This morning I had the unique opportunity to participate in a conference call with Lieutenant Governor and Senate hopeful Bill Halter. I have never been invited to be in a conference call with any politician before and I have DailyKos and my fellow kossackers (I hope I got the term correct. I have only been on the site for about a week, so please correct me if I'm wrong) to thank for that. When I wrote my blog initially about Halter joining the race it wasn't meant as any kind of attention grab but to give everyone on this site a feel for what is going inside Arkansas politics from an Arkansas point of view.
Thanks to you guys and getting my diary on the recommendations list as quickly as you did the Halter campaign took notice and once again I would like to say from the bottom of my heart that I truly appreciate the Daily Kos and everyone that uses it.
The conference call lasted about 30 minutes and Lt. Governor Halter was very warm and receptive to those that were on the call. I came away from the call very encouraged with the direction that the campaign is headed. This is truly a grass roots campaign. It really got started with the facebook groupDraft Bill Halter and it's has only gained steam since that point. To this point the Halter campaign has received over 30,000 contributors who have donated an average of $30. That is the just of his campaign, compared to Senator Lincoln's campaign contributors, 60% of whom are out of state and big business.
Halter touched on some issues but kept it pretty close to the vest on what exactly he is going to run on, which is to be expected. He wants to reveal his platform as the days and weeks go on and to everyone in Arkansas. One thing that he touch on which overjoyed me is that one of his top priorities if (for me hopefully more when) he is elected to the Senate will be education. I am a teacher and education is my passion. Our system is broke right now and it has to be the bedrock on which everything else is based. I know that Halter will be one of the champions of education of Arkansas because, well, he already is in Arkansas. I truly look forward to talking with Halter and his campaign staff in the future about Arkansas.
Halter also pointed out some inconsistencies in Senator Lincoln's ad that she released a few days ago (these have already been pointed out time and time again but it does show that he is at least paying attention), for instance in the ad she said that she was against the bankers bailout, unfortunately she has apparently forgotten that her record is out there for all to see and her record shows that in fact she voted for the bail-out. Why vote for something you say you are against? He also pointed out her ever changing views on the public option. Essentially when you look at what she has said and done regarding the public option she has a case of not only being for it before being against it but also voting against it when she stated on her website at the time that she was for it.
I came away from the conference call even more excited about this primary than before. But Halter made it clear that he cannot do it alone. This is going to take everyone doing what they can to help him get elected. For all my fellow Arkansans that are on this website please donate something. If you cannot donate money, donate your time, or your bumper, or your yard. Write a letter to your local newspaper showing people your support for Bill Halter.
This is not an election on health care or the public option. This is our chance as Arkansas voters to recall a senator that no longer represents us. Senator Lincoln used to be the voice of not only Arkansas Democrats but Arkansans. She's lost her way and sold her vote to the highest bidder. She has forgotten Arkansas. She showed that much in her ad a few days ago. It is time for someone who truly represents the best that Arkansas has to offer. And that person's name is:
Bill Halter