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Abernathy Strategies
RepublicanGazette
Friday, March 7, 2008 "When news breaks, we fix it" Published daily except some days
Submissions welcome
The Republican Gazette welcomes Emails to the Editor and press releases. All submitted items must include the name and contact information for the author of the article, and all articles will only be published with the author's name included. Thank you for reading and participating in The Republican Gazette, another of West Virginia's most biased publications.
All opinions are those of The Republican Gazette and its editor, Gary Abernathy, except letters or commentary signed by others, and do not reflect the views of anyone else, including clients of Abernathy Strategies.
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Get well soon
Ever since suffering a fall at home several days ago, Sen. Robert C. Byrd has been in and out of the hospital, most recently for a bad reaction to anantibiotic. All West Virginians, regardless of party affiliation, recognize his long devotion to his state and his iconic status, and wish Senator Byrd a speedy recovery and a quick return to his duties.
State GOP holding winter meeting in SC March 15
The West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee will hold its annual winter meeting next Saturday, March 15, in South Charleston.The meeting will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the Ramada Inn.No official agenda has been released, but Chairman Doug McKinney will likely offer a report on the first ever Republican Presidential Convention. Also, financial reports and various other routine matters of party business are typically addressed. All Republicans are welcome to attend meetings of the state committee.Dems' version of prez convention coming right up
If you thought the GOP event was confusing, wait until you see what the Dems are doing; county caucuses start April 12
Despite some controversy, the West Virginia Republican Presidential Convention was deemed an overall success. But there were some complaints, including from Republicans claiming they were "disenfranchised" by the process. Curiously missing from the criticism leveled at the state GOP were any voices from leading members of the state Democrat Party. How odd.Maybe the reason the Dems bit their collective tongues is that Democrat leaders understood that if the GOP convention was seen as confusing or exclusive, it was positively simple and welcoming compared to what the Democrats have in store.The state Democrat Party is holding its own convention on June 13 at the Charleston Civic Center, but the fun gets underway in April. On April 12, Democrat caucuses will be held in each of the state's 55 counties, where delegates will be elected to the state convention. Delegates will be elected "with an equal number of male and females and consideration of 'status,'" whatever that means.Then comes the May 13 primary, but how much influence it has on the delegate selection process is murky, based on a document detailing the whole plan. How does the primary election come into play? Try this:"The Convention delegates and alternates selected at the district level by the delegates to the State Convention from the respective Congressional District shall be allocated in proportion to the percentage of the primary vote won in that district by each preference, except that preferences falling below a 15 percent threshold shall not be awarded any delegates or alternates."Got it? Good, then let's move on.The Dems have long employed a plan that divides its delegates equally among men and women, with minority representation also required. Here's what happens:"In order to ensure the district-level delegates are equally divided between men and women, delegate positions within each district will be designated by presidential preference beginning with the highest vote-getting presidential preference. This assignment of delegate positions, alternating by sex as mathematically practical, will continue with the next highest vote-getting preference in descending order until the general of each position has been assigned. The delegate positions shall be pre-designed so that the gender of the first position to be filled by the winning presidential candidate is female. Once the allocation of district delegates among presidential preference(s) has been calculated, the remaining delegate positions can be assigned to the presidential preference(s), in order of vote won, alternating by gender."
Simple enough.The plan also goes into detail about the so-called "super delegates," referred to as "PLEO" -- Pledged Party Leaders and Elected Officials. The Democrat delegate plan has enough hoops to qualify as an NBA franchise. At least the GOP plan, if studied long enough, could be understood by the average lay person. If anyone but an experienced attorney can make sense of the Democrat plan, they must have helped write it. RNC says McCain will keep U.S. safe, secure
RNC Chairman Robert M. “Mike” Duncan released the following statement this week:“On behalf of the Republican National Committee, I am proud to congratulate the Republican Party’s 2008 presumptive Presidential nominee, Senator John McCain. The spirit and courage Senator McCain has demonstrated is a testament to his strength of character. His ability to make tough decisions, fight for our Party’s principles, and keep America safe and secure are qualities voters are looking for in the next President. I am confident the RNC and Senator McCain’s campaign will work together in a close partnership to secure a Republican victory in November.”What others are saying:Former President George H.W. Bush: "The indisputable fact that unites the greatest number of Republicans, most independents and many good Democrats is the fact that no one is better prepared to lead our nation at these trying times than Senator John McCain.” General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S. Army (Ret.): “Senator John McCain has served our country with honor in war and in peace. He has demonstrated the type of courageous leadership our country sorely needs at this time. For that reason, he has my complete support.” Rudy Giuliani: “John McCain is the most qualified candidate to be the next commander-in-chief of the United States … He’s an American hero.” Former Congressman Jack Kemp: “John McCain is the only candidate who can be trusted to cut taxes, eliminate wasteful spending and enact conservative pro-growth policies to expand the economy. John McCain is the best choice to lead America to a more prosperous and secure future.” Former Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX): “Today we have an unnecessary budget deficit, the result of wanton waste and dishonesty. John McCain has been a lonely but clarion voice on this issue: ‘Bills that perpetuate wasteful spending should be vetoed. Not some of them, all of them. The numbers should shock us; indifference to them should shame us. This is not a concern he discovered when he decided to run for president. I first heard him say these things when we served together in the House many years ago." 
Republican presidential nominee John McCain meets with RNC chairman Mike Duncan in Washington on Wednesday.
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