Businessman Donald Trump speaking at the CPAC convention 2013 {photo: ibtimes.com}
Written by Juliana Simone
National Harbor, MD – The man known for more than a decade to native New Yorkers as “The Donald” took the stage this afternoon to address an enthusiastic crowd convened for the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference celebrating its 40th anniversary on the shores of the Potomac River in Maryland. Self-made billionaire Donald Trump opened his monologue by telling the audience our country is in terrible trouble.
He cited we owed seventeen trillion dollars and have more than a trillion dollar deficit a year. “No country’s ever heard of numbers like this!” he observed. “Likewise, the Republican Party is in terrible trouble,” he continued. “As you get more and more conservative – they get nasty. They don’t like what we say.” Trump segued into the mainstream media and how the President is given unprecedented media protection.
To offer solutions on how we solve our country’s problems, Mr. Trump first pointed out how even the Tea Party, who he loves dearly, says to leave their Medicare and Social Security alone. “To keep these things affordable then the solution is to build a great economy.” “We don’t have one,” he noted. “China does.” “We have to make America great again,” he said in appeal to the room.
On the issue of immigration, Trump stated that when it comes to immigration, eleven million people will be voting Democrat. He believed a candidate can be out in front but (when it comes to Election Day) those eleven million will be voting Democrat. “Republicans are on a suicide mission,” he said. “You’re just not going to get those votes.” Donald Trump inquired further, “Why aren’t we letting Europeans in?” and told the attendees how he had many friends who want to move here and work here – that have been educated here – but we throw them out of the country after earning a degree at Harvard or Wharton and say you can’t move here – so they work somewhere else and work against us. “How stupid is that?” he asked.
The realtor and casino owner gave a nod to fellow Republican Newt Gingrich next saying he loved Newt because he was a member of his club down the road. Trump said he loved anyone who was a member of his club and jested maybe Obama should become a member. He talked about offering to build things at his own expense for Washington but never heard back from anyone.
“Conservative Republicans have to win elections,” he proclaimed. In his observations on the Republican Party, Trump said “Governors are saying it’s the stupid party.” He thought this was a horrible statement for a Governor to make because it was something that could come back to haunt you when the Democrat’s now will turn around and use it against you. Trump told fellow conservatives he believed a Party that spent four hundred million dollars on ads that made Obama look like a super hero was a failure, and that spending money like this with not one victory showed something was seriously wrong.
About himself, he revealed he’d made over eight billion dollars in his life and employed tens of thousands of people. When he filled out his financial forms (when considering running for President in 2012) people were surprised. He said he was continually criticized by “total light weights” – guys in dirty shirts who would say about him, “Donald Trump? He’s nothing.”
Donald went on to explain people liked success and though he liked Mitt Romney, he felt the one mistake he made was that he didn’t talk enough about his success and the great things he did. He reflected they were on the defensive instead of being on the offensive where they should have been.
In regards to Iraq, Trump said we spend 1.5 trillion dollars there and we lose great great young people – for what? He said at first he was told it was for the oil, so he thought, okay, I get that – but we didn’t take the oil. He reminded viewers we’re the second largest oil reserve after Saudi Arabia. He believes for soldiers that are killed we should give those parents a million dollars for the son they lost because a million dollars is nothing compared to the money over there.
He described how he just had to place a huge order for televisions from South Korea. Why? People asked him why he didn’t buy the televisions here. “We don’t make televisions here anymore,” he explained.
“We’re run by either very foolish or very stupid people. Our country is a total mess. What we need is leadership,” he opined. He projected if we build and grow our economy, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security all can be affordable again when we have a strong economy. North Dakota has a great supply of energy, but we can’t go get it, he mused, so we go to Saudi Arabia to get it! They can’t believe what they’re getting away with. “The Republicans, and the Democrats, say we gotta cut, we gotta cut, we gotta cut…it’s because we’re not cutting the mustard!”
In closing, Trump said, “We have to bring money in and take back our jobs from China. We have to start building again, manufacturing again and our problems will be solved. Let’s make this country strong again!” The Donald left the stage to strong applause.
Businessman Donald Trump speaking at CPAC 2013 (photo: newgroopspeak.com}
Ed.: This article written and reported by Juliana Simone, also appeared on a CT internet news site.
Former AR Governor Mike Huckabee speaking at the New Hampshire Leadership Conference as a potential candidate for President of the United States – April 2015 {photo: Brian Snyder/Reuters}
Nashua, NH – Mike Huckabee first came to my attention when his intention to run for the office of the President of the United States was published on the cover of Newsmax Magazine. As a subscriber, he was new to me, as probably most people outside of Arkansas during this time. The feature gave him a glowing review, and listed the many positives about this man they realized most people knew nothing about, as the Governor of Arkansas. It was an impressive story.
Coming in second to party nominee U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in 2008, Huckabee went on to host a Fox News program that had the highest weekend ratings for six years. The many fans of the former Governor asked him to run in 2012, but he declined, stating he had other things in his life right now that were more important to him. He did not feel this was the time for him to engage in a second campaign. This author believed that was the right decision for him when hearing the announcement.
Moving forward to the 2016 Presidential race, Huckabee has informed the press, the Republican Party and his base, that he will be making an announcement on May 5th. Assuming he will declare his intention to run once again for the highest elected office, this is the right time. For those readers who do not remember Mike Huckabee, never saw his program on Fox News, or perhaps only recognize him through the mainstream media’s anti-conservative perception in brief blurbs, this video is a good introduction of the man, his story, his experience and his message.
Addressing the recent New Hampshire Republican Leadership Summit, his speech to the group gathered at the Crowne Plaza Hotel was that of a true seasoned professional, who is still fresh with patriotism and vision and knows how to speak to people from every walk of life. Like Reagan, he is also very good at sprinkling his delivery with partisan humor. Many try to do this but fail. Huckabee excels. Watching this video reminded me of the Newsmax article published years ago that saw the same fire.
His opening comments alone presented an argument no other Republican Presidential candidate could make: his previous years of fighting directly with Bill and Hillary Clinton during his political campaigns in their home state of Arkansas. If Hillary Clinton, the presumed Democrat Party nominee at the time of this post, is the one to beat come November 2016, no other candidate has this first-hand experience except Huckabee. After an introduction from New Hampshire’s, Jennifer Horn, who pointed out he had been dealing and fighting with the Clinton’s and their political machine long before the public ever met them, she asked for a warm hand for the “real hope from Arkansas.”
Noting that Bill Clinton assumed his first year in office as the President when he was running for Lt. Governor of Arkansas, former Governor Huckabee had this to say at the summit in regards to his past experience on this subject:
“Every time I ever ran for public office, I ran against the Clinton’s. I ran against their political machine, I ran against their money, I ran against them…virtually every election both Bill and Hillary Clinton would come back and campaign for every opponent I ever had…if someone wants to know what it’s like to run against their operation – apparatus, come see me – I’ll be happy to tell you. I’ll show you some scars. I have quite a few.”
Huckabee went on to explain that Arkansas wasn’t a reliably red state then and that he won his seat as Lieutenant Governor in a special election. He explains he was the fourth Republican elected to a state wide office in 150 years. His story as the newly elected Republican LG under a Democrat Governor bests the majority of Hollywood scripts today. In his words:
“They were so happy to see me, when I got there, they were so excited to me, that my door was nailed shut from the inside.” (laughs) He said the Wall Street Journal flew reporter John Fund down to Little Rock to see was it so; and Fund reported back that there were physical nails literally in the door. Huckabee continues that it wasn’t just nailed shut, “it remained nailed shut for my first 59 days as the Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. When the door was finally opened, I went into the office that was designated for the Lieutenant Governor. It had been stripped of all the office furniture, the budget had been zeroed out, and that was my welcome to the political machinery of the state of Arkansas.” (groans from the audience)
Continuing his political story, the former Governor tells the room he was re-elected the next year with the largest vote for a Republican in the history of the state, and that in large measure it was because people were tired of the political machine that they had seen chew them up and spit them out.
After being elected to a four-year term as LG, Mike tells the group, “I was down the end of the hall, minding my own business, when the Democrat Governor {Jim Guy Tucker} was convicted of Whitewater related felonies and was forced to resign – that put me in the office of Governor.”
“It was the first of a long string of Democrat officials who were busted for various forms of corruption. We used to say the five most feared words of an Arkansas politician were these: Will the defendant please rise?” (laughs) When a person said, “You were Governor? How many years?” We’d say, “Office or prison?” (laughs)
“It was a tough environment,” Huckabee recalled. He told his fellow Republicans that when he became Governor in 1996, the Arkansas legislature consisted of 89 democrats and 11 republicans in the House, and 31 democrats and 4 republicans in the senate. Huckabee observed that to New Hampshire residents, they probably believed MA was the most lopsided partisan state in America – or maybe VT, ME, OR or CA – but, no, at this time it was Arkansas.
“But you know what that did for me? I learned how to govern,” he reflected. “When you go into the Capitol every day and people really don’t like you and really don’t want you to succeed, but you’re still able to get 90% of your legislature packages passed, it’s because you learned how to govern.”
Some people say, “We’re going to have to have someone who knows how to fight. I’ll tell you what, if you battled the political machine that I battled, you know how to fight; but we need someone who knows how to win the fight not just start it…and folks, one of the challenges we face is not just to fight the fight but to fix what the has been about.”
Huckabee says the next election is very important because it will determine if our nation is going to be free, safe and whether people and every young American can live out the American dream.
He pronounces on May 5thhe will be making an announcement from his home town of Hope, AR, where Bill Clinton was also from, but then moved away at the age of five. Huckabee says he graduated from High School there, and that he was the first male who ever graduated high school let alone attend college in his family. He remembers his father lifted heavy things and worked very hard. When Mike was eight years old, his father took him to hear the Governor talk, because in his words father to son, he wanted him to hear a Governor, because he may live his whole life and never meet a Governor in person.
“No one would have ever believed his boy could become one,” the 44thGovernor of Arkansas observed.
Huckabee mentioned he was in office for ten and a half years serving his state in the top office, the third longest in Arkansas history. He adds he was proud to campaign in 37 states last year to help win the U.S. Senate majority back and that Harry Reid was planning on moving back to Nevada. (applause)
“I want the Republican Party to start acting like the Republican Party,” Huckabee declares after scolding the Senate and Congress for not standing up to current President who is unconstitutional in his actions. (applause)
In regards to repairing our Republic, the 2008 Presidential candidate says, “public service should not be a permanent lifetime career. When do we have term limits in this country and say when you go to Congress, this is not the proverbial roach motel you go in but you never come out? We should say when you go in, and after a reasonable amount of time, you come out, go home, and find out what it’s like to live under the laws you for passed for the rest of us?”
He says he believes term limits should be for the Judicial Branch of our Federal Government, as well as the Legislative.
In terms of foreign policies, Huckabee articulates, “we need true leadership not apologies” and that making a deal with the Iranians is nonsense since they never keep a deal they make. He goes into an analogy about snakes and sums it up with “What we are dealing with in the Middle East is nothing short of a viper- that will bite us unless we can end its threat before it becomes an imminent threat to our own children and grandchildren.”
Returning to trouble at home, Mike Huckabee addresses the IRS. He believes the solution is to enact the Fair Tax and repeal the sixteenth amendment.
“I am a fair tax supporter because it will change our economy.” He explains the Fair Tax ends all taxes that produces something (income, savings, investment, capital gain, inheritance) and taxes would be paid at the point of consumption – or when we buy something. He feels the Fair tax is an incentive for those at the bottom, not a punishment as some would say, because it will make them want to move up the ladder rather than stay on the bottom rung.
He reflects on a visit to New Hampshire eight years earlier which taught him this lesson, and how on a tour in a machine shop, a man told him he had a daughter he wanted to have opportunities he didn’t have, so he was paying fifty thousand a year for her to go to Cornell University grad school. To do this, he decided he would work sixteen hours a day and double his time so that the second shift could go to his daughter’s future. When he went to collect his first paycheck, it was almost the same as working his one eight hour shift. He went to the office thinking there must be a mistake as he was expecting twice as much. The accountant said no, the problem is at sixteen hours a day, you’re in a new tax bracket.
Huckabee surmises to the Republican leadership summit attendees, that he learned the second shift he was working so it could go to his daughter and her schooling, was instead going to the government, so they could take it out of his pocket. “Why are we punishing someone who’s trying to move ahead?” he asked. “With a Fair Tax, if a person works twice as hard, they make twice as much money. The government doesn’t put them in a system that keeps them from ever being able to reach the next rung on the ladder.”
Mike continues to talk about the IRS, and their loss of emails and invasions of people’s privacy and says, “I think most Americans would agree the IRS has become a criminal enterprise and we need to get rid of it.”
Returning to the upcoming 2016 election, Huckabee repeats how President Obama has held this office with audacity and breaking the constitution for his own agenda. “We’re a nation of laws – not a nation of personalities and brute political power.” He suggests if Republicans want four or eight more years of this kind of rule, we can have another big Republican fight and do the Democrat’s dirty work for them with all the Republican’s jumping in, having a free for all and demolition derby, with the result of making the Democrat’s work easy for them.
“Here’s how I look at the Presidential sweepstakes,” the potential 2016 Presidential candidate declared.
“Every Republican that is or is potentially going to run, wants to be the Quarterback of the team. But the best way to earn the job of Quarterback, is to play the best game – to prove on the practice field that we actually can lead – and we have a history of doing it.
Our country is going through some storms and we’re headed for some tougher ones. I think most of you if you get on an airplane, and you look up there in the cockpit knowing you’re about to fly through some storms, you look up there and who’s sitting in the left seat? You want it to be somebody who’s flown through a lot of thunderstorms, not someone who just got out of flight school.”
He reminds the group that they will make the decision, but he hopes it will be based upon who can play the best game not who can savage the other people who want the job.
Bookending back to his opening remarks, Huckabee recaps, “As I said in the beginning. I know the Clinton’s all too well. They play to win. And they play and do anything necessary to win. I faced them time and time again. I lived to win. I lived to even tell about it. That in itself is remarkable.” (Laughs) “Now we have to unite and do something extraordinary for this great country.”
The ordained minister, and former Republican Presidential Candidate who hosted a Fox News program as a political commentator for six years which began in the fall of 2008, then told his audience about a recent trip to Los Angeles and appearance on liberal Bill Mars television show, where he met a driver going to the studio. The driver was originally from the old Soviet Union, and he told Mike how he made a successful life for himself and his daughter after coming to America. Huckabee said he would tell his story for him and how some people came here to escape tyranny and find liberty.
Choosing to give ten minutes of his time to a question and answer period, the former Governor was asked about our other important ally in the Middle East, India. Mike Huckabee in this answer says America needs three things to remain free: to be able to feed ourselves, fuel ourselves, and fight for ourselves by manufacturing our own weapons of self-defense. His broad yet detailed response to this question makes his leadership skills clear. Governor Huckabee was also asked about climate change and his position on Israel and a Palestinian state.
{Editor’s note: Somewhere between nine and ten minutes of Mike Huckabee’s speech, Connecticut’s own veteran RNC member Pat Longo can be seen listening to the former Governor in an audience pan shot, as well as CT State Central member Catherine Marx.)
Donald Trump and David Bossie as new Deputy Campaign Manager {photo: Breitbart}
Republican nominee for the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, along with his advisors, made a smart decision the other day. They hired Citizen’s United President, producer of the documentary, “Hillary The Movie,” among many others featuring conservative political voices, and contributing author to Breitbart, their new Deputy Campaign Manager. He currently is also the Chairman of the Super PAC Defeat Crooked Hillary.
To the chagrin of most liberal publications, and the talking heads of the mainstream media, this is not good news. Bossie has a long association as an anti-Clinton advocate. Material in this chosen subject is rich, so his choice was an easy one which started back in the early-nineties when first investigating then Arkansas Governor/Democrat POTUS nominee, Bill Clinton.
In researching this update, and reading numerous posts on the news of Bossie as the new DCM for Donald Trump, the spin on Bossie from the left was priceless. Describing him as dogged in his investigation of Clinton’s sex scandals (Bill’s), Whitewater, more currently the record of Mrs. Clinton, as the former Secretary of State, and the Clinton Foundation, a reader/listener would think there was no reason to look into any of these things…why, the Clinton’s are as pure as snow…just ignore the mountains of evidence.
One of the first articles I archived on In My Vue, was the piece I wrote about David Bossie from CPAC 2013, which was posted in April of this year. Impressive then and now, he is a formidable addition to the Trump campaign, who brings a treasure trove of information about the Clinton’s long history to the forefront for voters today.
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CPAC 2013: David Bossie
Written by Juliana Simone
David Bossie, leader of Citizens United and producer of “Hillary: The Movie”, is seen in his office in Washington on March 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
March 15, 2013
National Harbor, MD – United Citizen’s long-time President David Bossie took the stage on Friday to tell the Conservative Political Action Conference participants that as CPAC was celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year, United Citizen was proudly celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary. He told the group in one of the strongest speeches of the day that “conservatives really need to think of new and innovative ways to deliver our message…and film is one of them.” [Under Bossie’s tenure Citizen United produced five feature film documentaries including “Hillary: The Movie” in 2008 which was not allowed to be shown due to established unlawful electioneering communication; Citizens United sued on First Amendment grounds, but initially lost until in 2010 the Supreme Court found in their favor in a landmark decision that now allows profit and non-profit groups to air political material without limits on spending or timing of release.]
Discussing the Republican Party, Mr. Bossie observed to CPAC members “unfortunately, some in the Republican establishment are trying to divide us.” He explained conservatives want to win every election but RINO’s (Republican in Name Only) want us to sell out our values just to win; if we sell out our principles, then the conservative movement is a ship without a rudder.
The author and activist brought up well-known political strategist for the GOP, Karl Rove, who is under some controversy lately for believing the tea party costs Republicans elections. Rove and the establishments “Conservative Victory Project” believes this groups candidates need to be replaced with party insiders who have more moderate agendas and appeal.
Bossie asked the audience, “Why does Karl Rove think he’s the only one who wants to win? Did some conservatives lose their elections? Sure, but establishment candidates lost more.” He continued by saying he likes Rove, and he’s a smart guy – the Architect. “He and Bush were architects of policy disasters,” he quipped.
Moving his observations to President Obama he said, “Obama all but declared war against conservatives in his second inaugural address.” He noted that Obama’s soaring rhetoric from his keynote address at the Democrat convention was replaced by his clear agenda where he used the expression “collective action,” words that Castro or Khrushchev would use in a speech to their starving people.
Remembering Obama’s promises to clean up Washington, Bossie mused “the only thing Obama cleaned was our Treasury.” Bossie affirmed the mainstream media is in his (Obama’s) pocket covering all of his mishaps, the latest of which is Benghazi. The former Washington investigator reminded the audience that not since (President) Jimmy Carter, for thirty years, have we had one of our ambassadors killed overseas. He cited a House Bill that was a transparency bill for families with loved ones killed overseas.
In regards to the second amendment, Mr. Bossie suggested Washington look into Hollywood on-screen violence before taking our guns away.
On immigration, Bossie stressed we should finish building the fence and enforce existing laws on immigration before discussing immigration reform. On “Obamacare” (the Affordable Care Act) he told CPAC listeners he was pleased to see (U.S. Rep.) Ryan defund Obamacare in his budget plan and that this should be every conservative’s priority – to defund Obamacare and his socialism.
He repeated President Ronald Reagan’s ideology and plan for our country that included free enterprise, strong national defense and pro-family social policies as things that would make America sound again. In his final words he appealed to conservatives, “the grassroots of our movements must not sit on the sidelines…double your efforts.”
Kent, CT – Elizabeth Esty is asked about controversial campaign donations and her views on the second amendment.
Ameriborn News Exclusive Interview with U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty
Written by Juliana Simone
Kent, CT – Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-5) who took over this formerly held seat by her fellow party member Connecticut U.S. Senator Chris Murphy after the 2012 elections, was speaking to a small circle of constituents in Litchfield County about some of the issues that came up this Saturday afternoon on her “Congress in Your Corner” tour. A beautiful May afternoon allowed the United States Representative to stay and mingle with a handful of interested constituents who reside in one of the districts forty-one towns.
“I was delighted to see so many people show up today,” she told the group. Congresswoman Esty was pleased there were a variety of topics that were a mix of local, state, federal and environmental issues, among them Bulls Bridge and the Appalachian Trail which are pertinent to the area. In regards to the Appalachian Trail which runs 2,181 miles from Maine to Georgia, concerns about unsupervised swimming where there was a recent fatality, parking, safety and trash were discussed.
The Appalachian Trail is mostly maintained by the National Park Service one Esty and a member of the circle concluded but Esty asserted if the parking spaces were on a state road then this would be a state issue. A man told the Congresswoman the newly created parking spaces were for CL&P so she wondered if this then was deeded land or an easement and concluded that state, local, federal and non-profits will have to figure this out.
Before departing the group, she was asked about Statico, and whether this had been resolved, and U.S. Representative Esty replied she would have to get them an update and reminded them a couple of people had asked about this today in her appearance at the Kent Memorial Library.
With time constraints where the Congresswoman had scheduled to look at local artist paintings before leaving Kent, she excused herself and then gave Ameriborn News Network some of her time. Here is a transcription of the two questions asked of Representative Esty and her responses along with the accompanying video of the interview:
Juliana Simone: Congresswoman, can I ask you a couple of questions?
Rep. Esty: Well, it depends…
Juliana Simone: Well, they’re different subjects but I was just wondering…
Rep. Esty: I’m sorry. You’re with whom?
Juliana Simone: Ameriborn News.
Rep. Esty: Okay.
Juliana Simone: We endorsed you over Donovan in Campaign 2012…(Esty laughs)
Earlier this week, you had to return some campaign donations from Northeast Utilities involving you and your husband (because of him) being the DEEP commissioner in CT…Are you going to return the rest of the individual donations that Jon Lender mentioned in the Courant?
{A toddler rides his scooter between the interviewer and Esty and Esty asks him, “are you going through?” She says, “He’s enjoying his scooter,}
Rep. Esty: Um, No. The NU made a decision it was an (obstruction) but I have worked in the field of energy and environmental issues for a long time. I served well before my husband’s appointment. I served on the Energy and Technology Committee and the folks are aware of my work there…
Juliana Simone: At the House?
Rep. Esty: In the House of Representatives here in the state of Connecticut…and that’s firm support from people over the years in communities and around the country…and a lot of those folks are people elsewhere around the country who are very concerned about having knowledgeable people in Congress who are making national – {ed.: indiscernible} to address these national, and frankly, international concerns.
And, about the death penalty…I know that you’re against the death penalty, so I was wondering, you know, unfortunately, the Fifth Congressional district in Connecticut had two of our most heinous national stories about murder – with Cheshire and the home invasion, and then our Newtown Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy…Now, I know you voted against the death penalty when you were a state representative and that included the Cheshire home invasion gentlemen, and now, if the Sandy Hook shooter…
Rep. Esty: I’m not answering any hypothetical about that, you know?
Juliana Simone: But I was wondering if he didn’t commit suicide, and he was found and convicted would you have voted for the death penalty against him?
Rep. Esty: “I gotta tell you I don’t answer any hypotheticals about that, you know…my job is focused at this point on representing Newtown and all of the citizens of (that) district…and trying to make sensible gun control laws and gun safety laws so that we minimize the risk of any other communities going through what happened in their communities…
and today we had a number of gun owners who came to speak to me and we also had a very good conversation – because there is so much misinformation. Part of the problem right now is there’s a lot of heat but not a lot of light about what’s happening…about we need to have real information about what the safety laws are and what those proposals would do…and I think if people look at them they’ll see how sensible they are and how important it is to get this done, to save the lives of children every day…
and police officers every day are just making sure that all of the law abiding gun owners are going through background checks, too…and so does everybody else…so they can’t choose to avoid going through a background check…which is what allow right now…and that’s just bullsh*t…”
The press liaison for Congresswoman Esty interjected there was no more time as she had to go view the paintings of the local artists.
The follow up question to Rep. Esty given more time would have asked about all of the gun owners who aren’t law abiding and do not go through background checks to acquire their weapons but hopefully both our state and federal legislators will include this issue in their future discussions, proposals and legislation.
Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations {photo:commdiginews.com}
CPAC 2014
Written by Juliana Simone
National Harbor, MD –
The annual Conservative Political Action Conference was held this past March 6th, 7th and 8th and brought to the event most of the strongest voices in the Republican Party, whether current or former elected officials, political commentators or lesser known advocates who work hard behind the scenes in leadership roles. The big draws are Republicans who are considering seeking the Presidential nomination to run for their party in 2016. They usually have the biggest and boldest speeches that make audience members rise to their feet.
The first day of CPAC 2014 showcased these men: Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Wisconsin representative Paul Ryan, who ran as the vice president candidate along with GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, and New York businessman Donald Trump also spoke. Of this list of speakers, Rubio, Christie and possibly Jindal have their eye on a run for the Oval Office in 2016.
Thursday, March 6th, 2014
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
Cruz, another favorite with CPAC attendees and libertarians, known for his brave posturing in the Senate and his filibustering, opened the convention with a roar. His spirited speech and fiery delivery awakened any audience member who stayed up too late after checking in to their hotel room or just got off the red eye.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida)
Senator Rubio used his time to address the young members of the audience reminding them of what communism was as a man whose mother and father fled Cuba and its communist dictator for Florida to live the life of freedom in the United States. He also talked about the veterans of World War II and how the young people did not remember this war now and how our country’s soldiers and so many others fought and lost their lives to keep the world free.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R)
At the CPAC convention you can always tell when someone important is about to take the stage because there’s suddenly standing room only. It was this way when Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) stepped out to address the conservative audience. How one is covered in the press in a year’s time can make a big difference on how you’re perceived both to your own caucus as well as the other. In 2013, Christie wasn’t even invited to speak at CPAC since many Republicans had soured on the Governor with all the feel-good footage of him walking with President Obama on the shores of New Jersey discussing the major hurricane damage on the homes there. Some felt this helped Obama look good during a pivotal Presidential election year, instead of the party’s own candidate. (Mitt Romney)
Now, with the overly obsessive coverage the mainstream media latched on to for days if not weeks, which led to Gov. Christie firing a staff member for telling a DOT friend to close down traffic lanes on a bridge as payback for the town’s mayor not endorsing Christie. The Governor told the press later he did not expect that mayor to endorse him and never sought his endorsement since he was a democrat. What became known as ‘bridgegate,’ conservative journalists wondered if the overinflated story was really more about the fact Christie had just come out ahead of Hillary Clinton in a major poll asking who people would vote for to be the next U.S. President.
Things like this can make the tide turn with how party members see you as a candidate and elected official. Clearly there to impress, Christie wore a more conservative hat than usual and took repeated jabs at the President he so merrily walked down the coastline with in 2012, on his poor handling of budget negotiations, and Obama’s belief that there is income inequality in America. The Governor also took a strong stance on a touchy social issue by proclaiming he was pro-life, even though he governed a blue state, but believed in being pro-life from leaving the womb until death.
He informed the audience that as a new Governor he fought public employee unions and tamed out of control labor. In advice to his party, Christie urged fellow Republicans that our ideas are better than their ideas and we need to start saying what we’re for and not against.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R)
Bright and assertive as always, CPAC regular Bobby Jindal failed to disappoint once again. Sharp insight, direct words and clear points keeps him a strong contended and viable candidate for the President of the United States anytime in the future. The popular Louisiana Governor, whose state boasts one of the strongest economies, here is an excerpt of his speech:
“President Obama is the most liberal and incompetent President in my lifetime ever since Jimmy Carter (D). Having witnessed the events abroad these last several days, as we see the President of Russia invade a neighboring country, our President wants to downsize our military; Our President brags about the increased spending on food stamps. Seeing a President that doesn’t understand a strong America leads to a peaceful more stable world; a weak America leads to instability. Seeing a President who doesn’t understand our allies and enemies alike need and want a strong America.
We have long thought and said this President is a smart man. It may be time to revisit that assumption – or at least make a distinction to being book smart and truly wise. So today, let it be heard, and I hope he’s watching, to President Carter, I want to issue a sincere apology. It is no longer fair to say he was the worst President of this great country in my lifetime. President Obama has proven me wrong.”
Friday, March 7th 2014
The second day of the convention had more big draws to regale their party loyalists. Among them Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, all three of whom have sought their party’s nomination to run for President before – Perry and Santorum in 2012 and Huckabee in 2008 – and CPAC favorite Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), son of beloved CPAC participant, newly retired U.S. Representative Ron Paul Potential Republican Party presidential candidates.
Texas Governor Rick Perry (R)
Governor Perry opened the day’s itinerary with a lively speech which was well received bringing the crowd to its feet. The longest serving Governor in the state of Texas, though not seeking reelection this year, still may have his eyes on another run for his party’s nomination to be on their Presidential ticket in 2016. If he keeps the energy and ideas up he gave here, he may have a shot. His speech crescendos right until the end. Here is the final portion:
“It is time for Washington to focus on the few things the Constitution establishes as the federal government’s role. Defend our country, provide a cogent foreign policy, and what the heck, deliver the mail, preferably on time and on Saturdays.” (Loud applause) Perry charged: “Get out of the health care businesses, get out of the education business, and create prosperity again. My fellow conservatives, the future of this nation is upon you, it belongs to you! You have the power to change America. You are the path to the future, a light on a distant shore. And you represent the renewed hope that America can be great again!”
Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas)
Former Governor Huckabee, who also hosts the most popular Saturday talk show on Fox News, took the podium with his usual good natured manner of the man of faith he is, and delivered a mix of goal and insight. Sharing with viewers he only had ten minutes to speak he joked that Barack Obama uses just this much time to complaining about Fox News before every press conference he holds. Huckabee delivered his speech with most of his insights starting with the words, “I know” where he would then add some other fact he was sure of.
“I know there’s a God and I know this country would not exist if he was not the midwife at its birth,” he began, adding “there is no other way to explain our history but by the hand of his providence.” The former Governor remembered how when Barack Obama was first campaigning (he assured Americans in terms of foreign policy) “he would charm the snakes back into the basket, but the snakes are everywhere.” “We don’t have one country we have a better relationship with in the five years he’s been President,” Huckabee observed. “I know you can’t keep your doctor,” he continued in regards to Obamacare, and “I know parents raise their children better than the government.”
“I know four Americans were murdered in Benghazi and it had nothing to do with some video…and with all due respect to Hillary Clinton, “it does make a difference.” “I know the IRS is a criminal enterprise,” declared the popular cable television host. He proposed as a solution “to enact a fair tax and eliminate the IRS once and for all.” (Applause)
“I know life begins at conception, and a society that sacrifices its own children are no better than the Philistines.” Huckabee also asserted he knows all men are created equal and no one is better than anyone else, and that respect for our military soldiers should be given on their return and through their care.
“I know a government that spies on its peoples and lies to its people is putting us in the direction of tyranny.” “I know the only time Putin shivers is when he takes his shirt off on a cold winter day.” “I know no one fears us; no one.” “I know Israel has been terribly mistreated by this government. They get more pressure to stop building bedrooms in a land given to them by Abraham than Iran does to stop pointing weapons at us.” He said it was for government to make us more secure, not less.
Addressing the first amendment, Huckabee said, “I know it is prohibitive of the government to say how much faith we can have – religious freedom should be unimpeded in this nation!” Addressing the second amendment, he said he believed it was the right of all Americans to own guns to protect themselves.
In parting, he said to tell conservatives to stop fighting with each other to save our country. “That’s the fight.”
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum
2012 Presidential candidate and former Pennsylvania veteran Senator Rick Santorum, who was one of the last to stay on a populated stage for his party’s nomination before losing the convention to former Governor of Massachusetts businessman Mitt Romney, spoke with his usual even toned and serious list of facts and objectives.
Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky)
Electrifying the crowd was CPAC convention-goers leading conservative, Rand Paul. In jeans, blazer and tie, Paul opened his speech asking the audience to “imagine a time when liberty again spread coast to coast; imagine a time when our great country is again governed by the Constitution; imagine a time when the White House is once again occupied by a friend of liberty.”
Showing his libertarian roots, Paul then added, “You may think I’m talking about electing Republican’s, I’m not. I’m talking about electing lovers of liberty. It isn’t good enough to elect the lesser of two evils. We need to elect men and women of principal and conviction and action who will lead us back to greatness.”
“There is a great and tumultuous battle underway for the future – not of the Republican party, but the future of the entire country,” Paul warned. “The question is, will we be bold and proclaim our message with passion, or will we be Sunshine Patriots retreating under adverse fire?”
Connecting the Constitution throughout his speech to illustrate the basic freedoms Americans are losing every day, the Senator’s speech also referred to famous quotes and history from many revered figures throughout our country’s past for emphasis: William Lloyd Garrison, the Sons of Liberty, John Adams, Daniel Webster, and James Madison.
Addressing the fourth amendment, Paul proclaimed. “As our voices rise in protest, the NSA monitors your every phone call. If you have a cell phone then you are under surveillance. I believe what you do on your cell phones is none of their damn business!” (Applause) He wondered can a single warrant be applied to millions of Americans phone records, emails and credit cards. The fourth amendment is very clear: warrants must be issued by a judge; warrants must be specific to the individual; a single warrant for millions of American phone records hardly sound specific to the individual; warrants are supposed to be based on evidence, a probable cause, that an individual’s committed a crime; generalized warrants that don’t name an individual and seek the records of millions of individuals goes against the very fabric of the fourth amendment.”
Paul exclaimed, “There is a great battle is going on. It’s for the heart and soul of America. The fourth amendment is equally as important as the second amendment and conservatives cannot forget this.” He posed to convention members, “Will we sit idly by and let our rights be trampled upon? Will we be like lemmings rushing to the comfort of Big Brother’s crushing embrace? Or will we stand like men and women of character and say we are free, and no man, no matter how well intentioned, will take our freedom from us.”
Moving on to trial by jury, Paul spent a good portion of his almost twenty minute long address on this topic and condemning President Obama for his lack of leadership in this front as well as the NSA. “A great President would have protected us from the prying eyes of the NSA; a great President would have proclaimed I will not abide it. The Constitution will not abide it.” Paul continued detailing it isn’t so much what President Obama has done with his power, but it’s the procedure of lawlessness that will follow – amending legislation, recessing Congress, writing laws because one has a pen and a phone – then government becomes noting short of tyranny
“We must stop this President from shredding the Constitution!” Paul cried. (Applause/cheers)
“It isn’t just the harm this President is causing. It’s the future harm that he allows by destroying the checks and balances that once restrained each of the branches of government. Progressives by their own assertion don’t want to be bound by any original intent of the Constitution or its authors. They believe the Constitution is whatever the majority says it is. Progressives believe a majority may separate you from your rights. Paul gives a few examples of this with Jim Crowe and the Japanese internment. “Our rights come from our Creator and no government can take them from us!”
Coming to a close, the Kentucky Senator told his supporters, “Our future hangs in the balance. You can’t have prosperity without freedom. America’s greatness will not flicker if we believe in ourselves.” “It’s going to take a National revival of our liberty…It’s a Republic that restrains the government not the individual.” He asked people to stand with him and reminded them when he heard about the NSA he took a stand, filibustered, and sued the President! (Cheers) “It is decidedly not a time for the faint of heart,” Paul reminded his fellow Americans.
Dr. Ben Carson
Introducing Dr. Carson, was Tim Goeglein, from the group Focus on the Family. He reminded the room that our forefathers disagreed on a few things: whether we should have a constitution, a federal bank, and what our standing army should be – but one thing they agreed on was Judeo-Christian values.
With his usual cheerful spirit, Dr. Ben Carson began his speech describing America as the land of dreams and that it’s fulfilled the dreams of so many. He recounted how as a youth he always knew he wanted to be a doctor, and with the luck of a ‘no excuses’ and ‘I believe in God’ mother he was able to accomplish his dream. Retiring from practicing medicine last year as a neurosurgeon, he told the convention room he thought he would learn to play the organ and golf, but God had a different plan. Carson said he didn’t know what it was yet, but for now he was enjoying traveling around the country talking to large crowds with his wife Candy.
Dr. Carson went on to muse “I am not a fan of political correctness. I hate political correctness. I still believe marriage is between a man and a woman.” (Cheers and applause) He explained the political correct police have beaten the people into submission and use their tactics of making the majority think they’re wrong and old-fashioned in how they think. “It is time for the people to stand up for what they believe and stop being bullied!” he asserted. “The only people who can stop the ideologues’ is us!”
“Of course gay people should have the same rights as everyone else – but they don’t get extra rights. They don’t get to redefine marriage.” (Applause) Talking to supporters about how the mainstream media takes all of his statements out of context he used his time to repeat what the media reported he said, and then in contrast, what he actually said. One of these was a statement about President Obama. Carson said he said “Obama’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to us since slavery.” “We need to put the power back in the hands of the American people to keep it there.”
In regards to the media and their twisting of his words, he said, “the left repeats these lies because they cannot argue the facts. Americans need to understand the tactics they use. Referring to the book “Rules for Radicals” Dr. Carson said it’s all in there, citing one example where the book tells radicals never to talk to an adversary because it will humanize them, and you need to demonize them.
He said recently a place that was going to have him talk to their youth was being pressured to cancel his visit, saying he will tell them poison. Is teaching self-reliance and self-respect poison, he wondered…telling minorities to turn the money over a few times in their own community before turning it out because this is what creates wealth…the value of education…the importance of putting what God says in front of you…is this poison?
Dr. Carson appealed to the government to save our healthcare. He asked viewers to go to the American Legacy PAC he is associated with now and to sign the petition. He addressed the country’s seventeen and a half trillion dollar debt and explained, “The only reason we can do that is because we can print money.” He noted, “Greece can’t print money or it wouldn’t be in trouble. They could once, but they were irresponsible, and look what happened to them.” “We’re in a ship that’s going over the Niagara Falls,” he warned. People would look at the ship and say, oh, but there are barnacles all over the bottom – we need to get rid of them first – no, Carson defined; we need to right the ship first and keep it from going over the falls.
About future elections, he told the convention crowd, “when it’s time to vote, if your guy didn’t get it, you can call him whatever you want – a RINO, a teabagger – but vote for them! We need them in there.” He reminded the audience “don’t let the left shut you up” and that everybody needs to talk to everybody about all of these issues and our country and its direction. He said to include old people in your discussions because maybe the greatest generation can save this country once again.
His final words remembered World War II as an example of why are nation was great – how the whole world was about to go under tyranny – except for our country, who sent our boys to fight and our women to build weapons in factories. Carson believes on D-Day our soldiers didn’t shot on that beach and step over their dead comrades for leaders to pick and choose laws we will follow…this is the land of the free and the home of the brave. “Remember we cannot be free if we are not brave.”
Saturday, March 8th, 2014
Representative Michelle Bachmann
The third and final day had the convention’s always popular Rep. Bachmann kick off the proceedings. The tax attorney reminded convention members that it was the Republican party who first put a female on a presidential ticket in the last century, and the same party who had a female candidate for President in 2012 (Bachmann) who ran against Obamacare and no nuclear weapons for Iran. She added if the democrat party has a woman on its ticket this time for President she’s going to have a lot of questions to answer including Benghazi among other scandals the former First Lady, New York Senator and former Secretary of State is tied to while filling these roles.
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John R. Bolton
Bolton gave a wise and provocative speech that asked very direct questions. His overview consisted of the contrast between former President Reagan and how he knew strength was what kept peace, and former President Theodore Roosevelt (the Republican one, as Bolton noted) believed we had to make the world safe for us. Bolton perceived Obama as one who weakens our military and foreign policy; one who allowed the representative of our President in Benghazi to be murdered and who has done nothing to retaliate his murder; and has shown enemy countries you can murder our representatives and fear no repercussion.
Panel discussion: Will, Corbin and Keene
A panel consisting of columnist George Will, U.S. Senator Corbin (R-OK), and David Keene gave the convention a thorough discussion of some common political issues like term limits, limited government and more control to the states.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
Former House Speaker and former presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, the second big draw for convention goers this third and last day, came on after noon. With occasional offside yells of “Neewwttt” which come from his supporters, Newt laid down his ideas with his customary pattern of emphasis and repetition.
Quoting Texas Governor Rick Perry from his appearance the day before, Gingrich reminded members Perry said ‘it’s time for a little rebellion on the battlefield of ideas.’ Newt says the only way he would change this, would be to make it a big rebellion. Talking about 2016, the former house speaker says electing Hillary Clinton would be the same as electing a President for a third term. In terms of party goals, he suggests Republicans should stop being the opposition movement and be the alternative movement.
On Barack Hussein Obama going to Key West during the Ukraine crisis, “The President spent all of last week proving he can be ineffective. He can be as ineffective in Key Largo as he is in the White House.” Gingrich pointed out much of Russia’s PM Vladimir Putin’s power comes from the price of oil. He suggested ways to change this scenario.
What Newt coined as ‘prison guards of the past’ where these guards block the road to the future, he explained he is trying to set up a conversation among all of us so by 2016, Hillary Clinton is the biggest prison guard of the past. The Republican Party will show we will restore the healthy economy and regain national security that no other country can compete with. He brings up the smart phone technology Dr. — has invented that allows many common medical tests to be done by users phones. http://www.youtube.com/embed/r13uYs7jglg
Gingrich lauded Kahn academy for having ten million visitors a month for free.
“We stand for an effective limited government.”
CPAC Straw Poll Results
At CPAC, the one big agenda item that does not have a famous speaker on stage is the announcement of the annual Straw Poll winner, now almost thirty years old since it was established in 1986. The winner this year, Rand Paul (R-Ky), was no surprise. With 2, 459 people voting, the popular senator came in first at 31%. Coming in second, was conservatives number two favorite, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx) coming in still well behind Paul with 11%.
Third place showed a different outcome from the previous afternoon when preliminary totals were showing New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was taking the number three spot. An extra day of voting put Dr. Ben Carson ahead by one percent, for him to take third with 9%. Christie took fourth receiving 8% of the tally. Tying for fifth was noteworthy Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who took hold of the Executive Branch of a traditionally blue state, and former Senator and 2012 presidential candidate Rick Santorum at 7%.
An interesting change in the tide, showed Florida Senator Marco Rubio coming in seventh, at 6% this 2014 convention, when only a year earlier he placed second. This noticeable downhill slide can most likely be attributed to the amnesty issue. In eighth place, was Wisconsin representative Paul Ryan, who ran as the vice president candidate on the 2012 republican ticket with Mitt Romney at 3%. Texas Governor Rick Perry also received 3% of the vote.
Last but not least by any means, receiving 2% of the votes were: Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. GOP pollster, Tony Fabrizio, said there were write-in votes, as well, which included former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Calvin Coolidge.
Who voted? Fabrizio acknowledged almost half of the almost 2500 CPAC attendees voting were between the ages of 18 and 25. Good news for all Republicans and/or conservatives that our youth today does not only consist of indoctrinated young men and women lacking in morals with no clear goals of how to keep America free and prosperous.
Former Alaska Governor and 2008 VP Candidate Sarah Palin
Closing the event and virtually burning down the house with her scorching commentary, was the tea party’s favorite girl, 2008 Vice President Candidate and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Rightfully so. In previous posts about Mrs. Palin, it’s been written how impressive and entertaining she is to see in person. The liberal mainstream media, how has dogged her since day one over little to nothing except their own jealousy and fear of her accomplishments, makes average citizens assume she is all these negative things their news assures them of almost nightly – but, it’s actually the complete opposite. She’s smart, she’s confident, she’s amusing and she’s a true patriot.
Taking the stage, she thanked our military for our freedom. She chided the young members of the convention calling them Obamacare suckers – that they were the change Obama campaigned for and now they had the change Obama and his administration were looking for – in their pockets and in tens and twenties. She reflected on the greatness of this venue; CPAC was where it all started for so many of our finest voices – Ronald Reagan who appeared on this convention stage in 1975 and now Dr. Ben Carson last year. Palin also thanked the audience and viewers for their commitment to making this event continue.
The former Alaskan Governor said she was feeling happier this year in her appearance. A year ago, she remembered, how our Americans decided to double down on the ‘hopey and changey’ theme of the Obama campaign, and how surprised and in disbelief all of the CPAC attendees were months after the President’s reelection. But from this, she said, something did happen – we became a wiser Republican a year ago.
Recalling great conservatives like Reagan, Friedman and Thatcher, she noted people have learned there is no free lunch, no free ride; someone always pays, and if you don’t know who, that someone is probably you! She told supporters that the government has learned “Americans aren’t quite as obedient as they thought we were,” and when they told us there was nothing to see in Benghazi, and to move along, there was nothing new to see with the IRS – we didn’t jump through those hoops! “It’s like y’all went rogue,” she cheered. {a reference to her own bestselling book title “Going Rogue.”} (cheers)
Palin then thanked Texas for electing Senator Ted Cruz and joked because “congress needs Cruz control!” She lauded Cruz for his filibustering that kept us awake, and told colleagues to use the tools of the Constitution and to keep their campaign promises. She mused at the clever way he filibustered by reading Dr. Seuss’s “Green Eggs and Ham” and admired how he was telling his children at the same time he was thinking of them.
The 2008 vice president candidate reminded viewers she has five children and so she has read this book many times, most recently to her youngest son. To make the familiar rhyming words new and fun to her, she said, she changed the words a bit for her youngest son Trig.
I do not like this Uncle Sam
I do not like this health care plan
I do not like these dirty crooks
And how they lie and cook the books
She continued with many other humorous verses to great cheers and laughter.
Moving on, Palin said, “We are a nation with a government – not the other way around.” She appealed to her constituency that it is time to send them reinforcements, because families are hurting from crony capitalism and income redistribution that benefits the politically favored, not the folks who do the working, serving and taxpaying. (Cheers)
Keeping positive, she mentioned some of the solutions that were heard over the last couple of days by speakers, like proposing how to lift the middle class; that just letting Washington, D.C. control our country and fundamentally change it was not the solution. “I do feel the eyes of America are open,” she said adding some would like you to hit the snooze button and say go back to sleep little lambs – even some in our own Republican party – lay low; stay out of the way; while the economy stutters to a halt and internationally we tick off our allies. She cheered the military and then party loyalists by saying “we’re going to stop them in 2014 – and those of you shining the boot of Obama – you complacent ones – 2016, too!”
Considering the other side of the aisle, Palin told the convention, she felt sorry for some who just carry the water. Like, Secretary Kerry? “He doesn’t look happy. He looks dazed and confused. No need to ask him why the long face?” (Laughter) Musing about the weak Obama administration’s policies and how Russian leader Putin is reacting she chided about the President’s message to him; ‘don’t mess around because you’re going to feel our flexibility! I’ve got my phone and my pen!’
Returning to President Obama’s original campaign promises, she reminded the audience how he was the guy who promised to insure jobs for the jobless, but the average family in America is now bringing home four thousand dollars less a year than before he was elected. “He’s got Al Queda on the run! Yeah, perhaps towards us! Mr. President – the only thing that stops a bad guy with a nuke, is a good guy with a nuke!” (Applause and cheers)
“He promised to heal the planet and stop the oceans from rising, but the only thing rising is Russia!” “Their agenda is failure and fiasco on steroids!” Republicans can’t blow it, she continued in regards to the current mid-term elections and 2016. In her words, any Republican who like the Democrats was raising taxes and agreeing to amnesty – why reward them with your vote, she asked.
GOP beltway boys –
“You didn’t build that. The Tea Party did.”
“Dance with the one that brought you,” Palin said. “And you want another sweep, then grab a broom and join us at the party.”
Palin said the Tea Partiers are stronger, smarter, and hungrier and that is why conservatives must not retreat.
“Reid {Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada} will either be the senate minority leader or a black jack dealer where everything stays in Vegas!” Palin mused.
The former Alaskan Governor talked about the politically correct professionals, and the media minions who are quick to seek them out and show their manufactured outrage. In contrast, growing up she said, they were taught to “buck up or stay in the truck!” Bringing up the number one cable show “Duck Dynasty” she reminded viewers how they made a difference when it came to the lead Phil. Sarah chuckles Phil’s first mistake, of course, was agreeing to do an interview with GQ (Gentleman’s Quarterly) magazine and then his second mistake was to quote from the bible.
Summarizing the popular story, Palin recounted how the network that carry’s the program, canned the devout Christian from the devout Christian show with the devout Christian family. “In another time, Phil would have stayed fired – but not this time – people all over America knew his fight was our fight – and we pushed back and won.” (Applause, cheers)
Moving on to the opposite party, Palin said it was the democrat leaders who were demeaning. “Democrats seem to think women are just cheap dates!” She explained their view was not to bother their pretty little heads with taxes, foreign policy, etc. Asking the men in the room for a moment with her sisters on hand in the convention hall, suggesting they busy themselves with their cell phones or the like, Palin told her fellow females that ‘we know better’ and appealed to them to set their sisters and girlfriends straight and not to vote for someone who puts you in a box and defines you by your body parts. “That’s not liberation but subjection” and this sisterhood fights against that; we fight the mastery.
She asked liberals can you really sing “I Am Woman”? No, donkeys just bray – only Mama Grizzlies can say “hear me roar.” We’re the heirs of {Susan B.} Anthony and (former Prime Minister Margaret} Thatcher; if the boys aren’t up to the challenge women are happy to head the charge. We protect even our little sisters in the womb!”
In closing, former Governor Palin said to stand on the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference was to stand on the shoulders of giants. She brightly informed her fans “the age of Obama is almost over!” (Applause) “The end of an error.” (Applause) “He is the lamest of lame ducks.” (Applause) Cheering on her fellow conservatives, she ended with the uplifting memory of the band of brothers who dumped tea in Boston Harbor and how “we need to be the Band of Brothers again to save the country.” “Stand up and stiffen your spine – the best is yet to come!”
New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez speaking at the Republican National Convention August 2012 (photo: Politico)
Written by Juliana Simone
May 24, 2016
Governor Susana Martinez has explained to her New Mexico constituents and party voters that she is too busy to attend Donald Trump’s rally in her state today. She apparently is also too busy to meet with him while he is visiting Albuquerque, prior to the sold-out event at the convention center.
Martinez, who had endorsed Florida’s U.S. Senator Marco Rubio earlier in the race to become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, perhaps still holds a grudge for her fellow Hispanic colleague in the GOP, who was challenged by Trump with remarks he made during the debates. Rubio returned the negative comments to his competitor Trump in public statements, but it was not enough for him to win his state of Florida in the primaries over the New York businessman, who considers Florida his second home. Rubio suspended his campaign, but still is holding on to the delegates he acquired in previous primaries.
The New Mexico Governor, considered a popular figure in the Republican Party, was all out for 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, and spoke at the Republican National Convention in support of him and his run to be the next President of the United States. Romney, it is well known, has been anti-Trump since the 2016 presidential race showed American voters gravitating more and more towards Trump and his message.
Add Martinez to the list as a noted party establishment member who possibly would rather lose the White House to the Clinton’s than help the popular presumed Republican nominee make America great again.
To refresh reader’s memories, this is how Governor Martinez sounds when she endorses someone:
{Ed. Note: This is an archived portion of an article I wrote about night two of the Republican National Convention on August, 29th, 2012}
New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez is next:
She tells the audience a personal story about her mom and dad taking a risk to start a security guard business with no savings that were living paycheck to paycheck from menial jobs that became a success. Martinez says she went on to law school and became a prosecutor who specialized in child abuse cases. She was fired and ran against her boss for DA and beat him by a landslide.
She tells the convention, our leaders today have lost the courage to stand up. She was a Democrat for many years as were her parents. The Governor remembers when two Republican’s invited her to a lunch where she knew they wanted a party change from her, so she told her husband let’s go have a free lunch – but we talked about serious issues and after that lunch I looked at my husband and said “I’ll be damned! We’re Republican’s!” Cheers.
This election shouldn’t be about parties but economy and jobs. In New Mexico, I inherited the largest debt in our history and we turned that deficit into a surplus in a bipartisan way without raising taxes, she told members with pride. In talking about President Obama, Martinez said he promised to bring us together, reduce unemployment, the deficit…but they haven’t even passed a budget in three years…he can accept responsibility for adding five trillion dollars to the national debt because HE DID BUILD THAT! Cheers.
The promise of America must be saved for the next generation. It is success and success is the American dream, not something to be ashamed of or demonized, she said in her last minutes. Mitt Romney must be the next President of the United States!!
Governor Martinez and Condoleezza Rice were exceptional warm up speeches for the Vice President nominee who was the key note speaker of the evening.
Former MA Governor and 2012 Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney
February 10, 2012
Written by Juliana Simone
Washington, D.C. – The Marshall Ballroom at CPAC 2012 is similar to a strip of beach with the tide flowing in and out at different peak hours. It ebbs and flows with the crowd according to whomoever is taking or leaving the stage. When a big draw comes on, attendees, press and campaign staff come crushing in to pack every imaginable corner of open space. After they leave, whole aisles of CPAC supporters stand up to walk out in single file and the droves who were standing in the back cram through the exit doors to leave first. The best thing about the duller moments in the CPAC agenda is the Wi-Fi suddenly flies at MACH speed. When the masses descend, the Wi-Fi lags dramatically, if not dropping the connection all together from the maximum capacity of users plugging their laptops into every imaginable outlet.
Though all of the Presidential candidates have had this effect the last couple of days, the two winners, if you will, were definitely Rick Santorum who preceded Mitt Romney, and then the former MA Governor himself who came on a short time after the former Senator. I will give Romney the win in terms of the media, who seemed to only have been here to see him, as they swarmed in like bees to double the amount of press in the media balcony and spill over onto the staircase filling each step and hanging against balcony rails. Since many of them were Main Stream Media reporters, they naturally looked pained to have received this assignment, wrote few notes, and made it clear they were unimpressed with his speech at the conclusion.
I write all this to preface the impact Romney had on the room when his speech came up on the schedule. For those who find him wooden or flat his magnetism was felt even if you prefer another candidate to Mitt. Even if its more physical than intellectual its charisma nevertheless. A keen businessman who does not apologize for his success, he recognized this was the room beyond most others where he had to emphasize the word conservative and make it clear he is indeed conservative despite what his distractors say. He made his case.
Amusing CPAC with his opening words, “Obama really is a good community organizer – and I want to thank him for this – but, I don’t think this is the community he hoped to organize” he declared with amusement. Laughter.
“This country we love is in jeopardy” he said changing tones. For two or three years we’ve suffered (under a) weak leader with bankrupt idealogy. “This is the last gasp of liberalism’s great failure. It’s not enough to show how they failed but to show how we will lead. Conservatives all agree departing from these founding principles would depart from our purpose. We’re not just proud to cling to our bibles and guns but to our constitution,” the candidate affirmed.
Government doesn’t exist just for the people but it’s been made a success by the people. Politicians have fallen under the spell of Washington. They begin to see government as the solution to every problem. Government knows better. Government can do better. Barack Obama is the poster child for the arrogance of government. Cheers. Romney pointed out this can be a nation of and by Washington or of and by a free people.
The former Governor told on-lookers my path to conservatism came from my family and my life’s work. He talked about his grandparents coming to America from England for a chance at religious liberty, how his father couldn’t finish college but worked hard in a car company (Chairman and CEO of AMC) to later become the Governor of Michigan, and how he met his wife Ann and had five fine sons. “These conservative constants have shaped my life.”
In talking about his career as a businessman he noted, “In business if you’re not a fiscal conservative you’re bankrupt.” (Applause) He said he became successful as a businessman by eliminating waste, balancing budgets, by starting new businesses, and turning away broken ones. “I’m not ashamed to say I was successful doing it,” he beamed to more applause.
Talking about his years as Governor of Massachusetts, he noted how he took office with the state in a three billion dollar deficit, had a 85% democrat majority in his legislature, cut taxes nineteen times, balanced the budget all four years he was Governor, made 800 vetoes, cut entire programs, and put two billion dollars in a rainy day fund before leaving office. “I served in government but I didn’t inhale,” he laughed. “I want to get my hands on Washington, D.C.”
Continuing his review of office in Massachusetts, once nicknamed “Taxachusetts” he said on his watch we prevented MA from becoming the Las Vegas of the marriage act. Romney says he believes marriage is defined by a relationship between a man and a woman.
“I was a severely conservative Republican Governor. I was on those front lines and expect to be again.” There are two choices for America. Candidates with two different backgrounds.
Leadership is sharing credit when things are good and taking responsibility when they’re not. Romney was proud to tell the audience he is the only candidate who hasn’t served a day in Washington. “To get America back on track we need bold and sweeping reform. We borrow forty cents of every dollar we spend. It’s reckless, immoral, irresponsible, and it will end under my Presidency.” He said before he agreed to spend any money he would first ask, can we afford it, and then can we really risk borrowing money from China to pay for it?
Ed.: This article written and reported by Juliana Simone, also appeared on Ameriborn News Network, a CT internet news site taken down in October 2015.
U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann 2013 (2007-2015) (photo:Twitter)
{Editor’s Note: After hearing a nationally syndicated talk radio host today struggle to remember this fine former U.S. Representative and candidate for President, with the finest respect, I had to add this impressive and extremely accomplished woman to my archived articles category. As a media person at this venue, I was fortunate to be among a small group of reporters she talked in a private room after her speech. She outperforms the current 2016 Democrat candidate, Hillary Clinton, by leaps and bounds, and as a female, would be far more worthy to attain the coveted title of the first female President of the United States.}
National Harbor, MD – The United States Representative from Minnesota, who is the Tea Party Caucus Chairman, opened her speech on Saturday focusing on the Benghazi scandal where our Ambassador from the United States was assassinated overseas along with three others. Rep. Bachmann told the convention that President Obama knew about the attack in the first hour and then went AWOL; he then went to Vegas to meet with Beyoncé and K.C. to talk about his campaign.
Michelle Bachmann reminds fellow conservatives that soon after this tragedy, Barack Obama then says in a speech to the United Nations, “the future must not belong to those who insult Islam.” Bachmann clarifies he should have said to the U.N. assembly after the Benghazi incident, “the future does not belong to the low-life murderers who kill innocent Americans!” (Cheers)
In a clear and rapid summary, U.S. Representative Bachmann clarified the many things that are wrong in our country under Obama and his administration right now:
Six trillion more in debt is a war on our youth; the President borrows millions from our enemies; federal bureaucrats earn higher salaries than anyone without a government job; seventy cents of every dollar that’s supposed to go to the needy and poor goes to the government and their salaries. She asked supporters, “How does he show he cares for the poor?”
Describing the First Family’s life of excess to viewers, she described how on Air Force One the Obama’s keep five chefs. In the White House home, they keep two film projectionists on hand night and day to run a movie for the Obama’s if they suddenly feel like taking in a movie. They have a paid dog walker on staff. The 2012 Republican Presidential candidate asked “Why are we paying for this when we can’t even get a disabled vet into the White House for a tour?”
(Cheers)
Talking about caring, she described President Dwight Eisenhower, the former WWII General, who wiped out polio in the United States by distributing the vaccine to the populace. Comparatively, she noted five million American’s suffer from Alzheimer’s today and a cure can be found if money were dedicated to this cause. To distribute that cure would cost one hundred seventy two billion dollars right now – but in the future, when millions more will have contracted Alzheimer’s, the amount to cure these patients will be twenty trillion – a figure greater than our entire debt today. All the money will be spent on care.
Scientists tell us we can have a cure for Alzheimer’s in ten years if we only cared. The same for Parkinson’s and other diseases – they could be cured if our government cared. But greedy litigators and over-taxation is more important than this. “We need big innovation and big ideas, not big government to solve this,” she declared.
“The people who call themselves progressive are the last to want progress. We are the ones who actually want progress.”
“We’ll make sure your sister has the gun to keep her safe,” she promised in regards to the second amendment and current gun law proposals in Washington. She added we are the ones that care about [cures and medicine.] “It’s our duty to pay forward for the next generation. We do it because we love; we do it because we care; this is who we are – we care,” she said resolutely in her parting words.
CPAC supporters are quite familiar with the fact that the Congresswoman’s powerful speeches continue to strike a nerve with the Democrat Party. House Minority Leader U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi for years has made it a partisan objective of the highest priority to get Bachmann out of Congress. Bachmann is as conservative and constitutional as Pelosi is liberal and in-step with her colleague’s goal of rewriting the Founder’s constitution.
U.S. Rep. Bachmann stands resolutely on some of the toughest positions the government takes on – issues many legislators won’t address as retaining their seat in Washington is their most important goal. After Bachmann’s striking appearance at the CPAC convention Saturday, the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee is hinting to reporters that she is number one on their list for defeat in 2014. Bachmann’s voice for freedom is one the left wing would love to mute, and her voice is one of the last that should be silenced – as a citizen, as an American, as a Congresswoman and as a potential future President of the United States.
Ed.: This article written and reported by Juliana Simone, also appeared on Ameriborn News Network, a CT internet news site taken down in October 2015.
Veteran, author, cable news commentator and father, John Puzzo
Written by Juliana Simone
July 11, 2015
Plainville, CT – It is unclear still today where Hartford native John Puzzo is, as we had heard years ago now, he passed away. This has been a hard thing to confirm. Still, I’ll leave up what I wrote about him after being told he passed, because he is a man of note, whether still with us or not.
He had many titles. He was last perceived as an insurance and investment professional, but this was a minor view of the great man who served his country. Though he dedicated seventeen years to his work as a financial advisor with many well-known companies, such as Aetna, Citigroup and AMEX, to those who knew him, he was a seasoned Army veteran who participated in counter terrorism operations and the global war on terror.
He spent three years under the designation High Threat Personal Protection Officer and security consultant, and included on his background on LinkedIn the designation of ANTI-TERRORST OPERATIONS, Iraq: Armed Personal Security Escort in High Threat, non-permissive Areas, Force Protection Operations, Residential and Installation Security Operations, Emergency and Contingency Response, Surveillance/Counter Surveillance Operations.
His professional profile also included this on LinkedIn:
November 1968 – August 1971 (2 years 10 months) Republic of Viet Nam
Served in Viet Nam as Long Range Patrol team member and sniper with Company K (RANGER), 75th Infantry (Airborne), and as artillery Forward Observer to the Infantry, an Infantryman and a Combat Engineer with the 4th Infantry Division.
John authored two books “Vietnam and Hollywood” and “K75th Rangers: The Highlanders.” He was a guest and commentator on politics and the Middle East appearing on CNN and ABC among other broadcasts to share his insights on Iraq, terrorism and what the United States of America needs to do to combat this threat which is still active today. John’s views can be heard here, in an exceptional hour and a half long interview on blog talk radio:
The sensitive side to this great man, as well, shows he spent time as a published writer, photographer and poet. Forty images of John’s can be seen at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. A poem he also chose to share on his profile on LinkedIn reads as follows:
Waves
Out there in the sea, with others of his kind he looks back at you, still there, on the shore, with your feet in the sand.
You are the last thing he sees, too. They share something very precious in the sea of sacrifice where they live now.
This ocean will never die. It will keep sending them back to us to remember.
Fluid in four languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese) and conversational Arabic, he was an educated man, with a BA from UCONN and studies at Yale University, the Sorbonne in Paris, Boston University, the Art Institute of Boston and the University of the Americas in South America. He added a Master’s Degree in National Security Policy Studies from the University of New Haven in 2015.
Like many accomplished men from an older era, John was a modest man. He does not boast about any of these achievements when people are in his company. This author has to say probably half of this is news to me.
I was privileged to share Thanksgiving Dinner with John and his wonderful son John at his home in Plainville in 2010 with someone I spent a few years writing politics for on his internet news website.
He was a gracious host who gave us many hours of entertaining conversation that showed his intelligence, humor, wit, valor, compassion, sophistication, concerns and integrity. Most of all, he radiated what a unique individual he was in terms of humankind. His children John and Sarah were or are lucky to have such a fine father. The world and America loses great soldier every day, and all of us who knew John recognize his very special life, indeed.
The last time I saw John was outside of a restaurant in Plainville where Fifth Congressional Republican candidate Justin Bernier was running for a second time in a crowded field that included State Senator Andrew Roraback, Mark Greenberg – also running for a second time – and Lisa Wilson Foley. Trying to cover such a large group on the night of the primary for final comments from everyone on the ballot before the numbers came in, I rushed past him in my haste.
He called out to me, and asked, “Juliana, you don’t have time for an old friend?” I quickly turned and saw John. It was so moving to see him. I rushed over to him and gave him a hug. He reminded me that he had to walk over to the event but still wanted to watch what was going on. We chatted for a few minutes.
If I’d known that was going to be the last time I saw him, I would have called it a night and gone and shared a glass of wine with him. Not that the politics on hand weren’t important – they were – but it was pretty clear who was going to win the primary despite Justin and Mark being fine contenders. But as it always is in life, when suddenly someone you admired is gone or no longer part of your life, you wish they were still here, and that you could have more time, or even one more moment to tell them so. Looking through our email exchanges yesterday and this evening, I saw one of John’s final sentences to me: “You are always welcome here.” Thank you, John.
Juliana Simone and John Puzzo
Juliana Simone and John Puzzo Barkhamsted CT 2010
John Puzzo submitted these words to Ameriborn News on Facebook:
As untrue as the following statement is it remains the cultural memory of the Viet Nam War, institutionalized across the spectrum of print and broadcast media, in the courts, by legislation, in the workplace and especially in academia where the experts tell us all what is and what is not. In the universe of ‘Vietnam and the Opinion makers’ a generation of American veterans became disenfranchised by their own country, willing as it was to accept an undeserved and untrue reputation, articulated by future US Senator John Kerry in testimony before Congress in March of 1971:
“[US soldiers in Viet Nam]…raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam…These were not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command…The country doesn’t know it yet, but it has created a monster, a monster in the form of millions of men who have been taught to deal and to trade in violence, and who are given the chance to die for the biggest nothing in history…”
My premise for creating the Viet Nam War Veterans Oral History Project in 1980 was simple: To counter that generally accepted deception about the Viet Nam Veteran and use their own words to do it. I hoped to earn a PhD in American History from UConn in the process.
This project and the NEH grant that funded it would be the basis of my doctoral dissertation, but the project itself would become part of the story of the Viet Nam War Veteran and the historical record, and I would never get my Doctorate.
What began with such promise ended nearly orphaned. Two years of my life were dissolved on a seemingly ephemeral pursuit: Change the way the world viewed the Vietnam veteran and the war, one person at a time.
Two great Connecticut institutions, The University of Connecticut – flagship of Connecticut’s university system, and the Connecticut Historical Society – the State’s premier archival repository, in this instance revealed themselves to be common and inclined to bias.
This is what happened. As a Viet Nam War veteran and an individual who loved scholarship and the academic life I thought it was time, in 1980, to redefine what Kerry had said about the Vietnam nine years before.
I received the backing of the American Legion as my sponsor and earned a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, administered through the Connecticut Humanities Council which is the state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
This work would help resolve issues and misunderstanding about a controversial War and contribute to some much needed healing of the nation. After all Viet Nam was a national experience, not just the veterans’.
As principal architect of this effort and project director, I was responsible for everything, including the budget and the finished product – the biographies of the veterans in the form of oral histories and transcripts spoken in their own words.
The University of Connecticut would be the repository of the tapes and transcripts associated with the interviews but it grew beyond that. NERAC, one of four national mega-data base research application centers offered as a matching donation a very large block of computer-based research. NERAC proved to be a valuable resource. Their interlocking data bases dumped thousands of articles, monographs, and studies on the Viet Nam War and the veteran, principal of these (and totally unanticipated) were associated with the health aspects of service in Vietnam.
The granting authority required that three PhDs act as ‘Scholars’ for the project who would be independent but answered to me as to direction of the work. When the accountant I hired to oversee the budget reported that monies were spent by two of the Scholar historians to interview a veteran who had stories to tell about ‘atrocities’ I asked them about it. “Was this veteran vetted, how did you get his name and do you know him,” were some of the questions I wanted answered.
That is when things changed. My office – little more than a closet – at Wood Hall on the UConn campus was closed, my keys confiscated, the phone was disconnected, and I had only limited access to my work in that it was only available during office hours. This created a huge hardship for me and I believed it would impair the success of the project.
When the campus closed for Christmas break that year I packed what remained of my project out of the History department and down to my car. A blizzard was raging. As I was backing out, the Chairman of the History Department engaged me in conversation as UConn police arrived. I left that day with my material intact and severed my relationship with UConn forever.
On Veteran’s Day in 1982 the Viet Nam War Veteran’s Oral History Project was dedicated in a small function at the Connecticut Historical Society. Many of the Veterans were there.
The Director of the Society, Christopher P, Bickford, publicly received the “Tape recordings, transcripts, and other memorabilia of the Viet Nam War Veterans Oral History Project.” 36 vets had participated, most were from Connecticut and many had extraordinary stories they had told.
Incredibly, he Historical Society promptly deep-sixed everything.
For many years after the dedication, decades, in fact, the “Viet Nam War Veterans Oral History Project” could not be found by me or by anyone else. In 1988, 6 years after the dedication, I was at the Historical Society looking for evidence of my project – something I did periodically and unannounced, I opened a crate of heavy books entitled, “The Bibliographies of New England History.” I went to theConnecticut volume and to the index to look for Viet Nam related items.
There I found 100% of what was catalogued as ‘Viet Nam’ in this directory of Connecticut specific reference material was by, for, and about the Anti-war movement in Connecticut. Not one word about Connecticut’s two (at the time living) Medal of Honor recipients, the number of memorials dedicated to the Viet Nam War and Veteran in Connecticut towns, and of course, nothing about the “Viet Nam War Veterans Oral History Project.”
The Director of the Connecticut Historical Society, Christopher P. Bickford was also the Treasurer of the collection, ‘Bibliographies of New England History.’
More that 20 years later, and after three tours in Iraq as a private military contractor I once again looked for my former project at the Historical Society. It did not appear in any of the Connecticut Historical Society’s online sources and when I called, no one seemed quite sure what or where or it was or if they had it.
It took a lot of effort and I know I annoyed them quite a bit, but eventually they did locate the remains and on Veteran’s day of 2010, I rededicated what lingered of the old project. Of the 36 original transcripts only 14 were left. None of the Tapes or memorabilia survived.
The two couples who served together in Viet Nam as husband and wife, the nurses with poignant stories, the infantryman from Puerto Rico who lost an arm, the General who gently put down a rebellion of mountain forest dwelling allies, the pilot who flew top secret intelligence missions over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the Marine who got out of Jail by joining the Marine Corps, and John Levitow, the airman who was awarded the Medal of Honor in Vietnam – all lost to history as far as this project was concerned.
Me? Well, after changing the world all I wanted was to wear argyle sweaters, knit ties and tweed jackets with corduroy pants and crepes sole penny loafers as a professor of History somewhere. That became lost, too.
United States of America President George W. Bush (43) with former First Lady and wife, Laura Bush at the opening of their library.
Written by Juliana Simone
April 25, 2013
Dallas, TX – The four former United States of America Presidents, plus the country’s current Commander-In-Chief, attended this morning’s ceremony on the campus of Southern Methodist University.
Presidents Jimmy Carter, George Herbert Walker Bush, Bill Clinton and the honoree George W. Bush were in attendance, as well as, President Barack Obama.
An estimated crowd of ten thousand came to witness the ceremony. What is probably the most intense security in our country’s history, was positioned to protect all of the notables on hand from possible terrorism.
Some of the many guests included former Bush Administration members like Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Vice President Dick Cheney and Colin Powell, former world leaders like England’s Prime Minister Tony Blair and Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and sports figures like former Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aiken. Rice, a close friend to the former President, also spoke at the event.
All five wives of the Presidents were on hand including Hillary Clinton who is not seen very often in public with her husband Bill. If pundits are correct, and Mrs. Clinton, currently 65, is seeking the Democrat Party’s nomination for a second time in 2016 when Obama’s second term ends, the shrewd former First Lady would not make the error to miss this feel-good publicity moment among peers and voters. The five Presidents spouses appeared lively and well.
With the namesake of the library and museum speaking last, the other four men were to speak in chronological order starting with Jimmy Carter and leading up to our current sitting President Obama. George W.’s father, who preceded him in holding the title of President of the United States, spoke after Carter and before Bill Clinton.
The Democrat Presidents put politics aside and noted accomplishments of Bush’s they admired under his two terms, such as his unwavering response to terrorism after 911, when over three thousand people died when the World Trade Center’s two towers fell to the ground after Islamist terrorists hijacked American commercial jets, and flew them into the buildings without warning.
Jimmy Carter, delivering his words in sunglasses, told George W. Bush, “I am filled of admiration for you and your contributions to the most needy people on Earth.” This was in regards to Bush’s influence on Congress to give funding for AIDS relief for Africa among other humanitarian deeds.
The senior Bush, escorted out by a military usher, told viewers and onlookers in a brief speech, “It’s a great pleasure to be here to honor our oldest son. Thank you all for coming.” He received a standing ovation. He jested about his speech to his son after leaving the lectern, “too long?” They laughed. Later he said modestly “We are happy to be here. God Bless America.”
His wife, Barbara, was at his side to join in the event of the library and museum dedicated to her son. Some of her comments to the press and guests showed she has lost little of her wit and spunk that made her a favorite First Lady.
An interview between George and Laura Bush, and veteran reporter Diane Sawyer, the night before the library’s dedication on ABC, showed many Americans for the first time President Bush was a painter among many other things. President Ronald Reagan was known for his doodles, and collectors spent good sums for them. Bush takes his artwork up a step. Sawyer’s interview revealed some of his paintings that show the forty-third President is quite talented.
Noting this, former President number two on the list, Bill Clinton, remarked on his colleague’s artistry, and used the wit and smile that made America forgive him time and time again through each scandal to win over the crowd. After expressing his opinions of Bush’s artwork and referring to self-portraits of a personal nature where Bush is bathing, Clinton, a Democrat, said he considered asking Bush to do a similar painting of him, but then thought better of it. “Those bathroom sketches are great, but at my age, I think I should keep on my suit,” he mused. (laughter)
Clinton, though a member of the opposing party, became close to George W.’s father, Bush 41, when they worked on different humanitarian projects together. Clinton and Bush even appeared side by side in commercials together promoting their cause that mixed humor and urgency. They are both Yale University graduates.
Sitting Democrat President Barack Hussein Obama, opened with some kind and thoughtful words where he expounded on recollection, “The last time we all got together was just before I took office. And I needed that. Because as each of these leaders will tell you, no matter how much you may think you’re ready to assume the office of the presidency, it’s impossible to truly understand the nature of the job until it’s yours, until you’re sitting at that desk.
And that’s why every President gains a greater appreciation for all those who served before him; for the leaders from both parties who have taken on the momentous challenges and felt the enormous weight of a nation on their shoulders. And for me, that appreciation very much extends to President Bush.
The first thing I found in that desk the day I took office was a letter from George, and one that demonstrated his compassion and generosity. For he knew that I would come to learn what he had learned — that being President, above all, is a humbling job. There are moments where you make mistakes. There are times where you wish you could turn back the clock. And what I know is true about President Bush, and I hope my successor will say about me, is that we love this country and we do our best.”
He continued, “…we know President Bush the man. And what President Clinton said is absolutely true — to know the man is to like the man, because he’s comfortable in his own skin. He knows who he is. He doesn’t put on any pretenses. He takes his job seriously, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He is a good man.
But we also know something about George Bush the leader. As we walk through this library, obviously we’re reminded of the incredible strength and resolve that came through that bullhorn as he stood amid the rubble and the ruins of Ground Zero, promising to deliver justice to those who had sought to destroy our way of life.
We remember the compassion that he showed by leading the global fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria, helping to save millions of lives and reminding people in some of the poorest corners of the globe that America cares and that we’re here to help.
We remember his commitment to reaching across the aisle to unlikely allies like Ted Kennedy, because he believed that we had to reform our schools in ways that help every child learn, not just some; that we have to repair a broken immigration system; and that this progress is only possible when we do it together…”
But later he seemed to politicize the event and use the occasion to lobby for current legislation under his party’s proposal that is not very popular with Republicans and even among some immigrants. Many commentators agreed post-ceremony this was not the occasion to talk about D.C. agenda. Obama, who has been notorious throughout his Presidency among critics for “blaming Bush” (Bush 43) for all of his woes as the current Commander-in-Chief even years later into his second term, seemed today to do so one more time in an indirect way.
Bringing up the issue of immigration reform, he surmised if this is passed it’s because of Bush who was the first United States President to seek some solution to this major task. “…If we do that, it will be in large part thanks to the hard work of President George W. Bush…”
The major difference is George W. Bush sought answers to this populace out of compassion. Obama, and his equally minded democrat strategists, press to pass this law to increase their numbers at the polls on Election Day and assure the locking in of their party’s majority in Washington for generations to come.
The forty-third President of the United States and the man whose history as our country’s elected two term leader is the namesake of this library and museum was the final speaker.
He presented a memorable speech that melded traditional self-deprecating humor with poignancy. He joked briefly about a library being named after him when it was the last place you would have found him as a youth.
“One of the things about democracies is people are free to disagree. It’s fair to say I gave people plenty of opportunities to exercise that right,” Bush said with a chuckle.
On a more serious note, he told the thousands on hand and millions of viewers that in accessing his own legacy he believed future generations would see “we stayed true to our convictions…and it wasn’t easy…”
Bush said in regards to his father in an understandably emotional delivery, “Dad taught me how to be President. Before that, he showed me how to be a man.” The second member of the Bush family to swear to preserve, protect and defend the constitution told his father the forty-first President, “it is awesome you’re here today” for this dedication.
After his speech, he held up his three-fingered W sign with his right hand to the people alongside his smiling wife Laura. A procession of military guard carried flags off of the stage and the five Presidents with their wives followed them as the ceremony came to an end.
George H.W. Walker had recent serious health issues with a bronchial infection that made his presence on stage at the age of eighty-eight especially meaningful for his son. He also suffers from Parkinson’s disease. The veteran hero and navy pilot who America fell in love with when watching the footage of his being rescued at sea after bailing out of his jet airplane after being shot down, chose to parachute out of a plane on his 75th birthday. He continued this fete for five years and resumed the event on his 85th birthday after hip replacement surgery. It was the seventh jump for the father of six.
As for future politics, the Bush family which is a true picture postcard of real family values, seemed split about the idea of George W.’s brother Jeb, the former Governor of Florida who was also on hand, running for President. His brother supported him whole heartedly saying, “He would be a marvelous candidate.” His mother discouraged the notion saying in her view, as a Bush through marriage, there have been enough Bush’s now. Even if Jeb decides to pass on a run for the highest office, there are many younger generations of Bush’s who could someday make history by becoming the third member of a family to hold the title of United States President.
On a final excerpt of the Diane Sawyer interview shown this evening on ABC Nightly News, Laura Bush is shown giving a tour to Diane of the new museum and shows her a tube of “hanging chads.” (they laugh) {Editor: “hanging chads” was a paper ballot ‘condition’ which included “dimpled chads” which was conceived by the Gore campaign after losing the 2000 Presidential election to George W. Bush by an electoral vote count. Gore contested the win and it came down to which candidate won the state of Florida. Gore’s attorneys hoped if enough ballots thrown out because the vote cast was not discernible, after being combed over a second time for any “hanging” or “dimpled” chad, he would overturn the outcome and be declared President. The most rabid Gore supporters and mainstream media reporters could not come up with the missing numbers to overturn the election.}
The admirable former First Lady also reminded Sawyer about her husband’s “No Child Left Behind” work for education reform. While working on this, 9-1-1 suddenly happened and everything changed, she said. She shows Sawyer a big piece of metal on display in the museum that is from the point of impact in the second tower. They mention how President Bush’s relief saved millions of lives in Africa from malaria and AIDS. The tour concludes with Laura showing Diane an exact replica of the Oval Office while her husband occupied it, including the desk that became famous during President John Kennedy’s term while being photographed with his son John Jr. hiding underneath and peering at the photographer as a young boy. An excerpt of the last address of George W. Bush as President is broadcast where he tells American citizens, “I will now carry the title that means more to me than any other – citizen.”
There are twenty-one Presidential libraries throughout the country which in addition to Bush 43 are dedicated to Clinton, Nixon, Bush 41, Reagan, Ford, Carter, Johnson, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Truman, Roosevelt, Hoover, Coolidge, Wilson, McKinley, Hayes, Grant, Lincoln, John Quincy Adams and our Founding Father George Washington. Thirteen are maintained by the Office of Presidential Libraries which is part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and eight are maintained by states or private organizations. The cost of the new library and museum was two hundred and fifty million, the most to date of any other Presidential library, but the expense was all paid for by private funds and donations.
Commentary and Rhetoric from Politics to Entertainment
In My Vue 