Tancredo for President -- Official Blog

Tom on FoxNews

Check out the number of appearances by Tom on FoxNews this year!

• Tom Tancredo (candidacy declared April 2, 2007). Appearances on FNC year to date: 36.

• Mike Huckabee (candidacy declared Jan. 28, 2007). Appearances on FNC year to date: 33.

• Sen. John McCain (candidacy declared April 25, 2007). Appearances on FNC year to date: 24.

• Mitt Romney (candidacy declared Feb. 13, 2007). Appearances on FNC year to date: 24.

• Rudolph Giuliani (statement of candidacy with the FEC, February 5, 2007). Appearances on FNC year to date: 20.

• Fred Thompson (candidacy declared Sept. 5, 2007). Appearances on FNC year to date: 14.

• Ron Paul (candidacy declared March 12, 2007). Appearances on FNC year to date: 12.

NEW TELEVISION AD IS HERE

"Tough on Terror"

New Television Ad

On Monday at 2:00 PM CST Congressman Tancredo will hold a press conference in Des Moines, IA to release a new television ad.

Check our website http://TeamTancredo.org on Monday afternoon to watch it yourself.

I can best describe it as "hard-hitting" and "intense".

You will not want to miss it.

Calling All Tancredo Supporters!

Tom needs your help!

We are in the midst of a petition drive in numerous states and are in need of volunteers to help get Tom on the ballot for the primaries/caucuses.

Getting signatures is relatively easy as it is not necessarily an endorsement of the candidate.  The only difficulty is that each state has different rules and requirements. 

If you live in or near on of the following states, unless otherwise noted, and are willing to help then please call our Ballot Access Coordinator Kevin at 1-888-GOTOM08.

Illinois, petition due 11/28/2007.  5,000 signatures of registered Republicans required (Must be 18 years old and an Illinois citizen to solicit signatures).

Rhode Island, petition due 12/7/2007.  2,000 signatures required.

New Jersey, petition due 12/10/2007.  2,000 signatures required (Must be 18 years old and a registered NJ Republican to solicit signatures).

Virginia, petition due 12/14/2007.  20,000 signatures, 400 from each district (Must be 18 years old and a Virgnia resident to solicit signatures).

D.C., petition due 12/14/2007.  2,000 signatures (Must need 32 volunteers to be a delegate before collecting signatures.  You must be a D.C. resident, registered Republican).

Alaska, petition due 1/5/2008.  100 signatures from registered Republicans, no more than 10 from each district.

Vermont, petition due 1/21/2008.  2000 signatures.

Nebraska, petition due 3/14/2008.  600 signatures of registered Republicans, at least 100 from each Congressional district.

Thank you!

Lou Dobbs Quote

The Following is a transcript from CNN's Lou Dobbs, aired over the weekend.  He is talking with Diana West from the Washington Times and Errol Louis from New York Daily News:

WEST: I think it's a very good issue for him, and I think that it focuses people on this issue in a very clear way. Down in my neck of the woods, we just had a recent poll in Virginia, which going to be a very hotly-contested state, said that three-quarters of the likely voters in Virginia consider immigration to be one of the most important issues in the upcoming elections, up from seventh out of 10 the last time they looked at this issue so people are coming into focus here and he's helping that.

LOUIS: He's banking on people not going for the real thing in Tancredo, you know? But there are far more aggressive voices that have a real history on this so he's ...

WEST: Tancredo should get that.

DOBBS: I'm thrilled that you have said that he is the real thing.

WEST: I think he's the real thing.

Tancredo Comments on Ahmadinejad Speech

Congressman Tancredo today made the following remarks on the recent speech made by Iranian President Ahmadinejad at Columbia University today:

“Ahmadinejad is an international criminal and a leading sponsor of terrorism,” Tancredo said. “This is a man who has contributed directly to the deaths of American soldiers.”

“For Columbia University’s President to host Ahmadinejad on campus under the guise of free-speech while simultaneously barring the ROTC smacks of hypocrisy.”

“Regrettably, Columbia University thinks it’s ok to ban the U.S. military from campus while allowing a terrorist, responsible for killing dissidents in his home country and American soldiers in Iraq, to speak in their auditorium,” concluded Tancredo. “It is quite unfortunate that this is what passes for ‘higher education’ in America these days.”

You can read an article here:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/09/tancredo-denoun.html

Credit where credit is due

For those who don't think we are getting the mainstream media attention we deserve, fear not!  Congressman Tancredo is having more of an effect than what is being reported:

http://thegate.nationaljournal.com/2007/08/tancredo.php

"While CNN's popular populist probably has something to do with the front-runners' new immigration obsession, Giuliani and Romney are actually taking their cues from a much closer source: fellow Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo."

                                                                                                    -National Journal, 8/22/07

Tancredo: Most Conservative Running for President

The American Conservative Union only rates members of Congress (Representatives and Senators), and among those Tancredo has the highest ACU rating -- 97.8 ACU Rating. The governors in the game -- Thompson, Huckabee, and Romney -- and Mayor Giuliani have (or had) liberal stances on some issues. So, if they were given one by the ACU, no reason to think their conservative ranking would outrank Tancredo.

A fact Tancredo is very proud of.

Tancredo Passes Bill to Free Ramos and Compean

Another magnanimous feat by The Tanc:

Presidential candidate Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) last night successfully added an amendment to an annual spending bill that will prevent using funds to enforce the judgment or sentences imposed by a federal judge in the case of U.S. vs. Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. This bill, if adopted by the Senate and signed into law will free the two border agents who have been at the center of national attention for many months.

From the AP (via FOX News):

The agents shot him in the buttocks as he fled, but got rid of crucial evidence and failed to report the incident as required. They later found a load of marijuana in a van that Aldrete had used to try to elude them. But U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton said there was no proof to tie the drugs to Aldrete so he could not prosecute him.

Tancredo TV Ad

Now running in Iowa.

Phyllis Schlafly Defends Tancredo Pro-Life Record Against Fraudulent Brownback Charge

This JUST out:

Phyllis Schlafly has recorded a push call of her own, dismissing the charge against Tancredo. "I want to go on record as saying… I know for sure he [Tancredo] has always been a champion of the right to life of the unborn."

Phyllis Schlafly is the godmother of conservative politics.

Transcript of Schlafly's push call:

Hello, this is Phyllis Schlafly.

Senator Brownback’s campaign is making calls to cast doubt on the pro-life commitment of Congressman Tom Tancredo.

I want to go on record as saying I’ve known Tom Tancredo for 30 years and I know for sure he has always been a champion of the right to life of the unborn.

The national right to life committee grades him A. Tom has an outstanding and consistent pro-life record.

Paid for by Tancredo for President.

Tancredo is, always has been, pro-life. Unlike some other candidates running for president.

Tancredo Demands Brownback Apologize

The transcript of Brownback's push call:

Hello this is an urgent alert for pro-life republicans in Iowa.

Tom Tancredo has accepted tens of thousands of dollars from the founder of a Planned Parenthood network, the largest provider of abortion in the world.

Pro-life republicans have asked Tom Tancredo to donate the money to a crisis pregnancy center here in Iowa that helps women chose life.

Tom Tancredo stubbornly refuses to do so.

Say no to Tom Tancredo and his Planned Parenthood friend and help end abortion in America.

This call is paid for by Brownback for President.

Read the press release.

Tancredo Announces the OVERDUE Immigration Act - Video

Part 1.

Part 2.

Part 3.

Part 4.

Tancredo Announces OVERDUE Immigration Reform Act of 2007

Earlier today, Congressman Tancredo announced landmark legislation -- the Optimizing Visa Entry Requirements and Demanding Uniform Enforcement Immigration Reform Act of 2007.

Read the OVERDUE highlights.

Iowa Straw Poll Event: Iowa's Star Search

A message from our senior campaign advisor Bay Buchanan on the Iowa's Star Search event for the Iowa Straw Poll. Read more details and sign up HERE.

Happy Fourth of July!

American turns 231! Wishing you a happy Independence Day!

What You Can Do: All Hands On Deck!

Funds are up. Phones lines are tied. E-mail inbox messages are piling up. Immigration is hot. Meanwhile, everyone is asking this campaign and Congressman Tancredo: What can I do to help? What can I do to save  this nation from a future mass amnesty?

You can do this:

Call any of our campaign offices in Iowa (515.268.3341), New Hampshire (603.622.0044), or Virginia (703.255.9898) and volunteer. We need people to come in and work in the office. We need people to make phone calls from home. We need people to call their friends and family in Iowa. We need people to go to Iowa and help us knock on doors.

We're gearing up for the 2007 Iowa Straw Poll right now. So, we need all the help that's possible.

Amnesty Revived Today!

Congressman Tancredo sent out an important e-mail to supporters last night. Here's a highlight:

This week, the Senate will again try to ram a bill down our throats that not only gives amnesty to 15 –20 million illegal aliens, it does nothing to secure our border and nothing about illegal immigration. The government itself estimates that under this bill illegal immigration will only drop 13 % in 20 years. But it doubles legal immigration and costs us 2.8 trillion dollars. Some deal!

(note: news and analysis of immigration revival to follow today. stay tuned.)

New Energy

I'm back in Washington DC and energized after a full week of campaigning with The Tanc. We traveled from Manchester, New Hampshire for the debate and then to Iowa. Talk about some hardcore campaigning. After all of this -- the debate, the events -- I fortify my belief ... that The Tanc is a competitive candidate, propelled in part because of his role as a national spokesman in the fight against illegal alien amnesty. At each campaign stop, enthusiastic crowds greeted him and most signed up for the straw poll.

Tancredo News Ticker

The folks over at WidgetNest were really kind to make us one of these. Add this to your website or blog to get a news ticker of the latest blog posts.

The Save America Campaign

Thousands of you signed up for the freshly launched Save America campaign. If not, please sign the citizen petition HERE. The movement orbits around defeating the Senate immigration proposal. Tancredo shared his thoughts on the success of it, earlier today:

Tancredo vs. Salazar

This Sunday, Colorado Senator Ken Salazar was scheduled to appear on CBS's Face the Nation. He was going to debate the Senate immigration proposal, that gives amnesty to millions of illegal aliens.

...except, Salazar has cancelled. Why? Because he found out his debate opponent would be Congressman Tancredo. Hah! What is Salazar scared of? Tancredo's control of immigration facts and pure knowledge? What is Salazar afraid of? Being exposed on national television for endorsing a bill that could cripple America?

The Tanc would've verbally steamrollered Salazar in the end. A shame that Salazar bailed out -- because that's something I think everyone wants to see.

edit: I've just learned that Salazar does still plan to appear on Face the Nation, just not debating Tancredo.

The Last Chance

Congressman Tancredo sent out a great e-mail today: "The political establishment is lining up in support of the Kennedy-McCain-Bush immigration bill that will grant amnesty to nearly every illegal alien currently in our country." He highlighted his success on blocking amnesty and then asked for a contribution. So everyone: If your care about America, and if you care about stopping amnesty for illegal aliens, please donate to this campaign if you have not already. We've got one more, one more likely last chance to save America. And it's this election with Tancredo. If not him, who else? No one.

Presidential Debate Rally and Party

June 5th.

Tancredo on Senate Immigration Proposal

Congressman Tancredo told me his view of the Senate Immigration Proposal. It's raw and uncut, without any cable news interviewers cutting him off.

edit: for those who have asked: yes, I was in the car filming him

The Shapeshifters

Other Republican candidates have come out in the last day against the current immigration bill in the Senate. Ignore them. They are political chameleons, shallowly trying to gain cheap political popularity.

Congressman Tancredo is the true Republican candidate against amnesty for illegal aliens, not that I have mention this.

Supercharged

The phones are ringing off the hook in the national campaign headquarters with people pledging their support for Congressman Tancredo and some making more contributions after hearing about this new immigration bill in the Senate.

Thanks for the support! Tancredo hears you.

The Iowa State Chairman

Here's a pretty good article about our main guy in Iowa -- Bill Salier:

Why Salier? Because besides his skills as a hog-breeder and corn farmer, he has a proven record harvesting hard-line conservative votes in Iowa.

In 2002, he was a first-time candidate when he ran for the U.S. Senate. Salier pushed an unbending anti-abortion, anti-taxes, anti-big-government message. In the Republican primary, he was out-spent 10-1 by a sitting congressman, Greg Ganske. Salier accused Ganske of being "too liberal." Ganske won the nomination, but not without a scare.

The under-funded Salier took 41 percent of the GOP vote - an "impressive" showing that demonstrated Ganske's weakness among conservatives, says Des Moines Register political columnist David Yepsen.

Throw a House Party and Meet Tancredo!

Isaac, the chief fundraiser, just sent me this e-mail:

We are holding a fundraising competition for Tom Tancredo’s presidential campaign in conjunction with the upcoming presidential debate on Tuesday, May 15, 2007. Below are the specifics.

Debate Time/TV channel: Tuesday, May 15th at 9-10:30pm Eastern Time on FOX news channel

Rules: Simply invite as many people over to your home as possible to watch the debate. Collect donations for Tom Tancredo’s presidential campaign and send them into Tancredo Campaign headquarters (address below). All contributions must be delivered to campaign headquarters no later than Wednesday, May, 23rd, 2007. Please forward this email to your friends/colleagues in case they are interested in participating.

Prizes: For every $10,000 raised nationally, the top fundraiser will be flown to Washington DC to spend an evening with Tom Tancredo. This means if we raise $100,000 nationally, the top 10 fundraisers will be flown back to meet with Tom.

Contributions: Please make checks payable to: Tancredo For President. Please do not send cash. Contributions to Tancredo for President are not tax deductible. The maximum contribution under the law is $2300 per person/$4600 per married couple. Corporate Contributions are prohibited.

In addition, we will be holding more fundraising competitions in the future. Awards and prizes will be given for top performance over the duration of the campaign. This means that if you don’t happen to win a particular competition, your consistent efforts may lead to a prize at the end of the campaign.

Where to send contributions: IMPORTANT!! Include your name, address, phone number, email address and any other contact info. Also, please try and get this same information from all your attendees. Again, all contributions must be received no later than Wednesday, May 23rd. Please mail all contributions for the May 15th debate fundraiser to:

Attn: Isaac Stewart (May 15th debate fundraiser)
Tancredo For President
501 Church Street #212
Vienna, VA 22180

P.S. Please forward this email to all interested parties

Goodluck!!

Thank You for Contributing!

A huge thanks to all contributors and supporters. Together, we can succeed. Check out this fundraising map from the New York Times. Like a viable candidate should, we have coast to coast support:

Thanks again!

Welcome to the blog! Today is the day!

Welcome everyone!

I'm Mike Tate -- the blogger for Tancredo for a Secure America. I'll be keeping you updated pretty much daily with the latest of what's going on with the campaign. I'll bring you footage from the trail and tell you what's going on at the national headquarters in Virginia and the state offices in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Today is a VERY exciting day. Congressman Tancredo officially is kicking off his campaign at 10 AM EST on the The Jan Mickelson Show in Des Moines.