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Mavdog · 01-28-2007, 12:46 PM

Hunter makes it official: He's a candidate

By Finlay Lewis
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
January 25, 2007

Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, best known for his advocacy on behalf of the military, launched a longshot bid for the presidency Thursday in this early voting state.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, hoping to become the first San Diegan to occupy the White House, became an official candidate for president Thursday morning with a forceful pledge to carry forward Ronald Reagan's policy of “peace through strength.”
Speaking at a breakfast rally in a ballroom filled with about 250 enthusiastic supporters, the Alpine Republican offered a staunchly conservative message that attacked unfair trade deals, warned about China's mounting military might and voiced support for President Bush's troop surge in Iraq. He also promised to toughen border security and pledged to appoint anti-abortion judges to the federal bench.

Hunter's announcement propels him into the 2008 race for the GOP nomination as an extreme underdog – one who registers only 1 percent in most polls.

With the campaign sorting itself into a top tier of two front runners, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain, with everybody else below, Hunter clearly begins his effort clinging to the bottom rung.

Hunter made an earlier announcement of his campaign intentions in October in San Diego. He billed his appearance Thursday in South Carolina as his formal announcement. South Carolina is an early primary state with a strongly conservative, protectionist, anti-abortion, pro-military tradition.

Presenting himself as a Vietnam combat veteran and as the son of one Marine and the father of another, Hunter, 58, cited his service on the House Armed Services Committee-including a four-year stint as chairman that ended three weeks ago – as having helped to reverse the policies of the Clinton Administration, which he blamed in part for the deterioration of the armed services.

He cited a short list of winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor for valor in combat and the estimated 600,000 Americans who died in 20th Century wars and then he declared, “Our obligation is to stay strong. That's what they want us to do.”

After listing security threats now being posed by North Korea, Iran and China, Hunter said, “We have lots of problems. We're going to have to work on those. We're going to have to look over the horizon.

“But, you know something? We can do it. We can do it with a policy of peace through strength. And, ladies and gentlemen, I want to lead that policy of peace through strength.”

Afterward, Roger Milliken, 91, a wealthy textile magnate, applauded Hunter, in particular his stance against trade agreements he and others have blamed for the loss of U.S. manufacturing and its factory jobs to lower-cost rivals overseas.

“What's happened is that we've lost three million manufacturing jobs over the last six years. That's a disaster,” said Milliken, a prominent bankroller of conservative Republican causes. “Nobody is worried about how we defend our manufacturing strength and our middle class–Duncan Hunter understands that.”

Hunter also won the support of Carole Wells, 63, a Spartanburg resident who recently left a position as South Carolina's Commissioner for Employment Security.

“I believe he carried my thoughts and how I feel about the situation,” said Wells, an unsuccessful candidate for Congress two years ago. “It's very important to be strong on immigration, and I'm pro-life. That's my two defining issues.”

Hunter mentioned his support for legislation to build a border fence along San Diego County's which that he credited with halting the “smuggling of hundreds of thousands of people” and of “tons of illegal narcotics,” Hunter mocked Washington bureaucrats he said are blocking efforts to fence off an additional 700 border miles in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

He said border security has now become a national security as well as an immigration issue and urged swifter action, saying, “Let's do it.

“We have just one message:. . . When you want to come to the United States, come knock on the front door, because the fence is gonna be up and the back door is gonna be closed.”

01-28-2007, 12:46 PM	#37
Mavdog Diamond Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 6,014	Hunter makes it official: He's a candidate By Finlay Lewis COPLEY NEWS SERVICE January 25, 2007 Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, best known for his advocacy on behalf of the military, launched a longshot bid for the presidency Thursday in this early voting state. SPARTANBURG, S.C. – U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, hoping to become the first San Diegan to occupy the White House, became an official candidate for president Thursday morning with a forceful pledge to carry forward Ronald Reagan's policy of “peace through strength.” Speaking at a breakfast rally in a ballroom filled with about 250 enthusiastic supporters, the Alpine Republican offered a staunchly conservative message that attacked unfair trade deals, warned about China's mounting military might and voiced support for President Bush's troop surge in Iraq. He also promised to toughen border security and pledged to appoint anti-abortion judges to the federal bench. Hunter's announcement propels him into the 2008 race for the GOP nomination as an extreme underdog – one who registers only 1 percent in most polls. With the campaign sorting itself into a top tier of two front runners, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain, with everybody else below, Hunter clearly begins his effort clinging to the bottom rung. Hunter made an earlier announcement of his campaign intentions in October in San Diego. He billed his appearance Thursday in South Carolina as his formal announcement. South Carolina is an early primary state with a strongly conservative, protectionist, anti-abortion, pro-military tradition. Presenting himself as a Vietnam combat veteran and as the son of one Marine and the father of another, Hunter, 58, cited his service on the House Armed Services Committee-including a four-year stint as chairman that ended three weeks ago – as having helped to reverse the policies of the Clinton Administration, which he blamed in part for the deterioration of the armed services. He cited a short list of winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor for valor in combat and the estimated 600,000 Americans who died in 20th Century wars and then he declared, “Our obligation is to stay strong. That's what they want us to do.” After listing security threats now being posed by North Korea, Iran and China, Hunter said, “We have lots of problems. We're going to have to work on those. We're going to have to look over the horizon. “But, you know something? We can do it. We can do it with a policy of peace through strength. And, ladies and gentlemen, I want to lead that policy of peace through strength.” Afterward, Roger Milliken, 91, a wealthy textile magnate, applauded Hunter, in particular his stance against trade agreements he and others have blamed for the loss of U.S. manufacturing and its factory jobs to lower-cost rivals overseas. “What's happened is that we've lost three million manufacturing jobs over the last six years. That's a disaster,” said Milliken, a prominent bankroller of conservative Republican causes. “Nobody is worried about how we defend our manufacturing strength and our middle class–Duncan Hunter understands that.” Hunter also won the support of Carole Wells, 63, a Spartanburg resident who recently left a position as South Carolina's Commissioner for Employment Security. “I believe he carried my thoughts and how I feel about the situation,” said Wells, an unsuccessful candidate for Congress two years ago. “It's very important to be strong on immigration, and I'm pro-life. That's my two defining issues.” Hunter mentioned his support for legislation to build a border fence along San Diego County's which that he credited with halting the “smuggling of hundreds of thousands of people” and of “tons of illegal narcotics,” Hunter mocked Washington bureaucrats he said are blocking efforts to fence off an additional 700 border miles in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. He said border security has now become a national security as well as an immigration issue and urged swifter action, saying, “Let's do it. “We have just one message:. . . When you want to come to the United States, come knock on the front door, because the fence is gonna be up and the back door is gonna be closed.”