Executive Summary:
Our Challenge 1, A debate - CR Vets Answer: No
Our Challenge 2, The fundamental disagreement: “End divisiveness”
Our Challenge 3, Explain Gourley’s fundraising: No response

I think that sums it up.

Mark & Company,

We here at CR Vets For Truth truly appreciate your willingness to put your name behind your ideas, and we respect you for that. However it is obvious that we do not agree on many issues surrounding the CRNC election – particularly this idea perpetuated in the anti-Gourley echo chamber that is the blogosphere that Gourley is unwilling to engage in a debate on the future of the National Committee. Clearly, as is evident by the many platform pieces mailed out, phone calls made, states federations visited, and most importantly overwhelming support given- that Paul Gourley has been putting forward a positive and detailed vision for the future of the CRNC, a vision grounded in his unprecedented experience training and managing a youthful grassroots army. Here in Virginia Paul was willing to participate in any convention dialogue we chose, and did participate in a Candidates Panel with Michael Davidson. Thus the very premise of your “challenge” is flawed. We’re not candidates here. We are, however, happy to continue our honest and positive dialog. If you’d like to join the thousands of other CRs who have been participating in the forward looking discussion these past few months we suggest you give Paul a call.

The fact remains that Paul Gourley has a 25-vote lead over Michael Davidson and more than enough votes to be elected our next National Chairman. Regardless of whether or not you’re willing to accept it, the support behind Paul is support given in good faith because the majority of CRs truly believe he is the best man for the job- it is ridiculous to suggest that anyone is forcing CRs to vote a particular way, with the possible exception of the Davidson friendly Michigan state GOP.

We look forward to reporting all of the major developments in this election – even though the end result is already certain, and we truly hope that Davidson and his supporters will reconsider the bipartisan pleas for unity and civility and reject the divisive negativity so evident in their campaign as of late.

Respectfully,

Brian Mazanec
Bryan Shuy
Mike Herbert
CR Vets For Truth

Berlusconi is set to resign as Prime Minister of Italy according to Bloomberg. Well Andrew, that didn’t take long, nice call.

From the leftist utopia of Germany?

Record numbers of Germans are suffering from depression and other mental illnesses, a new report says.

According to the research, by a German health insurance firm, cases of depression among Berliners have risen by 70% since 1997.

Up to 70% of Germans also say they are prepared to seek professional help for psychological problems.

Mental health experts blamed the rise on Germany’s faltering economy, which has seen unemployment rise to over 5m.

Wait I thought socialized health care, liberal social mores, sexual revolution, and all the things the Germans adopted were supposed to help all this AND keep the economy a float?

Here is Ted Nugent at the NRA Convention.

Here is what he said:

Ted Nugent urged National Rifle Association members to be “hardcore, radical extremists demanding the right to self defense.”

“Remember the Alamo! Shoot ‘em!” he screamed to applause. “To show you how radical I am, I want carjackers dead. I want rapists dead. I want burglars dead. I want child molesters dead. I want the bad guys dead. No court case. No parole. No early release. I want ‘em dead. Get a gun and when they attack you, shoot ‘em.”

I love this guy. Link.

When Lebanon explodes (at it looks like it will in 12 days), it will all be blogged live for the world to judge.

UPDATE: This is the official blog of the protesters at Martyrs’ Square, Beirut.

Three days and no response from CR Vets to our challenge for a debate or to rebut the basic facts of Gourley signing the letter knowingly of its contents. Come on guys, a little healthy debate never hurt anyone, in fact, it could do wonders for this organization. Though on a side note, I think the guys over there continue to miss the point of why we are doing this. Win or lose with Davidson we are still commited to fundamental reform and holding the new administrations feet to the fire.

Chuck Hagel (R, France) has done it again. Coming down firmly on the side of John Kerry, Joe Biden, Dick Durbin, Kofi Annan, Germany, France, and “business as usual”, Chuck seems to be having second thoughts about John Bolton. Why the voters of Nebraska keep sending this goofball to Washington DC I’ll never know, oh wait the Farm Bill that’s right!

This is slightly off topic, but I discovered Melanie Philips, after reading Denis Boyles at NRO. She is a conservative Brit who applies a healthy dose of common sense to her politics. She is not a Muslim, but she writes about one who has stood up against the “mob”here. Inter-religious division is taking place throughout the Islamic world today, unfortunately the long term trends don’t look good.