GOP Disaster Ahead? Not Really

I was on BlogTalkRadio Thursday evening with Eric Dondero (host) and Murray Sabrin (Republican primary candidate for NJ U.S. Senate). The broadcast is avaiable (on podcast) at www.blogtalkradio.com/libertarian. I urge you to listen (only partly because I'm on it and you get to hear my Rochester, NY accent) but mainly because Eric and I launched something you haven't heard recently: a ferocious defense of the Iraq War (and John McCain's position on it). Would love to hear your thoughts at TalkTop65@aol.com. On the show I called attention to the web sites of Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, Michael Livingston, Marina Kats, and Tom Manion. Tom is a former Marine colonel. Sadly, his son Travis was killed in action in Iraq. Say a prayer for Tom and his son.

Hart: http://www.peoplewithhart.com/
Gilhooley: http://www.gilhooleyforcongress.com/
Livingston: http://www.livingstonforcongress.com/
Kats: http://www.katsforcongress.com/.
Manion: http://www.votemanion.com/

Please take a few minutes to visit the web sites of these wonderful candidates -- and offer them whatever support you can provide. Thanks


Media, candidates, activists, and others: Please feel free to post, reprint, forward, or discuss this piece. Candidates: I hope you'll establish a link on your own web site and tell your visitors that I'll be writing regularly about your campaign. The url for this blog is: http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com. Eventually, our combined efforts should result in tens of thousands of "hits" on your web site, which will generate various form of support, including contributions. "We must all hang together, or most assuredly, we will all hang separately." (B. Franklin) I receive no financial support or direction from any candidate. If you need to correspond via e-mail, you can reach me at: TalkTop65@aol.com.


Today, I’m writing broadly about the following piece from http://www.politico.com/:

"GOP Leaders Warn of Election Disaster — Shell-shocked House Republicans got warnings from leaders past and present Tuesday: Your party’s message isn’t good enough to prevent disaster in November, and neither is the NRCC’s [National Republican Congressional Committee's] money. The Republican brand has been so badly damaged that if Republicans try to run an anti-Obama or anti-Rev. Wright campaign, they are simply going to fail. More… (US Elections 2008)"

The article's message is either poppycock or balderdash. I haven't figured out which. A candidate's "brand" is not the Party. Rather, it is the candidate herself or himself. Also, if those supposed "leaders" had done a better job leading, well, things would be better.

If our “leaders” (former and present) are people like Don Young (political architect of the “Bridge to Nowhere”), Tom DeLay, Mark Foley, Newt-of-many-wives and Tom Reynolds (who had to spend $5.2 million to get reelected in a solidly Republican district), well we can live without leaders like them.

The real leaders of the Republican Party are people like Bonnie West of Washington, PA, Sharon Caliendo of Norman, Oklahoma, Adam Brickley of Colorado Springs, and Brad Marston of Boston, Massachusetts. They’re out there this year – as in the past – busting their butts to send great candidates to Washington, DC. You’ve never heard of them perhaps, but you’ve seen the political fruits of their labors.

Political operative Sharon Caliendo is one of the main reasons Oklahoma's Dr. Tom Coburn is in the U.S. Senate – and not back practicing gynecology. Adam Brickley almost single-handedly engineering the rise of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to national prominence and vice-presidential consideration. Brad Marston helped resuscitate what appeared to be the stone-dead campaign of John McCain. Bonnie West has been a key factor in revitalizing the Republican Party in a critical area of western Pennsylvania.

I wouldn’t trade one of them for four Tom DeLays.There's much hand-wringing lately over the loss of Republican candidate Woody Jenkins in a supposedly "safe" election in Louisiana. As Karl Rove put it Tuesday night, "Look, Woody Jenkins [who's lost more elections than Britney Spears has misplaced underwear] is a fine man, but he's terrible candidate." I support only exceptional candidates.

As for Woody's loss, the best way to get candidates for congressional races is NOT to "round up all the usual suspects." Instead, get people who have great integrity and a real passion for the voters of their district. They usually win – later if not sooner.

Long-time readers will know that I regularly rage against the NRCC for not giving Diana Irey a dime. She was the Republican candidate who ran so ferociously and well against “The Prince of Pork,” John Murtha. It can be a thankless task running against someone like Murtha who has sold his soul to every lobbyist with a bag-full of cash.

Diana raised $856,000 on her own. She got contributions from all 50 states. Her total number of contributors was 7,000 – significantly more than Murtha’s total, although he had many more large donors. Many of those who donated to Diana’s campaign were giving money for the first time to a political candidate.

The Diana Lynn Ireys of the world are the future of the Republican Party. She is a rock of integrity, a devoted Christian who has “a love affair with humanity.” She’s teenie (5 foot, 100 pounds) but as an orator she outdoes Barack Obama.

At the same time Diana was getting zip from the national Republican establishment, Mark Foley – prior to the nasty e-mails scandal – had accumulated a campaign war chest of, oh, $2 million. I assume Mark was not one of the “leaders” cited by Politico.com.

How can good Republican candidates – in spite of Politco’s ominous message – win this year? A while back, Sharon Caliendo sent me her analysis of how Mary Fallin, a congresswoman from the Oklahoma City area (5th district) won.

Some people, even the brilliant Michael Barone, portray Mary’s district as a Republican “slam-dunk.” But is it really? In fact, the district is two-third white – and one-third other. In fact, it sounds suspiciously like one of those districts where Democrats run unopposed election cycle after election cycle.

Sharon said that Mary went door-to-door month after month. She wore out several pairs of shoes. She raised a good deal of money, mainly because she would not take “no” for an answer. She ended up winning by 60% to 37% in what was supposedly (and actually) a horrible year for Republicans.

I am working very hard to ensure that John McCain wins the 21 electoral votes of Pennsylvania, which probably will ensure that he wins the presidency.

I’m also doing everything in my power to ensure that Melissa Hart wins back her congressional seat in western Pennsylvania, that Toni Gilhooley wins her uphill battle in Harrisburg and parts east, and that Marina Kats defeats the indescribably awful Allyson Schwartz in Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia. I’m also supporting Michael Livingston in a very difficult race in Philadelphia.

These three women will come nowhere near outspending their opponents, but they will outwork them and outsmart them. Gee, what do we have to do to restore the Republican “brand?” We need to go out with superior candidates – like Melissa, Toni, Michael, and Marina – and advance the process of winning elections.

Sharon Caliendo sent the following comment about the NRCC: "There was another seat that they wasted tons of money on before this one too. I want to go back to the days where we supported our Congressional candidates and not an organization like the NRCC that plays favorites. Campaigns were less expensive then too and the candidates elected were not beholding to the powers at be at NRCC."

WILLIAM RUSSELL CAN DEFEAT MURTHA: REQUEST TO GOV. SARAH PALIN

I APPRECIATE THE MANY (MANY, MANY) VISITORS WHO HAVE COME IN THE PAST TWO DAYS. I THINK WHEN SOMEONE UTTERS THE MAGIC WORDS THAT "JOHN MURTHA MUST GO," IT GETS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION. TOMORROW I'LL TALK SOME ABOUT HOW MURTHA CAN BE DEFEATED BY WILLIAM TROWER RUSSELL.

Thanks to the LARGE NUMBER of visitors from http://thepinkflamingo,blogharbor.com/blog and from http://freerepublic.com/, as well as many other sites. You're always welcome here -- as are your comments. One important thing you can do for William Russell is send an email to Josh Schultz at the National Republican Congressional Committee and ask the national party to provide some "seed money" for William's campaign. Like most national committees, the NRCC has a tendency to funnel money to Representatives who have been in Congress long enough that they should be able to raise their own money. Please send your request to: jshultz@NRCC.org. Tell him (nicely) that you'll be a lot more likely to contribute to the NRCC if they give EARLY support to people like Lt. Col. William Russell. Since Russell is going to get a great deal of national publicity (it's already starting) because of the nature of his opponent (Moneybags Murtha), he will help Republican candidates across the nation. You can find William's campaign site by clicking on the link on your right (at the top).

Note: See Chris Voccio's fine piece today on Murtha and his "earmarks." I have a long comment on Chris's site: www.pennrepublican.com. Anyone interested in the Russell-Murtha campaign will want to subscribe to Chris's new, Johnstown-based monthly publication.

In the last 12 hours -- from midnight to noon on Tuesday, Oct. 30 -- I've had more than 100 visitors to this blog, putting me on pace for a record day. William T. Russell, who is running against the odious John Murtha in Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district, is getting tremendous traffic on his web site.

Frankly, Murtha has been willing to sell American soldiers down the river for his personal political gain, and he has no business being in Congress. He raises millions of dollars from DC lobbyists, but as a Congressman, he isn't worth a plug nickel.

By soliciting support from the extreme left-wing of his Party, symbolized by his political ally Nancy Pelosi, Murtha has put personal gain ahead of his country's security.

Many people are making modest contributions to Lt. Col. Russell's campaign and volunteering to support him in other ways. Everyone who is supportive of Russell, a Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom veteran, has my heartfelt thanks -- and his.

Please take a glance at the several columns below (scroll down) that I've written regarding William and some other terrific candidates. Some individuals have promised to ask leading Republican presidential candidates to publicly back William's campaign. Senator McCain, Mayor Giuliani, Senator Thompson, Governor Romney, and Governor Huckabee should do precisely that.

If you want to support William in any way, please go to his web site at: http://williamrussellforcongress.com or e-mail his campaign manager, former Marine Larry Stiles at lstiless@yahoo.com. William, Larry, and all who are supporting him are frankly helping write a new chapter in American history.

If you know anyone in the 12th District of PA (including towns like Johnstown, Monongahela, Washington, and Canonsburg and Greene County) please ask them to support William's candidacy. If you can make a small cash contribution, please do so. This campaign is just beginning, but it's building momentum very quickly.


As you'll note in the column below, I'm asking Governor Sarah Heath Palin of Alaska, the country's most popular elected official, to look into her heart and offer public support for William. Governor Palin's 18-year-old son, Track, is training now in GA for the U.S. Army infantry. There's no better way to "support our troops" than to offer your backing for William T. (Trower) Russell.

If you want to know more about William -- who, with his wife, was in the Pentagon on 9/11/2001 -- please read my columns and visit his web site at: On our right, you'll see a link for William's site. Please go there and bookmark it.
Thanks to all of you. (More to come)

NOTE: I am an independent blogger and receive no financial aid or direction from any candidate supported on this blog. The candidates this blog is supporting include: Sarah Palin (for vice-president of the US), William Russell, Melissa Hart (4th Congressional District, PA), and Heather Wilson (U.S. Senate, NM). Bobby Jindal (D, LA) has already won his race for Governor. After doing some more research, I'm going to support as many as four other candidates.

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Critically Important News from U.S. Rep. Heather A. Wilson, 1st District (Albuquerque)

Dear Friends, I bet you didn't hear this on the evening news last week: "In Al Anbar province, last week we had no casualties, killed or wounded in action."

That's what Maj. Gen. Richard Sherlock, Director of Operational Planning on Joint Chiefs of Staff said in the regular Defense Department briefing on October 24.

Al Anbar is the predominently Sunni part of Iraq where al Qaeda in Iraq was wreaking havoc about a year ago. I went there last December. It is a province of about 1.2 million people, most of whom live along the fertile river valleys. It is vital to America that Iraq not become a safe haven for al Qaeda Al Anbar is ground zero for that fight.

Late last year, the Marines in Anbar changed their strategy and they got more American forces to help implement it this spring.

The Marines partnered with the Sunni tribes who were willing to reject al Qaeda. The Chiefs told their young men to join the police -- and they did. With U.S. help, they started rooting out the foreign fighters in their midst and cutting the rat lines bringing suicide bombers in from Syria.

We should have no illusions about the opportunism and self-intrest of the al Anbar tribes. But their willingness to oppose al Qaeda and its brand of Islamic extremism is sufficient for our purposes.

We don't need to build a Jeffersonian democracy in Iraq. We need to prevent it from becoming a safe haven for al Qaeda. The counter-insurgency strategy in al Anbar appears to be working.That's why you didn't hear about it last week.

Heather A. Wilson, Candidate for U.S. Senate from New Mexico. Heather is the first female veteran (Air Force) ever elected to Congress. She's a candidate who deserves and needs your support! I'm hoping she will come to PA and speak on behalf of her fellow veteran -- and candidate for the U.S. House -- William Trower Russell.