We haven’t been able to get the live broadcast to work, but we are recording video of the debate (as well as the LNC meeting) and will hopefully upload it soon. In the meantime, one or more people will be liveblogging tonight’s debate between Mark Hinkle, Wayne Root, George Phillies and Ernest Hancock, candidates for Libertarian National Committee Chair, from Austin, Texas. The liveblogging will be in the comments on this post. Those who are not here are welcome to contribute questions and opinions as well.
0 responses so far ↓
1 paulie // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:09 pm
I may or may not be able to stay here for dinner, apparently it was sold out.
Rhys Blavier and perhaps others will provide coverage.
2 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Greetings all, I have been asked to live blog the debate between the Candidates for the LNC chair position. It is just the dinner portion of the evening right now but, as soon as the debates start, I will let y’all know.
BTW, I am a native Texan and I DO say ‘Y’all’ as part of my way of talking… deal with it.
3 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Pat Dixon, Texas State Chair is kicking things off. He is tallking about the earthquake in Chile, the pacific tsunami and Michael Badnarik. It is a good way to start, we should make the world better by our deeds as well as by our words.
4 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Dr. Jim Lark is accepting a service award. He is speaking about his campus outreach programs to help build the next generation of libertarians.
5 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Dr. Lark is presenting a Texas University young libertarian. Norman Green, I hope I heard his name correctly.
6 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:43 pm
The four candidates for LNC Chair who will speak tonight are Ernest Hancock, Mark Hinkle, George Phillies, Wayne Root and NOTA. I will be trying to be an objective reporter for y’all out there.
7 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:47 pm
Ok, an addition… John Jay Myers has apparently also tossed his hat into the ring.
8 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Some technical issues on my end. Hopefully Paulie has fixed whatever I have done wrong. Thanks.
9 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Wayne Allen Root is up first.
10 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Wayne is introducing himself, speaking of the example of his home state of Nevada. He is loud and doesn’t seem to need a mic.
11 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:52 pm
He is saying that what the LNC needs is NOT an(other) admnistrator chair… that we need a top salesman to lead the party at this time.
12 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:55 pm
He is talking about where he has traveled (mostly what seem to be resort locations, and the media he has appeared on.
He also says that he is running with Mark Rutherberg (again I hope I heard the name right).
13 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:57 pm
John Mayers is up now. Another strong personality. He said that he decided to run because none of the other candidates spoke for him. He is talking about how the tea-party movement and Ron Paul are doing and saying what we need to emulate as libertarians.
14 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Meyers says that he has a plan to build up the county parties in Texas.
15 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Mark Hinkle is up now.
16 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:00 pm
He has been supporting and working in the LP since the mid-70s. He has served in various LP capacities in his years of involvement. He is speaking about how the economy is hurting the LP. He says that he is the ONLY candidate who has the experience to lead the LP in these troubled times.
17 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:02 pm
He is saying that he doesnlt personally have skills in fundraising and other areas but that he knows how to identify those who DO have those skills and put them to work.
18 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:03 pm
Hinkle closed talking about working with other libertarian organization.
19 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Ernest Hancock is up now. All of the candidates so far have strong and confident personalities. He says that he lives and breaths Libertarianism and was a proud member of the ‘Ron Paul Revolution’ (a term which says he originated.
20 Nicholas Sarwark // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Root wants to have Mark Rutherford as vice chair.
21 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:07 pm
Hancock is speaking about the libertarian youth that rose with the internet. Talking about how Ron Paul’s success in the CPAC straw poll is a sign the the world is embrasing liberarianism.
22 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Hancock closed by saying that he is a libertarian activist.
23 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:09 pm
George Phillies is up. Much better speaking voice than I thought that he would. He position is that the LP is dying and needs to be reenergized and talks about his successes in reshaping the Mass. LP.
24 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:11 pm
He is not running to be a Roman philosopher king, he is running to be the LP CEO. He has a specific plan for rebuilding the national LP. He also is speaking about the others who share his vision who are also running for LP offices
25 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:12 pm
All strong and confident introductions and all very different personalities.
26 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:14 pm
John is now answering the first question, who are they and what they offer. He is a no-nonsense guy who has sucessfully increased the Dallas LP 9-fold… and we need to look to capitalism to show us the path out.
27 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Root says that what he brings is a high media presence, a sucessful book and a newspaper column. “We don’t need someone who can bring in new voters and that needs a high profile leader.”
28 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:18 pm
George is now answering. We need a chairman who doesn’t get lost in parliamentaru hair spliytting. Too much too fast to repeat but he actually answered the question. Niuce job.
29 paulie // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:19 pm
@12 Mark Rutherford
30 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Hanock is talking about his belief and what he advocates… freedom. It would be rude for him to not give a philosophy that gave him so much to others.
31 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Mark, ballot access needs to be funded and fought for. Also how he worked on buildiing a strong cross party coilltion for right to life legislation.
32 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Next q, what willl you do to bring in large contributions.
33 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Hinkle is talking about personal contact with potential doners… and showing them results.
34 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Hancock… by being libertarians. We raise funds by letting people give their money without restrictions.
35 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Phillies, the money bomb and the internet show us what people will give… and they want their money spent on politics and results.
36 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:27 pm
Root, by raising money “that is what I do”. He says how he helped Newsday raise money when monetarisng their website failed. Sales, marketing, branding and promotion.
37 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:28 pm
John “WOW< I disagree with THAT". What we need to give people principles. We don't need to "sell" people, we need to have principles. NICE response to the previous speaker.
38 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Nextq, what do you see as the roll for the LNC?
39 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Hancock… STAY OUT OF THE WAY! The best ideas get supported.
40 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Hiinkle, the LNC is what is in the by-laws. LNC needs to figure out what policies to focus on. The LNC is what we decide it is.
41 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Next q, how will we grow the LP?
42 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:32 pm
John, the LP goal is to get people elected… he is a libertarian and a LIBERTARIAN.
43 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Root, he will be the public face of the LP. We need to raise tens of millions, seel your product well, market how good our product is.
44 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:34 pm
Root says he can also convert candidates from other parties… get them to switch side.
45 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Philies, the LNC needs to be addressing the real issues, stand up and speak against the wrongs that are and have been done by those in powers. We need to advertise but he will NOT be like Michael Steele.
46 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Next q, do you have experience with serving on boards and how would you preside over the LNC?
47 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Root… “my business background”… he is an entrepuner and a risk taker, he knows how gamble and win.He runs his busineeses lean and mean. He has published books, sold tv shows and been in front of the camera.
48 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:39 pm
John, I’m a small businessman. He tells his people to meet deadlines and get things done.
49 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Hinkle, have not served on a business board but he has lots of experience with LP boards. “Always be open to new ideas, always listen to others…
50 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Hanock, you can’t limit who you listen to. Don’t show favorites with candiaates and other LNC members.
51 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:43 pm
George, he is a physist and runs a department where you can’t fire others and you need to work with them.
52 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Last q, how do you work with other orgizations on issues we share?
53 inDglass // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Root only wants Mark for the alliteration of “Root and Rutherford.” (J/K because Mark is well qualified based on his experience leading the LPIN.)
54 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Hinkle, again, he has had sucess doing that in his past in California. He WILL work with other organizations. There IS strength in numbers and we have to take advantage of that.
55 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:48 pm
John, Obama won not because people wanted him, they want what we had under Bush. I’m sorry, he is humorous but being racist, I can’t repeat his “accent” etc.
56 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Hancock,was on Air America for three years. Thought we had more in common with the right but saw that we have more in common with the left. “I am for the individual”. People want to be left alone and they aren’t being left alone.
57 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:51 pm
George, will I work with the right? will we work with the left? HELL YES! But there is a line we cannot cross.
58 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Root, ‘I am a policy wonk”… now his academic creditials. The money is with the right. Quoted Dillinger do you bob banks? that is where the money is. A poll says that the biggest fear in America is the US gov. “THE RIGHT IS OUR FUTURE!”
59 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Next q, Is there a culture war ragiung in the LP?
60 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:56 pm
John, yes, but the arguments are so far away from reality that we don’t need it. “You guys are having a fight in the sand box.” Let’s get there any way we can’t
61 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Root,t. more about that poll, everyone is on the right and not on the left. Put up or shut up.
62 inDglass // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:58 pm
According to Rutherford’s Facebook status, he officially entered the race for Vice Chair 40 minutes ago.
63 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Hinkle, I have insight because we have seen this in the LP before. We need to be success oriented. Internal conflict will melt away if we become a sucess.
64 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:00 pm
George, Yes we have internal disagreements. WE ARE LIBERTARIANS. But we also have those who point fingers at libertarians they disagree with to put bad labels on them.
65 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:00 pm
inD, yeah, that is what Root said… his NEW announcement
66 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Hanock.yeah, I have been on tv. IT isn’t about me. Root WILL be the face of the LP. ALL of the campaigning he has done with root, issues have NEVER come up.
67 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Time for closing remarks.
68 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:07 pm
George… For years we have had the NOLAN chart, now we know how to put it all together. Those who govern to control people are the exact opposite of libertarianism. Cut overhead, support candidates, electronic outreach (facebook, etc.)… end the war, peace, prosperity.We need 50 vibrant state parties.He is NOT a fan of pariamtary pandering. STeady movenemt forward.
69 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Myers, my idea is that we need to focus on counties. He has a template on line where anyone can easily create a county party, and through the internet info can be given without taking attention away from the staffs who are busy.
70 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Hanock… John is right, we need to have these tools for everyone at every level. We are need to quit trying to centralizing everything. We need activists and give them what they need to succeed themselves. I cannot tell you about these things until I can show you. How many times do I have to demonstrate this? “I don’t need to have the LP chairmanship… but it would be nice”
71 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Root, Olympics, we have never been a winter country but we are succeeding now because the winter olympics turned to Steinbrenner… HE DID IT ALL, All successes will be mine and all failures will be mine. “I can be your Steinbrener”. And he and his sister went to Ivy League school and his daughter will attend one. ALL WE NEED IS FAITH. It is all out there, we just need to take it.
72 paulie // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Steinbrenner is a jackass.
I used to work for him doing ticket promotions for the Yankees.
73 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:20 pm
Hinkle, there is an old saying… the key to politics is sincerity, once you can fake that you will have it won. We are a service organization. It behooves us to put our miniscule differences aside and when we can in the future when we can have meaningful philosophical debate when tht right time comes, NOW, we need to work togeither for America
74 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Ok, folks… I want to apologive. I don’t think that I was very good at this. There is so much that everyone said and I couldn’t get it across to you. There were five VERY different men, five VERY different visions, five VERY diferent personalities
75 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:27 pm
I have never seen this wide a slate of candidates where EVERYONE is COMPLETELY different. WOW
76 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:28 pm
Part of me thinks that each of them is a PART of the perfect chair, but we can only have one and each of us will have the choice to vote for someone who will take us in the direction we want to go.
77 Rhys M. Blavier // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:32 pm
I feel that I have not done good serviace to y’all. If they post the videos, WATCH THEM. Please know that I had no intentions to misrepresent anyone who spoke and if anything I said here did that, it is my own faullt and no one else’s. I wish that you alll could have been here. It would have been worth it for you. I am going to make it to the National Con, come hell of high water. This is going to be fun.
I thank everyone who was reading this. If they ask me to do this again, I promise I will try to do better… now I need to catch my breath… and get a drink. Good night everyone.
78 Matt Cholko // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:43 pm
You did a fine job – a hell of a lot better than nothing.
79 Mik Robertson // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Nice job. I look forward to the video.
80 B4Liberty // Feb 27, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Rhys – I think you did a great job. Thank you for posting.
I have heard Root, Phillies and Hancock several times, in person and on video. While reading your posts I could hear their voices. Much of their speeches are repeated information from the youtubed California Convention.
It will be an interesting election.
81 St. Louis Delegate, Maybe // Feb 27, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Enjoy your drink. You earned it tonight.
82 paulie // Feb 27, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Rhys – you did very well, thanks. Much better than me w/ LNC and I needed a break.
Post convention poll post coming up.
Sneak preview: Wayne leads on every ballot until the last, then Hancock wins.
83 Thomas L. Knapp // Feb 27, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Root does, indeed, run his businesses lean and mean. Lean for the shareholders and mean to the creditors.
I’m surprised he let himself get goaded into opening his business background up as an issue in the campaign for chair. He’s been pitching the “forget CEO stuff, I’m running as a cheerleader.” That was the obvious way to run, since anyone who:
a) Understands that the chair is the CEO of the party; and
b) Looks at Root’s record as a CEO …
will not, under any circumstances, be willing to have the guy who answers to the description in (b) in the position described in (a).
84 paulie // Feb 27, 2010 at 11:19 pm
Rutherford is de facto running for CEO, or COO anyway; Root is running for PR rep.
BTW Root’s party is in 821. I think Phillies people may be having one in 321 again. Not 100% on that. haven’t heard of any others, at least yet.
85 paulie // Feb 27, 2010 at 11:34 pm
Correction, Phillies people are in 521 tonight. And with that I am shutting this down and off to drink etc.
86 Michael Seebeck, sober and tired // Feb 28, 2010 at 1:11 am
I didn’t make most of the day’s activities as I was attending to a personal errand once I got into town.
However, I did hang in 521 afterwards and the place was quite busy and fun until someone pulled the fire alarm. At that point I took my leave because I need to get up early tomorrow for the 530AM PST (830AM local) LNC meeting, at which point I understand the floor fee will top item on the agenda.
I *might* tweet the thing. Webcasting is out for me as my camera is still hosed, but I believe I heard that Chuck and Paulie were working on that.
87 Thomas L. Knapp // Feb 28, 2010 at 3:47 am
Paulie,
You write:
“Rutherford is de facto running for CEO, or COO anyway; Root is running for PR rep.”
That may be true, but:
1) It’s a pipe dream. If Root is chair, Root is chair. He may intend — and say that he intends — to defer to Rutherford’s opinion, but he can’t be held to that commitment. Making him chair is putting him in charge of the LP’s business affairs, regardless of any disclaimers on his part as to his intention of running those affairs.
2) Root is already the party’s loudest voice in media. He doesn’t need to be chair to continue in that role, nor would the title of chair particularly enhance his efforts to do so.
Current Google News indexed media mentions of the GOP’s 2008 vice-presidential candidate (Sarah Palin): 15,342
Current Google News indexed media mentions of the chair of the Republican National Committee (Michael Steele): 1,023
Current Google News indexed media mentions of the Democratic Party’s 2008 vice-presidential candidate (Joe Biden): 12,372
Current Google News indexed media mentions of the chair of the Democratic National Committee (Tim Kaine): 429
Current Google News indexed media mentions of the LP’s 2008 vice-presidential candidate (Wayne Allyn Root): 13
Current Google News indexed media mentions of the chair of the Libertarian National Committee (Bill Redpath): 2
I suspect that if we had stats on radio and TV appearances, the gap between Root and Palin/Biden would diminish, and the gap between all VP candidates and all chairs would widen.
Rutherford for chair might be an interesting proposition. Rutherford for vice chair on the supposition that he will be de facto chair is naive.
88 Michael Seebeck, twittering like an e-canary // Feb 28, 2010 at 8:59 am
OK, folks, reception here is OK, so I’ll be tweeting away.
See it at http://twitter.com/TeamSeebeckM
89 Mik Robertson // Mar 1, 2010 at 9:07 am
Is the video of the debate available?
90 paulie // Mar 1, 2010 at 9:19 am
Rachel Hawkridge will be emailing it to me when she has had a chance to upload it, and we will then upload it here.
Mike Fellows from Montana also taped the debate. I’m not sure whether he will be getting that to us or not, but it will be available on Montana public access cable.
91 David F. Nolan // Mar 1, 2010 at 9:58 am
I am on the road back from Austin, and will offer more extensive comments later. For me, the biggest surprise was Ernie Hancock’s strength and Hinkle’s weakness in the poll results. I think Mark’s problem is that he is not well-known outside CA, while Root, Hancock and Phillies have made many appearances around the country. I agree with Chuck Moulton’s analysis above. Unless there is a big upset in the next 3 months, this will be a contest between Hancock and Root. I really wish Root would run for US Senate in Nevada instead of running for LNC Chair. He could be a major presence in that race!
92 David F. Nolan // Mar 1, 2010 at 10:08 am
Oops! Moulton’s comment is on a different thread; the one about the poll results. I urge everyone to read it over there!
93 paulie // Mar 1, 2010 at 10:08 am
My thoughts exactly.
94 Behind Root // Mar 1, 2010 at 10:28 am
I would like for him to run for Senate as well, but there is a good reason why he didn’t run. Even if some don’t agree. Wayne Root knows what he is doing, he is ahead of the game. He forsees things and knows. I am behind Root all the way. If we are going to progress this party further than it ever has before. We really need Root at the helm. Let give him that chance. I think you will see a big different. We are already on a roll, let it keep going. PLEASE!
95 Barry Hess // Mar 1, 2010 at 1:25 pm
I was fortunate to be there for one of the most enjoyable PL panel ‘debates’ I’ve seen in the entire time I’ve been involved with the organization.
In a nutshell, here’s what I saw happen:
George put up a surprisingly coherent presentation, but ultimately said, “I want to be LNC Chair and will organize it like I did Massachusetts.”
Mark said: “I’ve been around a long time, vote for me”.
John said: “Buy my website idea”.
Ernie said: “The LP should join the freedom movement–the Love-a-lution”, and here’s how (detailed his plans and backed them up with multiple examples of success), we can turn the PL into an actual political force by freeing minds and empowering individuals.”
Wayne said: “I’m Wayne, I’ve been hailed by the neo-con media as a ‘friend’….I’m Wayne.”
Had there been enough physical ballots for all the attendees, I am confident that Ernest Hancock would have won right out of the gate. The young people coming into the LP want to “do” something, not relax in the confidence that the LNC has polite and sedate meetings.
96 paulie // Mar 2, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Barry Hess,
What is PL? LP?
We ran out of physical ballots for only one table at the front and there were extra blanks for people who did not vote which accumulated at the back as people exited, others picked them up and voted.
So I don’t think the initial slight shortfall of ballots was a major factor.
97 Barry Hess // Mar 2, 2010 at 6:54 pm
Must have been my dyslexia acting up again…I only noticed after publication. Yes, the “PL”s should have been “LP”s. Sorry to distract.
98 Rhys Blavier // Mar 11, 2010 at 8:52 pm
Since I am not trying to report this anymore, I want to say that Root scares the hell out of me.
We do NOT need to move to the right and be another neo-con, neo-Republican Party. He might be correct that there is more money to be “harvested” on the far right but this shouldn’t be about how much money we can prostitute ourselves for. I also have to wonder if he could raise as much money as he says that he can, why didn’t he have more in 2008 for him and barr?
I’m sorry but he strikes me as every cliche’ of a slick used car salesman and a shyster. When he was speaking, I could almost hear the black boots marching by. Il Duce would have been proud.
99 Straight .......... from Lake // Mar 11, 2010 at 10:09 pm
Rhys Blavier // Mar 11, 2010:
“I want to say that Root scares the hell out of me.”
and soooooooooo many non Libs feel the same way!
100 paulie // Mar 12, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Rhys,
Thanks again for your comments. You are welcome to post opinions any time in the comment section, including liveblogging.
You are also invited to post opinion articles at Next Free Voice if you are interested.
http://pauliecannoli.wordpress.com
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