Monday, February 15, 2016

On NBC's News Conference, Duf Has the Stuff


Duf meets Conan

On Sunday, February 14 (Happy Valentine's Day!) Republican US Senate candidate Duf Sundheim gave an incredible interview on NBC 4's News Conference with Conan Nolan.


Nolan asked the customary divisive questions, but Duf focused on unity and focused on doing what is best for California.

Nolan: Before we talk about your candidacy, let's talk about Donald Trump.

Wow! Really, Conan?!

Duf didn't push it aside, though.

Duf: I'm concerned about many of the statements he made, which I feel are very divisive, but I think he's shown real growth over the past few weeks and by the time he's up for the nomination this summer.

Honestly, this line of question was a cheap shot. Donald Trump is a divisive figure, and his polarization is a result of Washington inaction and bureaucratic harangues within both parties, intent on pleasing donors and not the voters.

Who thinks that he is going to be the final nominee? He is already threatening to bolt and go third party.

Duf: I do have those concerns but a lot of people, even Bob Dole have said he [Trump] has shown real growth."

Conan tried to create more drama:

Conan: But you'd be on the down ballot with him as a candidate for US Senate. Would you be able to say "I strongly support the top of the ticket"?

Duf: Well I think I would say. .. It all depends on who the alternative is, what the specific issue is.

Right. This was a great answer. Instead of just talking about the divisions among the Republicans, why not focus on the Democrats? The based does not like Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders turns off the Democratic Establishment, who all know that he is too far left to win a general election.

I'm going to say what's important to me.

I'm not being hired to run on a ticket with someone who is running for President.

I'm running to represent all the people in the state of California.

That's what I want, and that's what more people need to learn about with Duf.

I think I am going to be talking about [the fact that] we were once the land of opportunity, and how we no longer.

And what my solutions are to address those problems.

Why is California no longer the land of opportunity? Progressive nightmares like collective bargaining for labor unions, lax enforcement of the rule of law (particularly with immigration), and environmental tyranny, which supports the birds and the bees instead of people and businesses.

Liberal special interests have taken over the state of California, driving out the working class and middle income earners. This abuse must cease.

So whether it's Donald Trump or Jeb Bush or John Kasich, I am going to be making my argument based on my vision, based on what I think is best for the people of California.

Notice he selected the most extreme as well as the most Establishment candidate.

Conan: But you can concede that it's important for the down-ballot to have confidence in the top.

Duf: Oh, absolutely, just like the Democratic side, you know, if it's Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton. It could make a tremendous difference on the confidence the Democrats have in their nominee.

If Bernie Sanders is the Democratic nominee, watch a whole slew of voters veer for whoever the Republican is, or sit at home. It would be 1972 all over again.

Conan then asked if Duf had received called from Republican National Committee leaders worried about whether the nomination would be rapped up by the time of the Convention:

Yes, I think there's a very strong feeling this might not be decided by June, but I think it's great for the state of California. You look at how much attention is paid to Iowa and New Hampshire, which is such a small percentage of the population.

I like this idea. California should play a larger influence in Presidential politics.

Duf explains:

Here, we have major issues. We're the largest state in the nation

Conan: You think the Republican primary will be decided June 7th, in California?

Duf: Or after. 

Very possible. There has been talk of a brokered convention.

Duf:  I think that will draw strong attention as to what is going on in terms of water, what's going on in terms of job opportunities, what's going on in terms of education.

And I think that will be really good for the people of California.

Conan: For clarity, you allocate delegates according to Congressional delegates, is that correct?

Duf: For the most part, yes.

Conan: Maxine Waters' Congressional district will have Republican delegates coming from it, then?

Duf: Exactly right. Each of the Congressional districts.

Wow! Imagine the more Tea-Party aligned candidate winning delegates in one of the most Democratic districts in California? So much for "The Tea Party can go straight to hell!"

Conan: And it's all by proportion as to how they all end up.

Duf: So, let's say Cruz wins Maxine Waters' district. Then he would get that delegate.  Jeb Bush wins in Santa Barbara, he would get that delegate. It would all be based on who would come in #1 in that Congressional district.

Conan: Why are you running for Barbara Boxer's seat?

Excuse me? It's the people's seat, thank you very much!

Duf: Because I think we were once the land of opportunity, and we are no longer.

The state has gone from Golden to Rotten because of Democratic dominance.

I have an economic plan, an education plan, a water plan, a national security plan that I think lines up well with the aspirations of the people of this state, and the people of this country.

Yes, his plan resonates on many levels with voters. Economic liberty, pension reforms, improvements in public safety

I just got done visiting the Central Valley. and they are being crushed by the lack of water. You know, there is a direct correlation between the quantity of water and the quality of water?

Honestly, I did not know about this, either. Where have the other candidates been on the water issue?

And just as we are concerned about what's going on in Flint, Michigan, with one hundred thousand people, there are millions of Californians now that have too much arsenic, lead, uranium, other very damaging materials in their water, and nothing's being done about it.

US Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein have accomplished next to nothing. Boxer cares about fish instead of farmers. Feinstein has tried twice, even when the Democrats controlled the upper chamber, to get a water bill through the US Senate, and her coalition keeps falling apart.

We need a Republican in the US Senate representing California and working hard to get a water bill through the legislature and to the President's desk.

Conan: You're a pro-choice Republican.

Duf: I am, although I'm personally pro-life. I think it's up to each person to make up their own mind.

Conan: What else distinguishes you from the Ted Cruz wing of the party?

Really? Conan has not been paying much attention. A number of outspoken Republican leaders are endorsing Cruz, both moderate and conservative.

Well, I'm for a path to legal status. I've laid that out in the documents I've provided.. There's some people that think we should deport eleven million people.. I see things differently. I think that if you have not committed a crime and pay a fine, you should have a pathway to legal status.

Focus on border security and enforcement. Then we can talk about what to do with the remaining illegal populations later.

Conan: What else differentiates you to those who think that the Republican Party is out of step with California? Keep in mind that not one statewide office is represented by a Republican.

Here we go again. Conan wants divisions. Duf wouldn't play along.

Duf: Well, I really don't define myself that way, but more on what i stand for. I think I've indicated other ways I am different. 

Yes! Victory through principled unity!

I think what is my gift is my ability to bring people together. I've worked with Democrat Chuck Reed on pension reform. I've worked with Marshall Tuck on education reform. And I just had an opponent as you may know, Rocky Chavez. We were going at it very strongly, and today he's announced that he's going to endorse me in my race.

I have the ability to bring people together who haven't worked together before to find common sense solutions to our problems.

Conan: And finally, remember that the registration is 15% more Democrats than Republicans, no statewide officeholder. Kamala Harris seems to be the odds-on favorite on the Democratic side. What is it about your campaign that make you think you can break through and a get a Republican elected to the US Senate?

Duf: I think this is a Democratic state and most of the time they are going to elect a Democrat. But I'm running because I believe my position on the issues, especially on public safety.

I mean, you have Kamala Harris, who thinks if you have been deported five times and committed seven felonies, you're still allowed to stay in this country.

I loved hearing this response. The sanctuary city policy in this state is making everyone less safe. It's a crime that any elected official puts the welfare of illegal aliens ahead of law-abiding legal residents. To this day, Korrupt Kammy has said nothing.

She thinks if you break into somebody's house, you should be given a ticket.

Most Californians are not aware that Prop 47 had reduced so many penalties, that individual thefts are no longer prosecuted with jail time. You get a ticket and pay a fine at the local courthouse. How does any of this stop crime? It doesn't.

Kammy has chased Big Green, Big Homo, Big Amnesty, Big Labor, and has neglected the Little Guy in California.

I have a fundamental difference on the public safety issues, on education reform. I support the Vergara decision. She's appealing it.

That decision struck down the horrendous "last hired, first fired" and instant tenure rules which have protected the worst teachers while getting rid of good ones. The teachers unions love these rules, and Kammy is doing what they want, rather than what the people of California want.

Like Jerry Brown, Kammy sides with union bosses instead of inner city kids. Shame on you, Kammy!

So on issue after issue, I think I am line more with the people of Calfornia. In most elections,  you;re going to have more people line up with the Democrat. In this election, I think I am clearly more in line with the average Californian than my opponent.


Yes, Duf has the stuff!

I endorse Duf Sundheim for US Senate!


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