Bob Smith
smithforpresident.org
May
1999
Strengths: Plain-spoken, lack of artifice, in sharp contrast to President Clinton. Strong pro-life record and message. Size 6'6."
Weaknesses: Little known nationally.
Fundraising ability. Cannot count on support in home state of New
Hampshire.
1998
Overview
Sen. Smith spent more time
campaigning in Iowa than any other
potential candidate, making 8 visits totaling 33 days. In the Spring he gained a fair amount of
attention as one of several
senators to place a hold on the nomination of openly gay James Hormel
to be
U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg.
1997
Overview
Sen. Smith is one of the lesser known Republican hopefuls, a
fact which has not stopped him from making several exploratory trips to
Louisiana and Iowa since September. Iowa
Republican state chair Steve Grubbs described Smith as "Pat Buchanan
reborn"
and "Pat Buchanan without the hard edges." In
Smith's home state of New Hampshire, some
have urged him not to run, fearing his candidacy would weaken the
primary. The Manchester Union-Leader
ran a
front page editorial saying he should not run because the primary might
not
survive. The Concord Monitor's
Mike Pride wrote that Smith's "presidential chances don't even rise to
the
level of quixotic" and urged him, "Come on home, Bob.
Be New Hampshire's senator." Republican
state chair Steve Duprey has
warned Smith that favorite son status is "not at all a foregone
conclusion." Duprey predicted that
if Smith ran all the other Republicans would go after him, seeking to
knock him
out of the race. Duprey also questioned
whether Smith would be able to raise enough money.
In 1997 Smith's Live Free or Die PAC raised a
meager $29,228 of which the initial $5,000 came from his Senate
campaign
committee. Smith, New Hampshire's senior
Senator, won re-election by a narrow margin in 1996.
Mike Pride. "Forget the White House
Bob." Concord Monitor, Dec. 14,
1997.
1997
Nov. 17-20
Louisiana
(according to news reports, Smith's third visit to the bayou state). Nov. 18 Shreveport--breakfast with pastors;
breakfast with conservative activists, meeting with conservative
activists;
Alexandria--media with Congressman Cooksey, fundraiser for Congressman
Cooksey. Nov. 19 Monroe--Moon Griffon
Show, meet veterans at VA Hospital, conservative activists at the
Catfish
Cabin; Rayville--KTJC 92.3 FM Ken Dieble (Christian radio show);
Monroe--media
with Cooksey. Nov. 20 New
Orleans--Jefferson Parish event at Chatteau Country Club.
Sept. 30 Opens Live Free or Die PAC with a transfer of $5,000 from his Senate campaign.
Sept. 19-22 First Iowa visit. Sept. 19 Arr. Davenport Quad Cities; Iowa Knights of Columbus Memorial for the Unborn; Grassley fundraiser; private meeting with pro-life activists. Sept. 20 Breakfast with Steve Grubbs; Quad Cities Prayer Breakfast; meeting with local conservatives; meeting with Iowans for Tax Relief in Muscatine; meeting with local conservatives in Cedar Rapids; to Des Moines. Sept. 21 Church service at First Assembly; mass at St. Augustine's parish; interview with Leroy Corey, publisher of the American Conservative newspaper. Sept. 22 Jan Mickelson WHO radio call-in show; lunch meeting with Right to Work.
Copyright
©
Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action