Republicans come to Clear Lake in final push

(Above) New Jersey Governor Chris Christie spoke to about 350 persons at the Clear Lake Fire Station Saturday evening.-Reporter photo by Chris Barragy.

[caption id="attachment_15292" align="alignleft" width="270"] Clear Lake resident Sandy Blodgett speaks with presdential candiate Jeb Bush following his stop at the V.F.W. Saturday.-Reporter photo by Chris Barragy.[/caption]

Iowa Speaker of the House Linda Upmeyer welcomed a pair of Republican presidential candidates to the center of the universe Saturday— otherwise known as Iowa, or more specifically, Clear Lake.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who both found themselves lagging in the polls heading into Monday’s caucus, included Clear Lake among their stops in the final frenzied hours of their campaigns.

Bush spoke to a capacity crowd at Clear Lake V.F.W. Post 4868 and promised to restore military strength, fix a failing economy and build a more unified federal government.

“We need a president who will support the military and develop strategies to keep us safe,” said Bush.  “The most important job of the president is to keep us safe — and we are less safe now than we were when President Obama took office.”

Bush said one of his earliest actions as president would be to relocate the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as a sign of respect and support.  He also pledged to not only defeat, but destroy ISIS. He claimed the American people are less safe because of President Obama and Secretary Hillary Clinton’s weak, “leading from behind” foreign policy. “I believe in peace through strength,” he said.

Bush reminded his audience that as Florida’s governor he cut taxes every year and cut the state workforce by 13,000.  “My opponents called me a lot of names, but the one I liked best was Veto Corleone. I vetoed over 2,500 line items in the state’s budget,” he said.

Christie also pointed to the fact that his experience as a governor, along with seven years spent as U.S. Attorney General of New Jersey, made him a better choice for president.  “I’m a governor and as a governor you’ve got to deal with the world the way it is, not the way you wish it

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was.  You are presented with issues and you must lead the way to a solution.  I have done that.”

Christie spent more than an hour answering questions from the estimated 350 gathered at the Fire Station.  Topics ranged from global warming to personal freedoms and his top issues.

The governor said he would work to build relationships between party leaders to help the country and end gridlock and dysfunction in Washington.  Of the governors running for president, Christie pointed out he is the only Republican elected Governor of a “blue state.”  “I have worked every day of every year with a Democratic legislature.  I have been able to build relationships over time.”

When asked to identify three issues he would  “dig his heels in” about, Christie put taxes on the top of his list, adding that as governor he has vetoed more tax increases than any other governor in American history.   He also said he will remain steadfastly opposed to a Social Security tax increase.  His third focus will be to rebuild the military.

Among his other campaign promises was to cut the Planned Parenthood program, which he called “morally unacceptable to me.”  He would also repeal Obama Care and replace it with a state-based system.

Bush and Christie both took aim at Republican front-runner Donald Trump during their addresses.  Each asked voters to consider the personality and leadership styles of the candidates.

“There should be no more trash talk. We need to engage people who disagree with us. Look at what Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neil accomplished,” said Bush. “Forging consensus is not bad business. It’s life.”

Christie drove the point home with the story of a couple he met in Burlington, Iowa who asked him what type of Commander in Chief he would be.  Their son was being prepared for deployment and the issue weighed heavily on them, he said.  “We are picking the person who has in their hands the future of our nation and the lives of our children.  It’s a very important decision that you will make.”

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