2016 Presidential Campaign Blog

Lindsey Graham 2016 New Hampshire and Iowa Announcement Tour Schedule on June 2-6, 2015

GRAHAM 2016 ANNOUNCEMENT TOUR SCHEDULE

Alexandria, VA – Senator Graham’s announcement tour schedule for Tuesday, June 2nd to Saturday, June 6th includes stops in New Hampshire and Iowa following TODAY’s initial kick-off event in Central, South Carolina.

Derry, New Hampshire

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

WHO:  Senator Lindsey Graham
WHAT: Diner Drop-By
WHEN: Tuesday, June 2nd at 1:00 p.m. ET
WHERE:

MaryAnn’s Diner                         
29 E Broadway
Derry, NH

Tuftonboro, New Hampshire

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

WHO:  Senator Lindsey Graham
WHAT: House Party Hosted by Beverly Bruce
WHEN: Tuesday, June 2nd at 6:15 p.m. ET
WHERE:

Home of Beverly Bruce
300 Mountain Road                         
Tuftonboro, NH

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

WHO:  Senator Lindsey Graham
WHAT: Diner Drop-By
WHEN: Wednesday, June 3rd at 8:00 a.m. ET
WHERE:

Roundabout Diner                         
Portsmouth Traffic Circle                         
Portsmouth, NH

Manchester, New Hampshire

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

WHO:  Senator Lindsey Graham
WHAT: Americans for Peace, Prosperity and National Security Forum
WHEN: Wednesday, June 3rd at 12:00 p.m. ET
               12:10 p.m. ET – Remarks
               12:25 p.m. ET – Q&A
WHERE:

University of New Hampshire                        
88 Commercial Street
Manchester, NH

West Des Moines, Iowa

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

WHO:  Senator Lindsey Graham
WHAT: Town Hall Meeting
WHEN: Friday, June 5th at 10:00 a.m. CT
WHERE:

Sheraton West Des Moines – Dallas Room              
1800 50th Street
West Des Moines, IA

Waterloo, Iowa

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

WHO:  Senator Lindsey Graham
WHAT: Meet & Greet
WHEN: Friday, June 5th at 5:30 p.m. CT
WHERE:

VFW Post 1623 – Sullivan Brothers Post                        
1406 Commercial Street
Waterloo, IA

Bettendorf, Iowa

SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2015

WHO:  Senator Lindsey Graham
WHAT: Remarks at 94th Annual VFW State Convention
WHEN: Saturday, June 6th at 9:00 a.m. CT
WHERE:

Isle of Capri Casino Hotel
1800 Isle Parkway
Bettendorf, IA

Boone, Iowa

SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2015

WHO:  Senator Lindsey Graham
WHAT: Joni Ernst’s Roast & Ride
WHEN: Saturday, June 6th at 2:00 p.m. CT
WHERE:

Central Iowa Expo
1827 217th Street
Boone, IA

Donald J. Trump to make Special Announcement from Trump Tower on June 16, 2015 at 11:00AM

Donald J. Trump to make Special Announcement from Trump Tower on June 16, 2015 at 11:00AM

What: Mr. Donald J. Trump will be making an announcement to the press and public on June 16th as to whether or not he will run for President of the United States of America. All are welcome to attend.
 
Where:
 
Trump Tower Atrium (between 56th and 57th street)
725 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10022
 
Located: The Main entrance is located on Fifth Avenue, New York, New York.
 
When: Announcement will be made on Tuesday, June 16, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.

 

 

 

 

Lindsey Graham 2016 Web Video “An American Upbringing”

WEB VIDEO: “An American Upbringing”
 “Now He’s Ready To Take Those Leadership Skills To The White House”

Alexandria, VA – Following today’s announcement of his presidential campaign, Senator Lindsey Graham released the following web video, entitled “An American Upbringing.”  The video highlights his life experiences, expertise in foreign policy and describes how his background makes him uniquely qualified to be Commander-in-Chief on day one.

VIDEO SCRIPT:
“Some men are born leaders, others are tested, refined and forged through life’s experiences.

“Lindsey Graham is both.

“Lindsey was born the son of a blue-collar family in the small town of Central in upstate South Carolina. His parents worked long hours to eke out a modest living running a tiny restaurant and liquor store.

“From a young age, Lindsey learned about hard work and the value of a dollar. Like small business owners everywhere, if Lindsey’s parents didn’t open the doors each day, they didn’t get paid - there were no sick days, and very few vacations. It was here that Lindsey learned to pull his own weight – both by helping with the business, and helping raise his younger sister, Darline.
“Lindsey Graham was the first in his family to go to college. But, while attending the University of South Carolina, both of his parents tragically passed away.

“While most young men his age were enjoying campus life, Lindsey took on the added responsibility
of traveling home weekends to work in the family business and help care for Darline. With his parents gone, Lindsey was committed to providing for his sister. He took that commitment a step further by legally adopting her when she was in high school and with the help of a loving aunt and uncle, Lindsey made sure she not only finished high school but earned her college degree.

“Despite these challenges and adversity, the work ethic he learned from his parents paid off; Lindsey graduated from USC with both a bachelor and law degree.

“Following law school, Graham joined the Air Force. After 6 and a half years on active duty as a JAG officer, he joined the South Carolina Air National Guard and served stateside during the first Gulf War. Graham wore the uniform for 33 years, retiring this year as a Colonel with the Air Force Reserves.

“First elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 and the Senate in 2002, Lindsey Graham has become the go-to-guy on Capitol Hill for national security and foreign policy issues, in part because of his military experience.

“He has served as a reserve duty officer in Iraq and Afghanistan and has been to the Middle East more than 20 times, gaining first-hand knowledge about ISIS, the Taliban and other terror groups that threaten our way of life.

“Because of his expertise on foreign policy issues, Lindsey Graham has been an outspoken critic of President Obama’s failed foreign policy. His knowledge and experience makes him uniquely qualified to correct the mistakes of the past while providing the steady leadership and decision-making skills we need to keep America safe.

“A respected problem solver, Lindsey Graham is a true conservative who’s willing to tackle any issue head on – whether it’s fighting for the American taxpayer or protecting and defending our constitutional rights.

“Blue-collar upbringing, tireless work ethic, allegiance to family values, and a lifetime of military service, Lindsey Graham has lived the American dream – from sleeping in the backroom of a tiny restaurant to becoming a respected leader in the United States Senate. Now he is ready to take those leadership skills to the White House, to restore faith in America’s exceptionalism, and our belief that the United States is still the leader... and best hope... for a free and safe world.”

Special Event with Gov. Rick Perry & Retired US Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell on June 8, 2015 in Columbia, South Carolina

Special event with Gov. Rick Perry & Retired US Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell
 
Monday, June 8, 2015 at 10:00 AM (EDT)

S.C. Military Museum
1225 Bluff Road
Columbia, South Carolina 29201-4714

Town Hall Meeting with Rick Perry at the USS Yorktown at Patriot's Point in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina on June 8, 2015

Town Hall Meeting with Gov. Rick Perry & Retired US Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell

Monday, June 8, 2015 at 6:00 PM (EDT)

USS Yorktown at Patriot's Point
40 Patriot's Point Road
Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina 29464-4377

Ticket Information for the Hillary for America Official Campaign Launch on June 13, 2015 at Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York

Ticket Information for the Hillary for America Official Campaign Launch on June 13, 2015 at Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York

Hillary Clinton’s official campaign launch will occur Saturday, June 13th, starting with a major speech in New York City and continuing with a nationally webcast organizing meeting in Iowa. Her launch will continue with a swing through all four early primary states.
 
Mid-day on Saturday, June 13th, Hillary Clinton will give her official campaign launch speech at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York City. The event is open to the public and members of the public can register for tickets at www.hillaryclinton.com/your-ticket.
 
• Her speech will lay out her view of the challenges facing this country and her vision and ideas for moving the country forward.
 
• Hillary Clinton grew up in Illinois, and her career spent working on behalf of children and families has taken her from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., Arkansas to New York. But it was the voters of New York who elected her to serve as their first female senator.
 
• Throughout her career, Hillary Clinton has been inspired by FDR’s belief that America is stronger when we summon the work and talents of all Americans and has long admired Eleanor Roosevelt as a role model.
 
Saturday evening, Hillary Clinton will speak with key volunteers and supporters at an organizing meeting in Iowa, to build the ground-up, grassroots-focused organization needed to compete and win.
 
• Her presentation to the Iowa Organizing Meeting will be simulcast at similar organizing meetings across the entire country, especially the early four primary states. At least one such organizing meeting is planned for nearly every congressional district (435) in the country.
 
• She will personally ask organizers, volunteers and supporters to reach out and organize their friends, family and neighborhoods to build the type of lasting movement that can overcome the forces stacked against everyday Americans and their families.
 
After her launch, she will travel to all four early primary states. She will be in Iowa on June 13 and 14, in New Hampshire on June 15, in South Carolina on June 17 and in Nevada on June 18. This early state schedule reflects Clinton's plan to work for and earn every vote.

Text of Letter to DNC Chair from Bernie Sanders on 2016 Debates

Bernie Sanders Writes to DNC Chair on Debates
 
NEW YORK, – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, on Monday urged Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic National Committee chair, to consider a series of debates among Democratic candidates beginning this summer.

Sanders also suggested that Democratic candidates would benefit by engaging in early debates with Republican candidates.

Sanders also called for a "50-state strategy" in which debates would be held in states that, at this time, are not electing Democratic candidates.

Text of the letter follows:

June 1, 2015
Washington, D.C

Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chair Democratic National Committee
430 South Capitol Street SE
Washington, DC 20003

Thanks for doing the excellent job you are doing.

The purpose of this letter is to discuss the issue of debates in the upcoming Democratic primary nominating process. In recent weeks, as I have traveled around the country, I have been hearing concerns from voters about the need for vigorous candidate debate. The people of this country are tired of political gossip, personal attacks and ugly 30-second ads. They want the candidates to engage in serious discussion about the very serious issues facing our country today.

In my view, the candidates for President should engage in a series of debates beginning this summer. I want to outline my reasons why these debates would be very beneficial to the cause of the Democratic Party and progressive politics in America.

Voter Turnout: In recent years, low voter turnout has hurt progressive candidates all across our nation. As you know, the lower levels of turnout in both 2010 and 2014 have resulted in huge Republican gains in the House and Senate as well as in statewide and legislative races. It’s obvious that when more people vote, more Democrats win elections, and so the purpose of our campaign should be to encourage as much voter participation as possible.

I believe a larger number of debates beginning in the weeks ahead would encourage such voter participation and I think we have ample evidence to demonstrate that fact. First, the large number of  debates in the 2008 Presidential campaign is probably one of the reasons why that campaign was so successful in helping not only elect President Obama to an historic victory but for the Democrats to control the House of Representative and elect sixty members of our Democratic Caucus in the Senate. Those debates helped voters, beginning in the primary process, to understand more about the candidates and their positions on issues.

I believe that we should not learn the wrong lessons from the past but instead should look at the fact that an engaged and vigorous nominating process was one of the keys to success in registering voters early on and convincing people they had a meaningful stake in the general election in November. In 2008 voter turnout was extremely high, and that vigorous process of multiple debates and an engaged nominating process, was one of the reasons for this increased voter turnout that enormously benefitted Democrats at all levels of politics.

Inter-Party Debates
In addition to having a number of early debates beginning this summer and continuing through the primary and caucus process, I believe we need to go beyond the bounds of traditional party debates. I am extremely concerned by the fact that many working-class Americans are voting against their best economic interests by supporting right-wing Republicans whose agenda represents the interests of the billionaire class, and not the needs of working Americans. Why are millions of struggling Americans voting for Republican candidates who want to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and education while giving huge tax breaks to the very richest people in this country?

That is why I believe we should be open to a less traditional form of debating by welcoming the opportunity to debate not only amongst members of the Democratic Party but also having debates between Democratic and Republican candidates during the primary process. I believe that these inter-party debates would put in dramatic focus the shallow and at times ridiculous policies and proposals being advocated by the Republican candidates and by their party’s platform. It would also serve to engage large numbers of voters who typically do not pay attention to the process until much later when the general election begins to come into focus. By engaging these voters early and raising the stakes around the election I believe we can get people to participate at higher levels which will undoubtedly benefit Democrats up and down the ticket.

Further, I also think it is important for us to debate not only in the early states but also in many states which currently do not have much Democratic presidential campaign activity. While a number of these non-target states have not in the past had much organized campaign presence, I believe it is critical for the Democratic Party and progressive forces in America to engage voters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. By expanding the scope geographically of debates beyond the early calendar states we can begin to awaken activism at the grassroots level in those states and signal to Democrats and progressives in places like Texas, Mississippi, Utah, and Wyoming that their states are not forgotten by the Democratic Party.

I would be happy to discuss these ideas and proposals with you or members of your staff. In the meantime, I hope we can use this as an opportunity to build a constructive dialogue around this issue and others affecting the nominating process.

Keep up the good work.

Sincerely,

Senator Bernie Sanders

An Evening with Rick Santorum at The Bella Terre in Glenwood, Iowa on June 25, 2015

An Evening with Rick Santorum at The Bella Terre in Glenwood, Iowa on June 25, 2015

The Bella Terre
23375 Barrus Road
Glenwood, Iowa

June 25, 2015

6:30PM to 8:30PM

Ben Carson Reception with Iowa Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix on Thursday, June 25, 2015 in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Ben Carson Reception in Support of Iowa Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix on Thursday, June 25, 2015 in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Pizza King
1101 North Broadway
Council Bluffs, IA 51503

5:00 PM to 6:30 PM

 

 

Rick Santorum's "Take Back America" Tour, By The Numbers

Rick Santorum's "Take Back America" Tour, By The Numbers

"... the former U.S. Senator (Rick Santorum) visited the Iowa Machine Shed, where he gave a relatively brief seven-minute stump speech.  Then, he spent an hour and 10 minutes taking questions." - Ed Tibbetts, Quad City Times

VERONA, PA - Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) just concluded his "Take Back America" Tour.  Unlike most presidential candidates, Senator Santorum did not shy away from questions, media interviews, or meeting directly with voters.
 
"Take Back America Tour" By The Numbers:
 
1 - Key to the City
(Kings Mountain, North Carolina)
 
3 - Number of states visited
(Iowa, South Carolina, and North Carolina)
 
5 - Number of national television networks receiving one-on-one interviews
(ABC News, NBC News, FOX News, CNN, MSNBC)
 
8 - Number of events open to the general public
 
8 - Number of media availabilities, open to all members of the press
 
10 - Number of national television interviews
 
19 - Number of national and regional radio interviews