I’m up in Fresno for a California Republican Party Leadership Summit with fellow Board Members, and County Chairmen and County Treasurers from all around the Golden State. We’ll be doing a lot of ‘roll up your sleeves’ work to prepare for the upcoming 2008 elections. At lunch, local Congressman George Radonovich will be talking to us, and we’ll see what word he brings from Washington (nothing good, I suspect). Anyways, FR’s former Managing Editor Nicholas Romero was on hand last night as the Orange County Lincoln Club (click their ad to the right for more info) hosted former Tennesee Senator and Law & Order Actor Fred Thompson at their annual dinner. It was a major event and their most well attended annual dinner in the Club’s history. Congratulations to the Lincoln Club for such a successful event. That said, I think all of the attendees were hoping to be on hand for the moment when Thompson’s ‘rumored’ and ‘wished for’ candidacy for the White House would become a reality. Alas, last night was not the chosen night for such an announcement. Still, if you make your… Read More

The Homosexual lobby loves the word “tolerance”. They use it in many ways to gain special rights for homosexuals. What they don’t like is practicing “tolerance”. SB 777 sponsored by Sheila Kuehl includes language that would add state censorship rulesto screen out anything negative about homosexuality in textbooks, curricula etc. at all public and private schools and universities. (Like universities are really targeting homosexuality). It could go so far as to eliminate distinctions like Prom King and Queen and could require various restrooms for students “perceived” gender. The Governor vetoed a less expansive version of this bill last year. Two days ago on Fox Karen England of the Capitol Resource Institute (CRI) debated the issue with a proponent of the bill. (See it here). The proponent refused to declare that the bill would not do the things Karen England … Read More

Everybody Loves Arnold & Jeb

You may have noticed the GOP candidates at last night’s debate in California spent an inordinate amount of time sucking up to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Wait till they go to Florida. That state’s former Gov. Jeb Bush, who left office as popular as his presidential brother isn’t, was already in big demand for his endorsement in the GOP presidential contest. That nod just became an even more coveted prize now that Florida’s legislature has voted to move the state’s presidential primary up to January 29.

That makes Florida’s primary one of the earliest in the nation, creating outsized influence in the race for the White House. A January 29 primary would come shortly after early contests in Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire, but a week before the mosh pit of 23… Read More

I won the debate. It was very simple. Several years ago in West Covina there was a city council campaign that had about a dozen candidates. They had a debate. It went something like this. “You have one minute to tell the audience your position on gangs.” Everybody was against them. When that was over they had one minute on several topics. The format is awful and boring. I figured the same thing would happen at a Presidential debate that size and limited to one hour. So, instead my family had a few people over from church, had dinner and let the kids play. After reading the transcript and the reviews from commentators. I know I won. … Read More

Others have weighed in at length, so this will be brief….30 seconds at best, yes or no at most.

We’ve become a world of snippets — of 30-second sound bites — so I guess we could have hoped for no more substance than that, not even when it comes to the most significant issues of the day.

Complex issues and the resulting complex questions are deserving of more than 30 second snippets and Chris Matthews-forced, "I’ll have to ask you to give ayes or no"simple answers.

Yes, I realize that with 10 "debaters" (this was no debate, by the way)and limited time, there may have been few other choices than the format selected. As well, this early in the process, all of the potential players have to be invited, further forcing the format.

Yet, I have no sense now of anything more than before, except each candidate’s ability to package an answer succinctly. There was John McCain, often looking like the only one of the bunch concerned about federal spending, when the record tells differently. There too was Ron Paul, perhaps one of the few willing to address runaway spending from a constitutional… Read More

John Peschong is a Senior Advisor to the McCain for President Campaign here in California… As I watched last night’s presidential debate at the Reagan Library, it became crystal clear to me that among the ten Republicans on stage, there was only one with both the experience and the energy needed in our next commander-in-chief: Senator John McCain.

John McCain’s record in public service is well-known by now: with 22 years in the Navy and 20 years in the Senate, he is clearly the candidate best prepared to serve as President. And with newly released polling data showing him leading in the pivotal early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, Senator McCain entered the night strongly positioned to win the Republican nomination.

And yet, I didn’t see Senator McCain rest on his laurels for one second. In fact, he distinguished himself from the rest of the field by passionately addressing head on the most pressing issues our country faces. In doing so, he sounded Reaganesque and looked presidential.

When… Read More

Roy Tyler is the Communications Director for the Duncan Hunter for President campaign… On MSNBC last night, California Rep. Duncan Hunter was center stage with nine other candidates for a debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Hunter illustrated tonight that he indeed has inherited the mantle of Ronald Reagan. Moderator Chris Matthews said everybody knew where Ronald Reagan stood. Everybody knew where Hunter stood tonight. He was the paradigm of assertiveness. While McCain and Giuliani equivocated on the issue of abortion, Hunter was firm about pro-life beliefs. While Romney was uncertain how to respond to the question of Iran Hunter was certain about what to do. Romney wavered about federal funding for stem cell research Hunter was absolute. Unlike McCain, Hunter does not pander about his faith and try to walk a fine line. He was definitive about his… Read More

Tony Strickland is Co-Chairman of the Romney for President Campaign in California… Tonight at the Reagan Library, Governor Romney clearly showed why he has earned my backing in his bid to become the next President. No other candidate has the outside perspective we need to restore conservative principles to Washington. He successfully introduced himself to voters who may not already know him as the only candidate who can bring real change to government.

Voters learned tonight that with Governor Romney’s strong leadership, there is no problem America cannot solve. He has a clear record of real experience turning around troubled companies and organizations, and he will bring that same proven leadership to our nation’s capitol.

Here are some of the ways Governor Romney set himself apart from the other candidates at the Reagan Library: