2008 Presidential Election: Game Thread

[Lumine]

OOC: I though the first turn was January-September 2007, hence why I didn't post a campaign announcement, xD, oh well, I will post it just for fun:

Vilsack 2008!

Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Early 2007:
With Hillary Clinton as the current main challenger to President Giuliani and Senators John Edwards and Blanche Lincoln and Former Governor Howard Dean running as well, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack announced today that he would be seeking the Presidency. Gov. Vilsack is a long shot, but his aides believe he will be more successful than Tom Harkin was in 1992. The question is, can he win in Iowa and turn it into other victories?

(Slightly adapted version of the OTL Vilsack speech)

" (Excerpt) Ladies and gentlemen, I am here today to bring even bolder change and build an even stronger future for our great nation. And let us face facts: The world today is filled with real threats and real problems. Our way of life is still at risk from terrorism throughout the world, and here at home, families still have to struggle with skyrocketing healthcare costs and rising college tuition. For too many, home ownership is but a fading dream. For others, a secure retirement is an unfulfilled promise. And for many neighborhoods and cities, crime is a daily threat and danger. Let us also speak truth: Regardless of how the Republican Party loudly proclaims that Presidents Bush and Giuliani made our nation stronger and safer, by any measure or standard we are evidently less safe and less secure than we were 6 years ago. Our country needs bold leadership guided by the right values and the right experience. That is why I am here today.

For those of you meeting me for the first time, let me say to you that I have always been the underdog and long shot. For my entire life I have always been inspired by stories of ordinary people who struggled, but ultimately succeeded against the odds. I have already served as a mayor, state senator and two-term governor. I have worked every day in public life to bring people together to create change, and funny as it sounds I have much more experience than the current President when he started his presidential campaign. For the past eight years, Iowa successfully changed farm fields into energy fields. We changed the traditional idea of agriculture and became the national leader in renewable fuel and energy production. As a state, we became more economically, environmentally and energy secure. If you drive around Iowa today, you will see a changing landscape marked by new ethanol and bio-fuel production plants and wind farms. We had the courage to create change in education, health care and government itself. And by having the courage to create change, we provided greater security and opportunity to our people.

America needs a president who builds and creates, who makes our country more secure, who is bold and has the courage to create change and I will be that president. So today, in front of the family and friends I love and here in the community I call home, I announce my candidacy to be the next President of the United States. May God Bless the United States of America."

Campaign Info:

Campaign Manager: Craig Varoga.
Finance Advisor: Shari Yost-Gold.
Finance Director: Michael Hayden.
Senior Policy Advisor: Cheryl Parker-Rose.
Communications Strategist: Jeff Link.
Director of Scheduling: Alice Parker.
Iowa State Director: Dusky Terry.
Media Consultant: Roy Behr.
Advisor: Teresa Vilmain.

Website: http://www.tomvilsack08.com.
Vilsack '08 HQ: 6200 Thornton Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa.

[Lumine]

Can we do campaign announcements in the official 2008 thread?

Hmmmm... Should I remove it and wait for the main thread? I figured the schedule was the really important part, and the game thread starts in September 2007 (I assume the candidates would have declared much earlier)

[Lumine]

Mary Landrieu Endorsements:
Iowa Senator Tom Harkin
Former New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen
New Hampshire Governor John Lynch

AFL-CIO
National Education Association

Already got Tom Harkin.

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack?

Lumine is running as Vilsack.

That's right... I guess Loebsack

I have Loebsack, see the Endorsement thread, xD

[Lumine]

Tom Vilsack: Campaign Affairs:

Recognizing that he needs to be extremely active on the trail to run a successful campaign against many challengers, Gov. Vilsack has decided to focus most of his energy to Iowa in order to ensure victory in the caucus and create a strong base of support. As of now the Vilsack campaign has opened several offices across the state in places like Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City and Waterloo, plus the HQ in Des Moines. The campaign has also made arrangements to open offices across the Midwest, with special emphasis given to states like Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan, but it will take some time for them to open. Since the Vilsack campaign doesn't have the financial might of candidates like Hillary Clinton, the Governor has chosen to innovate by using the internet in an extensive way, using his constantly updated website to inform voters and encourage supporters to make donations to the campaign. Campaign websites already were an important part of the process in the 2004 election, and they are bound to become even more crucial as more and more people have internet access. The campaign staff also believes that a win in Iowa could give the Governor the push he needs to surge and win a good number of primaries on Super Tuesday, which would enable the campaign to go for a long campaign. In the meantime, the Governor will also go through extensive debate training sessions to see if the debates and help to increase support and raise the profile of the underdog campaign.

Endorsements:

Iowa, September 2007:
While Governor Vilsack is at a disadvantage when having to fight several challengers in Iowa, he remains confident that he can muster enough support in the state given his record. As of now, he has been endorsed by the former Lt. Governor, Sally Penderson, and by the two current Democratic Representatives in the State: Dave Loebsack and Bruce Braley.

"In a field of strong candidates, I feel Tom Vilsack is without a doubt the best choice. What impresses me about him is his commitment to changing the way business is done in Washington. He understands that to pass universal health care, make energy independence a reality, and meet the other challenges we face, we need leadership that can bring all Americans together around a shared purpose, and that's something he proved that he can do as a Governor with a very successful record. His campaign is about energizing, organizing, and mobilizing ordinary Americans to get involved in their democracy, and that's something I fully support."

"Today, I'm proud to endorse Tom Vilsack for president. Throughout his Governorship, on issue after issue, Tom proposed bold ideas to end the power of special interests and restore our government for people. He is a Democratic candidate who grew up in rural America, and he has both progressive and far-reaching ideas. I truly believe he is the best Democratic candidate to lead us to victory in 2008, and Iowa can trust in his ability to lead and his compromise to this country. It's time for the Democrats of this great state to stand up and help Gov. Vilsack to ensure sure that all hard-working Iowans and all hard-working Americans have the opportunity to work hard, get ahead, and leave their children a better future.

[Lumine]

Tom Vilsack's Schedule:

September 1st to September 7th:

"Many believe that due to low polling this campaign doesn't have a chance, but I believe that such a view is plainly wrong. The Democratc Part has many underdogs in its history that won their respective races, hundreds of hard working candidates who defeated the odds by fighting as hard as they could. When I ran for Governor in 1998 nobody thought I could win the primary, and I did. After that, I was trailing my opponent by twenty points, and the pundits wrote me off right away. And what happened? I fought, I got out there to the campaign trail, to speak to the voters and make my case to them. And I won that race, against all odds, becoming the Governor of this great state. And well, this is exactly the same, I plan to campaign as hard as I can to win the support of all Iowans to win the caucus and prove that it can be done, that the underdog can and will win in 2008."

September 1st:
-Illinois/Minnesota, I:
-Minnesota:
 -Rally in Minneapolis, MN.
 -Fundraiser in Minneapolis, MN.
 -Meeting with Democratic officers and donors in the state.
-Illinois:
 -Rally in Chicago, IL.
 -Fundraiser in Chicago, IL.
 -Meeting with Democratic officers and donors in the state.

"Gentlemen, I need your support. I feel it's imperative we go out to the general election with a candidate with executive experience, a man who's tested and that has proved that he can work with both parties while standing up for his own ideas. That's what the Democratic Party needs now, and it's hard to see that argument as credible when many of our own candidates were quick to support George Bush's invasion of Iraq. How can we bring the fight to President Giuliani and Mayor Bloomberg with such a record? How can we fight for what we stand for? That's a question that has to be asked, and I would ask each of you to carefully consider what could happen in this election. Some won't believe me, but I think I can win this race. And having the support of some of you would really make the difference, thank you very much."

September 2nd:
-Iowa, I:
-Rally in Des Moines, IA.
-Tour of Des Moines, IA:
  -Fundraiser in 801 Grand Towers.
  -Visit to Drake University and Grand Drake University.
  -Canvassing across town.
  -Manning the phones in Des Moines HQ.

September 3rd:
-Iowa, II:
-Town Hall in Bettendorf, IA.
-Town Hall in Clinton, IA.
-Town Hall in Burlington, IA.
-Town Hall in Ottumba, IA.
-Rally in Ankeny, IA.
-Appearance on Iowa Press.

"So, yeah, we’re a different kind of campaign. An underdog, an outsider, call it what you will. And yet, I think we're doing pretty fine considering the competition we have and the fact that we don't have as many resources as, say, Senators Clinton or Lincoln have. I do think that the fact that we're using internet and social media to promote our campaign is a huge asset, because it allows for the voter to know what I stand for and what is my campaign's plan. You see, this campaign is committed to engaging voters across America and share our vision for  fighting to end our dependence on foreign oil, to reform health care and to address Iraq with a time table far shorter to what the President has talked about. We'll use our website and cutting edge technology to minimize the barriers of time and space to give our supporters unprecedented access to our campaign, and I think the voters will appreciate that. We will also release some comprehensive plans regarding key issues as the next weeks go, I think this type of issues-based campaign is something that we all need, and it's certainly what Iowa deserves."

September 4th:
-Iowa, III:
-Town Hall in Fort Dodge, IA.
-Town Hall in Muscatine, IA.
-Town Hall in Coralville, IA.
-Town Hall in Johnston, IA.
-Rally in Cedar Falls, IA.

September 5th:
-Iowa, IV:
-Rally and Barnstorm in Mason City, IA.
-Rally and Barnstorm in Marshalltown, IA.
-Rally and Barnstorm in West Des Moines, IA.
-Debate training in Des Moines HQ.
-Meeting with supporters in Des Moines, IA.

"There has been a lot of talk about the fact that I don't seem to have a commanding lead in Iowa as of now, and some perhaps think that if the Governor can't win enough support then he is not as popular as he think he is. But if there's something true about Iowans is that they cannot be taken for granted. They want to know their candidates, they want to make sure they are voting for the right man, and I would never be so arrogant as to believe I have automatically earned their votes. No, Iowans appreciate pure hard work, and that's what I am planning to give them."

September 6th:
-Iowa, V:
-Bus Tour in Urbandale, IA.
-Bus Tour in Dubuque, IA.
-Bus Tour in Sioux City, IA.
-Bus Tour in Iowa City, IA.
-Bus Tour in Marion, IA.

September 7th:
-Iowa, VI:
-Fundraiser in Milwaukee, WI.
-Rally in Ames, IA.
-Rally in Council Bluffs, IA.
-Interview with local media.
-Rally in Davenport, IA.

"The world today is filled with real threats and real problems. Families struggle with skyrocketing healthcare costs and rising college tuition, and it's becoming harder and harder for many of them to deal with these issues. I want to encourage you to take a stand with me, to pursue an agenda of bold change: Let us develop a healthcare system that prevents illness, cures diseases and helps people live longer healthier lives, a healthcare system that doesn't take away every penny in their bank accounts after a lifetime of sacrifice and hard work. Let us fight for an education system that helps every child become as inquisitive and creative as God intended them to be. If we are to compete in a tough, global economy, Americans must remain the most innovative people on earth. I believe most if not all Democrats agree that we need to lead the change to achieve significant reform in Health Care and Education, for those issues will be key for a better future for all Americans."

[Lumine]

The campaign has raised enough to hire Field Directors for the first three primary states. Craig Varoga previously managed the gubernatorial campaigns of Gov. Tom Vilsack, who is currently running for President as well. In New Hampshire we have hired Mike Vlacich, who managed the successful campaign of New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch and his successful re-election campaign in 2006. And finally in South Carolina we have hired Andrew Whalen. Mr. Whalen was Deputy Campaign Manager & Communications Director for Rep. Heath Shuler in his 2006 campaign for North Carolina's 11th congressional district, and has served as Communications Director for the House of Representatives office until taking a job on the Lincoln campaign.

Sorry, badgate, I took Craig Varoga as my campaign manager at the start of the game, xD

[Lumine]

Tom Vilsack: Campaign Affairs:

With a surge in Iowa and having achieved a small lead there, the Vilsack campaign has decided to double their efforts not only to secure the caucus, but to establish the Governor as a candidate with national appeal by trying to raise his visibility on the race. New offices have been opened in Iowa to be manned by local volunteers, and the campaign has started to contact key Democratic activists and officers in order to build up support for the caucus day (which involves as much organization as turnout). Governor Vilsack is scheduled to open the first office in Michigan (Detroit) at the end of the week along with some new supporters and endorsers, where he will unveil his energetic plan as well in the hopes that the combination of the events and a decent debate performace will make him more known to Democratic voters. With other campaigns doing a very strong push in the internet, the Vilsack campaign has also opened several official accounts and is now currently releasing some basic ads in sites like Youtube, hoping to encourage more campaign donations along the way so the campaign can expand operations and increase the number of ads, staffers and volunteers in other early states like South Carolina, New Hampshire, Florida and Nevada.

Endorsements:

Michigan and Illinois, September 2007:
With the Governor back on the lead in Iowa several democrats from the Midwest have come out in support of his campaign, providing Vilsack with support to increase his lead in the caucus and expand his operations into Michigan, an early state that the campaign has targeted as crucial in order to win momentum after the Iowa Caucuses. As of now, Governors Rod Blagojevich and Jennifer Granholm and Senator Dick Durbin have joined the Vilsack team as surrogates after their endorsements.

"On this day I am pleased to join many Illinoisans and Midwesterner Amrericans who are excited and proud to support Governor Vilsack in his bid for the Presidency.  I know that he will fight to make sure that working families have access to health care, good paying jobs, and opportunities to provide for their children. I believe he supports the very best of these Democratic values: they are values that he and I share, values I know he will fight for, and I am proud to give him my support."

"America has many issues to solve as of now, and the next President will have to address them in the best way possible since they will shape our future for a very long time. I was glad to see Governor Vilsack supporting a strong plan for alternative energy, his support for the reform of our health care system and his positions of trade and working training. These are issues that are very important to Michigan, and that is why I am endorsing and supporting the Governor for President in the primary."

"This party needs a special kind of leader to take on President Giuliani and retake the White House. Tom Vilsack may not be the most famous of the current candidates, but he has enthusiasm, bright ideas and a commitment to this campaign and to all Americans. I will gladly give him my endorsement for President, for his grassroots campaign has serious potential to become a truly strong effort that may shock the pundits.

Surrogates:

Governor Rod Blagojevich:
-Fundraiser in Chicago, IL. (September 8th)
-Barnstorming Des Moines, Davenport and Sioux City, IA. (September 12-14th)

Governor Jennifer Granholm:
-Fundraisers in Detroit, IL. (September 8-9th)
-Barnstorming Detroit, IL. (September 10th)
-Rallies in Grand Rapids, Warren and Sterling Heights, IL. (September 13th)
-Event with Tom Vilsack on Detroit, IL. (September 14th)

Senator Dick Durbin:
-Fundraisers in Chicago, IL. (September 8-9th)
-Barnstorming Iowa. (September 13-14th)

Congressman Dave Loebsack:
-Barnstorming rural Iowa, focus on high turnout areas. (September 8-10th)
-Rallies in Sioux City, Iowa City and Waterloo (September 13th)

Congressman Bruce Braley:
-Canvassing Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, IA. (September 9-10th)
-Rallies in Ames, West Des Moines and Dubuque, IA. (September 12th)

Ads:

Vilsack Ad#1: Not a Rock Star, but Rock Solid.
-To run in Iowa, Michigan and New Hampshire.

(Pictures and graphics outlining Vilsack's two terms as Governor of Iowa)

Narrator: "Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack led his state for eight years, and during that time his state underwent a dramatic change. Governor Vilsack expanded health care coverage to more than 90,000 uninsured children. He expanded access to early childhood education, and he made Iowa a national leader in renewable energy. He also balanced the budget while providing targeted tax relief to working families. He built a solid foundation of progress in Iowa that ensures countless opportunities for people of all ages."  

Vilsack: "As President, I want to lead America in a new direction. I want to strengthen our schools, improve our health care system, achieve energy security, and bring our troops home from Iraq. Like I often say during campaign stops: I may not be a rock star, but I am rock solid. I am Tom Vilsack and I approve this message."

[Lumine]

Tom Vilsack: Debate Answers:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Well, Brian, Tim, I’m pretty sure it’s easy for President Giuliani to say that it has from the way he sees it, but no, I do not believe the surge has worked. Our soldiers have fought bravely and I couldn’t be more proud of them, but under Bush a Giuliani our men have died on Iraq without a clear mission, without the tools they need it. I’m sure the current administration would like to say they solved Bush’s mistakes, but it’s the same people. What we should have done was to focus on nation building, focus on building a stronger Iraq, not flooding the country with extra firepower hoping that destroying the insurgency would finish the problem and repeating the gross mistakes of the Bush White House. As President, you can bet I will bring our troops backs right away.

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There are any pressing issues that we need to solve rather quickly, but my first day as President will be focused towards Iraq and my energy plan. I want to take bold actions because, for once, we need bold actions to solve the problems left by two Republican administrations. That day I will make the first arrangements to bring our troops home and I would like to put in motion my ideas to reform the way we look at energy sources. Energy independence may not look as immediately urgent as Iraq or the economy, but it is the key to a better future for America, a future that we can easily reach if we take the right steps.

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I believe history has clearly shown that when you have comprehensive immigration reform, when you have an immigration system that is working, the economy grows, jobs are created and working conditions improve. We need to increase guest worker programs and encourage legal immigration with costs shared by both local and federal governments, and we need to protect our borders in an adequate way without doing something as ludicrous as building a giant wall. America was built by people who came here from all over the world. From the beginning, immigrants have come to our state and helped it to prosper. As they became new Americans, and added to our economic wealth, their diversity also brought strength and cultural richness to our country.

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Of course. I am a loyal Democrat, and I will gladly support and campaign for the nominee should I not win the nomination, just like many others have said. I believe that the idea of running in a primary and then going third party just because you lost is dishonest in more than one way, which is why I wasn’t pleased with Dennis Kucnich’s switch after the 2004 primary. The Democratic Party is not made for that kind of attitude, and I am confident all of us are going to get out there and prove it.

[Lumine]

So now we're in the next round, right?

I believe NHI allowed for an extra day, which means the round hasn't ended yet (or at least I hope so, I forgot to post the schedule, xD)

[Lumine]

Tom Vilsack's Schedule:

September 8th to September 14th:

"I think that this primary will go into history as an extremely competitive one, and I am extremely pleased to see so many candidates running such great campaigns. We have worked very hard as well and our efforts start to show, we're surging in Iowa back into the lead and with the debate and, hopefully, my new energy plan, we will continue to surge and prove that this campaign can win the nomination, despite being an underdog. America needs change, and we as Democrats need the courage to lead change, change in health care, immigration, Iraq, energy, the economy and so forth. "

September 8th:
-Iowa, VII:
-Town Hall in Fairfield, IA.
-Town Hall in Norwalk, IA.
-Town Hall in Grinnell, IA.
-Town Hall in Grimes, IA.
-Rally in Ames, IA.

September 9th:
-Iowa, VIII:
-Town Hall in Le Mars, IA.
-Town Hall in Carroll, IA.
-Town Hall in Waverly, IA.
-Town Hall in Pella, IA.
-Rally in Waterloo, IA.

September 10th:
-Iowa, IX:
-Barnstorm and Rally in Cedar Rapids, IA.
-Barnstorm and Rally in Davenport, IA.
-Barnstorm and Rally in Dubuque, IA.
-Meeting with supporters and volunteers in Des Moines HQ.
-Speech on Des Moines, Iowa, unveiling the Vilsack Energy Plan.

September 11th:
-9/11 Ceremony, then rest.

September 12th:
-Iowa, X:
-Bus Tour in Keokuk, IA.
-Bus Tour in Storm Lake, IA.
-Bus Tour in Fort Madison, IA.
-Bus Tour in Spencer, IA.
-Bus Tour in Oskaloosa, IA.

September 13th:
-Iowa, XI:
-Bus Tour in Boone, IA.
-Bus Tour in North Liberty, IA.
-Bus Tour in Indianola, IA.
-Bus Tour in Newton, IA.
-Bus Tour in Altoona, IA.

September 8th:
-Michigan, I:
-Fundraiser in Detroit, MI.
-Rally in Detroit, MI.
-Interview with local media.
-Rally in Lansing, MI.
-Rally in Sterling Heights, MI.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Campaign Manager Craig Varoga talks to the Media:

"You look at Tom's character and the upbringing that he had. I mean he really has the values that the country needs in order to undertake a bold new direction over the next few years. So we're all really excited about his campaign, all of us, staffers, volunteers, endorsers, we are all working very hard for this effort. I mean, he knows and recognizes that he's an underdog, but Americans like underdogs and we think that when people continue to hear his message they're going to be very excited about him. We're surging in Iowa and we hope that his debate performance will be excellent, so I personally believe he's going to do very, very well.

[Lumine]

OOC: I'm sorry, I really wanted to play this one in an active way, but Atlasia will demand most of my time from now on due to the things I have to do and college will absorb a lot of time as well. I may appear as Trump from time to time and I will be happy to be in 2012, but so far Vilsack 2008 is over. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to endorse right away, but if I am...

Governor Vilsack withdraws from the race,
endorses Dean for President:

(Applause) Thanks so much. Well I want to thank everyone for spending a few minutes with us this morning. Today I'm announcing that we are ending this presidential campaign. Before I explain the reasons for that, I want to take an opportunity to thank my friends and my family, who have been so instrumental in this campaign, and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. I want to say a special thank you to the staff. There are a lot of young men and women who changed their lives, in some cases made significant decisions to uproot themselves from their families to come here and work on this campaign because they believe in me and they believed in the ideas that we were going to put forward.  

The reality however is that this process has become to a great extent about money, a lot of money. And it is clear to me that we would not be able to continue to raise money in the amounts necessary to sustain not just a campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire, but a campaign across this country. So it is money and only money that is the reason that we are leaving today. I'm proud of the campaign that we ran. I'm proud of the ideas that we put forward. Some may suggest that this has been a failed enterprise. I would say it has not been a failure. It may not have been as successful as I had hoped and wanted, but I have grown as a person and I have grown in my fondness and appreciation for the greatness of this country.

But there is another candidate with similar ideas that I'd like to support, because I believe he will be able to win despite the odds. He is a man with strong progressive views and grassroots support, a man who can fight with bold ideas that represent us and with the executive experience required to be a great President, a man who will fight for this party. That man is Governor Howard Dean, and I am proud to give him my endorsement and ask my supporters in Iowa and the entire nation to support his campaign and help him win this primary cycle.