PALIN: GOP'S JOAN OF AK

This Op-ed by GING-PAC chairman William J. Murray was first published by the Free Lance Star on 9/5/2009

GRASS ROOTS AWAKEN 'TEAM TO FIGHT FOR' St. Joan of AK rallies a disorganized GOP

September 5, 2008 12:21 am

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ST. PAUL, Minn.--

Before Ronald Reagan, Republican presidential campaigns were about two things: defense and lower taxes. The only grass roots workers the Grand Old Party had were military veterans. Almost all the funding for campaign advertising came from big American corporations, not individuals.

Because the party was about only defense and taxes, it was virtually impossible for it to control either the House or the Senate, so both remained for decades in Democratic hands. With enough national advertising paid for by Wall Street, the Republicans occasionally won the White House.

Then came Reagan with a coalition that included evangelicals and blue-collar pro-life Catholics. The Republican Party grew and grew, winning everything from judgeships in Texas and mayoral elections in Alabama to most governorships. Soon the GOP, with the help of the evangelicals and the pro-lifers, controlled almost two-thirds of all elected offices in the United States.

Unfortunately, control of Capitol Hill gave the GOP old guard and the K Street lobbyists a green light for corruption. After dumping reformer Newt Gingrich as House speaker, they installed one of their own, Dennis Hastert. He looked away from financial scandals and ignored sexual impropriety--even attempts at homosexual seduction of pages. In 2006, sex and financial scandals made a bleak election year even bleaker for the Republicans, and they lost control of both House and Senate.

It didn't help that President George W. Bush was distracted by a war going badly due to the poor advice of two Nixon-era Republicans--Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. Meanwhile, the big corporate types wanted evangelicals out of the party because their country-club cronies disdained the new emphasis on family values.

With the party teetering near the edge, Mitt Romney came on the national stage with his scorched-earth brand of politics. During the 2007-08 primary season, he attacked fellow Republican candidates with campaign mudslinging and dirty tricks, including the use of paid surrogates, at a level never seen before. Virtually every segment of the party was injured, and evangelicals and pro-lifers prepared to sit out the entire election year.

The Republican Party, already in steep decline, was left with a candidate, John McCain, so damaged by Romney that he was unable to raise funds to defend himself against the far-left moveon.org machine candidate, Barack Obama.

Then Gov. Sarah Palin entered the picture.

In August, the McCain campaign raised $16 million on the Internet. More than half came on a single day--the day McCain introduced Palin as his VP choice.

Palin brings in the support of hundreds of thousands of small donors and millions of campaign workers. She is a social conservative and a populist who does not tolerate corruption. Wall Street doesn't like her because she forced Big Oil to pay higher royalties for Alaskan oil, but people love her. In Alaska she has 80 percent approval.

The number of volunteers at McCain's regional offices has doubled since the announcement. Republican phone-bank workers who had not been heard from in years have showed up to help. The mood at the convention here changed from one of "we have to support this guy" to "we've got a winning team to fight for."

On the other side of the political spectrum, the Far Left is afraid of Palin because she is just like the average working mom in America. Her husband is a blue-collar oil worker, and her teenage kids get into trouble just like other moms' kids. She has one son in the Army headed to Iraq and a teen daughter who got pregnant before marriage. Those two kids alone bring millions of voters to the McCain-Palin camp.

Palin can also help the McCain ticket in a way nether Mike Huckabee nor Fred Thompson could: Romney and his surrogates had no opportunity to spend millions of dollars tarnishing her reputation during the primaries as he did theirs. The left-leaning media may try to do that job, but, again, Palin is too much the American mother to bash without a backlash.

With Palin the Republicans have a chance to stay in the White House for another four years, something that otherwise would be unthinkable with a president of the same party with only a 30 percent approval rating. Thus, the political party that has the image of the "white male party" may well be saved in 2008 by a female governor.

To boot, Palin can shoot a gun more accurately than Vice President Dick Cheney, or most other male members of the GOP.

The Sarah Palin Factor

(This is a small portion of an Op-ed that will appear in Newspapers on 9/5/2008)

Can Sarah Palin Fix the GOP?

In August the John McCain campaign raised $16 Million on the Internet. More than half of that was raised on one single day, the day that McCain introduced Gov. Sarah Palin as his VP choice. Mitt Romney had the help of some millionaire buddies who cared nothing about social issues, but Gov. Sarah Palin brings the support of hundreds of thousands of small donors and millions of campaign workers. She is a social conservative and a populist who does not tolerate corruption. Wall Street doesn’t like her because she forced Big Oil to pay higher royalties for Alaskan oil that is owned by the people of that state.

The far left is afraid of Gov. Palin because she is just like the average working mom in America. Her husband is a blue collar oil worker and her teenage kids get into trouble just like their kids. She has one son in the Army headed to Iraq and a teen daughter who got pregnant before marriage. Those two kids alone bring millions of voters to the McCain – Palin camp.

Sarah Palin can also help the McCain ticket in a way nether Mike Huckabee or Fred Thompson could: Mitt Romney and his surrogates had no opportunity to spend millions of dollars tarnishing her reputation during the primaries as he had others. The left leaning media may try to do the job for him, but again, she is too much the American mother to bash without a backlash.

With Gov. Sarah Palin the Republicans have a chance to stay in the White House for another four years, something that would be unthinkable with a President of the same party that has only a 30% approval rating. It appears that the political party which has the image of being the “white male party” may well be saved in 2008 by a female governor. And, she can shoot a gun more accurately than Vice President Dick Cheney or most other male members of the GOP.

Huckabee: Romeny wrong to approve same sex marriage

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee says that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Gov. Mitt Romney should not have complied with decisions by their state supreme courts that ordered legal recognition of same-sex marriages. Read more at CNS news!

Mike Huckabee Concedes With Honor

Everyone associated with Mike Huckabee’s campaign for the presidency, regardless of their association, was honored to be a part of the effort. In the twelve months or so that I have been involved to one degree or another I have never met anyone who regretted in anyway working with Mike Huckabee on his campaign. Some college age young people worked full time for more than a year for free, in various states. One attorney left his practice to work full time without pay, and on the night Mike Huckabee conceded he had no regrets.

Over the past year I have met with Governor Huckabee numerous times, including a meeting with him shortly before he conceded on the night of March 4^th. At no time did he show resentment or anger toward the other candidates. His positive attitude toward life and his love of God and country was evident to me in all that he did. Everyone that came in contact with Mike Huckabee was immediately struck by the honorable way in which he conducted himself at all times. My only regret is that I could not have dropped all that I was doing to work full time in his campaign.

During the campaign I was part of Team 100, the group of men who had promised to raise $100,000 each for the campaign. I actually fell short, raising just under $70,000. I regret that I was unable to raise twice or four times that amount. Mike Huckabee’s campaign was run with about 30 employees plus volunteers. Compare that to Hillary Clinton, who had hundreds of employees just in New Hampshire. Rudy Giuliani spent more than $40 million and won only one delegate. Mitt Romney spent nearly $90 million officially, for about as many delegates as Mike Huckabee won with about one tenth as much money spent. And Mitt Romney’s total does not include the millions of dollars he directed to third parties such as the Club for Growth to run a smear campaign against Gov. Huckabee.

If Mike Huckabee had won South Carolina he would have won the nomination; there is no doubt about that. He lost because those who should have been the most supportive of him abandoned their core beliefs to seek favor with those they thought would be in power. Most of America’s evangelical leaders supported a rich Mormon over a poor evangelical. They sought out the loud bandwagon leading the parade, instead of sticking with those committed to righteousness. Their support of Romney assured the victory of John McCain. There is now a wide disconnect between evangelical leaders and their grass roots. Most evangelicals in the pews were more interested in righteousness than their leaders were, and voted for Mike Huckabee. That could not have been more evident than in Texas where he received more than half a million votes, for 40%, despite the lack of support from men such as Rev. John Hagee who sold out to John McCain at the last minute to seek favor in a future White House. I have bad news for Rev. Hagee; all he did was to assist the Democrats in winning the White House.

John McCain’s mindset is still somewhere between the Nixon and Reagan administrations. He does not even think in this century. He won because of a bandwagon effect and there is no true enthusiasm for him within the party. As a Washington insider I can attest to the fact that there is a “this is the guy we are stuck with” attitude toward him.

I am writing this in Texas the day after Gov. Huckabee conceded the nomination. There is just no enthusiasm here for McCain either, not even among those who voted for him. In interviews many said they voted for McCain because he was “inevitable.” That is not the kind of support that can win an election in November. Twice as many were showing up at the polls to vote in the Democrat primary as in the Republican primary.

The outlook for November is bleak, unless ….

Unless John McCain looks at a map and realizes that that he needs to win not only the states, but the counties that Mike Huckabee won. Mike Huckabee could help John McCain carry southern states despite the huge black turnout there will be for Barack Obama. One way or another Obama will be on the Democrat ticket, either at the top or as the vice presidential nominee; that is inevitable. If McCain does as Senator Dole before him and picks a relatively unknown congressman as a running mate his fate will be the same as Bob Dole’s.

There is also the matter of temperament. John McCain is known throughout Washington, DC for his volatile temper. Having a more temperate running mate such as Mike Huckabee would help to relieve fears that he would be fast to the trigger in international disputes. Americans are not presently keen to any new armed conflicts. There is also the matter of age. McCain is twenty years older than Huckabee. Many have fears that he will not run again in 2012 at age 76, even if he wins in 2008. A young, strong conservative such as Mike Huckabee in the vice presidency would give people confidence of a continuum.

I see little hope for Republicans in November without Mike Huckabee on the Republican ticket with John McCain unless another running mate with all of Mike’s attributes can be found.

William J. Murray, Chairman

Religious Freedom Coalition

Related sites: http://www.gingpac.org/, http://www.blogger.com/www.youtube.com/gingpac http://www.rfcnet.org/

February, 2008 - Campaign Update

THE PRESIDENCY AND CONGRESS

MIKE HUCKABEE KEEPS ON GOING

TWO INCUMBENTS LOST IN MARYLAND

All of the pundits proclaim that Mike Huckabee does not have a chance and that he cannot “win” enough delegates to beat Senator John McCain. They point out that Mike has to get 120% of the remaining delegates to “win.” But there are two sides to every coin. While he may need 120% of the remaining delegates to win, he only needs 60% to stop McCain from winning. Everyone forgets that Mitt Romney and others have delegates as well, not just McCain and Huckabee.

Mike Huckabee has won more actual primary elections than any Republican other than John McCain. Mitt Romney did win more caucus states where he could use his vast wealth to bus in delegates, but that is why he dropped out of the race. Romney won only two actual primaries and he had an overall favorable rating of -24. (Yes, that is minus 24 points.) Most voters viewed him as contrived and phony. But, Mitt Romney spent over $100 million dollars sapping votes from Mike Huckabee. The real conservative, the real 21st century thinker is Mike Huckabee and that is why he outlasted the other candidates.

On Super Tuesday night I was at Mike Huckabee’s headquarters at the Clear Channel Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. When the first numbers came in from Georgia cheers went up from the crowd that had gathered. As time went by it became apparent that Mike Huckabee was going to win every state that he had the funds to campaign in. Even in states he was unable to visit he was receiving double digit support and claiming second place in others.

At about nine o’clock, individuals close to the campaign including myself were escorted onto the stage in preparation for a statement by Gov. Huckabee. When he came onto the stage the crowd went wild shouting “Mike is back, Mike is back.” It took some time before Mike Huckabee was able to settle down those gathered and make his statement.

In typical Huckabee fashion he said, “The media said it is a two man race and it is; they just got the wrong two men.” With that the crowd once again began to chant. In his usual manner Mike Huckabee was gracious not only to his opponents but to all those who had continued to believe in him even when the pundits and press had declared his campaign dead.

In my home state of Virginia, Mike Huckabee was 30 points behind one week before our primary and yet almost won, carrying more than half of all counties. In just three days of campaigning he closed the gap by 25 points. When people have the chance to hear Mike Huckabee, they wind up voting for him.

THE HOUSE

In the middle of the presidential primary people forget that there are other candidates on the ballot. In Maryland there were both Democrat and Republican primaries for Congress as well. And two incumbents lost their seats. Both were defeated because they had run afoul of the party’s activist base.

Reps. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) and Albert Wynn (D-MD) are from different parties. Neither had been involved in a scandal, and there had not been recent redistricting. Both lost because they were not ideologically in sync with their party’s base.

Congressman Gilchrest, the Republican, voted with Democrats more often than with his own party, and his constituents had enough. Groups such as the Club for Growth spent nearly $1 million to dump him. He did not vote with social conservatives and I am glad to see him go. Wynn, the Democrat, had the opposite problem, having sided with business more often than with his left-wing constituency. More goes on than just the presidential race, and GING-PAC will be involved

One of the upcoming races that is important to us is in Louisiana. Although the presidential primary is over, a special “snap” election is being held on March 8th to fill the seat of Congressman Bobby Jindal (R-LA) who was just sworn in as the Republican governor. The March 8th race is a party primary with a run-off on April 5th if no candidate gets more than 50%, and then there will be a final election between the Democrat and the Republican on May 3rd. All this, and the winner will have to run again in November!

Our candidate in the race is my old friend, former state legislator Woody Jenkins. Woody was cheated out of a US Senate seat by current Senator Mary Landrieu in an election in which van loads of Democrats went from polling place to polling place to vote over and over again using the names of the dead. The election was shamefully dishonest.

As a legislator Woody Jenkins authored more than 300 major bills including one to protect home schoolers and deregulate state control of private schools. He is a pro-life champion!

There are now 29 Republican congressmen who have either outright resigned or announced that they will not run for reelection this year. (This includes Bobby Jindal who resigned to become governor of Louisiana.) With that many incumbent Republicans leaving, we need as many good conservatives as we can find to fill the slots. Woody Jenkins will not be a McCain Republican; he is solidly one of us, a true social conservative who will fight for the Christian values this nation was founded on.

Slowly but surely, we are replacing “moderate” Republicans in Congress who do not vote with social conservatives and we are replacing them with men like Woody Jenkins. In December GING-PAC won two major victories in special congressional elections by helping to elect Rob Wittman in Virginia and Bob Latta in Ohio. I have mailed Woody a GING-PAC check and with your help GING-PAC can help him win and make it three special election victories in a row for us!

PLEASE HELP TODAY: Make a secure on-line contribution to GING-PAC to help us elect true social conservatives such as Woody Jenkins to Cobgress.

OUR NEW INTERNET SITE

Government Is Not God - PAC has a brand new state of the art Internet site. and we hope you are enjoying it! This update is also posted at www.gingpac.blogspot.com and comments can be left at the blogspot! My weekly legislative updates can be read at www.murrayonthehill.blogspot.com .

William J. Murray, Chairman

Huckabee's Super Tuesday Win

On Super Tuesday night I was at Mike Huckabee’s headquarters at the Clear Channel Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. When the first numbers came in from Georgia cheers went up from the crowd that had gathered. As time went by it became apparent that Mike Huckabee was going to win every state that he had the funds to campaign in. Even in states he was unable to visit he was receiving double digit support and claiming second place in others.

The news media had been streaming into Little Rock all day as exit polls showed a clear comeback for the man who had been dismissed by the media after a second place finish in South Carolina and falling to forth in Florida. All major outlets including Fox News had declared the Republican primaries a “two man race” between McCain and Romney. Meanwhile Mitt Romney continued his constant negative attacks on Mike Huckabee using surrogates such as Washington insider Paul Weyrich to declare that Huckabee was just “splitting the conservative vote” to allow McCain to win.

At about nine o’clock individuals close to the campaign including myself were escorted onto the stage in preparation for a statement by Gov. Huckabee. We he came onto the stage the crowd went wild shouting “Mike is back, Mike is back.” It took some time before Mike Huckabee was able to settle down those gathered and make his statement.

In typical Huckabee fashion he said, “The media said it is a two man race and it is, they just got the wrong two men.” With that the crowd once again began to chant. In his usual manner Mike Huckabee was gracious not only to his opponents but to all those who had continued to believe in him even when the pendants and press had declared his campaign dead.

There were more than 25 television cameras set up. So much press had showed up that a second press stand had to be set up on one side of the auditorium. The main press stand at the back had filled to overflow.

Mike stayed as long as he could after speaking to greet supporters before going to the area the campaign had set up for TV interviews. A special room had been set aside for those of us who were longtime supporters of his presidential campaign. We watched in amazement as the various networks that had declared his campaign dead and who had stopped sending reporters to cover his events interviewed him. CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CSPAN and even CBS ran long interviews with Mike who made it clear it was now him and McCain and that Romney, despite spending over 100 million had not done well. Romney had outspent Mike Huckabee by 15 to 1 buying off many Washington insiders.

I had talked to Mike Huckabee’s national campaign manager Ed Rollins the day before Super Tuesday. This is the ninth presidential campaign Ed Rollins has worked on including Ronald Reagan’s. Men who have trained under him include Lee Atwater and Karl Rove. He has seen just about every kind of conduct from candidates and he told me that Mike Huckabee treats everyone around him with kindness and respect.

Although Ed Rollins is a practicing Catholic I have never known him to be an outwardly spiritual man. Yet, it was a spiritual experience that brought him to the Huckabee campaign. At age 65 he asked for God’s direction in his life and was guided to Mike Huckabee’s campaign for president.

Very few of those who work on the campaign are paid. Attorneys give up their valuable time to take phones to listen to the problems of voters at polling places. CEO’s of corporations sit next to high school students working on phone banks to get out the vote. Virtually every yard sign for the Huckabee campaign has been printed at the expense of those who are passing them out. The Huckabee campaign has spent just $1.00 for every $15.00 spent by multi-millionaire Mitt Romney and the results in delegates is about the same.

In the last two months Government Is Not God – PAC has spent over $50,000 in support of Mike Huckabee. The night before Super Tuesday we paid for the calls to 187,000 pro-life households in Georgia asking them to turn out to vote for Mike. We did our part in the victory he had on Super Tuesday.

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED. We can do more, but we need your help now to replenish our funds. We need to help Mike in other primaries and we have other pro-life congressional candidates to help as well. Please give today at www.gingpac.org .

William J. Murray, Chairman

NOTE: Although I have personal relationships with Gov. Huckabee and membes of his staff there is no coordinated activity between GING-PAC and the Huchabee campaign. Any telephone, radio or print campaings by GING-PAC promoting the Huckabee campaign are not discussed in advance with anyone associated with Gov. Huckabee.

Huckabee in Florida

On January 26^th several Christian leaders including myself met with Governor Mike Huckabee in Orlando, Florida prior to a news conference. The private meeting in a small suite in a hotel was very casual in nature. Our group was praying together when Governor Huckabee arrived at the small meeting room. Although many politicians may have thought it unusual to find a group he was to meet with praying, he did not. He waited until our prayer ended and then greeted several of us, including me, by first name.

I don’t think anyone can meet with Mike Huckabee and walk away unchanged, even if they have met him before. He has an understanding of people that transcends that of Yale educated professional politicians such as Bill Clinton and George Bush. He talks with people, not at them, which is unusual for politicians in America today. There is a comfort level when meeting with this man that cannot be described; it must be experienced.

After the private meeting all of us, including Mike Huckabee, walked through the Rosen Plaza hotel to the conference room reserved for the noon press conference. The press was in place and set up with several video cameras pointed at the podium. I and three other national leaders stopped directly behind the podium and Mike Huckabee stepped to the back. When he was asked to stand next to the podium as we spoke he said, “I don’t want to stand in front of anyone.” He was, at the time standing in front of me and I said, “I’d rather have you stand in front of me than any man I know,” which got a good laugh from the rest of the group.

Each of the four of us, including Rick Scarborough of Vision America and Tom Glessner of National Institute of Family and Life Advocates gave our endorsements of Gov. Huckabee followed by John Stemberger, a leader of the pro-life movement in Florida. About twenty-five local Christian leaders stood behind us. The press conference was meant to display our support of Mike Huckabee in the heavily evangelical, conservative area along the Interstate 4 corridor. All of our endorsements including mine were about Mike Huckabee’s commitment to life and family. I also pointed up his commitment to Israel and the strong position he has taken against Islamic fascism.

Governor Huckabee was then awarded a “Champion of Life” award by one of Florida’s pro-life groups. After accepting that award the governor spoke for about 5 minutes and opened the session to questions from the press. The first question was about Mike’s health and had nothing to do with the content of the press conference.

Mike Huckabee is a marathon runner who is in better physical condition than 95% of all men his age in America. The first question from the press was, “How will your diabetes affect your presidency?” The governor never had diabetes, but back before he began running, back when he was very overweight, he was diagnosed as “pre-diabetic.” He explained, patiently, to the reported that he was not a diabetic.

Three of the original field of Republican contenders for the GOP presidential nomination, including John McCain and Rudy Giuliani, have battled cancer. Not a single member of the press to my knowledge has asked any of the three about their current situations with their cancer. This is an indication of the hostility of the press toward Mike Huckabee. While there I picked up a newspaper that referred to him only as a “former Baptist minister.” The fact that Governor Huckabee has more experience in the administrative branch of government that any candidate, either Democrat or Republican, is never mentioned.

The establishment, regardless of whether it is the media or the political sphere, is constantly on the attack against Mike Huckabee because they fear him. He represents what all establishments fear the most, and that is real change.

January, 2008 Campaign Update

THE PRESIDENCY AND THE SENATE

Right now our political action committee is focused only on the presidential race and a couple of the Senate seats held by social conservative allies. I will address the presidency first. Government Is Not God - PAC has officially endorsed Gov. Mike Huckabee for the presidency after taking a close look at all of the candidates. On the social issues Gov. Huckabee is 100% with us. His stand on Islamo-facism is also where it should be and the only arguments against him have been in the area of illegal immigration and taxes.

Some taxes did go up in Arkansas while he was governor and he has been viciously attacked for that by Wall Street groups including the Club for Growth, which accuses him of not being enough like Ronald Reagan. Oddly, in his first year as governor of California, Ronald Reagan raised taxes more than $1 billion! Unlike the federal government the States can’t just print money to pay bills; they actually have to balance their budgets. When Mike Huckabee took over from a Democrat governor who was charged with felonies, the state was broke and $200 million in the hole. When he left office last year the state had a surplus of $800 million. When he took over, the schools were ranked 48th in the nation and when he left they were rated at 8th place. Truckers magazine said that Arkansas roads were the worst in the nation when Huckabee came to office and by the time he left office, Arkansas had some of the best in the nation.Cutting taxes is a great idea, but having major bridges on our freeways collapse is not. There has to be balance. Taxes can’t be cut to the point that a state cannot repair its roads or pay its bills. (Photo above: Gov. Huckabee, William Murray, Gov. Beasley)

As for immigration: Gov. Mike Huckabee has always favored legal immigration to the United States including the use of temporary workers for agriculture. He has never favored amnesty for those that came to the United States illegally. Numerous establishment outlets, including the Wall Street Journal have said that he wanted to give in-state tuition to illegals. This is just flat not true. He proposed in-state tuition to the children of illegals only if the those children were in the United States legally and had graduated from Arkansas high schools. Oddly, the Wall Street Journal supports the John McCain proposal of amnesty to all illegals. The Wall Street types will do anything they can and tell any lie they can to stop Mike Huckabee from becoming the Republican nominee for president. Why?

Right now the Wall Street guys own the Republican Party and we are their workers. Every election we do the foot work for the ultra-rich, pro-gay, pro-abortion businessmen and then we get tossed a few bones in the form of legislation that virtually never actually passes.

If Huckabee wins the nomination he becomes the head of the Republican Party and heads start to roll. The leadership will be changed and social conservatives will become the influential leaders in the party, instead of the pro-business types who actually hate our guts and would get rid of us if they could. The writing is on the wall; their days are numbered if Mike Huckabee wins and they will do anything they can to stop him.

Meanwhile: As the chairman of GING-PAC I am doing what I can to help Mike Huckabee. I have done numerous radio shows in New Hampshire, Michigan, South Carolina and Florida in support of Mike Huckabee’s candidacy. I attended events in New Hampshire before the primary there and GING-PAC ran a half page ad in the program of the GOP’s “First in the Nation” Sunday brunch.

In South Carolina GING-PAC paid for nearly 200,000 automated calls to Republican voters the day before the primary. The calls last 30 seconds and were scheduled to run the day before the election:

Hello, Atheist Michael Newdow wants under God out of the Pledge to our flag and he hates Christian leaders like Gov. Mike Huckabee and me. If elected president Mike Huckabee will appoint the kind of judges who will stop atheist Newdow from destroying our nation’s heritage. How do I know? My atheist mother, Madalyn Murray O’Hair removed prayer from our schools using the courts. As a concerned Christian I support Mike Huckabee for president. My name is William J. Murray and I authorized and paid for this ad.

Just before the primary elections in New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina GING-PAC mailed tens of thousands of letters to social conservative activists telling them why GING-PAC supported Gov. Mike Huckabee.

AND: GING-PAC has financially supported the Huckabee campaign.

You can help support Mike by giving a contribution to him at:

www.MikeHuckabee.com

THE SENATE:

A good friend of the social conservative movement, Senator Jim Inhofe, is really going to come under attack in Oklahoma this year. Jim actually goes to Africa every year during the August recess to preach the Gospel. He leads the Senate Bible study and has always stood as a witness for the Lord on Capitol Hill. The radical left will try to replace him with a pro-abortion Democrat.

Already GING-PAC has given the Inhofe for Senate campaign several thousand dollars, but we could do more if we had the funds.

REAL HONESTY: in my last letter I asked people to send GING-PAC a gift and to also send a separate check made to Huckabee for President for us to pass along to him. I was stunned by the number of checks for $5.00 I received made out to Huckabee for President. We could not elect someone to the office of dog catcher for the funds we received last month. Political campaigns cost a huge amount of money, many millions of dollars. Senator Hillary Clinton has already spent more than $35 million running for president. The radical MoveOn.org has stated they will spend as much as it takes to defeat Senator Jim Inhofe. MoveOn.Org on average raises more money each week than GING-PAC raises each year .... Think about that when you are deciding the kind of check to send to GING-PAC this month. We desperately need some larger checks to be effective this year!

THE HOUSE:

Yet another long term incumbent Republican is leaving the House. Congressman Jerry Weller (R-IL) will retire at the end of this session of Congress after serving the Chicago suburbs for eight terms. Republicans have huge problems in the “land of Lincoln” and winning this seat will not be easy if a “moderate” wins the primary. There are a lot of good blue collar social conservatives in the district that would vote Democrat if the Republican is pro-abortion. There are now three open Republican seats in Illinois including the one being vacated by former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.

Please continue to help GING-PAC elect pro-life social conservative candidates such as Senator Jim Inhofe and Governor Mike Huckabee. Click here to help today . Thank you!

William J Murray, Chairman

Huckabee in New Hampshire

New Hampshire is an exciting place in the few days before the first presidential primary. The Sunday before the primary the New Hampshire Republican Party holds its “First in the Nation” presidential brunch at the Hampshire Hills athletic club in Milford. This sprawling athletic center has a gym that seats almost 1,000 and it was set up for 650 to 700 guests who waiting on presidential candidates and their surrogates.

My wife Nancy and I were the “First in the Nation” brunch representing the oldest social conservative political action committee in the nation, Government Is Not God. GING-PAC supports only pro-life social conservative candidates for federal office. This year GING-PAC was a sponsor of the brunch as was one of our arc enemies within the Republican Party, the Log Cabin Republicans. Their tables were pretty easy to spot as there were no women, but the men wore well coordinated wardrobes right of GQ Magazine. Oddly the organizers of the event place are table directly between the speaker’s podium and the Log Cabin table. The media, unable to escape the irony, took numerous photos of our table with the Log Cabin table in the foreground.

The event in this conservative state was upbeat and billed as a salute to Senator John Sununu, who is up for re-election this fall. The morning was upbeat right up to the point that Republican turned Libertarian, turned Republican again presidential candidate Ron Paul took the stage to beat up on America. Only Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter spoke while other presidential candidate sent representatives while they were conducting individual rallies for their respective campaigns.

Before the brunch began GING-PAC volunteers placed flyers in every chair announcing an endorsement of Gov. Mike Huckabee and denouncing the lies being told about his record as governor of Arkansas. GING-PAC also announced the endorsement of Gov. Huckabee at the event in a half page advertisement in the event program that was given to everyone in attendance. The activities of GING-PAC were completely independent of the Huckabee campaign as is required by law.

Early on Monday morning, the day before the primary Nancy and I were on the campaign trail with Mike Huckabee, not representing GING-PAC, but as individuals. We arrived at the Pakrer’s Maple Barn in Mason, NH a half hour early and managed to get the very last parking space in the overflow lot. The restaurant sat 200 people and more than 400 showed up. Rather than a two hour event the Huckabee team announced that the time would be split up for two seating’s and that the governor would speak twice. What a site! There were lots of young men and women many with babies in their arms. A couple of priests showed up and I am pretty sure they were not there to meet Mike Huckabee’s special guest, Chuck Norris.

Gov. Huckabee spoke a message to the people that received thunderous applause and the enthusiasm for him was just incredible. He promised a surprise on election night and from the size of the crowds he is getting and their enthusiasm one has to believe it. Some FOX News and other media outlets have reported that Mike Huckabee had dropped his pro-life, pro-family message. That simply is not true. Washington insiders have said Huckabee can’t do well in New Hampshire because it is too secular. They just don’t know or understand the people of the Granit state who have been overwhelming supportive of him. The momentum is on Huckabee’s side.

Although this venue was very crowded and Mike’s schedule hectic, I decided to try to briefly talk with him between the first and second events. His New Hampshire campaign managers, who I know, ask me to wait for him at an area set aside for the press. I was flat stunned by the number of the press corps that he had one over. One reporter who had covered him on a hunting trip went into great detail to tell me what a great shot Mike was. Another reporter was busy telling a new man on the beat what a great guy Mike was and how easy he was to talk to. In my fifteen minutes there waiting for Mike to finish up a TV interview I did not hear a single negative word from the press.

More than twenty years ago I spoke at a church in Arkansas. The young preacher there told me he was leaving the ministry for politics fight for the rights of the unborn. He looked me square in the eyes and told me that is what he believed God wanted him to do. I thought he was nuts and was very sure that a Baptist preacher just could not get elected to anything. Some years later I spoke at a Lincoln Day breakfast in Arkansas. I was the key note speaker and the guest of honor was First Lady Janet Huckabee.

As Mike walked out the door from his interview his face lit up and he said, “Bill” and through his arms around me. “Brother, Am I glad to see you up here, we need all the help we can get.” I told him I was doing what I could independently and we talked briefly about South Carolina. I didn’t try to detain him on his busy schedule and he thanked me and then that big broad smile turned to a five month old that he took into his arms. As his wife Janet followed him she leaned over to me and said, “Nice half page ad.”

What is the Huckabee magic? They are ordinary American folks from ordinary homes who understand ordinary Americans just like me. Like so many others I work 50 and 60 hour weeks to do what I believe in and to support my family. I work hard to pay a greater share of my income in taxes than Bill Gates. It goes beyond faith and beyond the abortion issue. Mike Huckabee will change the tax code so productivity is not taxed and spend our money so that the roads are fixed instead of tax dollars going to corporate welfare. Mike understands America, not from the Bush and Clinton Ivy League level, but from the blood, sweat and tears level. American needs Mike.

A GREAT SITE TO VISIT: http://www.hucksarmy.com/

GING-PAC Sponsors New Hampshire Event

Government Is Not God – PAC will co-sponsor the New Hampshire Republican Party’s “First in the Nation” Presidential Brunch in New Hampshire. The brunch will be held Sunday, January 6^th just two days before the first presidential primary of the political season.

GING-PAC will run a half page ad in the program of the “First in the Nation” brunch as a co-sponsor. In that half page ad GING-PAC endorsing Governor Mike Huckabee for president. GING-PAC has already contributed thousands of dollars to Governor Huckabee’s campaign. Our half page ad also points out that GING-PAC is the oldest purely social conservative political action committee. The very presence of the GING-PAC chairman, William J. Murray, at this event as a co-sponsor indicates the real influence of social conservatives in the Republican Party.

The “First in the Nation” brunch is a major press event which occurs the weekend that the national media representatives arrive in New Hampshire to cover the primary which is held on Tuesday. Government Is Not God – PAC will have an influence on the news coverage and at least some effect on the outcome of the election with our endorsement of Governor Mike Huckabee.

The “First in the Nation” Presidential Brunch will be held at Hampshire Hills in Milford, NH on Sunday the 6^th between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Media calls are welcome at 202.554.2358.

PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDERS CHRISTMAS ADS

Huckabee's bookcase cross versus McCain's cross drawn in the dirt

After the now famous (or infamous if you are a liberal) Christmas TV ad by Gov Mike Huckabee several other contenders for the White House including Hillary Clinton released their versions as well. Below are some of the most interesting. Note that Hillary Clinton is the only one promising to hand out gifts. Although John McCain featured a cross in his TV ad the liberal media has not mentioned it while beating up on Mike Huckabee for having a bookcase behind him "shaped" as a cross.

Mike Huckabee - What is really important
Barack Obama - Merry Christmas
Rudy Giuliani - Happy Holiday
Hillary Clinton - Presents
John McCain - My Christmas Story
John Edwards -Seasons

THE SENATE BATTLE OVER JUDGES AND THE HUCKABEE FACTOR

By William J. Murray - Washington, DC

Even before controlling the Senate a battle was waged by Democrats to slow down or stop the confirmation of Circuit Court and District judges appointed by President George W. Bush. Since taking control in 2007, Democrat Senate Majority Leader Reid has brought the judicial confirmation process to almost a full stop. In 2007 only six Circuit Court judges were confirmed. Reid, who is a Mormon, has oddly set up religious tests for the judges. Judicial appointees from the south, particularly Baptists and Catholics from anywhere who have publicly spoken of their faith have been obstructed by Reid and his allies. The core issue for Reid and the Democrats is abortion and their own allegiance to the abortion industry.

Judicial confirmations have come to a virtual stop as Democrats who control the Senate await the arrival of a socially liberal President in 2009 who would appoint judges who are pro-abortion to vacancies in District and Circuit Court levels. There is a strong belief among liberal Senators that even if Hillary Clinton did not win the White House that another pro-abortionist, Rudy Giuliani, would. Even Mitt Romney, who as governor appointed mostly social liberal judges, would offer acceptable judicial appointments to the Senate Democrat leadership.

Then came Huckabee.

To the horror of Senator Harry Reid and the liberal establishment Governor Mike Huckabee has risen to the top of the Republican field and has favorable ratings among all voters that exceed those of Senator Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. He also has an impeccable record as a three term governor of appointing socially conservative judges who stick to the Constitution, not international law. He has stood by and fought for Bush’s conservative judicial nominees from Arkansas including Leon Holmes whom Democrat Senators blocked for years.

Mike Huckabee has been unwavering in his pro-life stance, unlike the other top GOP contenders, including Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani. Huckabee understands that abortion is the defining social policy issue in America today while the rest of the GOP field does not. While it took 30 years in the Republican Party for Mitt Romney to discover that an unborn child is a human being, Mike Huckabee has always had that understanding.

Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will appoint liberal judges who will pay no attention to the Constitution as they move to change America to their liberal internationalist view. Clinton or Obama appointees would no doubt forbid us from mentioning the name of Christ in public as can be seen by their outrage that Mike Huckabee would mention His name in a TV ad for Christmas. States would be forced to accept gay marriage and homeschooling would be found unlawful nationally as a judge has already done in Utah. Courts would probably force religious schools to hire homosexual gym teachers, teach evolution as fact and pass out condoms. Those same kinds of judges could be appointed by a socially liberal Republican president.

The next president of the United States will turn the Supreme Court either to the far left or maintain it as an institution that upholds the Constitution and individual liberty. The same holds true for important Circuit Court vacancies. The only logical choice for social conservative voters in the Republican Party is a candidate with a proven record of appointing and fighting for judges who are strict Constitutional constructionists. For now, many social conservatives believe the only viable candidate who meets those criteria is Governor Mike Huckabee.

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William J. Murray is the chairman of the Religious Freedom Coalition in Washington, DC and nationally know author. His latest book is The Pledge: One Nation Under God.

Media contact: 202.742.8990 *** Internet: www.murrayonthehill.blogspot.com

Campaign Update 2008 – December, 2007 Edition

Editor: William J. Murray

OUR CANDIDATES WIN TWO HOUSE SEATS WITTMAN WINS IN VIRGINIA, LATTA WINS IN OHIO

In the November Campaign Update I told you that I had attended receptions for Bob Latta (R-OH) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) here in Washington, DC and had personally handed both men checks to help with their campaigns. In both races special elections were set for December 11th of this year.

Both of these elections were important and we won both of them. These were not just Republican victories, these were victories for the social conservative movement. Both Bob Latta and Rob Wittman are solid pro-life social conservatives.

VIRGINIA

Rob Wittman a longtime officeholder in eastern Virginia, but a brand new first term member House of Delegates, had 61 percent to defeat Democrat Philip Forgit, an Iraq war veteran and former teacher who took 37 percent. Independent Lucky Narain, a member of the Army Reserves, took just 2 percent. Wittman managed to receive a greater percentage of the vote in Virginia’s 1st congressional district than did President George W. Bush in the last election.

Rob Wittman puts Jesus Christ first in his life and is not ashamed to tell people that. As for his pro-life stance he has publicly stated numerous times that he believes life begins at fertilization. He is a Boy Scout leader and has headed a men’s Christian organization where he lives. A graduate of Virginia Tech, he also holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and is an expert on the Chesapeake Bay. He will be a great asset to the conservative cause. (At left Rob Wittman and William J. Murray in Washington, DC)

I live in Rob Wittman’s district. He replaces a dear friend of mine, JoAnn Davis, who died after a two year battle with breast cancer this year. We will all miss JoAnn in Washington.

OHIO

The Democrats thought they were on a roll and actually believed they could win Ohio’s 5th district after the death of Congressman Paul Gillmor. They did not count on strong pro-life candidate Bob Latta who was a member of the Ohio legislature. (See other side for more)

Bob’s father, Del Latta, had held this 5th district seat for 30 years until 1988. After he stepped down Gillmor was elected for three terms before he died in a tragic fall in his home in Arlington, Virginia this year. Bob Latta received 57% of the vote running against Democrat Robin Weirauch. This was her third try at the seat. She had been beaten twice by Paul Gillmor. Although I had never worked with Del Latta, it is my understanding from those who did that his son Bob leans much more to the social conservative cause. Like Wittman in Virginia, Latta believes that life begins at fertilization.

DOES IT MATTER?

Do these two off year victories matter that much? YES! The Democrats poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Ohio race trying to elect another pro-abortion candidate to help radical San Francisco liberal Nancy Pelosi redirect America to the far left. The radical Democrats financed by billionaires like George Soros believed the American people want a socialist America. Perhaps they should have read some polls. The Gallup organization’s recent poll found that only 20% approve of the job Nancy Pelosi’s Democrat Congress is doing. Why would the people want to add more Democrats? From the votes in Ohio and Virginia it is obvious that they don’t.

THE RESULTS

Just this week I attended an event put on by the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List here in Washington. That organization specializes in helping elect pro-life women. Just 20 years ago there was just one pro-life woman in Congress, now there are 13. (There were 14 before JoAnn Davis died this year.) Attending that event were many congressmen that GING-PAC helped to elect.

Over the past few months I have been pessimistic about the chances of the Republicans taking back the House in the next election. I am beginning to change my mind. Despite the unpopular war in Iraq, the people are beginning to see what they got out of handing control of the House and Senate over to the radical left. The favorability numbers just keep going down for the Democrat Congress and many of their newly elected Members are already in trouble back in their home districts. We have an opportunity next November to elect pro-life, social conservative candidates to as many as 20 seats held by Democrats.

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

HUCK AND HILLARY

In an earlier update I said that if everyone who said, “I’d vote for Huckabee if I thought he could win,” would actually vote for Huckabee, he would win. Suddenly all those folks started to talk to each other and realized that was true. Huckabee is now number one in Iowa, South Carolina and several other states, and he is closing in nationally on Rudy Giuliani. One poll has him in a statistical tie for first place.

Why is Mike Huckabee’s message resonating? He didn’t have any money, his campaign was run on a shoe string budget, and he didn’t have any consultants to tell him what to say. Huckabee just answers the questions that are asked the best be can based on what he believes, and the people seem to like that.

Meanwhile Hillary Clinton is sinking in the polls. The more voters get to know her the less they like her. There is a chance she may not win in Iowa or New Hampshire. Barack Obama has Oprah on his side, but that is not going to win him the nomination. He has no executive experience and is a first term Senator. I am beginning to think there will be a dark horse getting the Democrat nomination, perhaps someone who is not even running yet.

HELP ELECT SOCIAL CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES

Conservative political action committees such as Government Is Not God need to have a major war chest available for the elections in 2008. We cannot participate and help elect godly social conservative candidates without funds. As of today our PAC has less than $20,000 on hand and we need at least ten times that to be able to affect the outcome of House elections next year. The first 2008 primary is just one month away!

If we are going to have an impact and put real conservatives in the House and Senate, men and women such as yourself must get involved.

PASS THE WORD

Please tell others about Government Is Not God - PAC. You can help by directing your friends and associates to our Internet site at www.gingpac.org. Online contributions can be made at our Internet site!

Click here to give a gift to Government Is Not God – PAC today and please, if you can, send another gift to help next month.

William J. Murray, Chairman
Government Is Not God- PAC
PO Box 77237
Washington, DC 20013
WWW.GINGPAC.ORG

Campaign Update 2008 - November, 2007 Edition

REALLY STRANGE PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENTS

Rev. Pat Robertson has endorsed pro-abortion, pro-gay presidential candidate Mayor Giuliani. Mayor Giuliani stands at the opposite end of everything Pat Robertson has claimed to work for all of his life. This strange endorsement has caused immediate problems inside the Christian Right. Randal Terry of Operation Rescue said, "I am literally sick to my stomach over Dr. Robertson's decision.” Reverend Wiley Drake, a former Second Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention, called upon his church and all Christians to boycott CBN and the 700 Club as a result of Robertson’s endorsement of Giuliani.

The next strangest development after Robertson’s backing of Giuliani is the National Right to Life Committee’s endorsement of Fred Thompson. As a politician, Fred Thompson never received a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee. On the other hand presidential candidates Rep. Duncan Hunter, Rep. Tom Tancredo, Senator Sam Brownback and Governor Mike Huckabee all have had 100% pro-life ratings. I believe the highest Senator Thompson ever achieved was 88% and it was far lower at times. Just prior to the National Right to Life Committee’s endorsement, conservative columnist Robert Novak had this to say about Senator Thompson:

“Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) may have seriously wounded himself with his handling of the abortion issue on Sunday's "Meet the Press." Thompson unequivocally stated he opposed a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution, which is a plank in the Republican platform. Without prompting, he then attacked the idea of "criminalizing" abortion and locking up mothers who procure abortions -- images that are used as scare tactics by the pro-choice lobby. Throughout the long discussion of the topic, Thompson was incoherent at best and thoroughly objectionable to his party's pro-life base at worst. He backed away from his firm opposition to the platform, but he never quite set himself right on the whole issue.” (Nov. 07,2007)

Another pro-life leader, Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation then endorsed former liberal (now conservative) Governor Mitt Romney. When running for Governor of Massachusetts, Romney campaigned as “pro-choice,” pro-gay rights and anti-gun. In office he continued to promote the “pro-choice” and pro-gay agendas. Now running for President, he says he has had a change of heart and that he is anti-abortion and against gay-marriage. Another of Romney’s supporters is Rev. Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition which fights against homosexual marriage. In the past Lou Sheldon has been critical of governors such as Romney who seemed to have pro-gay agendas.

THE QUESTION

Why is the social conservative movement in the United States committing suicide? The answer is power politics. Evangelical conservative leaders are backing candidates they think will win rather than those who have been consistent social conservatives with 100% pro-life records. Many other endorsements I will not mention here have surprised me, but all seem to have one theme: “We need someone who can beat Hillary.” The assumption is that the GOP must choose a “centrist” presidential candidate or Hillary will win. The logic goes, “We need a New York liberal to beat their New York liberal.” By that logic Ronald Reagan would not have gotten the GOP presidential nomination. Reagan was too conservative to be electable by the National Right to Life Committee standards and those of many other social conservative leaders today.

Meanwhile the rank and file members of social conservative organizations are being turned off by their leadership. While National Right to Life has endorsed Fred Thompson, his numbers continue to fall in Iowa and New Hampshire while those of Governor Mike Huckabee continue to rise. Huckabee is now in a solid 2nd place in Iowa behind Governor Mitt Romney who has spent $21 million in that state alone. Huckabee has spent just $500,000 there and he has such momentum that he may well take first place on election day. Thompson is in fourth place in Iowa and fifth place in New Hampshire where Huckabee recently passed him. The national polls don’t matter at all because most of those folks will actually never vote in a primary.

THE RESULT

Regardless of who wins the GOP nomination the social conservative movement, and particularly evangelical leaders, lose. In an attempt to gain influence by backing pro-abortion and pro-gay candidates, evangelical leaders are losing their credibility. Had these leaders backed 100% pro-life social conservatives such as Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Sam Brownback or Tom Tancredo, their integrity would have remained intact and their word trusted when it counts next year. Unfortunately the desire of some evangelical leaders to walk with the seemingly powerful rather than with the righteous will discourage their base. In my opinion this loss of credibility of “religious right” leaders will actually boost the odds of a Hillery victory.

OTHER RACES - SPECIAL ELECTIONS

SPECIAL ELECTIONS

This week I attended receptions for Bob Latta (R-OH) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) who are running for vacant seats in the House. Rob Wittman received the GOP nod at a state convention for a special election on December 11th to fill the seat vacated by the death of my good friend, Jo Ann Davis. On that same date Mr. Latta faces Democrat Robin Weirauch. A member of the Ohio House of Representatives, Latta has a 100% voting record with Ohio Right to Life and an A+ rating with the NRA. In the Virginia race Rob Wittman is new to politics but has voted 100% pro-life in the House of Delegates so far. It is VERY important that these two men win in December. We cannot afford even one more House member who votes under the MoveOn.org banner of far left politics.

I have personally handed both Bob Latta and Rob Wittman checks for $500.00 each. If we can raise further funds this month GING-PAC is allowed by law to give each of these candidates another $4,500. Please send your contribution to help these men today!

LATE AGAIN

I apologize for not releasing an October update. During October my duties as Chairman of the Religious Freedom Coalition took me to Jordan and Lebanon for a fact finding mission on the conditions of Iraqi Christian refugees. More information on the fact finding mission is available at www.ChristianRefugees.blogspot.com. GING-PAC is an all volunteer organization and as a result some things just get done late. Sorry!

Help us elect social conservative candidates ... Give now!

William J. Murray, Chairman

Government Is Not God - PAC

PO Box 77237, Washington, DC 20013