ORGOP Chair Race Continued

Today on The Bill Post Radio Show we will be talking to Suzanne Gallagher as it is rumored (and in fact now confirmed via the ORGOP Central Committee email system) that she is running for ORGOP Chair and that she has a team in place with her.

This interview will be at 1:06 today at AM 1430 KYKN or online streaming at 1430 KYKN's website by clicking on the Listen Live button or on webcam at www.billpost.com
 

Art Robinson on ORGOP Chair Race

Today at 12:30 I will be interviewing Art Robinson on his candidacy for the Oregon Republican Party Chair.  There are a LOT of untruths and misinformation being spread around the state concerning Art and we will address those today.

Please tune in at AM 1430 KYKN or outside of the Mid-Valley at www.kykn.com just click on the Listen Live button or you can watch my webcam at www.billpost.com

Tomorrow I'll be interviewing Suzanne Gallagher at 1:06. 

Oregon GOP Needs a Strong Bench

I have come to the conclusion that the Oregon Republican Party needs to focus time and effort on building a strong bench.

As we have seen in recent months, ANY legislator's world could be changed literally overnight.  Whether it's a personal issue, health or perhaps running for a statewide or Federal office, every single legislator should have someone ready to go now!  Take for instance Bruce Starr running for Labor Commissioner.  When he wins, who's taking his place?  What if Bruce Hanna were to run successfully for governor.  Who's taking his place not only in his seat but in his leadership role?
Who should be on our "bench"?  People who are active in their communities.  Those who meet with mayors, commissioners, city councils, local leaders and business leaders.  Our current legislators should know who these people are and actively recruit them, invite them to the Capitol, take some time to help them.

We have some wonderful folks running for House seats around the state.  People like: Dan Mason, Dan Farrington, Manuel Castaneda, John Davis, Kathy LeCompte and others.  Some of them may win their races, some may not.  What I'd like to see is those who do not win, to stay in "the game" so to speak.  We need their leadership, expertise, their fundraising ability, their knowledge.  They've raised money, they've met the leaders in their communities and so much more.  We need them to step up and be party leaders.  That means county chair, district chair, PCP, all of them in need of new blood, new ideas, fresh faces and who better than these fine candidates?

I don't want them to just walk away and decide whether to run again in two years or not and then go back to business as usual.  Get involved more than they are now.  Be ready to step in should something happen to one of the seated State Representatives.  Be active in House politics.  Be active in the GOP in Oregon.  Help those who are in the House after the election.  Stay in the game!

I know I have missed some names, these were just on the top of my head.  I would like to see a strong bench built for the future of the Oregon GOP.  This also means the GOP in Oregon needs to take the time to work with these folks to build their name recognition, to help them see the future affect they can have on Oregon politics.  Invest in them.  Oregon's future needs strong leadership and these candidates are the future, win or lose this November.

My Top Ten Highlights from the RNC

What started as an attempt to write a daily story from the RNC in Tampa died on day three as I had NO idea that I would be getting about 2 hours of sleep each day and the vast amount of work it took to pull off a show each day.

So, I bring to you my Top Ten highlights from the RNC in Tampa.

Here I am safely past all security ready to go into the Forum

10 -  The 1.5 mile hike each day to get through all of the security checkpoints.  Downtown Tampa was a militarized zone and rightly so, as the Occupy dingbats evidently WERE there, we just didn't see them as they were kept a long ways away.  In fact my favorite quote from the newspaper in Tampa all week was the "leader" of the protestors on Wednesday saying "we're leaving, no one can see us".

Broadcasting live from the RNC in Tampa

9 - Doing a live radio broadcast from a National convention.  For me it was not only a thrill to be there but even more so to share it with my listeners.  We flew by the seat of our pants each day not knowing who would appear as guests or what our topics would be but it all turned out great I thought.  It was such an honor to be able to report on all that was happening.

The Romney/Ryan clans come out for the end

8 - Watching the balloon drop and the thrill of seeing our new candidates for President and Vice President and their wonderful families.  I especially loved the Romney grandkids chasing the balloons around.  It was a wonderful moment that I'll never forget.

Ok one more shot of the families

7 - Again, I guess I was struck by how special these two families are.  I was so overwhelmed with emotion and pride in my country and my political party, it was like being at the largest pep rally I'd ever been too!

 

John Bolton near my seat

6 - Meeting former Ambassador John Bolton.  Wow, what a great man and what a gentleman.  I was sitting alone in my row when I noticed over my right shoulder a man sit down, I nodded a hello at him. Then I looked again and saw that it was John Bolton!  Wow!  I didn't even know what to talk to him about and figured he was just watching the activities as I was so I left him alone until he got up to leave about an hour later and I HAD to get a picture.  He was very gracious and asked me quite a few questions about Oregon politics and we had a wonderful chat!

 

 The view of Clint Eastwood from my seat

5 -  It's hard to make this number 5 but seeing one of my lifelong hero's in person was top 5!  Clint was outstanding.  Right away I knew that he was doing top notch improv acting.  It was funny, it was smart and it was innovative.  I completely disagree with those who think he was lost or not sure what to say.  He knew exactly what he was doing and it was brilliant!  After waiting all week for the "mystery guest" and wondering who it was, when we got the news confirmed on Thursday morning I couldn't wait to get into the convention and get ready for the man!

 

 ORP Chairman Allen Allen on the delegation floor

4 - Watching Chairman Allen Alley work harder than I've ever seen anyone work, that no one knew about.  He is a tireless leader and was hard at it for over 10 days and this picture was taken at the end of the convention on Thursday and we call it our "victory" photo.  "Victory" over the folks who tried their best to ruin the party, both the Party and the party.  Allen represents Oregon well and I am proud to call him my friend.  (If you see him some time, ask him about the "lost car", he'll love it!)

 

 David Shuster of Current TV

3 - This one is a little weird and requires some background.  In July of 2011 I received this email:

 

Brother Bill,

 

I've been asked to come to NY and sit in for KO Friday night.  Any interest in being a guest?  I realize that you may have much more interesting/rewarding things to do at 8pm on a Friday night.  And perhaps you already have plans.  But if you are free, I'd love to have you on.   Wherever you are, I'll make sure the show finds a studio nearby.

 

I hope all is well with you... We need to send out an APB for Eric/Karl.  Ugh.

 

Shuster

 

Now I had thought this was pretty weird but I was more than happy to help an "old pal" out so I replied;

 

Hello David,

Sure, can you call me and we'll set it all up?

I'm never busy on Friday nights.

Let me know.

503-390-3014, I'll be here until about 3:30 PDT.

thanks

bill post

 

Well long story short is this: he thought he was writing Bill Press, the libtalker from the old Air America.  Since then I have made it a regular feature of our show to email David weekly and remind him to have me on his television show.  

SO, who do I see broadcasting every day next to me?  David Shuster.  It wasn't until he was done on Thursday that I was able to actually talk to him.  When I went up to him and said "hello David".  He looked up at me, looked at my badge (which read "Oregon Delegation Bill Post") and said "oh my gosh, it's BILL from Oregon!"  We had a wonderful chat and he told me that he really wanted me on that show with Keith Olbermann last year by Olbermann said "no way".  We have connected and it may be something we put together soon.  Here are our tweets to each other after meeting:

 

Bill Post ‏@bpradioshow

I just met and chatted with @DavidShuster a very nice man, and he knew right away who I was. David: thank you have your people call mine :-)

 

David Shuster ‏@DavidShuster

Hey Bill @bpradioshow, it was nice meeting you in person tonight. I look forward to some spirited yet fun radio stuff wtih you soon!

 

Col. Allen West

 

 2 - Meeting Col. Allen West.  We are both laughing because I told him I was the "only Conservative left in Oregon, any way you could move west and help us out?"  He laughed and said he doubted I was it.  I got his card and we hope to have him on the show soon.  He is a GREAT American and was very kind to everyone, allowing anyone who asked to have photos taken for hours!

 

Soon to be First Lady Ann Romney

 

1 -  The number one highlight, by far, for me was hearing Ann Romney.  I am telling you there wasn't a dry eye in the house.  She is wonderful.  Just plain wonderful.  You had to be there.

 

So I know this blog sounds like a star struck tourist but heck, that's what I was!  I had a lot of fun, did a lot of work, learned a ton but thought, "I am witnessing history" and that made it the best trip of my life! 

 

 

Ron Paul, Rand Paul, tea party and the ORP

The militant Ron Paul supporters, who challenged Russ Walker's position on the Convention Platform Committee, do not like the article below because this only further confirms Rand Paul, who is working with FreedomWorks, "can't be trusted because he sold out".

Paul strives for common ground with tea party

Oregon GOP: Purity Test? A Rebuttal

Oregon GOP: Purity Test?  A Rebuttal 

Via Portland area talk show host blog:
I only became a Republican after I switched over from my Dummocrat for a Day gambit in 2008 calling for R's to vote for Hillary Clinton and run out the Democrat primary a bit longer. Rush Limbaugh thinks he started it, but I was either first or tied with him. (whoa, never compare oneself with the king, Rush) I was an Independent before this. A conservative for sure, but a registered Independent. Had been for years. It was a hold over from my journalism days and I didn't see a need to change it. However after voting for Hillary Clinton as a joke I decided I would become a respectable R and by doing so embolden squishy Independents to declare themselves if for no other reason than to swell the voter registration numbers in Oregon.
But the internecine rivalries are getting wearisome. I'm weary of the Republican
Regulars dissing the Tea Party and the Ron Paulistas going after the Regulars when their candidate has declared he's out of the race...
After drumming out Matt Wingard for his womanizing ways and then blowing out the conservative, pro life woman who wanted to replace him with a male political neophyte, I'm more perplexed. This experienced pol was drummed out because she had at one time dated Matt Wingard. Someone inside the Republican Party made sure that made the news. All of sudden, the odds on favorite to win the right to run for Wingard's seat, Lindsay Berschauer, was buried by a guy only a few insiders in the party had ever heard of.
The jihad against Representative Julie Parrish is just getting warmed up. She was mentored by Wingard and groomed for leadership--you know, the way the party is supposed to work. But will this connection doom her aspirations for a legislative leadership post?
The able, competent, self-made businesswoman from West Linn was running alone for a leadership post before another newbie to the legislature Mike McLane from Bend jumped in. I wonder was he recruited by anti Wingard forces too?
Katie Eyre is in the cross hairs of the Republican Regulars, too. Will they drum her out because the State Representative knew Matt Wingard and replace her with someone who didn't know him?
Are they only going after women? If so, why?


Now, let ME answer these preposterous questions:

1)  The 40 or so PCP’s from House District 26 voted for John Davis, so if there is a “jihad” someone sure does know how to recruit a lot of “jihadists” quickly.  In all reality, it was the people of House District 26 who voted for the candidate, not a “cabal of anti-Wingards”.

2)  Bringing up the Rep. Parrish vs. Rep. McLane issue is problematic, at least from the perspective from above.  So now instead of focusing on getting rid of Ginny Burdick, Floyd Prozanski, Peter Courtney, Brian Clem, Kurt Schrader, Kate Brown, Brad Avakian and the rest of the lowdown life sucking Democrats, we’ve gone “woman vs. man” in our OWN party? 

    May I make something perfectly clear here: the election of the new Deputy House Leader will take ALL 30 members of the House GOP caucus.  So will there be a “jihadist” training session this week before the vote?

3) I know of a whole lot of House GOP members that "knew" Matt Wingard including Rep. Kim Thatcher (say, if Katie Eyre is in the “crosshairs”, I THINK Kim is a woman, so is she next?).  How come THEY aren’t mentioned as “victims of the jihad”?  Could it be that the reason a representative like Kim Thatcher is not mentioned is because she is a straight up, all around solid Conservative with a CAPITAL “C”?

This is EXACTLY what I was talking about on my program yesterday.  We have an element of “Progressives” in Portland (even admitting such as above) who are attempting to “take over” OUR Oregon Republican Party.  What has the writer above done for our party?  Run for PCP?  Knocked on doors for GOP candidates?  Volunteered to stand at a county fair booth?  Attend county meetings?  Done anything tangible to help get NEW GOP candidates elected?  Wait, I forgot, the writer is an "independent" former "Dummocrat".  Never mind. 
The common denominator I see here is that some folks would like to see a more progressive element to our party as well as seeing that "agendas" are more important than the long time platform and functions of our party.  This is both sad and tragic! 

UPDATE:
1 - With the "resignation" of Kevin Cameron as House Leader and the overwhelming election of Mike McLane as Deputy Leader, what is next?  Will the "Wingard cloud" continue to hang over the House GOP leadership?  Will Bruce Hanna come out and say anything about Wingard?  Will Dennis Richardson tell us how why it took 5 hours for the caucus to make these decisions?  What exactly is being held "over their heads" that no one is willing to speak about?  Strip club visits?  Underage drinking?  Certain GOP representatives seen "falling down drunk at parties?  CCO's being pushed by certain GOP leaders?  Expansion of the bottle bill by certain GOP leaders?  Yes I'd say PURITY is a good thing.
 
2 - After charges of John Davis sending/calling PCP's with "smears" of Lindsay Berschauer, I thought it interesting that I received an email from a PCP in HD26 today.  Remember, John Davis announced his campaign on June 25.  This email is dated June 26:

Now I don't believe that Lindsay herself had anything to do with sending this email out.  It was done on her behalf.  The garbage in this email is what I would clearly call "smear" tactics.  There is NOTHING that is true nor can be confirmed here.  There are some who are accusing (as the story above implies) me, the Lucas's and "others" of using "smear" tactics with the PCP's in HD 26.  Now with this email the question is: who's "smearing" whom?