I had the pleasure of attending the recent 2011 GOP Convention in North Carolina.
The 2010 NCGOP Convention I attended was in Winston-Salem. This one was in Wilmington, just North of the South Carolina border. For those who want a gorgeous scenic drive, start in Charleston, South Carolina. Drive up the coast through Myrtle Beach and reach Wilmington.
North Carolina is a great state with friendly people, and this convention was no exception. If there is one thing I can say about this convention, it is that this is not your grandfather’s North Carolina GOP.
I was there as a vendor, but I had the good fortune to attend some spectacular meal events.
The Friday evening banquet was a dedication to our troops. Most of the speakers kept the politics to a bare minimum, with the heavy emphasis being on what true support of our troops really means.
The outgoing Vice Chair of the NCGOP is Retired Major Tim Johnson. He is not only active in the GOP but in the black community as well. Last March he put on a very successful convention for the Frederick Douglass Foundation, which he heads. His family tradition of service extends to his son, who is currently stationed overseas.
http://www.frederickdouglassfoundation.com/
Vice Chairman Johnson gave stirring remarks, and then introduce retired Colonel John Falkenbury. Colonel Falkenbury is the president of the NC chapter of the USO. From Bob Hope to Gary Sinise, the USO has gotten many celebrities to volunteer their time to entertain our troops all over the globe.
Following Colonel Falkenbury were passionate remarks from Whitney Deann Jezek-Power, She is a combat casualty assistant visiting nurse. As she explained, she is with the troops from when they enter the military to when they transition back to civilian life. She spoke about the Semper Fi Fund, which cares for injured marines.
Those with disposable income should absolutely consider donating to the Semper Fi Fund and the NC USO. Every little bit helps.
The next speaker could very well be the next rising star. Retired Marine Second Leiutenant Ilario Pantano lit up the room. Lt. Pantano is running for Congress in North Carolina’s 7th district. He is an Italian married to a Jewish woman. His training included training given to the Israeli Defense Forces. He received loud applause when he announced that a military hero and veteran we should all honor and respect is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
http://www.pantanoforcongress.com/
Mr. Pantano also showed his sense of humor by alluding to the difficult conditions in what was an otherwise perfect evening. A problem with the hotel’s air conditioning left the room a heatbox. Mr. Pantano pointed out that he had the heat turned up to let everybody know what our soldiers went through in Fallujah. He requested that now that everybody had understood, if the heat could be turned down. Sadly enough, his request went unheeded. Yet while the room was uncomfortably warm, his white hot remarks still made for a fantastic evening.
There were not presidential candidates in attendance at this dinner due to competition from the Faith and Freedom Convention in DC. Yet the keynote speaker was a rock star in his own right who many want to run for President at some time in the near future. Topping Mr. Pantano was difficult, but it was done.
Colonel Allen West simply blew the lid off of the room.
http://www.allenwestforcongress.com/
The first term South Florida Congressman is simply the real deal. He received thunderous applause throughout his remarks. He touched on military service and sacrifice, securing our borders, and the moral need to constrain our out of control debt. His full-throttled defense of Israel received a long standing ovation. He also made it clear that if need be he would make sure that the currant White House occupant received a verbal “butt whupping” in 2012.
Liberals may focus on Colonel West being black. Conservatives focus on his being a superstar. Superstars come in all colors, and it is obvious why men of all colors in his platoon would have gone through a brick wall for him.
I made two requests of Mr. Pantano and Congressman West when I met them. I asked that if they see Barbara Boxer in the halls of Congress, that they call her “mam” or whatever they want, whenever they please. I also requested that if any liberals give them lip on military issues, that they turn into the second coming of Jack Nicholson’s Colonel Nathan R. Jessup and straighten them out. Neither of these men would have a problem with this when necessary.
(My mother met Colonel West when he spoke to a group in South Florida. She said that he is a “nice young man,” and I let him know she thought that.)
I explained to Colonel West that I did two tours of duty as a student in a New York public school, and he admitted that this should count as a combat zone.
Humor aside, it is vital that Americans support Colonel West and Mr. Pantano.
The luncheon on Saturday was a victory for modern technology. Andrew Breitbart was supposed to appear in person, but illness kept him at home in California. Thanks to Skype, his remarks could still be heard.
The dinner Saturday night featured South Carolina Congressman Tim Scott. Along with Colonel West, Congressman Scott is one of two new freshman Republicans who happens to be black. I met him last month at his home state convention, and he remembered me. He must have a good memory.
At the risk of disappointing liberals, these men are not curiosities or anomalies. They are simply good men who believe in conservative principles. Those looking for a lily white convention should spend more time in “progressive” states. There were plenty of Republicans who happened to be black at this convention. Democrats may want to party like it’s 1860, but I saw with my own eyes what 2011 North Carolina is like inside the Republican Party.
Both Friday and Saturday night featured some great parties in the hospitality suites. The Young Republicans as always know how to put the Party in Republican Party. The Tea Party groups had a fun hospitality suite. A pair of Lieutenant Governor candidates had popular events.
I spent a decent amount of time in the suite of the Republican Women’s Federated suite. NCFRW President Dena Barnes and her ladies around the state are just fantastic. For the second year in a row, I performed for them. Anybody who thinks a male president runs this country has not been to an FRW meeting. Martha Jenkins and Zan Bunn are NCFRW ladies who always greet me kindly, among many others.
Sunday morning featured a prayer breakfast. I was expecting a Christian breakfast, since North Carolina is the Bible Belt. Again, this is not your grandfather’s North Carolina GOP.
Dr. Ada Fisher is a black woman and the daughter of a Baptist minister. She said the breakfast would begin with three prayers. The first was a Christian prayer. The second one was a prayer for all of the children. The third one was a Jewish prayer. She recited it in English and Hebrew.
As a Jewish person I could not have been more proud. Again, this was Sunday. To have only Christian prayers would have been unsurprising. Yet diversity and outreach are not mere slogans with the NCGOP. They mean it. I was there.
The Chairman of the NCGOP is Robin Hayes. He is incredibly likable and funny. At the Friday dinner he ordered people surrounding Colonel West to leave the room and come to the hospitality suite solely because it had air conditioning. There would be no heatstroke on his watch.
His remarks at the breakfast were funny, but also meaningful. He pointed out that while the GOP had a fantastic 2010 election, we were all to act “with humility” going forward into 2012. He did not want anybody getting full of themselves. We were to lead the right way.
The keynote remarks were delivered by Judge Paul Newby. Judge Newby does not rely on fire and brimstone. He speaks in a calm voice, and is also funny and self-effacing. He began with several low key religious jokes. One involved a women’s rummage sale where people were supposed to bring whatever useless things they did not need. At the bottom of the flier it read “bring your husbands.” This was meant in a positive way but is still hilarious when misconstrued. He even made fun of himself, pointing out that trying to convince people you know what you are doing when your name is “Newby” is not easy.
Judge Newby’s remarks were steady and meaningful, and the crowd absorbed them and found importance in them.
http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/Appellate/Supreme/Biographies/Biography.asp?Name=Newby
About 1200 attendees saw Chairman Hayes run for reelection unopposed. He is well liked and respected. Despite my being from out of town, he could not have been more hospitable and welcoming.
The Vice Chair race saw a spirited contest end with a very close result, as Wayne King defeated Tim Johnson. Even in defeat, Mr. Johnson has a very bright future ahead of him.
Chairman Hayes is very well aware that North Carolina will be a critical battleground in 2012. It swung away from the GOP in 2008, and Mr. Hayes is determined to swing it back.
As everybody left Wilmington, they were tired but yet energized at the same time. For those observing the NCGOP, the only way to describe this convention would be to call it what it truly was…a total success.
eric
Of course anytime we have young men and women overseas, fighting in a war (s) we must give them all the support they need. This is a no-brainer.
The real question we must ask ourselves, is, why are we fighting, who are we defending, who are our enemies?
I dont believe the Obama administration has answered any of the above?
Just who are our enemies in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and now
Libya ( Obamas Wars)?
We hear that there will be or are discussions with the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Iraqi government is far from 100% democratic and
still not united. In Libya, we have given some responsibility over to NATO, but have yet to answer to Congress under the 60 dayk war act.
Meanwhile back in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood is biding their time
to take over.
Pakistan has received 10b in aid from US but we are told the aid
is wasted on their army, and not given to schools ( 10b could
create 3,000 schools). Hmmmmm?
Yet, the real enemies of US are given mild scoldings…Syria and Iran.
Taking either out of the spread of Islami, the caliphate and terrorism,
would aid US and our allies in the area.
Yet, we do virtually nothing.
Instead, Hillary says that neither Israel nor the Pales are ready
to talk. What? I understand Israel has its doors open 24-7 to talk to
the Pales representatives, who demand pre-conditions enacted first,
before negotiating.
What is Hillary inferring? Does she have a clue as to what is
happening?
She is after all, Obama’s representative.
A good friend suggested she resign and be replaced by
an experienced stateman, like Kissinger. I agree.
Even Dennis Ross would be better, now that Mitchell has
quit. But let me be frank, Joe Biden had it right years ago.
He recommended Iraq be divided into 3 parts..Sunni, Shia and Kurdish.
I totally agreed.
BTW, Mitchell said that Israel’s fence has been ineffectual, with rockets
now flying overhead. Duh! The fence has stopped 98% of the terrorism coming from the W.Bank and Jerusalem’s East. Israel’s Cast Lead ended
some of the Kassam, Grad, Fahr and Katy rockets fired into its south.
But now we see guided rockets aimed at school buses just over the border.
Speaking of terrorism, hows about the Muslim invasion of Israel
? Most were killed by Lebanese soldiers, or by mines
in Syria NOT Israeli forces. Tell that to Assad, the myopic leader
of Syria.
Are you paying attention Obama? I cannot hear you.
(Oh Im sorry, you did say that Israel had a right to defend itself).
Wowoowo.
Eric’s experiences at Republican conferences..meeting with
stable (no wieners), responsible, successful, intelligent, patriotic, volk,
are worthwhile and to be applauded.
Now that Republicans have raised the issue of Israels Auschwitz borders as part of their campaign, ( untenable borders), will US Jews still give their gelt to the Democratis?
We learn that some leftist politiicans traveled to Israel with a group
of JStreeters ( a US Jewish group with strong Arab support and Soros money). They were NOT greeted by Ihe Israeli P.M. due to to their defeatest and naive AND frankly dangerous policies (support Iran, and
divestment in Israel and boycotts).
Does Bibi know something that they dont, like how to avoid
a 2nd Auschwitz?
BTW, Hamas has in its constitution the kiling of every Jew alive.
Food for thought and why I am armed and a member of the NRA.
Frankly, the words “Work makes Free” should be applied
to the entire Arab/Palestinian so-called peace process.
Get it Obama?
Most of the speakers kept the politics to a bare minimum, with the heavy emphasis being on what true support of our troops really means.”
So, what does “true support of our troops” really mean?
I’d love to know.
“Just who are our enemies in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and now
Libya ( Obamas Wars)?”
“Obama’s (sic) wars”???
I’ll tell you what I think one aspect of truly supporting our troops would be: NOT PLAYING PARTISAN POLITICS WITH THEM.
JMJ