IowaPolitics.com BlogWatch

Tonight, I attended Representative Dwayne Alons' fundraiser in
downtown Hull. Rep. Alons and his wife Clarice are two of the nicest
and most dedicated people you will ever meet. I was pleased to attend
this event. They had upwards of 100 people there and so it was a very
good event for him. I got to spend a good quantity of time talking to
two fellow bloggers: Mike Tate with Tancredo and Vincent Harris with
Huckabee. Both of these guys are in college (Tate goes to school in
Pennsylvania and Harris in Texas) and they are both playing HUGE roles
in the campaigns of these two fantastic campaigns. I'm definitely a
fan of their work. As I have mentioned many times, the 'new media' is
the wave of the future and these guys, both about 20 or 21, are way
ahead of 99.999 percent of everyone else with their knowledge of this
and how it applies to political campaigns.

Labels: Duncan_Hunter, John_Cox, Mike_Huckabee, Tom_Tancredo

...cast of thousands, well a couple of hundred anyway, were in attendance at tonight's Chairman's Picnic held at RPI HQ on East Ninth in Des Moines. The political headliners were candidates Sam Brownback and John Cox. Hugh Cort and Dan Gilbertson, who are also running for President, were also in attendance. Dr. Cort was handing out literature about his candidacy. Sam Brownback looks much younger and much more animated in person. Sen. Brownback spoke after Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney. A smart politician knows how to read an audience and Sam kept his remarks both short and up beat, perfect for a warm evening. He also knew that now was the time to publicly reaffirm his commitment to the Straw Poll and an intensive Iowa grass roots campaign. Sam got two very loud ovations, the tonic that salves the wounds all of us politicians, large and small. If he doesn't win I'd sure like to see the next Republican President nominate Sam Brownback for the Supreme Court, he certainly makes among the most logical legal arguments for his positions. We could certainly use that kind of clarity in the Federal common law, that's for sure. John Cox echoed his familiar themes of a Reaganesque strength abroad and prosperity through less government at home.

Labels: John_Cox, Sam_Brownback

Sugar, ham, tons of cheese and cookies...not a bad week, huh? No wonder I felt like I was carrying around a small child during my runs this weekend. Ah, life on the road. How do these presidential candidates do it? I'm going to guess that's why I don't see these folks on the cover of my Men's Health every month ... Here's a lowdown on the candidate, city and food served... Hillary Clinton--Red Oak--pie; John McCain--Ft. Dodge--ham sandwich, chips, cookie; Tommy Thompson--Anamosa, then West Des Moines--pizza buffet, then just pizza; Barack Obama--Indianola--not a dang thing; John Cox--his West Des Moines campaign headquarters--Jay's Potato Chips; I wonder what I'll think the next time I hear one of these people talk about tackling the obesity problem?

Labels: Barack_Obama, Hillary_Clinton, John_Cox, John_McCain, Tommy_Thompson

... First to speak was Rudy Giuliani. He is fiscally conservative and has a great record as mayor for decreasing crime in New York. The man may put an R after his name but his personal life has too many skeletons for all but the most moderate conservative voter. .. John Cox was next. ... I've had the opportunity to meet John a few times and I really think a common sense business-like approach is what we need in Washington. And I really hope that whoever does win the nomination puts this guy somewhere in their cabinet. ... The final speaker before dinner was Governor Mike Huckabee from Arkansas. ... I'm all about lower taxes and liked the speech but I don't think Huckabee is the man for the job. ... Congressman Tom Tancredo from Colorado was next. ... And while I agree with him I think he is too harsh for a lot of people. ... I've met Governor Gilmore on a few occasions and have found him to be a very firm candidate. Unfortunately he seemed very mean-spirited. ... With a strong focus on family values, good manners and courtesy I really think (Brownback) can be trusted. ... And next, Tommy Thompson from Wisconsin. ... After hearing him I really think he is a strong candidate. ... He really believes in giving people a chance, be it through school choice or job training. ... And, finally, Senator John McCain. ... He was the only speaker to roam the stage and talked to the audience as "friends". He's incredibly likeable. And intelligent. And funny. And not the guy. I like him, but he's not the guy.

Labels: Jim_Gilmore, John_Cox, John_McCain, Mike_Huckabee, Rudy_Giuliani, Tom_Tancredo, Tommy_Thompson