Sources say that a decision on whether to run for CRNC Chairman in 2007 may come from Kentucky's Derek Hall as early as tomorrow. Hall's name has been on the tip of many a College Republican's tongue in the past week as many wondered about the strength of the Draft Derek Hall movement. In the recent Truth Caucus poll asking which potential candidate one would support, Derek Hall came away with 42% of the vote, to the combined support of Real Reform principals Brian Siler and Brent Ludeman's 36% and Charlie Smith's 22%. Hall has always been seen as a reluctant candidate, but it appears that there is at least a decent-sized segment of grassroots College Republicans that would support his candidacy.
-In other CRNC elections news, Colorado's Charlie Smith has released a letter detailing a few of his proposals for reform within the CRNC. Smith states that his New Year's resolution for the CRNC is to bring reform to it, and several of the points he proposes mirror the platform outlined by Real Reform principals Brian Siler and Brent Ludeman, simply with slightly differed wording. If you would like to see the entire letter, please head over to Truth Caucus, where the letter is linked in its entirety.
-Finally, it appears that another Internet domain name has been purchased by the Smith Camp, and this time the website is NewCRNC, seen at www.newcnrc.org. The placeholder page that is currently posted is that of the Unite the CRNC logo from the previously purchased domains www.unitethecrnc.com and www.unitethecrnc.org. It was thought that the Unite the CRNC slogan was abandoned, but it has apparently found employ once again as a page marker. We will continue to follow the development of all domains purchased by the Smith Camp.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Monday, January 01, 2007
Note to BSB: Go ask the 6th District about the Govt. "Workday"
It never ceases to amaze me how ridiculously hypocritical "progressive" Democrats can be. So when I read a recent post over at Buckeye State Blog detailing how Mary Taylor, sole Republican survivor of the massacre, was already reportedly shirking her duties, I had to ask myself a few things. Did we not just wrap up a campaign season where many a fundraiser and campaign event were held by candidates during the work day? This happens on both sides of the aisle, so I am not pinning that on any one particular person here. It simply would not be intellectually honest to do so, but when did BSB ever live up to intellectual honesty?
For the record, BSB does not even list the date the fundraiser is to be held, simply that it is a "midweek workday" fundraiser. If the fundraiser is this week, then Mary Taylor will not have been inaugurated yet (her inauguration is next Monday). Besides not listing the date of the fundraiser itself, has BSB not forgotten all of the votes and time Governor-elect Ted Strickland missed while he was supposed to be representing his Sixth District in Washington? How about all of the inaugural festivities? Almost all of those fall during the work day, when according to BSB the government is on our time. Does that mean that I should complain and whine about essentially wasting the first day in office? But wait, that is a Democrat, and when they do something wrong it is completely fine. You have to love the double standard, holding Republicans, Mary Taylor in this case, to a higher standard than you hold your own. But, hey, I expect nothing less out of BSB!
For the record, BSB does not even list the date the fundraiser is to be held, simply that it is a "midweek workday" fundraiser. If the fundraiser is this week, then Mary Taylor will not have been inaugurated yet (her inauguration is next Monday). Besides not listing the date of the fundraiser itself, has BSB not forgotten all of the votes and time Governor-elect Ted Strickland missed while he was supposed to be representing his Sixth District in Washington? How about all of the inaugural festivities? Almost all of those fall during the work day, when according to BSB the government is on our time. Does that mean that I should complain and whine about essentially wasting the first day in office? But wait, that is a Democrat, and when they do something wrong it is completely fine. You have to love the double standard, holding Republicans, Mary Taylor in this case, to a higher standard than you hold your own. But, hey, I expect nothing less out of BSB!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
CRNC & College Republican News and Notes
-The Open CRNC Finances Project has been quite some time in the works, but University of Florida College Republican Mike Zagorsky now has a website up at www.crncopenfin.com. It appears, at first perusal, to be very well organized and researched. Reports are available for all financial matters of the CRNC, using data from IRS filings from July 2005 until last month. The data is available in terms of donor information, expenditures, and financial summaries. We will be following up with Mr. Zagorsky on this apparent unbiased project (it is simply numbers, after all), and hope to publish an interview or statement of some sort in the near future. If you would like to assist him in the project, you can contact him by email.
-It appears that the principals behind Real Reform are set to announce another key supporting state chairman in the next few days, but we will not reveal which state they are from due to sensitive sources. However, the state will not be all that big of a surprise. This will bring the total number to 17 sitting state chairmen who support the Real Reform platform.
-If you have yet to read it, suggested reading at Red State Rampage is the interview we did with incoming Chairman of the College Republican Federation of Virginia, Jarrett Ray. Chairman Ray looks to do great things for his state in the upcoming year, and, for now, is not picking any sides in the national struggle.
-One final comment on the Draft Derek Hall blog, at least for now. Personally, I think whoever is writing the blog is doing a fairly solid job of promoting Derek Hall, but it is still only one man. I think that he did a great job in leading Kentucky, as I have stated before, and I would definitely have no problem with him running for CRNC Chairman come spring 2007. However, I am reluctant to start calling this one blog a "movement" or say that it is gaining intensity. A Derek Hall candidacy is not a new revelation, so I will not report it as such. And I am not going to inflect momentum into such an effort unless it is actually there. I am here to report the news and comment on it, not make up what I want to be the news.
-It appears that the principals behind Real Reform are set to announce another key supporting state chairman in the next few days, but we will not reveal which state they are from due to sensitive sources. However, the state will not be all that big of a surprise. This will bring the total number to 17 sitting state chairmen who support the Real Reform platform.
-If you have yet to read it, suggested reading at Red State Rampage is the interview we did with incoming Chairman of the College Republican Federation of Virginia, Jarrett Ray. Chairman Ray looks to do great things for his state in the upcoming year, and, for now, is not picking any sides in the national struggle.
-One final comment on the Draft Derek Hall blog, at least for now. Personally, I think whoever is writing the blog is doing a fairly solid job of promoting Derek Hall, but it is still only one man. I think that he did a great job in leading Kentucky, as I have stated before, and I would definitely have no problem with him running for CRNC Chairman come spring 2007. However, I am reluctant to start calling this one blog a "movement" or say that it is gaining intensity. A Derek Hall candidacy is not a new revelation, so I will not report it as such. And I am not going to inflect momentum into such an effort unless it is actually there. I am here to report the news and comment on it, not make up what I want to be the news.
Update: Columbus losing "Progressive" Radio in 2007
It is absolutely astounding to hear the outraged liberals in Columbus, and the surrounding Central Ohio area at that, commenting and speculating on the broadcasting format change that AM 1230 WTPG will be undergoing come January 9, 2007. Given that just one week before the announcement, liberal Democratic hotbed, Buckeye State Blog, was deriding Air America for having a bad business plan, their outrage is somewhat astounding. Air America, by the way, filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this year, and had been operating in the red for quite some time. As soon as the switch was announced, though, Columbus-area "progressives" took decisive action. Well, not exactly. In the online poll, also at BSB, asking what course of response should be taken, "Do Nothing" came in a close second.
What is ironic in this situation is that the oft-blamed culprit for the switch (Clear Channel and fellow media conglomerates) were, in effect, given the go-ahead to become huge conglomerates by Bill Clinton's Telecommunications Act of 1996. For once, this horde of the tin-foil hat crowd cannot blame it on George W. Bush, although that connection is probably forthcoming. It appears that the formulated response to 1230's format shakeup is to create an Internet petition (someone tell Al Gore his thank you note is in the mail) politely asking Clear Channel and AM 1230 to reconsider. So far, in a metro area of over 1 million people, just over 1,000 have signed their petition. And, a quick sampling of the zip codes offered by signers shows that a solid percentage of them are not even from Central Ohio. Bet the fine folks at Clear Channel are quaking in their boots! Even more comical though, is that conglomerate radio is being attacked here, in the midst of Clear Channel's sale of about one third of its radio stations. And, Clear Channel broadcasting Air America for nearly two years in Columbus was obviously just part of the master plan of the vast right-wing conspiracy.
Simply because there is not a demand for this product, and the ratings are lagging behind other stations, is not enough of a reason for a business to pull it from the shelves. There are calls for a return to the "Fairness Doctrine", where stations would have to be evenly split between viewpoints and give equal time to all opinions, regardless of the effects on the company running the station. These same people who decry the removal of an unpopular failing product want to see SUVs, an extremely popular product, removed from the automotive market simply because they think they are killing the environment. What about giving the consumer what they want there, huh? The hypocrisy never fails to amaze!
Just a quick observation about so-called "Progressive" radio: when the comedy skits involve killing the President, you are not going to win many listeners over. Just a guess there, but people do not generally laugh at such drivel. When that same host says that, "the difference between Hitler and Bush is that Hitler was elected," you probably don't gain much ground, either. Air America was the "New Coke" of radio. If the consumers think it is a terrible product, and aren't buying into it, then why in the heck should it be forced on people?
What is ironic in this situation is that the oft-blamed culprit for the switch (Clear Channel and fellow media conglomerates) were, in effect, given the go-ahead to become huge conglomerates by Bill Clinton's Telecommunications Act of 1996. For once, this horde of the tin-foil hat crowd cannot blame it on George W. Bush, although that connection is probably forthcoming. It appears that the formulated response to 1230's format shakeup is to create an Internet petition (someone tell Al Gore his thank you note is in the mail) politely asking Clear Channel and AM 1230 to reconsider. So far, in a metro area of over 1 million people, just over 1,000 have signed their petition. And, a quick sampling of the zip codes offered by signers shows that a solid percentage of them are not even from Central Ohio. Bet the fine folks at Clear Channel are quaking in their boots! Even more comical though, is that conglomerate radio is being attacked here, in the midst of Clear Channel's sale of about one third of its radio stations. And, Clear Channel broadcasting Air America for nearly two years in Columbus was obviously just part of the master plan of the vast right-wing conspiracy.
Simply because there is not a demand for this product, and the ratings are lagging behind other stations, is not enough of a reason for a business to pull it from the shelves. There are calls for a return to the "Fairness Doctrine", where stations would have to be evenly split between viewpoints and give equal time to all opinions, regardless of the effects on the company running the station. These same people who decry the removal of an unpopular failing product want to see SUVs, an extremely popular product, removed from the automotive market simply because they think they are killing the environment. What about giving the consumer what they want there, huh? The hypocrisy never fails to amaze!
Just a quick observation about so-called "Progressive" radio: when the comedy skits involve killing the President, you are not going to win many listeners over. Just a guess there, but people do not generally laugh at such drivel. When that same host says that, "the difference between Hitler and Bush is that Hitler was elected," you probably don't gain much ground, either. Air America was the "New Coke" of radio. If the consumers think it is a terrible product, and aren't buying into it, then why in the heck should it be forced on people?
Guilty until proven innocent: The Saga of the Duke Lacrosse Trial
It has been nearly ten months now since members of the Duke lacrosse team held a fateful party that included hired strippers and large amounts of alcohol, seldom a good combination. As everyone knows by this point, members of the team were accused of gang-raping one of the two exotic dancers, and three of them were charged criminally in the case by Durham, North Carolina, District Attorney Mike Nifong with rape, among other charges. The Duke lacrosse program was suspended almost immediately by Duke President Richard Brodhead; Coach Mike Pressler resigned less than a month after the incident.
In the nine-plus months that have passed in the interim, the case has been almost perpetually in the public purview due to a seeming constant flow of new developments. In the weeks that followed the allegations, Nifong referred to the lacrosse team as rapists, and insinuated that retaining legal help amounted to guilt on the part of the accused. Racially-motivated groups, including white supremacist outfits and the Black Panther Party, demonstrated on the Duke campus threatening violence against both the players and the accuser. Apparently America has come so far since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s that a white on black crime is automatically a racist offense in the eyes of prying media types.
Since then, the second dancer at the party has changed her story-twice, and once in a nationally televised interview. The first dancer, the accuser herself, has changed her story as well, and was not even interviewed by Nifong before he brought the charges. We found out that one of the accused Duke athletes had a pending assault trial back home, and that the accuser had multiple remnants of genetic material on her clothing that night. It turned out that not one of the stains matched up to a Duke lacrosse player, and the accuser was, in fact, pregnant. The lineup that lead, in part, to the indictments, was conducted using only photos of Duke players, clearly a violation of protocol. In an apparent effort to continue his race-baiting techniques, the sole African-American member of the lacrosse team was excused from the investigation. That player also received death threats on the basis that he was not standing up for his people, and that he was not a true black man.
In the latest round of hearings, the three accused players and their legal counsel found out for the first time that none of the genetic material on the dancer's clothing belonged to them, or to any other person present at the party. Nifong dropped the rape charges at that point, but has not moved to drop the remaining charges as well. And, now that all of the missteps and outright violations in the investigation have become public, he is being charged with ethics violations by the North Carolina Bar Association and asked to recuse himself of the case by his fellow State District Attorneys. He even refused comment to local press outside of the courtroom, but turned around to give the New York Times a three-hour session.
Mike Nifong won his primary election shortly after the case broke, and he also won re-election in November, albeit by a slim margin. He used the case initially in the primary race as a way to tout his own tough on crime appearance, but as the details of his improprieties leaked out, it became a weapon for his opponents in the general election. Unless he resigns, or is forced out by the bar association, Nifong will continue to serve as Durham District Attorney.
It is truly unfortunate to see the results of this case already, before it has even seen a jury trial. Nifong essentially railroaded the three lacrosse players, as he used the indictments to impress voters in the primary. He had already crucified, in effect, the entire team before the indictments were even handed down. The lineup used was completely unethical, as was the withholding of evidence, for which he gave no less than three explanations in one day. And then he disregarded the local press, all while basking in the national spotlight when it came calling. Any single one of these transgressions would be despicable in its own right, but when taken in sum, they should amount to great consequences for Mike Nifong. He should lose his office, his license to practice law, and issue a public apology to the players that he rushed to indict.
Do not think that the players are without some fault, though. Hiring strippers to work at a party attended by fifty-plus collegiate males is never the best decision. Providing for mass consumption of alcohol at the same event is not the best of choices either. And yelling the racial epithets at the dancers as they left the party, a point corroborated by neighbors in the vicinity of the party location, is rather despicable, as well. However, none of these things add up to rape on their own (or taken together).
The three who have been accused of rape, along with the other team members, were convicted in the public eye long before the charges were even filed. Mike Nifong did quite a bit to help this along, but all of the 24-hour news outlets, ESPN, the print media, and national nightly news programs handed down their judgments for mass consumption in the days that followed the story breaking. The nonstop coverage of the case, especially in its infancy, has forever tainted the futures of these three students beyond repair. Merely dismissing the charges in the case has not cleared their names in the mind of America, and even widespread public apologies by Nifong or the reporters who rushed to judgment will not fix the damage done. No, there will never be justice for the three Duke athletes falsely accused here. In the land where all are presumed innocent until proven guilty, these three young men will be forever guilty, regardless of their innocence.
In the nine-plus months that have passed in the interim, the case has been almost perpetually in the public purview due to a seeming constant flow of new developments. In the weeks that followed the allegations, Nifong referred to the lacrosse team as rapists, and insinuated that retaining legal help amounted to guilt on the part of the accused. Racially-motivated groups, including white supremacist outfits and the Black Panther Party, demonstrated on the Duke campus threatening violence against both the players and the accuser. Apparently America has come so far since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s that a white on black crime is automatically a racist offense in the eyes of prying media types.
Since then, the second dancer at the party has changed her story-twice, and once in a nationally televised interview. The first dancer, the accuser herself, has changed her story as well, and was not even interviewed by Nifong before he brought the charges. We found out that one of the accused Duke athletes had a pending assault trial back home, and that the accuser had multiple remnants of genetic material on her clothing that night. It turned out that not one of the stains matched up to a Duke lacrosse player, and the accuser was, in fact, pregnant. The lineup that lead, in part, to the indictments, was conducted using only photos of Duke players, clearly a violation of protocol. In an apparent effort to continue his race-baiting techniques, the sole African-American member of the lacrosse team was excused from the investigation. That player also received death threats on the basis that he was not standing up for his people, and that he was not a true black man.
In the latest round of hearings, the three accused players and their legal counsel found out for the first time that none of the genetic material on the dancer's clothing belonged to them, or to any other person present at the party. Nifong dropped the rape charges at that point, but has not moved to drop the remaining charges as well. And, now that all of the missteps and outright violations in the investigation have become public, he is being charged with ethics violations by the North Carolina Bar Association and asked to recuse himself of the case by his fellow State District Attorneys. He even refused comment to local press outside of the courtroom, but turned around to give the New York Times a three-hour session.
Mike Nifong won his primary election shortly after the case broke, and he also won re-election in November, albeit by a slim margin. He used the case initially in the primary race as a way to tout his own tough on crime appearance, but as the details of his improprieties leaked out, it became a weapon for his opponents in the general election. Unless he resigns, or is forced out by the bar association, Nifong will continue to serve as Durham District Attorney.
It is truly unfortunate to see the results of this case already, before it has even seen a jury trial. Nifong essentially railroaded the three lacrosse players, as he used the indictments to impress voters in the primary. He had already crucified, in effect, the entire team before the indictments were even handed down. The lineup used was completely unethical, as was the withholding of evidence, for which he gave no less than three explanations in one day. And then he disregarded the local press, all while basking in the national spotlight when it came calling. Any single one of these transgressions would be despicable in its own right, but when taken in sum, they should amount to great consequences for Mike Nifong. He should lose his office, his license to practice law, and issue a public apology to the players that he rushed to indict.
Do not think that the players are without some fault, though. Hiring strippers to work at a party attended by fifty-plus collegiate males is never the best decision. Providing for mass consumption of alcohol at the same event is not the best of choices either. And yelling the racial epithets at the dancers as they left the party, a point corroborated by neighbors in the vicinity of the party location, is rather despicable, as well. However, none of these things add up to rape on their own (or taken together).
The three who have been accused of rape, along with the other team members, were convicted in the public eye long before the charges were even filed. Mike Nifong did quite a bit to help this along, but all of the 24-hour news outlets, ESPN, the print media, and national nightly news programs handed down their judgments for mass consumption in the days that followed the story breaking. The nonstop coverage of the case, especially in its infancy, has forever tainted the futures of these three students beyond repair. Merely dismissing the charges in the case has not cleared their names in the mind of America, and even widespread public apologies by Nifong or the reporters who rushed to judgment will not fix the damage done. No, there will never be justice for the three Duke athletes falsely accused here. In the land where all are presumed innocent until proven guilty, these three young men will be forever guilty, regardless of their innocence.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Scary Movie 5: Negotiating with Iran
In order to keep things here at Red State Rampage in a bit lighter mood, I am going to keep posting videos that I come across and find funny. Some will be topical to politics, as these two are, and some will be just plain comical (like the Saturday Night Live sketch from last Friday). Without further ado, then, here are two videos made for the RNC by David Zucker, of Airplane, Naked Gun, and Scary Movie fame.
First, Zucker points out the sheer folly of trying to negotiate with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, a la Neville Chamberlain negotiating with Adolf Hitler, in a spoof of what would happen if the Baker-Hamilton Commission got their way:
Next, in this unaired ad from the 2006 midterm campaign season, Zucker goes after the Democrats for taxing Americans from birth until death. My favorite part is when the IRS agent makes the baby pay to exit the womb, and then the scene cuts to a funeral where the agent is climbing out of the buried coffin, hands full of valuables. Here it is:
First, Zucker points out the sheer folly of trying to negotiate with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, a la Neville Chamberlain negotiating with Adolf Hitler, in a spoof of what would happen if the Baker-Hamilton Commission got their way:
Next, in this unaired ad from the 2006 midterm campaign season, Zucker goes after the Democrats for taxing Americans from birth until death. My favorite part is when the IRS agent makes the baby pay to exit the womb, and then the scene cuts to a funeral where the agent is climbing out of the buried coffin, hands full of valuables. Here it is:
Marc Dann: Providing Comedic Fodder Since Birth
During a recent search of editorial pieces from the past few weeks in Ohio newspapers, I came across a piece that the Warren Tribune-Chronicle published a week before Christmas on Ohio Attorney General-elect Marc Dann. The Tribune-Chronicle predicts that Dann, currently a State Senator from the 32nd District, will play politics during his term upcoming as Attorney General. Earlier in the week, we at Red State Rampage reported on the selection of Tom Winters, former attorney to Tom Noe, as Dann's right-hand man in the AG's office. Previously, Dann recommended Capri Cafaro, failed Congressional candidate and daughter of shady character J.J. Cafaro, as his replacement in the 32nd Senate District. Members of the Cafaro clan, Capri included, have been big patrons of Mr. Dann in the past, and this election cycle was no exception.
Anyhow, as if two major gaffes before even taking office were not enough, the editorial from the Tribune-Chronicle reports that the AG satellite office in Youngstown promised by Dann during the campaign will be located in a mall owned by the Cafaro family themselves! One could not make this up! The guy who made his name criticizing Republican corruption in Ohio, and won his campaign by tying his opponent to that corruption, is diving headlong into the game of pay-to-play? No. Never! Marc Dann is clearly not going to perform his duties based upon who gave him a campaign contribution, right? Well, given these three moves in the past month, before he has even taken office, Dann is on a fast track to becoming a cellmate of Jim Traficant and Tom Noe.
Marc Dann's upcoming term as Ohio's Attorney General should provide material for yours truly until at least 2010, and likely beyond, as we see how quickly Mr. Dann is able to screw up one of the top AG's offices in the nation. One piece of advice to anyone looking to do business with or stay on the good side of Marc Dann: Get those donations in early and often or be left out in the cold!
Photos below courtesy of the Lorain County Democratic Party, taken at the Marc Dann-Barbara Sykes "Harry Buffalo" fundraiser in October.
J.J. Cafaro, taking a rare break from buying his daughter a district and shopping for politicians to line his pockets, seen here with defeated Democratic Auditor of State nominee Barbara Sykes. Please note that they are wearing Dann for AG stickers, but that Dann and Cafaro are not seen together in any of the pictures, likely to avoid any suspicions.
Defeated 13th (and 14th) Congressional District candidate Capri Cafaro with the woman she lost the May 2006 Democrat Primary to, US Rep.-elect Betty Sutton.
Anyhow, as if two major gaffes before even taking office were not enough, the editorial from the Tribune-Chronicle reports that the AG satellite office in Youngstown promised by Dann during the campaign will be located in a mall owned by the Cafaro family themselves! One could not make this up! The guy who made his name criticizing Republican corruption in Ohio, and won his campaign by tying his opponent to that corruption, is diving headlong into the game of pay-to-play? No. Never! Marc Dann is clearly not going to perform his duties based upon who gave him a campaign contribution, right? Well, given these three moves in the past month, before he has even taken office, Dann is on a fast track to becoming a cellmate of Jim Traficant and Tom Noe.
Marc Dann's upcoming term as Ohio's Attorney General should provide material for yours truly until at least 2010, and likely beyond, as we see how quickly Mr. Dann is able to screw up one of the top AG's offices in the nation. One piece of advice to anyone looking to do business with or stay on the good side of Marc Dann: Get those donations in early and often or be left out in the cold!
Photos below courtesy of the Lorain County Democratic Party, taken at the Marc Dann-Barbara Sykes "Harry Buffalo" fundraiser in October.
J.J. Cafaro, taking a rare break from buying his daughter a district and shopping for politicians to line his pockets, seen here with defeated Democratic Auditor of State nominee Barbara Sykes. Please note that they are wearing Dann for AG stickers, but that Dann and Cafaro are not seen together in any of the pictures, likely to avoid any suspicions.
Defeated 13th (and 14th) Congressional District candidate Capri Cafaro with the woman she lost the May 2006 Democrat Primary to, US Rep.-elect Betty Sutton.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Jarrett Ray: Hitting the ground running in Virginia
Earlier this month, while the CRNC was busy meeting in Denver, Virginia's College Republicans got together to pick a successor to Andrew Lamar. Jarrett Ray, a CR from James Madison, was elected to be the next Chairman of the College Republican Federation of Virginia, and he is the first of what will surely be many new faces on the national board in the next year. I recently had the chance to talk with Chairman Ray regarding his goals, vision, and ambitions for the upcoming year, and I, for one, came away very impressed with the newly-elected Chairman from Virginia. Enough of the blustering on, and on to what Ray had to say:
Red State Rampage: Congratulations on your recent election as CRFV Chairman. What is the top priority for you during your term as Chairman? What would you most like to accomplish in order to leave CRFV in better shape than you found it?
Jarrett Ray: My top priority is increasing the influence of Virginia's College Republican chapters. The newly elected board will keep this in mind as we lead the CRFV in 2007.
RSR: The man you are replacing, Andrew Lamar, is someone that was seen as a very solid State Chairman. What is one thing that you plan to continue from Andrew, and what is one thing that you will be changing from Andrew's tenure?
JR: Andrew Lamar was fantastic for Virginia and I am glad I can count him as a friend. I hope to maintain the image Andrew had with Virginia Republicans. Virginia's Republicans saw Andrew as the face of an organization that was both a volunteer base and also a group of committed conservatives looking to expand conservatism through many types of activism. I would like to continue the fantastic relationship Andrew shared with the Republican Party of Virginia and those who make up the party.
I would also like to expand this relationship. The College Republican Federation of Virginia will be behind several legislative policies which will be decided as a federation at our annual spring Issues Conference. College Republicans should not only help elect Republicans, they should also help shape the legislative policies of those whom they help elect. Young voters are often underrepresented, however, College Republicans are politically savvy individuals who by all account are prime examples of good citizens who vote and take an interest in the future of the community, the Commonwealth, and the country. The CRFV should attempt to promote this youthful activism and show politicians our age group can rally around common conservative causes.
RSR: I am sure, aside from calls of congratulations, you have already been asked to support someone in the upcoming CRNC elections. Have you made your pick yet, or are you still mulling it over? And, if you have chosen a candidate, who will be getting your support?
JR: A decision on who to lead such a respectable organization with over 100 years of tradition should properly be done over a drawn out period of time. It would be premature of me to presume I understand the CRNC and the candidates whom hope to lead it at this particular moment.
RSR: Virginia has a new GOP Chairman incoming as well in Ed Gillespie. I am sure you look forward to working with someone who has such great experience, but how will you attempt to work with the Virginia GOP to take back some of the ground Democrats have gained in the recent elections?
JR: Mr. Gillespie will be great for Virginia. His experience is unparalleled and the respect for him is unanimous among Virginians. The 2007 state elections are my priority. Working with Mr. Gillespie and the Republican Party of Virginia to target the competitive races and place volunteers appropriately will be the CRFV's primary responsibility. Virginia is very much a Red state and the results of the 2007 General Assembly elections will show it.
RSR: Obviously the Internet has completely changed the way political campaigns and organizations are run. How will you utilize technology to improve communications and public relations for CRFV? Are you looking into starting a blog or developing other methods of outreach through the Internet?
JR: The internet becomes increasingly important as a tool for public relations, activism, and recruitment due to the amount of time the average college student spends online. The CRFV is currently looking at starting an officially sanctioned blog. Beyond the blogosphere, tools such as Facebook and Myspace need to be utilized to increase awareness of College Republicans. The CRFV will also promote Operation Big Trunk. Chapters of all sizes should take advantage of the ability to create a free professional website that advertises their chapter.
RSR: As a College Republican, I can remember quite a few great events that I have been able to be a part of. What is your fondest memory of a CR event that you were involved in?
JR: Frankly the most fun I have ever had as a College Republican was crashing a Jim Webb rally and being interviewed by various media outlets the stump speech Webb gave. I was quoted several times as portraying Webb's economic plans as based on socialism. This condemnation of socialism in turn infuriated an elderly lady who wrote a letter to the editor of my local paper to complain that socialism pulled her and her family out of the Great Depression. Not once did the elderly lady deny that Webb believed in the positive power of socialism.
RSR: There are a couple of camps within College Republicans with regards to the role they should play: those who advocate a primary focus of campus activism and those who advocate direct involvement with candidates and campaigns. Do you fall into one of these camps, or do you think that CRs can fill both of these roles adequately?
JR: College Republicans should fulfill the role of being both campus activists and in leading aggressive grassroots efforts to secure Republican victory. The two roles can be theoretically exclusive. But I contend they are mutually beneficial. The school I attend, James Madison University, has a great relationship with our locally elected Republicans. We help them during their campaigns and they help grow our chapter. Conversely, campus activism has a positive and important role on campus of providing the sometimes sole voice of conservative thought. Campus activism also increases College Republicans presence on campus, which in turn increases membership. The CRFV will promote both types of involvement because they are both essential to running a successful chapter.
RSR: Best of luck this next year in Virginia, and we will look forward to hearing more great work coming out of Virginia.
Red State Rampage: Congratulations on your recent election as CRFV Chairman. What is the top priority for you during your term as Chairman? What would you most like to accomplish in order to leave CRFV in better shape than you found it?
Jarrett Ray: My top priority is increasing the influence of Virginia's College Republican chapters. The newly elected board will keep this in mind as we lead the CRFV in 2007.
RSR: The man you are replacing, Andrew Lamar, is someone that was seen as a very solid State Chairman. What is one thing that you plan to continue from Andrew, and what is one thing that you will be changing from Andrew's tenure?
JR: Andrew Lamar was fantastic for Virginia and I am glad I can count him as a friend. I hope to maintain the image Andrew had with Virginia Republicans. Virginia's Republicans saw Andrew as the face of an organization that was both a volunteer base and also a group of committed conservatives looking to expand conservatism through many types of activism. I would like to continue the fantastic relationship Andrew shared with the Republican Party of Virginia and those who make up the party.
I would also like to expand this relationship. The College Republican Federation of Virginia will be behind several legislative policies which will be decided as a federation at our annual spring Issues Conference. College Republicans should not only help elect Republicans, they should also help shape the legislative policies of those whom they help elect. Young voters are often underrepresented, however, College Republicans are politically savvy individuals who by all account are prime examples of good citizens who vote and take an interest in the future of the community, the Commonwealth, and the country. The CRFV should attempt to promote this youthful activism and show politicians our age group can rally around common conservative causes.
RSR: I am sure, aside from calls of congratulations, you have already been asked to support someone in the upcoming CRNC elections. Have you made your pick yet, or are you still mulling it over? And, if you have chosen a candidate, who will be getting your support?
JR: A decision on who to lead such a respectable organization with over 100 years of tradition should properly be done over a drawn out period of time. It would be premature of me to presume I understand the CRNC and the candidates whom hope to lead it at this particular moment.
RSR: Virginia has a new GOP Chairman incoming as well in Ed Gillespie. I am sure you look forward to working with someone who has such great experience, but how will you attempt to work with the Virginia GOP to take back some of the ground Democrats have gained in the recent elections?
JR: Mr. Gillespie will be great for Virginia. His experience is unparalleled and the respect for him is unanimous among Virginians. The 2007 state elections are my priority. Working with Mr. Gillespie and the Republican Party of Virginia to target the competitive races and place volunteers appropriately will be the CRFV's primary responsibility. Virginia is very much a Red state and the results of the 2007 General Assembly elections will show it.
RSR: Obviously the Internet has completely changed the way political campaigns and organizations are run. How will you utilize technology to improve communications and public relations for CRFV? Are you looking into starting a blog or developing other methods of outreach through the Internet?
JR: The internet becomes increasingly important as a tool for public relations, activism, and recruitment due to the amount of time the average college student spends online. The CRFV is currently looking at starting an officially sanctioned blog. Beyond the blogosphere, tools such as Facebook and Myspace need to be utilized to increase awareness of College Republicans. The CRFV will also promote Operation Big Trunk. Chapters of all sizes should take advantage of the ability to create a free professional website that advertises their chapter.
RSR: As a College Republican, I can remember quite a few great events that I have been able to be a part of. What is your fondest memory of a CR event that you were involved in?
JR: Frankly the most fun I have ever had as a College Republican was crashing a Jim Webb rally and being interviewed by various media outlets the stump speech Webb gave. I was quoted several times as portraying Webb's economic plans as based on socialism. This condemnation of socialism in turn infuriated an elderly lady who wrote a letter to the editor of my local paper to complain that socialism pulled her and her family out of the Great Depression. Not once did the elderly lady deny that Webb believed in the positive power of socialism.
RSR: There are a couple of camps within College Republicans with regards to the role they should play: those who advocate a primary focus of campus activism and those who advocate direct involvement with candidates and campaigns. Do you fall into one of these camps, or do you think that CRs can fill both of these roles adequately?
JR: College Republicans should fulfill the role of being both campus activists and in leading aggressive grassroots efforts to secure Republican victory. The two roles can be theoretically exclusive. But I contend they are mutually beneficial. The school I attend, James Madison University, has a great relationship with our locally elected Republicans. We help them during their campaigns and they help grow our chapter. Conversely, campus activism has a positive and important role on campus of providing the sometimes sole voice of conservative thought. Campus activism also increases College Republicans presence on campus, which in turn increases membership. The CRFV will promote both types of involvement because they are both essential to running a successful chapter.
RSR: Best of luck this next year in Virginia, and we will look forward to hearing more great work coming out of Virginia.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Red State Rampage back in 54th Carnival of Ohio Politics
Red State Rampage is back for more in this week's Carnival of Ohio Politics after taking a week off for the holidays. Go check out what other Ohio bloggers are saying about the events of the past week in Ohio and nationally, and broaden your horizons a bit. Here are the three posts I submitted from Red State Rampage in the past week, if you have yet to read them:
Columbus AM Radio Shakeup: Beck, Air America Out; Savage, Ingraham, Rome, and Riley In
Ohio Politics: My Late Two Cents
Giving a fox keys to the henhouse: Tubbs-Jones to Chair House Ethics Committee
Check them out, and hit up the 54th Carnival while you are at it!
Columbus AM Radio Shakeup: Beck, Air America Out; Savage, Ingraham, Rome, and Riley In
Ohio Politics: My Late Two Cents
Giving a fox keys to the henhouse: Tubbs-Jones to Chair House Ethics Committee
Check them out, and hit up the 54th Carnival while you are at it!
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Columbus AM Radio Shakeup: Beck, Air America Out; Savage, Rome, Ingraham, and Riley In
Fans of Glenn Beck and Columbus-area listeners of Air America Radio are both seeing eye-to-eye on one thing this week: they are not happy with the planned shakeup at Columbus radio stations 610 WTVN and 1230 WTPG, beginning on January 9, 2007. At 610 WTVN, Glenn Beck is out (for now), and local host Joel Riley is in from 9 AM to noon. Rush Limbaugh will remain in his slot from noon until 3 PM; John Corby will be on air an extra hour each day, from 3 to 7. Sean Hannity moves up on 610, from 7-10 nightly, followed by Mark Levin from 10 PM to midnight. Beck will be leaving Columbus airwaves due to contractual matters, but it is my hope that he will return to some area station. This is his second market loss in Ohio, after 1100 WTAM in Cleveland booted Beck in favor of Jerry Springer in 2004. Joel Riley seems to do a good job with his current show on 610, airing from 6-9 PM, so we will see how the show does in a primetime slot. I am not the biggest fan of Sean Hannity or Mark Levin, so having them on at night simply means I will not be tuning in.
Over at 1230 WTPG, the changes are more substantial, including a change in format and in call letters. Air America Radio will be dropped, and the station will become 1230 WYTS, instead. Laura Ingraham and Michael Savage are both being picked up for primetime spots, and one of my personal favorites, Jim Rome, will bring his sports program to the air in Columbus from noon to 3 PM. Dave Ramsey, who hosts a syndicated financial help show, will also be joining the lineup, as will syndicated hosts Quinn & Rose, who take over morning drive time on 1230. I do not like Air America, obviously, but I am not a big fan of either Ingraham or Savage. As conservative as I am, Michael Savage is too far gone for my liking, and Ingraham brings nothing original to the table (the same reason that I do not listen to Sean Hannity). Jim Rome and Dave Ramsey are both welcome additions for me, though, with Rome's show being exceptionally great. Liberals in Columbus are predictably up in arms, and there is talk of conspiracy, boycott, and other ridiculous action that will not materialize.
Over at 1230 WTPG, the changes are more substantial, including a change in format and in call letters. Air America Radio will be dropped, and the station will become 1230 WYTS, instead. Laura Ingraham and Michael Savage are both being picked up for primetime spots, and one of my personal favorites, Jim Rome, will bring his sports program to the air in Columbus from noon to 3 PM. Dave Ramsey, who hosts a syndicated financial help show, will also be joining the lineup, as will syndicated hosts Quinn & Rose, who take over morning drive time on 1230. I do not like Air America, obviously, but I am not a big fan of either Ingraham or Savage. As conservative as I am, Michael Savage is too far gone for my liking, and Ingraham brings nothing original to the table (the same reason that I do not listen to Sean Hannity). Jim Rome and Dave Ramsey are both welcome additions for me, though, with Rome's show being exceptionally great. Liberals in Columbus are predictably up in arms, and there is talk of conspiracy, boycott, and other ridiculous action that will not materialize.
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