem determined to repeat the experiment.

They would have us believe that our future is one in which we work and pay taxes to support a government that doesn't respect our values or our convictions. They would have us believe that we are powerless to change the course of our country, and that we must accept their vision of an America growingly resentful of the ranchers, miners, and engineers who sustain it. But I am here to tell you today that this is not our destiny. (applause) This is not the end of the story, but only if we are prepared to stop it.

We must rise to the challenge and reignite the revolutionary spirit that birthed our great, old Republic. We must move beyond stale platforms and hollow truisms to demand something different and better. We must forge a coalition of forgotten Americans of different backgrounds and creeds all united around a similar cause, an American cause, to take on and defeat the entrenched powers of Washington D.C. Are you with me? (raucous applause)

Conservatives, the road won't be easy. The past four years have shown that enough, between historic amounts of media and tech censorship, a weaponized DOJ and FBI, and an onslaught of dark money pouring into our elections. The powers that be are against us at every turn, but if we remember what is at stake at this defining point in our nation's history, we can muster the courage to challenge the status quo and the resolve to stand strong in the face of adversity.

The strength is in you. The strength is in us together. Let me close with a line I’ve thought a lot about the past few months, a quote from Daniel Webster, who in some trying years of his own that he knew, a trying time before the beginning of the Civil War, he used to end his speeches in the United States Senate by saying, “Union now, union forever.” What he meant was is that for those who said that America’s time had passed, that the country was hopelessly divided, that it was irredeemable... Sound familiar? He said, “No. Union now, union forever.” In our times, my friends, it is America now, America first, America forever. God bless you all and good night! (applause)

[YPestis25]

Al Gore Debate Answers


Source: Ballotpedia

Opening Statement:

First off, thank you David and thank you to the City Club of Chicago for hosting us tonight. It is also so great to see so many familiar faces in the crowd. It is an absolute privilege and honor to be on this stage tonight with so many great candidates. I am running for President to make sure that we can continue to fulfill the promise of the American dream, to lift up all Americans and make sure the benefits of our economy don’t just work for those at the very top, I am running for President to make sure that Joe Biden’s work can go on, and I am running for President to protect our democracy from those who would seek to destroy it. I hope you’ll join me.

1. Due to provocations against Taiwan by the People's Republic of China, President Biden has deployed a Carrier Strike Group to American base Yokosuka and American patrols routinely approach Taiwan as a defensive measure. President Biden has also said there would be "extreme consequences" for any attack on Taiwan. Do you support President Biden's actions in this area and would you support a military response in the event of an attack?

I do support President Biden’s approach in this area. Around the world dictators and would-be autocrats are waiting in the wings to challenge democracy and liberty wherever they find it. We need look no further than the leadup to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. When the West shrugged its shoulders when Putin invaded Georgia and then seized Crimea, he took it as a greenlight for a full scale invasion. We cannot make that same mistake again.

2. Do you support President Biden's partial student loan debt cancellation? Would you push for more broad action in this area as President? How would you deal with the challenge of a Supreme Court hostile to debt cancellation?

I absolutely do support President Biden’s plan for student loan debt cancellation. For decades and decades we have insisted that every young person go to an institute of higher education. As prices rose, we continued to insist and as the job market changed, we continued to insist. We cannot turn around and leave current and former students holding the bag of immense debt.

With all of that said, the problem of the Supreme Court is a real one, and one which I have addressed on the campaign trail a few times in the past. For too long Democrats have relied on the Supreme Court to save them - to get our feet out of the fire when it comes to issues like gay marriage, like abortion, and now like debt relief. Those days are over. It is up to us to affect the changes that we want to see, and the only way to do that is by electing a Democratic Congress, that way we can call Congress into session and codify this loan forgiveness.

3. Homelessness has been rising in America, and this is no less true in big cities such as Chicago. What would you do to bring homelessness, and rising housing costs in general, under control?

This is absolutely a crisis, and I’m so grateful for this question. Hubert Humphrey once said that the moral test of a government was how it treated those who are in the shadows of life, and this is no more than with the homeless. The problems of homelessness and housing costs are inextricably linked. Every time that housing prices go up, homelessness soon follows. The very first thing we can do is start to build more houses.

It used to be the American dream that every family would own a home - a home to raise children in - a home to invest in - and a home to retire to. We must renew that dream by building new affordable homes across the country. But beyond this, we must work to build affordable places for folks to live that are not just houses. We need a new, massive investment into affordable apartments in every city in this country. Stability and a good place to live are not just the purviews of the ultra-rich they are for everyone.

4. America continues to be vexed by the challenge of failing public schools, the effects of COVID-19 shutdown have made these issues even worse, with massive gaps appearing among the youth and catastrophic shortfalls in reading, math, and other areas. As President, what solutions would you push for in the area of public education?

Thank you for this question. This is absolutely a crisis. COVID-19 and its aftermath have led to terrible shortfalls in various metrics of learning. But it goes beyond that. Today there are now 1,000 school districts which are not open for five days a week. Think about that for a minute. 1,000 districts with hundreds of thousands of students, which can no longer afford to give their students an education five days a week. To tackle this solution will require a new, multi-pronged approach.

As Vice President Harris suggested, we do need a serious pay raise for educators. Educators first and foremost need to be able to support themselves and their families, but more than that we also need to attract the best individuals to be teachers as possible and that starts with pay raises. We also need new federal grants to schools nationwide, particularly at risk schools which aren’t open five days a week, or need serious updates in their technology, books, and infrastructure.

But we must not end there - as you mentioned there are serious metrics shortfalls, and something has to be done about this. I support federal funding for summer remedial students to ensure that every student has access to resources to make up for time lost over COVID.

5. Raise your hand if you support continued monetary and weapons aide to Ukraine, as the war now enters its third year.

I absolutely do support continued monetary and weapons aid to Ukraine. The Ukrainian people are on the front lines of the fight for democracy, liberty and self determination. Wannabe conquerors must know that our resolve is unshakeable in defense of these principles. The United States is this world’s best, last hope for liberty, and we need to continue to  act like it.

To Vice President Gore: Many Democrats feel disappointed by how President Biden's initial proposal for Build Back Better was severely cut down in negotiations. Many provisions such as Universal Childcare, Universal Pre-K, Medicare coverage for dental and auditory health, more robust prescription drug reform, and an expanded Child Tax Credit were lost. Do you support reviving these provisions? What would you do to see that realized?

I absolutely do support these provisions, as should any sensible Democrat. It has become much too hard to raise a family - Universal Childcare, Universal Pre-K and the Child Tax Credit are all sensible steps that will make life easier for America’s working families. Expanded medicare coverage and prescription drug reform will also go a long way towards dragging down the overwhelming price of healthcare in this country.

But as President Biden has shown us, these are all difficult things to accomplish. There is only one way to ensure that these programs pass - take back the House and expand our majority in the Senate. Our politics has become poisoned by the idea that the President is the only figure that matters - Congress is just as important, and it is up to us as Democrats to nominate a candidate for President who can lift up candidates around the country.

6. Rebuttal Period/Free Space

I’m sorry Vice President Harris but that’s just a different story than what you’ve told us about the case in the past. You have said that the facts and evidence led you not to charge this despite all of its misconduct. Which is it, the Supreme Court or the facts? And when the buck stops with you at the Oval Office are you going to be willing to stand up to corporate America or will you leave it to someone else?

[YPestis25]

Al Gore Campaign March 6th - March 12th

Source: Harvard Crimson

Another six day sprint. Seven states would vote on March 12th, and the Vice President knew all of them were important. Still, the map for the March 12th primaries was much less favorable than Super Tuesday. The West was prime Merkley Country, and Mississippi would be a landslide for Harris. All eyes would then have to be on Missouri and Kansas.

March 6th Seattle Skyline

If all the campaign’s focus would be on Missouri and Kansas, the Gore Campaign would still be devoting some resources to Washington. It was the biggest delegate haul of the night and as the primary fight increasingly became a slog, the Vice President would need every delegate.

The swing through Washington State would take the Vice President though Tacoma, Spokane and finally Seattle. The campaign would focus heavily on the Vice President’s progressive bonafides as it passed through the state, highlighting his record on climate change and gay rights. The Gore stops in Tacoma and Spokane would feature mid-sized rallies, followed by field launches of volunteers into these cities and their suburbs, which the Gore Campaign envisioned would be a strong base of support for him in the state, even if he did not expect to win.

Meanwhile, the Vice President’s stop in Seattle would feature a larger nighttime rally in the city.

“I have been sounding this alarm for the better part of forty years, and I’ll keep on sounding it as long as I can: We are on the cusp of a climate disaster. all know what’s at stake. Seattle is on the frontlines of this fight as a coastal city. But let me tell you, I am not a pessimist. We have got the tools, and the technology, and the know how to turn disaster into opportunity, and challenges into triumphs.

With the proper investment, with the proper political will, and with the proper American hard work we can not just reduce the impacts of climate change but turn back the clock. That is one of the reasons that I am running for President, because the stakes are too high to let this opportunity slip by.”

With the Seattle rally over, the Vice President would hop on the plane and head east: he was Kansas bound.

March 7th-8th - Take me back to Kansas City

Demographically, Kansas was a fascinating state. Almost all of the votes, particularly in a Democratic primary, were concentrated in the western third of the state, but in a particularly close race, the rural margins could make all the difference. The Gore Campaign elected, then, to divide their time by Congressional District. The 1st Congressional District would be left to surrogates, but the 2nd and 4th would be Gore’s focus on March 7th, and the 3rd would be his exclusive focus on the 8th.

Traveling through the 2nd and 4th Districts, the Vice President focused on his plans for rural renewal, pointing out his long record of caring for rural and small town issues, as well as his plans for investment into small town and middle America.

Turning to the 3rd Congressional District on March 8th, the Vice President would be joined by his trump: Congresswoman Sharice Davids. Davids would join the Vice President on several events throughout her suburban Kansas City District, where the two would focus on Gore’s electability, his campaign to accomplish common sense reforms to protect and grow Joe Biden’s agenda, and his efforts to protect our democracy.

“I am so thrilled to be joined by Congresswoman Davids today. Sharice, if we had more people like you in Congress, I feel like we would all sleep better at night. This race isn’t about any one candidate or campaign. It is about the future of our country. It is about ensuring that our democracy continues to stand strong and shine bright and inspire people both at home and abroad. We all saw what happened last November and what happened on January 6th. We must work to renew America’s promise as that shining city on a hill and ensure that that city perseveres for years to come.”

March 9th-11th - Show Me State

With Kansas behind him, the Vice President headed east to the Show Me State, the state he most needed to win on Tuesday. The Democratic electorate here was concentrated in three major areas: Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis, and most of the campaign’s resources would be poured into these locations. Missouri has been a state badly hurt by education cuts throughout the past, and Gore’s focus on education would take the forefront in the state.

March 9th would see the Vice President campaign in Kansas City, Missouri, spending time throughout Jackson and Clay Counties. There, he would be joined by Former Senator Claire McCaskill who would join him on his three day swing through the Show Me State.

From Kansas City, the Vice President would visit Springfield and Columbia, Missouri on March 10th, before finally making his final campaign stop in St. Louis. There he would reiterate the greatest hits from his stump speech.

“I was 23 years old when John F. Kennedy called Americans to action - to ask us, all of us, what we could do for our country. What I can do today to answer that call is to offer my services again to you and to the country as a candidate for the highest office. This election is too important for me to do otherwise…

…racial justice is linked to environmental justice. These issues are all wrapped up together. Fighting climate change will also do more than just protect marginalized communities from the harmful effects of pollution and extreme weather events, but it will also provide well paying jobs to further strengthen local communities’ economies…

….I’m telling you today exactly what we’ll do if you choose me to serve as your next President. We will launch bold new economic plan that will grow American prosperity from coast to coast and that will help us craft solutions for the climate crisis; enact policies that are pro-choice, pro-education and pro-family; establish a foreign policy that is smart as well as strong; and expand the social safety net for the most vulnerable. President Biden has gone a long way to realizing this dream, but we must continue to build on this legacy.

Thank you St. Louis!”

March 12th Waiting

It was all over but the yelling. As Al Gore settled into his Missouri Headquarters in St. Louis, all he could do was wait and hope for the best.

[PPT Spiral]

Mini Tuesday

When analyzing the next upcoming crop of states voting together, Stone sees much greater opportunity for victories across the board than even Super Tuesday. Many of the states are a combination of rural, fueled with grassroots conservatives, and notably have weak state parties. The approach for Stone this go-around is simple: take advantage of this and claim as many first place wins under their belt as possible. With these states colored under a Stone victory, leaving Mini Tuesday with the vast majority of victories would yet again shake up the race.

Hawaii

One state that is seen as a low-cost investment with great dividends is Hawaii. Given Hawley's decision to pull out of the state, along with DeSantis having a sluggish campaign, the Stone campaign immediately reaches out to those two camps for consolidating the conservative vote in a contest where single votes are much more consequential. Stone himself does not make a visit, although some prominent surrogates like Ben Carson and Rand Paul pay a visit for one or two days in the lead-up. Stone is also dominating the airwaves here compared to the rest of the field.

A local powerhouse endorsement has come in the form of State Senator Mike Gabbard. Although nominally a Democrat for political convenience, he retains extensive ties to Republican networks across the state and is actively whipping conservatives to turn out for Stone. Gabbard does great work with persuasion to social conservatives and other values voters. The hope is for a blowout victory given expectations.

Idaho

Idaho is another state that Stone sees as an easier and decisive win, especially with long-term investment in the West. Many of the most successful elements of Stone's operation in Nevada cross over to help here (as well as Washington). Stone has also been fortunate in attracting local heavyweights in the establishment lane including former Governor Butch Otter, along with the strong insurgent elements that have always waged strong intraparty challenges (notably including former Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin). Stone and surrogates cross the state, from Boise to the Panhandle, and attest to Stone as being the candidate who will uphold their traditions and way of life from governmental intrusion, whether it be land or personal liberties. Stone commented as such in a day stop in Boise:

Idaho knows what's best for Idaho! You will have the dearest of friends in President Stone that way, and these posers running with me in the party are not going to stop our momentum! Whether its your land, the Second Amendment, your children's education, we will not buckle. The powerbrokers may want a coronation for one of them, but I know this state will be a tremendous part in stopping them dead at their tracks!

Of particular note for voter organizing: the Bundy family, which has a commanding presence in the state and which originally backed Kari Lake, is now totally devoted to Stone. The Bundys are whipping militiamen and other sympathizers statewide, hoping to achieve unprecedented, record-breaking turnout especially in the North where sentiment runs highest. The LDS community, which Stone has targeted the closest only behind Youngkin, is another focus to persuade and turn out for couching greater margins of victory.

Washington

This is a state seen as more competitive, and which Youngkin will surely make a big play, although Stone sees an opening to forcefully make a move and hopefully win in his biggest state yet. Chances are buoyed by Hawley being focused on Michigan, along with DeSantis not having clear focus in campaigning. Washington has also been hospitable to candidates of Stone's nature before; all it requires is enough time and energy to make the difference in the final tally.

Aiding Stone here is the vocal and enthusiastic support of anti-tax activist and ballot initiative funder Tim Eyman, whose connections to conservative groups here run deep. Stone has also acquired the support of fiscal conservative organizations like FreedomWorks, Tea Party Patriots, and most recently the National Taxpayers Union, all of whom air substantial advertising in this state and others to prop out Stone. Stone recognizes that animus over taxes is of great priority for Washington conservatives in particular, and the candidate campaigns over the span of two days (from the rural land of the East to the Seattle suburbs of the West) with this message in mind:

We have seen the worst of the worst when it comes to the left forcing their way here, bogging the whole populace down with these crippling taxes.  I'm proud to be anointed as "the taxpayer's candidate" by NTU and many others. They know we'll actually do a damn on lifting your tax burden and actually blowing up the current tax scheme. That's really what it is: a scheme.

With your help and our victory on Tuesday, though, this scheme's days are about to be severely numbered!

Kansas

Although the Sunflower State may be assumed to be safe Hawley territory at first, Stone is making an aggressive play for victory here thanks to a unique combination of favorable factors.

One more obvious factor is the state's status as a largely sparse land filled to the brim with conservative activism. Stone's investments in organizing will pay off in this respect, especially in regards to the caucus model. However, Stone actually has deep ties to Kansas through one man: the legendary Bob Dole. Stone worked for Dole on and off over the span of roughly 25 years; working as a legislative aide to Dole was Stone's first job right after the Nixon campaign, in fact. Stone trumpets this close bonding with Dole across the Kansas over the two days he spends canvassing here, particularly making great inroads with suburban and older voters in the urban areas who are most tied to the Dole name.

I worked for the honorable Senator Dole in his Senate office. I worked as a top advisor for him when he waged his 1996 campaign. The love that I have always had for Bob Dole runs deep, as he was an exemplary public servant who fought for this country and had the battle scars to prove it. He was just as much of a warrior for conservatism until the day he left us. Senator Dole was a role model for us all, and I will do my best to uphold and build on his legacy together with your help.

To drive home the Dole message to more establishment-minded voters, Stone rolled out a surprise endorsement: Robin Dole, the sole child of Bob. She served as a prominent surrogate for the whole week of campaigning, focusing on areas like Wichita and Kansas City while also trying to convince top GOP officials on the state to rally around Stone. Robin's stump speech was also cut into a very visible ad blanketing the airwaves:

You have candidates who make the rounds and talk a big game, but we need leaders who have actually shown up and done the hard work. Roger Stone knew my father Bob Dole very well for decades, and they worked together in many roles to better this country. Roger and my father both have always believed in the best of America. I know that if he were still with us, he would proudly be backing Roger too.

Kansas, let's send a big message to Washington and the whole country that our voice matters and we will stand for those who stand with us!

On the more outwardly conservative side of the party, Stone acquired two very influential voices: Attorney General Kris Kobach and former Governor Sam Brownback. Brownback, with his reputation in both fiscal and social conservative circles, is instrumental in further rallying state leaders around Stone as well as gathering momentum in the western, agricultural-heavy parts of the state. Brownback attests to Stone and his credentials on fighting for freedom, values, and against taxes. As for Kobach, who was an early and vocal Trump 2016 supporter, he forcefully beats back any possible consolidation around Hawley here in Kansas and nationwide, especially in light of recent endorsements like the National Border Patrol Council:

I want you all to know something: Endorsements aren't everything, even when politicians spin it to be. You have to ask yourself, who has been there fighting from the very beginning? Who has been fighting before they ever thought about running for office or carrying favor with certain special interests?

Roger Stone is that man, folks. Nobody comes close. Roger was the man who personally vouched for the Wall to President Trump in the early days of 2016. I want America to know that. Without his vocal advocacy keeping Trump on message and raising the important issues, we could have a much different and more ruinous country today.

Roger will defend our country from our most pervasive threats, whether it be the hordes of migrants ransacking our border or the left's subversion of election integrity. I trust Roger Stone with my life just as much as I trust Donald Trump.

Don't be fooled, Kansas! We must storm the polls and prove to the ruling class that our voices will never be silenced!

With this rapid-fire targeting of all wings of the party, backed by credible surrogates, Stone hopes to achieve a tremendous upset here in Kansas. For good measure, Stone also jokingly highlights the state rivalry between Kansas and Missouri as it pertains to Hawley. Harmless fun, but those psychological effects are real at the polls.

North Dakota

Yet another sparse state with favorable demographics, Stone believes he can easily notch another commanding victory and catch up on the delegate count this way. Stone makes a few select stops in the state, focusing not only on Fargo and Bismarck but areas where oil refineries are most prominent. Stone is again championing himself as the greatest friend of local industry, standing with oil and with the rights of Dakotans to choose their own destiny.

We've got to be prepared for the attacks on your way of life, North Dakota. Whether it's Kamala or Al, they will be relentless in destroying your state and your livelihoods. Who has been standing up for you from these attacks? Nobody but me, folks. With me in the White House, we will continue to produce good-paying jobs here and produce some real energy right here in America!

Governor Kristi Noem crossed over from South Dakota to spend much of the week barnstorming the state, touching on many of the same themes to rally Republicans. Another trick up Stone's sleeve: finally redeploying Bikers for Stone and Truckers for Stone across North Dakota, where they will be welcomed with open arms. The truckers are coordinated to be much less disruptive in the big cities to minimize blowback in those areas, instead constructively focusing on transporting campaign resources across communities and even bringing along voters to the polls en masse.

Michigan

The grand prize of the evening. If Stone could pull off the upset here and knock off Hawley or Youngkin from the top, that alone would absolutely upend the race. Stone was content to see the feud between them play out, distracting them both and depleting their resources. Stone would allocate substantial time within the week to barnstorm Michigan, relentlessly focused on an anti-globalization, pro-industrial message.

Surrogates are blanketing the state day in and day out. Former opponents like Kari Lake and Matt Gaetz, who cultivated the Midwest since their early days, spoke to Stone's stature holding up above Hawley on these issues. Lake made the following comments during one appearance in Lansing:

Protect our jobs. End outsourcing. It's simple stuff, folks. Hawley is using the grief of genuine, hardworking people to mask how he rose up the ranks thanks to these outsourcers. Look at the donors who have been filling his coffers since day one. Look at the support he's collecting now from some of the worst in the swamp. Until he totally denounces and rejects these special interests, color me skeptical of his true intentions.

Roger has been with Trump since day one. Roger has been with you all since day one. Every one of us must come out for Roger, because we cannot be fooled again by the control freaks and opportunists.

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell also spent the bulk of time in Michigan:

Take it from me, a proud entrepreneur who's building stuff right here in the USA: I only trust Roger Stone to do the job of making new jobs here! Who do you have to thank for where we're at today? Those mild-mannered politicians and businessmen who will sign our lives away for some extra change in their own pockets!

Enough of that! It's time to start from scratch and elect some real leaders beholden to America, not to China! Join me in proudly supporting the next President of the United States, Roger J. Stone!

Across Michigan, local endorsements rallied their strong suits. Ben Carson would reach out to faith-based voters, especially in urban areas with higher density groups to cultivate. Former Rep. Pete Hoekstra focused on the western part bordering Lake Michigan, where many voters of German and Dutch descent reside.

Some real star power would accelerate interest and motivation here in Michigan, however, with the dual endorsements by native musicians Kid Rock and Ted Nugent. Both rockers highly appeal to so-called "salt-of-the-earth folk" common across the state, and they would make numerous appearances statewide to galvanize these voters abundant in the Heartland. Notably, the duo announced their first joint tour ever beginning in the state, which they would morph into political rallies by inviting Stone and his surrogates along for the ride. In one of the largest rallies and shows in Grand Rapids, Kid Rock offered the following comments during an intermission:

We don't need no stinkin' pussies in the White House! No way, no how! Lemme tell ya, Roger Stone ain't no pussy. I'd venture to call him the man of the hour right about now.

If you love this country, if you'll bleed and die for this country, and if you want to tell those sons of bitches to screw off for the last time, you better get your ass out for Roger Stone! Now, sing it with me!

As for Mr. Stone himself, he played to his strengths as a bread-and-butter Trumpist challenged by establishment forces. One high-profile visit came outside a Ford plant in Detroit:

Ford and companies like it, with their proud American workers, have long been the lifeblood of America. Much has changed since the pro-China class opened our doors and sold this city's soul, though. We have to go back to being number one. We have to go back to keeping our eye on the ball.

There's a radical notion I raised which got me pilloried by the media. It goes like this: Instead of spending our time and money on foreign wars, let's spend that time and money right here! Unbeknownst to the other candidates, the war is unfolding right here in America! At the border, on our streets, in our own homes! America First means actually taking care of America first!

That might be controversial to my opponents, but it's really common sense. We have to make American jobs, build American things, and assert American dominance on the world stage once more!

There is rhetoric, but there is more importantly history and background. Campaigning in Michigan is a full-circle moment for Stone in many ways, as one of the first people who identified and cultivated the "Reagan Democrats" in the former President's 1980 campaign. No one could better understand and speak to the impulses of the ethnic white, blue-collar backbone of the GOP electorate here than him. As one of Stone's final stops before voting concluded, he campaigned across the notorious Macomb County: home of the party switchers who broke for Reagan and for Trump.

My mother was Italian, and my father was Hungarian. They had stable middle class jobs in a quaint little community. Dad drilled wells and was a part-time firefighter. Meanwhile, Mom worked for the local newspaper and was on the PTA. We were practicing Catholics, and life was good for us growing up.

I'm sure many of you here today, especially the older among us, can relate to my life story. You can't fake that kind of experience when you really live it. I never graduated from an Ivy League school like all of my three opponents. In fact, I'm a college dropout. I busted my ass to get to where I am now, as I'm sure many of you here today have.

Where has that community gone? Where have our factories and stable jobs gone? Where has our way of life gone?

You can thank the same smarmy ruling class who had everything going for them, who had their Ivy League educations fully paid for, who never really worked a day in their lives. They got their cushy jobs in law or consulting right after graduation. They may have even helped devise a contract or two for shipping your own jobs away to China. And now, hey, three of them are running for President as Republicans! God bless.

Being serious, folks, it enrages me to the core to see what's happened here and across the country. You have deserved better from our leaders. It's the reason why I have always stood by President Trump, many years before it was in style. It's why I supported President Reagan before he was ever in style too.

One thing that sets Reagan and Trump apart from the pack is they have always believed in America, just as I have always believed in America. America can come roaring back once more, but it requires some faith from our leaders! That starts at the top, in the White House, starting on January 20th, 2025!

We can do it together, Michigan! We will prove the naysayers wrong once again, we will rebuild America once again, and we will make America great again once again!

[PPT Spiral]

Roger Stone Debate Rebuttals

On Hawley's impeachment answer:

I'd like to thank Senator Hawley for proving my point and courageously taking a stand for impeachment only after being called out on stage tonight.

On Hawley's Taiwan answer:

Josh, your pivoting and triangulating here will never change this very simple fact: Every dollar spent and every life lost for China is a dollar and life taken from America. Everyone watching at home should know that when these guys casually talk about waging this war. If China were so stupid to attack us, we'll respond with fire and fury, but what you support is among the worst of what the Bush people want.

That's a pattern with you, anyway. You never quite explained away your years-long cheerleading for Iraq, well after the mistake was evident. It would be one thing if that was your only mistake in judgment, for we all were once young. As recently as the Trump years you've praised Mr. Mustachioed, John Bolton, on foreign policy and were proud to tout his endorsement! This is the same diehard never-Trumper John Bolton who never met a war he didn't like. His warmongering RINO record was well established before then.

If those are the people you trust and hug while campaigning as an America First Senator, there's a lot to question there. Unless you're just being opportunistic, of course. *shrugs*

On DeSantis's record with Paul Ryan and entitlements:

Don't think I've forgotten about you, Ron!

You know, you've been doing a disservice to voters this whole campaign through your lousy attempts at evading the truth. You actually make the fake news blush.

Here's what I'd like to ask of you tonight: You're on tape calling Paul Ryan a role model of yours. You've also voted multiple times to cut Social Security and Medicare. How do you explain this when you claim to represent the Trump coalition? Do you disavow your record? If so, was your epiphany before or after you crashed in the polls?

[oldkyhome]

March 10th

Public Domain, via Facebook

'What kind of President would Josh Hawley be?' Chris Wallace asks in prime-time interview

Two nights from Mini Tuesday, Josh Hawley sat down with Chris Wallace for a one-on-one interview to answer questions about the kind of vision he had for the Oval Office and the priorities he would set if he were elected. An excerpt:

WALLACE: "Senator, you're on the rise of the polls. You have a number of states that are about to vote- that pollsters think you have a good shot of doing very well. So let's say you win the Republican nomination and then get elected President. What are your day one objectives?"

HAWLEY: "Certainly an important question for anyone wanting to run for such a high office. To start, I would sign the most sweeping anti-corruption reforms since Watergate, taking on pay-to-play, getting the government out of speech, expanding disclosure rules for lobbyists. There would be a fundamental shift in how the White House treats service in government. I'd also repeal all of Biden's executive actions on immigration. I've said before and I will here, but border security isn't just a legal issue. It's a moral issue, and we ought to treat it with the urgency it deserves knowing that people are dying today because cartels and gangs are going unchecked. We have to get control of the border immediately, and I will if I'm elected."

WALLACE: "Alright, immigration and ethics reform. What about China? You said at the debate the other day you think they're America's top threat. What steps would a President Hawley take to defeat a rising China?"

HAWLEY: "Yeah, well first, we have to recognize we are behind the game on addressing the China threat. We have a jumbled supply chain, we have a massive trade deficit, it’s just a mess. I'll do everything in my power as President to reshore jobs to communities that have been devastated by outsourcing. Tariffs, tax credits, trade renegotiations, you name it. That's number one. We also need to realign our foreign policy focus around this threat. President Biden and those before him has had us constantly embroiled in conflicts we have no busy being in. First it was Iraq, then it was Libya, then it was Syria, now it's Ukraine. We have to pull the plug. I'll continue Trump's legacy of not starting wars, and I'll pull out of ones we're in right now, because I want to build a foreign policy that serves American interests and American needs."

WALLACE: "Speaking of President Trump's firsts, he was also the first President to move the U.S Embassy to Israel's capital in Jerusalem. Where does Israel fit into your foreign policy vision? Would you commit to supporting them with monetary aid?"

HAWLEY: "Absolutely. I would absolutely commit to supporting Israel. They are a sovereign nation, that has stood by America through thick and thin, and shined as one of the most prosperous democracies in the Middle East. They've also been among our most reliable allies in international votes, so I think if we are going to forge a coalition of nations that will stand true to our struggle against China, Israel will need to be apart of it."

WALLACE: "Moving on to economic growth, you've placed a $12k tax credit proposal at the heart of your tax plan. You've dubbed it the 'Parent Tax Credit', somewhat of a rebranding of the already-existing Child Tax Credit although it's significantly larger. Some say this abandons the principles of supply-side economics, that you need to cut taxes on businesses and job creators in order to produce prosperity. Would that be apart of your tax plan? If so - or if not - what is your plan to spur economic growth and reduce inflation?"

HAWLEY: "I, first, I reject the notion that a middle-class tax cut would be ineffective at driving growth. The people my plan would benefit are the people who deserve a tax cut the most in this economy. It's the engineers, the carpenters, the construction workers that are getting squeezed, not Disney and Amazon. And make no mistake, this tax cut will produce results. It'd put our consumers on a level-playing field with China, which would give a boost to manufacturers who make and sell right here at home. Call that a departure from orthodoxy, I don't care.

But it's also just a small part of my plan to bring America back roaring on the world stage. I'd cut down and simplify the tax code and give breaks to businesses that build in America. I'd gut a lot of these useless new regulations the Biden administration implemented and I'd return to the Trump-era policy of removing at least two regulations for every new one. I want everyone to get a fair shake, but we have to really assess our priorities. Who actually deserves a tax break? It's not the companies that are making jobs in Mexico and China."

WALLACE: "That segways into another topic I was about to ask you on. Your campaign has drawn the ire of some in the upper echelons of the Republican Party for your unorthodox positions on economics and foreign policy. Do you intend to reconcile with these people to unite the party or to form an agenda, if you are elected?"

HAWLEY: "Let's step back a little bit. I'm not running to burn bridges with anyone, but if you're asking me if I'm going to cave or go back on my promises to appease people who didn't elect me, who don't represent me or my values, you're asking the wrong guy. If I am the nominee, it will be because most Republican voters believed in my visions and positions. It will be because they believe I should represent the Republican plank. They will have to reconcile with the fact that their beliefs were unpopular, and I believe that would make them the unorthodox ones.

Now, it's important that we unite the party for November, but I'm not running to be the arm of some shadow aristocracy. Americans are looking for a President who's willing to lead from the front and take on our country's challenges with a clear set of principles and convictions. I'm running to be that leader."

WALLACE: "In one word, what would you like your legacy to be?"

HAWLEY: "Passion."

Self-made material

EDITORIAL: Our Very Own Josh Hawley for President.

"Missourians in both parties will have the chance to participate in this year's very contentious primary on March 12th. While the Democratic contest is expected to be a nail-biter, the Republican one is all but decided. Still, in as consequential an election season as this one is, we would be remiss not to emphasize the importance of making our voice heard. Voters will not just be deciding who wins the Missouri contest but who they want to represent them at the convention. In the Republican primary, there is a clear choice who stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of leadership and conviction: our very own Josh Hawley.

We know him for his record as the Show Me State's top lawyer, where he showed us, for the first time, the tenacity and courage he brought to his work, taking on opioid companies and special interests to protect Missouri citizens. Two years later, we sent him to Washington to continue that fight against the most entrenched powers in the country, and Hawley didn't budge. He forged new debates and articulated different priorities, acting as a stern voice for our concerns and frustrations in the out-of-touch world of Washington.

He's been a leader in the fight against big tech censorship, fighting for the First Amendment rights of all Americans. And he's shown time and again that he's willing to stand up to the swamp, even when it means going against his own party. His record of conviction and courage is unmatched by any of his primary challengers, and we have no doubt that he will continue to be a champion for Missouri and for the country as a whole.

Beyond his record, Hawley possesses a rare quality in today's political climate: authenticity. He speaks plainly and directly to the issues that matter to everyday Americans, and he doesn't shy away from taking on the political establishment when it's necessary. As a result, he's earned the trust and respect of Missourians and conservatives across the country. This kind of leadership is sorely needed in our national dialogue today, where the political discourse is often muddied by pandering, equivocation, and insincerity.

Now, as he builds a national movement the likes of which our country has never seen before, we have no doubt that he will continue to be a champion for the people, and that he will make us all proud.

For these reasons, we at the St. Joseph News-Press enthusiastically endorse Josh Hawley for President of the United States. We believe that he has the leadership qualities, the vision, and the moral compass necessary to steer our country through the difficult challenges that lie ahead. We urge all Missourians to vote in the primary on March 12th, and to cast their vote for Josh Hawley."