Tancredo at CPAC

Here's an article from the Rocky Mountain News about Tom's (and other candidates) speeches yesterday at the CPAC conference in Wash, DC:

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5391507,00.html

South Carolina Republican Convention

by:

Wes Fowler

South  Carolina,  besides having the most beautiful countryside in the United States,  is also the first state in the South to hold their Presidential primary .  Candidates have been visiting the state very frequently.  For the month of April , Republican committees of  all of the counties are holding their county conventions.  They elect their delegates to the state convention at these meetings.  They also hold Presidential straw polls.  

    Clarendon County held their convention last Saturday,  and I was fortunate enough to be a guest.   Many Presidential candidates sent representatives on their behalf to speak about why the members should vote for their candidate in the straw poll.  I spoke on behalf of the "Draft Condoleezza Rice" movement.   I explained how Dr. Rice can be persuaded to run through a draft movement,  in the spirit of the "I Like Ike" and Goldwater drafts.   I also explained her positions on abortion and the Second Amendment.   I said that the movement is more powerful for democracy because individual citizens campaign for her and ultimately bring the candidacy to her. 

     In the end ,  here are the straw poll results:

        McCain 28%
        Gingrich 21%
        Rice 14.28%
        Romney 14.28%
        Thompson 14.28%
        Giuliani 7.14 %
        Brownback 0%
        Tancredo 0%
        Huckabee 0% 

        Isn't it interesting that three of the top six people have not announced that they are running ?
  This tells me that the party pool isn't closed yet.  There is still time for more candidates to declare they are running. 

   After the convention,  Mr. Bob Gibbons, the head of the Clarendon County GOP, and I went to the Dorchester County Republican Convention.   Once again,  they invited candidates' representatives to speak.  Mitt Romney's brother was one of the special guests.  I spoke in support of Dr. Rice, once again.  I was very happy with the delegates' responses.   Many people spoke to me after my speech saying they would support her if she ran.    People were interested in the concept of bringing the candidacy to the candidate, instead of the usual process of waiting for the candidate to declare they are running.

     I was very happy to visit both of these counties in South Carolina.   Conventions and gatherings like these are the very essence of democracy.  It's not all about flashy TV ads.  People discussing government,  electing delegates , and showing support for issues  in their local areas are how democracy is cultivated .   I never have felt more patriotic than when I was speaking in front of crowds of patriots this weekend.

    Thank you,  Clarendon County and Dorchester County Republican Parties  for your hospitality and service to our country.