August 15, 1999
Statement from U.S. Senator John McCain
STRAW POLL IS POLITICS AS USUAL--
TAKEN TO THE EXTREME
"I chose not to participate in the Ames straw poll for the same
reason
that I have chosen not to participate in any party straw polls during
this
campaign: because I don't believe it's right to ask my supporters to
pay
money to express their support for my candidacy.
"If we learned anything from Ames, it is that there is absolutely
no
connection between the absurd amount of money spent by the candidates
there
and the election of even a single delegate. This is nothing more
than politics as usual--taken to the extreme.
"I am concerned about the straw poll's impact on the Iowa caucuses
themselves,
that the extraordinary influence of big money that has polluted the
straw
poll could have a similar effect on the caucuses. If we wonder
why
young people have become so disenchanted with politics, when we try to
understand what has fostered their incredible sense of cynicism toward
public service, we need look no further that the spectacle that these
events
have become.
"Once the dust has settled from the straw poll, I will review the
new
political landscape with my supporters and consult with many trusted
advisors
across the country to decide how and where to direct my campaign.
But at this point, I believe that I will focus my attention primarily
on
states like New Hampshire, South Carolina, Arizona, Michigan, Virginia,
Washington and California, states where my message of reform will most
dramatically impact the voters.
"Now that the straw poll is behind us, I look forward to engaging
the
other Republican candidates in the contest of ideas and experience that
will ultimately decide our party's nomination."
Interest Groups
 |
 |
 |
Photo
courtesy
of Citizens for Long Term Care. |
| Members
of an
unidentified group rallied in support of the fight against cancer. |
|
Various interest groups took advantage of the
media
attention surrounding the straw poll to get out their messages.
-
Iowans for Sensible Priorities, a group which seeks to
trim the
Pentagon budget, had its bus and giant "U Slice the Pie" inflatables in
the parking lot at Ames.
-
The National Retail Sales Tax Alliance had a real hot air
balloon
moored behind the Coliseum. Some straw poll participants may not
have noticed the red, white and blue balloon, emblazoned with "National
Retail Sales Tax" on its side, as it was kind of out of the way of the
major center of activity.
-
Citizens for Long Term Care, an organization which seeks
to focus
attention on the issue of long term care financing, had about thirty
people
in Ames. Members of the group, wearing their Citizens for Long
Term
Care T-shirts, were able to talk with Bush, Dole, Alexander, Quayle and
Bauer. ABC's nightly news showed a clip of the interaction with
Alexander.
The group also hired a plane to fly a banner over the Ames site for two
hours.
-
Hundreds of Iowa Teamsters travelled to Ames accompanied
by
six tractor trailer trucks in an effort to focus attention on trade
issues
and NAFTA. The rally of four to six hundred Teamsters marked the
union's (International Brotherhood of Teamsters-IBT) first official
participation
in a major Republican event since 1992. Teamsters are
particularly
concerned about a provision of NAFTA that will open the U.S.-Mexican
border
to Mexican owned and operated trucks starting on January 1, 2000.
Will Ewart, president of the Iowa Conference of Teamsters, and Les
Singer,
IBT central region international vice president, spoke to the
group.
The presidential candidates were invited and Orrin Hatch and Pat
Buchanan
put in appearances; Buchanan in particular received an enthusiastic
reception.
-
Catholic Vote spokesman Larry Cirignano was on the ground
in Iowa
for the straw poll. He put in an appearance at the Iowa State
Fair
parade, and manned one of the tables in the Coliseum at Ames.
Catholic
Vote is a project of the Catholic Alliance.
-
Just before the straw poll, a group of 15 organizations,
such
as the American Family Association and Concerned Women
for
America, unveiled a presidential candidate pledge outlining stands
against homosexuality. The pledge ran in a full page ad in the
August
13 Des Moines Register. Bauer, Buchanan, Forbes, Hatch,
Keyes
and Quayle signed the pledge.
-
Human Rights Campaign released a report "Y2K Presidential
Candidates
& Gay and Lesbian Equality" in a press conference in Des Moines on
Aug. 13.
Democrats
The Iowa Democratic Party had a fairly low-key presence at
Ames.
A "George Bush money machine"--a person in a sandwich board wearing a
cowboy
hat and carrying a bucket full of play money--walked around and gained
some media attention. IDP chair Rob Tully and Polk County
Democratic
chair Tom Henderson were also on hand.
Seeking to benefit from the vast media coverage surrounding the
Ames
straw poll, both Democratic presidential candidates made trips to Iowa
in the days before the event.
|
"...one
of them will be our champion, the champion of America to defeat Al
Gore." |
Thank you Dee. We have been joined today by so many
celebrities;
I had originally intended to introduce some of the governors and
Senators
and congressmen and great leaders of our party, but there are so many
that
it would take up an awful lot of our time and they're all being
interviewed;
they've been out in the tents and you've had a chance to see them.
During my brief remarks to the campaigns that have been good
enough
to come to Ames and participate, I'll make a few comments directed at
them.
First of all to the campaigns and to the candidates, thank you
very
much for coming.
To the thousands of Iowans who have come, thank you.
To over 600 members of the press, thank you also.
And to the American people who have given us their attention,
thank
you.
I'm often asked how can someone win here in Iowa.
First, Iowans like straight talk, not gibberish. They'll
respond
to a leader [applause] who like Chuck Grassley deals with them in
a genuine, personal manner. No pretence. Smart,
hard-working,
above all trustworthy and honest, with a sound moral compass.
Someone
that children look up to with pride; a role model.
Second, thousands of Iowans have told me they want someone who can
deliver
the Republican message, a focused, forceful Republican message; a
message
with the power of the national anthem that you just heard from Mary
Heberlin
[phon]. More about that in a moment.
Third, Iowa Republicans say to the candidates, don't waste our
time
and your message attacking other Republicans. [applause] If you
simply
organize us in a circle and give the order to shoot we will all be
wounded
and you'll only benefit Alger [Al Gore].
Fourth, Iowans want a leader who can assemble a winning team of
freedom-loving
Americans like Ronald Reagan did--Republicans, hard-working
conservative
Democrats, persons beyond the two parties--all welcome.
Fifth, Iowa Republicans will support the person they really and
honestly
visualize with pride at Philadelphia accepting the nomination and
standing
at the Capitol taking the oath of office as president of the United
States.
And a last word about message. We all know our creed of
freedom,
liberty, individual responsibility, respect for work, respect for life,
free enterprise and the values of our founders.
Republicans believe that the people have the primary claim on
their
own earnings and that government consumes those earnings.
Democrats
believe government has the primary claim on earnings, and that's why
they
say reducing the tax burden costs government. Republicans respect
your work.
Republicans are a little bit annoyed that many of our
leaders
seem unable to agree on and coordinate the message to project that
creed.
We're growing weary of hearing about the power of the media and the big
bad wolf Clinton. We control only us. We will never control
the Democrats, and should not control the press. We've got to be
better than Clinton. [applause]
We have a glorious and uplifting message and we must find
ways
of delivering it. That's our job and no one will do it for
us.
We place great responsibility and great hope in our eventual
presidential
candidate to bring focus and project message to America. It's a
delicious,
target-rich environment.
The federal government has spent billions to remove poverty and
succeeded
only in trapping the same number in poverty as when we started.
Republican
governors have shown the way out of that.
The federal government wants to run local affairs. It has
complete
authority over one city--Washington, DC. What a horrible mess it
has made of that once great city. [applause]. That's right
they made a mess of it.
The federal government is taking over local law enforcement and
local
schools at a frightening pace, but what's their record in the city they
control completely? Washington has the most expensive and the
worst
schools, along with the highest crime in America. The police
can't
protect you, and you'll go to jail if you protect yourself.
Workers
face six hours of traffic gridlock every day. So much for the
federal
government city.
The average American with a full-time job now watches half of
their
earnings--half--seized by government. That's a big chunk of our
freedom.
When will it be enough for the Democrats? Sixty percent?
Seventy-five
percent? When will freedom be bled and wounded beyond recovery?
Al Gore also want to rob your freedom of movement. When he
kills
the gas engine and the private car we can all wait at the bus stop rain
or shine, hot or cold like they do in Moscow, while he rides by in his
limousine. [applause].
Al Gore wants, he wants the federal government to dictate that you
be
restricted to 1.6 gallons to flush your toilet while he gets 4 billion
gallons to float his canoe. [applause]. Enough. Let's
get the federal government out of our toilets and out of our face.
We have the superstars that can do just that and one of them will
be
our champion, the champion of America to defeat Al Gore. And in a
few minutes you're going to hear from those champions... [goes on to
introduce
Sen. Chuck Grassley]
###
ema 8/99
