CRNC Primer
Written by Mark Harris on March 31st, 2005Well folks, I think with this recent hatchet job post against Michael Davidson and other comments emanating from the burgeoning CRNC blogosphere it is time for a bit of a reality check of facts agreed upon by, I believe, ALL sides.
1. This election is important because Paul Gourley and Michael Davidson have substancially different views on how the CRNC should be run.
2. Response Dynamics Inc, the CRNCs old fundraising firm used unethical techniques to raise money
3. Paul Gourley signed the RDI letters knowingly (Gourley camp says this is a virtue)
4. This is a media issue that could severely hurt College Republicans across the country (Thus Chairman Hoplin’s condemnation of people “blowing the whistle” on the CRNC behavior)
From these facts alone one can deduce that Paul Gourley’s ascension to CRNC Chairman would lead to a likely two-year paralysis of the organization under the weight of the scandal. Whether or not it is Paul’s “fault” or not, he is now inexorably tied to those letters and one can little doubt that those questions will be brought up in any media interview he does.
For me this election is about one thing and really one thing only: ethics. I think that the CRNC has bungled badly a lot of different aspects of their operation just take a peek at their finance statements and the fact they FAILED to file a statement for the second half of 2003, and their statement for the first half of the year was filed months late on 7 Feb 2005. Yet, in the end, someone has to be held to account and it would seem to me the treasurer whose job it is to oversee the finances, Paul Gourley, would be the logical person.
Will it be the end of the world if Paul is elected? No. But it will signal that the CRs are not serious about true reform and the forces of careerism have won out over principle.
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I don’t understand why you are calling a legitimate state endorsement a ‘hatchet job’. Presumably, states should have a reason for supporting one candidate over another. Utah stated their reasons.
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It was a hatchet job, because it spent all of its time making personal attacks against Davidson. Claiming that he never went to Utah, which was probably because he was Chairman of the California College Republican, not the National Treasurer, or the handpicked lackey of Eric Hoplin.
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Or because he is really only a figure head that doesn’t work hard. He didn’t go to the West Coast Leadership Conference in his hometown!!! Hmmm to busy trying to persuade judges to rule in favor of same sex marriage maybe? That’s probably it!
Look you guys are nothing more than a mouth piece for his campaign and you know he is losing so you will stop at nothing. You know this election is in the bag for Gourley so just give it up!
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Reply to #2.
Did you actually read the endorsement? It’s twelve paragraphs long. 9 of them are spent talking about what they view as positive aspects of Paul Gourley’s leadership. 3 talk about Davidson. I would hardly say that the ‘whole thing’ attacks Davidson.
And second, who’s to say that what the Utahns bring up isn’t legitimate? Maybe Davidson isn’t an infallible God. Maybe they are simply pointing out what they see as a problem with Davidson.
I read this endorsement, and I didn’t think it was all that negative. It seems to try and show a contrast between the two candidates, just as Davidson tried to do in his response to Gourley’s tech plan. Would you call Davidson’s response a hatchet job?
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#3
Wow…another homophobic remark from the Gourley Campaign…suprise, suprise the ‘annointed one’ is going negative.
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I would hardly call what Davidson wrote a ‘hatchet job’ because it focused on the issues, it didn’t make personal attacks. And comeon, there’s a difference between the responsibilities of being a national officer, and spending your time turning around one of the most important states in the country…and Paul gave an added responsibility of scamming seniors, kudos for that.
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To No. 6: Hahaha. Because under Davidson’s leadership CA has become a conservative’s dream–what a joke! So he has organized a few kids in his home state–let’s give him a cookie or something. But not a National Chairmanship. There are a number of outstanding State Chairs all across the country. Kudos to them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are qualified to run the CRNC–on a nationwide scale!
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you’re all losers… take that.
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Can someone please explain to me how any of Robin’s criticisms of Davidson make any sense in choosing who to endorse? I think the problem people are having with this endorsement is that the attacks against Michael dont really make sense.
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The real shame is that someone had to read the Utah endorsement letter to Gourley. Paul can’t read.
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