Presidential Roundup: New Hampshire Debates to Spring Forth, Ron Paul mulls bid, candidates

CQPolitics.com ^ | 1/13/07 | Michael Roberts

[bushfamfan]

The following is a roundup of candidate developments in the 2008 presidential race, from CQPolitics.com.

• Debates to Spring Forth Early in New Hampshire: CNN and two prominent New Hampshire news organizations announced Friday that they will join forces to stage back-to-back presidential candidate debates this April in that crucial “first-in-the-nation” primary state.

Television station WMUR and the Union Leader newspaper — both based in Manchester, New Hampshire’s largest city — are partnering with the cable news network to produce the debates, scheduled for April 4 and 5.

Contenders for the Democratic nomination will meet in one debate, while the other will feature Republican hopefuls. Both debates will be televised live nationally on CNN and throughout New Hampshire on WMUR.

The debates are slated for the middle of Congress’ 2007 spring district work period — better known as the Easter recess — to encourage participation by the large number of White House hopefuls currently serving in Congress.

[bushfamfan]

California Rep. Duncan Hunter Officially Exploring GOP Bid: Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter of California filed paperwork Friday to form an exploratory committee, as he considers whether or not to run for president in 2008.

Hunter, who chaired the House Armed Services Committee prior to the Democrats’ takeover in the 2006 elections, emphasized his strongly conservative philosophy and his focus on issues relating to national security in a statement announcing his campaign move.

“America needs a way ahead in the ongoing war against terrorists and a policy of economic opportunity, with a reaffirmation of faith in the principles of our founding,” said Hunter.

Hunter’s desire for higher office was virtually unknown until last October, when he called a press conference in his San Diego-area 52nd District to announce he would be forming an exploratory committee.

Hunter said then that his platform would focus on the need for a strong U.S. military. He made it clear Friday that he is continuing on that path: The slogan on Hunter’s press release about his exploratory committee was “America: The Strength of Freedom.”

Just sworn in for his 14th term, Hunter has been a member of the Defense panel since he was first elected to the House in 1980 and served two terms as chairman; he now holds the title of ranking Republican .

Unlike most members of the 110th Congress, Hunter has a background of military service, as a member of the Army from 1969 to 1971. He received a Bronze Star for participating in 25 helicopter combat assaults during the war in Vietnam.

He has been one of the strongest and most steadfast supporters of President Bush’s policies on the war in Iraq. This week, Hunter stated his support for Bush’s decision to increase the U.S. troop commitment to Iraq and declared he would oppose any Democratic efforts to block the president’s plan.

But Hunter enters his presidential exploratory phase as a distinct longshot, as he is known to few voters nationally outside his southern California base. He also faces the heavy weight of history: The last sitting House member who made the jump to the White House was Ohio Republican James Garfield in 1880

Duncan Hunter takes the next step.

[bushfamfan]

Ping!

[Calpernia]

I look forward having to chose between Duncan Hunter, Frank Keating and Ron Paul in a primary.

Bump!

[bushfamfan]

Ron Paul is for abandoning Iraq.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Fox News just cut in with a "news alert" to show video of Mrs. Clinton meeting with the Iraqi PM.

She's not wasting her time with stinkin' debates or early primaries. She's idendifitied the most important issue and is going straight for the campaign video.

I'm starting to think Tom Delay's right: we pull together now, or she's in. This campaign started years before the treasured primary fights for either side of the aisle.

[deport]

I look forward having to chose between Duncan Hunter, Frank Keating and Ron Paul in a primary.

---

Don't know about the others but imo Paul won't be a factor at all in the primaries... Most likely won't even be in them.

[Calpernia]

I saw that yesterday. I would like to hear them in a debate to get a full understanding as to why. I'm 100 percent supportive of his stance on the UN.

I don't fully comprehend his Mid East stance though.

He also introduced legislature to defund the animal ID program and he has the best grasp on the land trusts and easements situation of all the politicians I've heard.

[Calpernia]

Ron Paul did officially file yesterday.

[Calpernia]

Did you see this yesterday?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1766757/posts
Court brief alleges crime by Hillary: Cites fed code that carries possible 5-yr prison sentence

I can't wait to see how that factors in!

[Right_in_Virginia]

Did you see this yesterday?

I missed it. Thanks for the link.

I can't wait to see how that factors in!

Friend, don't hold your breath. Her name and her actions have been brought before the courts before. Before dismissal, the only place we read about it is on this forum.

I'm convinced that Hillary is untouchable, which is why she must be stopped....even if it disappoints satan.

[deport]

Ron Paul did officially file yesterday.

---

You are correct that he filed some preliminary papers with the State of Texas to set up an exploratory committee to see if he can attract funds.... But he has yet to file the official papers with the FEC.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4465322.html
But he said the campaign will test its ability to attract financial and political support before deciding whether to launch a full-fledged campaign......

[Calpernia]

Thanks for the info. I have no idea what is involved with filing.

[Calpernia]

I'm hopeful.

[Kuksool]

The biggest challenge for the GOP primary winner would be whether he can get the Republican voters who did not vote for him in the primaries to support in the general election. Given the quality of GOP presidential candidates, voting 3rd party or staying home would be very tempting for a lot of conservatives voters. The media will do everything possible to poison the Republican candidate's appeal to swing voters in the general election.

[kjo]

The MSM will never cover any crime attributed to Hillary. So it won't figure in at all.

[BlackElk]

Maybe paleoPaul can convince paleoWeepy Walter Jones of the Outer Banks of North Carolina to be his running mate. Walter Jones became weepy when he belatedly discovered that people, including our military people from his very own constituency, can sometimes get killed in wars.

That would clear both of their Congressional seats to be occupied by actually Republican patriots who understand the necessity of military action. A welcome relief.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I like Hunter and will support him throughout the primaries. But he has his work cut out for him.

[Cincinna]

The Arkansas Grifters have been untouchable up 'til now. They are like Teflon!

Feeling frustrated? Keep this handy:

http://foolishpleasurestudio.com/eyewool/slap_hillary.html

[BillyBoy]

>> Maybe paleoPaul can convince paleoWeepy Walter Jones of the Outer Banks of North Carolina to be his running mate. Walter Jones became weepy when he belatedly discovered that people, including our military people from his very own constituency, can sometimes get killed in wars. That would clear both of their Congressional seats to be occupied by actually Republican patriots who understand the necessity of military action. A welcome relief <<

Heh heh. I like your thinking, but aside from Reagan in '76, I don't think Presidential candidates announce their running mates until after they've got the nomination sewn up. For us to get Jones out of office, we'd have get Ron Paul the GOP nod.

The thing about Paul is alot of people here complain when some Libertarian canadidate acts as "spoiler" takes 2% of the vote in a race where the GOP candidate loses by 1%. They whine that if Libertarians really wanted to make a difference and enact small government reforms, they'd accept this is a two-party system and run from within one of the two major parties. Well, Ron Paul did exactly that. He couldn't get elected dog catcher as a Libertarian, so he ran as a "Republican" in order to get his agenda enacted. As Paul's record shows, Libertarian does NOT automatically = conservative, though I'd say he's alot better on economic issues than many Republicans. Either we have politicians who hold Paul's idealogy join the GOP, or they play spoiler in races and take votes away from the Republican. We can't have it both ways. Better a RINO who's a closet Libertarian than a RINO who's a closet Dem.

As for Walter Jones Jr., he strikes me as one of those finger-to-the-wind politicians who loves whoever happens to be in power at the time. Zell Miller and Congressman Peter King are likewise two "conservatives" who only seemed to embrace our "cause" once it was politically safe and advanteous to their career to do so. Walter Jones Sr., the current Congressman's father, had a solid voting record as a liberal Great Soecity LBJ type Democrat, and the Jones family was happy to support the Dems while North Carolina was solidly Dem. After the GOP started winning all the federal offices in the 80s and early 90s, and that district morphs into a big majority of GOP voters, along comes Walter Jones Jr. proclaiming to be a conservative Republican despite the family traditons. After 9/11, he runs around ridiculed France and calling for Freedom fries. Then once "the polls" say the war effort is no longer "popular", he jumps ship overright and starts spouting Democrat talking points about how Bush midlead him and how Iraq has failed, blah blah blah. Seems to me the Jones' of NC stand for one issue and that's being popular in the media.