Transcript of "Ron Whitlock Reports" for August 31, 2008

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Ron Whitlock: 
HELLO, AND WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. I'M YOUR HOST, RON WHITLOCK. WE HAVE 
WITH US TODAY HOLLIS RUTLEDGE, WHO'S THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE 
TEXAS REPUBLICAN COUNTY CHAIRMEN'S ASSOCIATION, AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
OF THAT GROUP, TOM HAUGHEY. TOM. HOLLIS. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. 

Hollis Rutledge: 
THANK YOU. 

Ron: 
WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TODAY ABOUT THE FACT THAT BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN 
ARE GOING TO BE ATTENDING, NOW, THEIR SECOND CONVENTION OF THE REPUBLICAN 
PARTY. AND, THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING THAT AS DELEGATES IN MINNEAPOLIS-ST. 
PAUL. AND, YOU BOTH ARE EXCITED? 

Hollis: 
ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. 

Tom Haughey: 
OH, VERY DEFINITELY, SIR. 

Ron: 
AND, YOU'RE PLEASED ABOUT YOUR CANDIDATE, JOHN McCAIN, THE PRESUMPTIVE 
NOMINEE? 

Hollis: 
ABSOLUTELY. 

Tom: 
YES. 

Ron: 
THE PARTY...WAS INVOLVED, OR NOT VERY INVOLVED, IN SENATOR McCAIN BECOMING 
THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE? AND, I SAY THAT BECAUSE BOTH CANDIDATES, LOOKING 
AT BARACK OBAMA, HILLARY CLINTON OBVIOUSLY WAS THE PARTY CANDIDATE OF 
CHOICE COMING OUT OF THE PARTY. BUT OBAMA, WITH ALL OF HIS APPEAL TO YOUTH, 
AND TO THE INTERNET, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BASICALLY OVERCAME THE 
PARTY'S NOMINEE, THAT BEING HILLARY CLINTON. HAS THE SAME THING HAPPENED 
WITH JOHN McCAIN AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHERE THE PRIMARY VOTER ACTUALLY 
MAYBE BROUGHT HIM TO THE FRONT, WHERE THE.. AT LEAST THE CONSERVATIVE WING 
OF YOUR PARTY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SO EXCITED, HOLLIS? 

Hollis: 
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TOM'S TAKE IS ON IT, BUT, QUITE FRANKLY, FOR 
THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES, WE NEVER REALLY HAD AN HEIR APPARENT. WE ALWAYS 
HAD AN HEIR APPARENT. THIS TIME WE REALLY... 

Ron: 
FROM WAY EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS. 

Hollis: 
..WE DID NOT. AND, WE DIDN'T HAVE A DOLE, WE DIDN'T HAVE A REAGAN, WE 
DIDN'T HAVE A BUSH AS AN HEIR APPARENT. SO, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE REALLY 
DIDN'T HAVE A ONE HEIR APPARENT CANDIDATE FOR ANY ONE BIG, STRONG GROUP. 

Ron: 
OF THE PARTY, OR THE PEOPLE, EITHER WAY. 

Hollis: 
YEAH, THERE WERE MAYBE, THERE WERE ABOUT TWO OR THREE PEOPLE, CANDIDATES, 
THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, ALIGNED TO, YOU KNOW, THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT, 
OR, YOU KNOW, THE CONSERVATIVE WING. BUT, THERE WAS NO REAL HEIR APPARENT, 
PER SE, LIKE WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST. 

Tom: 
YEAH, I THINK OUR PROBLEM WAS FITTING ALL THE CANDIDATES ON THE STAGE.. 
[Hollis & Ron Laugh] 
..FRANKLY. AND, OF COURSE, THE EARLY FRONT-RUNNER WAS PERCEIVED TO BE RUDY 
GIULIANI. 

Ron: 
CORRECT. 

Tom: 
HE CAME DOWN HERE INTO THE VALLEY AND WALKED AWAY WITH QUITE A BIT OF 
CASH.. 
[laughs] 
..AS A MATTER OF FACT. 

Ron: 
ABOUT $160,000, I BELIEVE. 

Tom: 
AND, YEAH, AND HIS CANDIDACY REALLY PAVED THE WAY FOR JOHN McCAIN, BECAUSE, 
WHEN HE DIDN'T WIN IN FLORIDA AND HE DROPPED OUT, HIS PEOPLE HAD BEEN DOING 
SOME BEHIND-THE-SCENES WITH THE DIFFERENT STATE PARTIES TO HAVE WINNER-
TAKE-ALL IN ALOT OF THE NORTHEASTERN STATES. AND, THOSE STATES IMMEDIATELY 
WENT TO JOHN McCAIN, WHICH GAVE HIM A TREMENDOUS INITIAL BOOST. 

Ron: 
NOW, BOTH OF YOU GOING AS DELEGATES TO THE CONVENTION, THEIR PRESUMPTIVE 
NOMINEE, JOHN McCAIN.. IT ALMOST WOULD GO WITHOUT HAVING TO POINT IT OUT TO 
THE AUDIENCE THAT YOU BOTH ARE GONNA BE SUPPORTING JOHN McCAIN AS 
PRESIDENT.. 

Hollis: 
ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. 

Ron: 
..OF THE UNITED STATES. 

Tom: 
OH, YEAH. 

Ron: 
NOW, YOU ARE GOING AS A CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE, AS A DELEGATE.. 

Tom: 
ABSOLUTELY. HERE'S, HERE'S YOUR McCAIN BUMPERSTICKER. 
[Tom hands Ron a McCain for President bumpersticker]


Ron: 
THANK YOU, TOM, I.. 

[Tom laughing] 

Ron: 
..APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. I WILL NOT PUT IT ON MY VEHICLE, BECAUSE I 
DON'T.. 

[all laughing] 

..WANT TO DO THAT KIND OF THING. ANYWAY, YOU'RE BOTH GOING. NOW, YOU, 
HOLLIS, IF I'M NOT CORRECT HERE, YOU'RE GOING AS THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATE 
FOR THE HENRY CUELLAR DISTRICT, WHICH IS DISTRICT NUMBER 23? 

Hollis: 
CORRECT. THERE ARE, EACH CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS, ONCE THEY MEET.. 

Ron: 
YOU WERE SELECTED OUT OF THAT GROUP. 

Tom: 
AND.. 

Hollis: 
..WE ELECT THREE DELEGATES AND THREE ALTERNATES FROM EACH CONGRESSIONAL 
CAUCUS. 

Tom: 
AND.. 

Ron: 
AND YOU, TOM, ARE WITH.. 

Tom: 
WITH DISTRICT 15. 

Ron: 
15..   

Tom: 
YES. 

Ron: 
..WHICH IS RUBEN.. 

Tom: 
HINOJOSA'S. 

Ron: 
..HINOJOSA.   

Tom: 
YES. 

Ron: 
AND, YOU'RE REPRESENTING THAT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AS ITS DELEGATE TO THE 
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE. 

Tom: 
AS AN ALTERNATE DELEGATE. 

Ron: 
AS AN ALTERNATE DELEGATE, THANK YOU. NOW, YOU BOTH ARE PRETTY WELL OF THE 
UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU REPRESENT THOSE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AND, 
THEREFORE, THE NEEDS, CONCERNS AND INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO RESIDE IN 
THOSE DISTRICTS. AND, SO, THEREFORE, LET'S GO, FIRST OF ALL, TO SOME OF THE 
ISSUES THAT ARE OF IMPORTANCE TO THE HISPANIC FAMILIES WHO RESIDE ALONG THE 
BORDER ALL THE WAY FROM BROWNSVILLE TO EL PASO, BUT PREDOMINANTLY WITHIN 
THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS WHERE YOU REPRESENT. NOW, I-69, WHICH IS THE 
NAFTA HIGHWAY, HAS BEEN TOUTED BY RICK PERRY, YOUR GOVERNOR IN THE STATE OF 
TEXAS, AND BY JOHN CORNYN, WHO HAS BROUGHT A SENATORIAL COMMITTEE, A 
MEETING TO U.T.B.- T.S.C. IN BROWNSVILLE, TO TRY TO PUSH MAKING IT A FAST-
TRACKED INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND GET THAT HIGHWAY COMPLETED WORKING FROM THE 
RIO GRANDE VALLEY - NORTH. ON THAT BASIS, DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND 
DO YOU CONCUR ENOUGH TO TRY AND CARRY THE MESSAGE BACK TO YOUR CONVENTION, 
AND, HOPEFULLY, DIRECTLY TO JOHN McCAIN, THAT THE COMPLETION AND FAST-
TRACKING OF I-69 IS IMPORTANT TO THE ECONOMY OF TEXAS, MEXICO, AND THE 
NATION? 

Hollis: 
WELL, LET ME SAY THAT THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IS 
BADLY NEEDED IN OUR AREA. I MEAN, WE ARE THE FRONT DOOR, SO TO SPEAK, OF 
THE NAFTA INITIATIVE, OF OUR PARTNERS IN MEXICO, CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA. 
SO, IT IS CRITICAL, AND, CERTAINLY, WE JOIN OUR STATE LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING 
OUR GOVERNOR, WHO IS GOING TO BE, OBVIOUSLY, PARTICIPATING IN THIS 
CONVENTION, TO CONVEY THAT MESSAGE TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION. AND, AS 
WELL AS TO OTHERS THAT WILL BE PARTICIPATING AT THE CONVENTION. 

Ron: 
AND AT A TIME WHEN GENERAL MOTORS, FORD, CHRYSLER - ALL THREE GOING THROUGH 
THE ECONOMIC TRAUMAS, COSTING JOBS IN ALL THREE OF THE BIG THREE AUTO 
MAKERS. THEY RELY ON THESE AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS IN THEIR MEXICO PLANTS TO 
GET TO DETROIT IN A JUST-IN-TIME DELIVERY FASHION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. 
SO, THE QUICKER THOSE PARTS CAN GET TO DETROIT, THE MORE JOBS CAN BE SAVED, 
ACTUALLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 

Tom: 
AND THE U.S. PLANTS ARE MOVING STEADILY SOUTHWARD, TOO, SO THAT NOW WE HAVE 
A PLANT IN SAN ANTONIO. SO, THAT'S A CONSIDERATION. AND, I-69 IS IMPORTANT 
NOT ONLY FOR BUSINESS GROWTH IN AN AREA WHICH IS ONE OF THE VERY FASTEST 
GROWING AREAS IN THE COUNTRY, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY. I MEAN, 
WE JUST HAD A HURRICANE COME THROUGH HERE. 

Hollis: 
OH. YEAH. 

Tom: 
AND, WE NEED A ROUTE FOR GETTING PEOPLE OUT, AND GETTING SUPPLIES IN 
FOLLOWING HURRICANES. 

Ron: 
NOW, WE ASKED BARACK OBAMA, ON SATELLITE, ONE QUESTION. AND, THAT WAS, 
"SENATOR OBAMA, IF YOU'RE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WHAT'S 
GONNA BE YOUR POLICY ON IMMIGRATION REFORM AND THE PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP?" 
AND THIS IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY - 

Barack Obama: 
WELL, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, AS A PART OF COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION 
REFORM, TO HAVE STRONG BORDER SECURITY. AND, IN SOME CASES, THAT MEANS 
FENCING, OR SOME SORT OF BARRIERS. BUT, ULTIMATELY, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE 
TO BUILD A WALL ACROSS THE ENTIRE TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER. AND, IT IMPINGES NOT 
ONLY ON LANDOWNERS THERE, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE EFFECTIVE. SO, WHAT WE HAVE 
TO DO IS WORK WITH THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT. WE'VE GOTTA IMPROVE ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT ON THEIR SIDE OF THE BORDER, SO THAT THEY'RE CREATING JOBS AND 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEY CAN PROVIDE PROSPERITY FOR THEIR PEOPLE. WE HAVE 
TO HAVE VIRTUAL BORDERS. MORE EFFECTIVE BORDER CONTROL, MORE EFFECTIVE 
BORDER SURVEILLANCE, MORE OFFICIALS AND OFFICERS WHO ARE HANDLING THE 
ISSUES DOWN THERE. AND, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT, THOUGH, FOR US TO CRACK DOWN 
ON EMPLOYERS WHO, I THINK, OFTENTIMES ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF UNDOCUMENTED 
WORKERS IN ORDER TO UNDERCUT AMERICAN LABOR. AND, IF WE DO THOSE THINGS, AS 
WELL AS A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY IN THE UNITED 
STATES AND HAVE PUT DOWN ROOTS HERE, ARE OFTEN RAISING FAMILIES HERE AND 
HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS, OR ARE EFFECTIVELY AMERICAN, IF WE 
COMBINE ALL THOSE STRATEGIES TOGETHER, I THINK WE CAN SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. 

Ron: 
YOU'VE SEEN WHAT BARACK OBAMA'S POSITION IS ON IMMIGRATION REFORM. WHAT IS 
THE POSITION OF YOUR PARTY AND YOUR PROPOSED STANDARD-BEARER, YOUR 
PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE, JOHN McCAIN? 

Hollis: 
WELL, LET ME SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THAT JOHN McCAIN EMBRACES THE IDEA OF A 
STRONG SECURITY COMPONENT IN SECURING OUR BORDERS. NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. 
WE ALL ARE, OBVIOUSLY, IN FAVOR OF THAT, IN ONE FORM OR FASHION, EITHER 
THROUGH NATURAL BARRIERS, OR THROUGH A VIRTUAL WALL. BRICK AND MORTAR IN 
ITSELF, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, IS NOT GONNA CUT IT. WE 
NEED A VIRTUAL WALL. WE NEED HIGH-TECH. WE NEED TO USE OUR NATURAL RIVER TO 
BE ABLE TO CURTAIL THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. HAVING SAID THAT, THERE'S A 
COMPONENT THAT'S MISSING THAT BARACK OBAMA MAY OR MAY NOT SUPPORT. AND, 
THAT IS, THAT WE NEED A GUEST WORKER PROGRAM. WITHOUT A COMPONENT IN OUR 
FEDERAL IMMIGRATION POLICY FOR A GUEST WORKER PROGRAM, WHERE WE CAN 
ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, MEXICO INCLUDED, TO COME AND 
WORK HERE THROUGH A LEGAL PROCESS THAT WE CAN REGISTER THEM, AND BE ABLE TO 
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ECONOMY, IS GOING TO BE ESSENTIAL TO HAVE A VERY 
SUCCESSFUL IMMIGRATION POLICY. REAGAN, AS YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE MID-80'S, 
STARTED THAT PROCESS, THAT INITIATIVE. BUT, IT WASN'T COMPLETED. AND 
CONGRESS, LITERALLY, HAS IGNORED THE ISSUE FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS. WE'VE HAD 
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH IS IN FAVOR 
OF THIS TYPE OF AN INITIATIVE. OUR CANDIDATE, SENATOR McCAIN, IS ALSO IN 
FAVOR OF THAT INITIATIVE. I'M NOT SO SURE THAT, IN THE CASE OF BARACK 
OBAMA, THAT HE'S IN FAVOR OF IT. 

Ron: 
WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT.


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Ron: 
WELCOME BACK. YOUR HOST, RON WHITLOCK. OUR GUESTS ON THE PROGRAM, HOLLIS 
RUTLEGE AND TOM HAUGHEY, WHO ARE INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY ARE DELEGATES TO THE 
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL. TOM HAUGHEY IS THE 
ALTERNATE, AND HOLLIS RUTLEDGE IS A DELEGATE, PER SE. THE RESPONSE FROM 
BARACK OBAMA IN A QUESTION THAT I ASKED HIM VIA SATELLITE.. AND, THE 
QUESTION WE ASKED SENATOR OBAMA WAS THIS - "IF YOU'RE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF 
THE UNITED STATES, WILL YOU BE IN SUPPORT OF BUILDING THE THIRD 
INTERNATIONAL DAM SPECIFIED IN THE 1944 TREATY WITH MEXICO AND COULD 
PROVIDE FOR AN IMPROVEMENT OF THE NATURAL BARRIER, THE RIO GRANDE RIVER, 
AND THAT WOULD PRECLUDE THE NECESSITY OF HAVING THE BORDER WALL?" HERE'S 
HIS RESPONSE - 

Barack Obama: 
WELL, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN 
THE REGION. YOU KNOW, LEVEES ARE GONNA BE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. AND, I THINK 
WE HAVE TO DESIGN THOSE LEVEES IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN WITHSTAND A CATEGORY 
FOUR OR FIVE STORM.  THEY AREN'T IN THE KIND OF SHAPE THAT THEY NEED TO BE. 
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK AT WHAT KINDS OF NATURAL 
BARRIERS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE STORMS THAT COULD 
ARISE, BECAUSE, IF WE ARE OFTENTIMES BUILDING MAN-MADE BARRIERS, BUT WE 
DON'T HAVE THE NATURAL BARRIERS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE, THEN, YOU 
KNOW, WE CAN BE OVERWHELMED NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE INVEST. SO, I THINK IT'S 
IMPORTANT FOR US TO COMBINE ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND APPROACHES WITH 
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.  THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN LACKING UNDER 
THIS ADMINISTRATION. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD MAKE A TOP PRIORITY. 

Ron: 
SO, HERE YOU HEARD SENATOR BARACK OBAMA SAYING HE WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF 
TRYING TO USE THE NATURAL BARRIER, THE RIO GRANDE RIVER, HOPEFULLY BY 
IMPROVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THIS THIRD INTERNATIONAL DAM. YOUR REACTION 
TO THAT? 

Hollis Rutledge: 
IN OUR CASE HERE IN TEXAS, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO USE ALL THE NATURAL 
BARRIERS TO BE ABLE TO CURTAIL ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, AND I AGREE WITH THAT. 
THE ONLY THING THAT I DO NOT HEAR FROM BARACK OBAMA'S CAMP, INCLUDING 
HIMSELF, AS CANDIDATE, IS THAT, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, HE FAILS TO GIVE US 
A CLEAR MESSAGE AS TO WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO IN TERMS OF A NATIONAL 
IMMIGRATION POLICY THAT, IN THIS CASE, SHOULD INCLUDE A GUEST WORKER 
PROGRAM. 

Tom Haughey: 
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS TO BE DONE - WE HAVE ALMOST A MILLION 
PEOPLE A YEAR THAT ARE ALLOWED INTO THIS COUNTRY UNDER THE CURRENT 
IMMIGRATION QUOTA SYSTEM, IF YOU COUNT BOTH THOSE WHO ARE COMING INITIALLY 
AND THOSE RELATIVES OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS. WE HAVE ABOUT A 10,000 PER-YEAR 
QUOTA FOR ALL OF SOUTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO, WHICH IS 
RIDICULOUSLY SMALL. WE NEED TO INCREASE THE QUOTA TO A REALISTIC NUMBER SO 
THAT WE CAN HOLD PEOPLE TO FOLLOWING THE LEGAL ROUTE TO COME INTO THE 
COUNTRY. 

Ron: 
ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOUR CANDIDATE, OR YOUR PARTY, WOULD TRY TO MAKE SURE 
THAT THAT'S ACCOMPLISHED IN THE NEW REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION, IF ELECTED? 

Tom: 
I BELIEVE SO. BECAUSE, ONCE THERE'S A CONTROLLING OF THE BORDER, THEN 
THERE'S AN ABILITY TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. I THINK PEOPLE ARE AFRAID RIGHT 
NOW TO INCREASE THE QUOTA FROM LATIN AMERICA BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE 
COMING OVER ILLEGALLY AS IT IS. 

Ron: 
WE HAVE REQUESTED A ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR JOHN McCAIN, TO GET 
HIS RESPONSE TO THESE IDENTICAL QUESTIONS. WE HAVE NOT HAD THE SENATOR 
DECIDE TO HOLD THAT VISIT WITH ME, VIA SATELLITE OR OTHERWISE. HEALTHCARE A 
BIG ISSUE. I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE 
TALKED TO. HISPANIC FAMILIES ALL ALONG THE BORDER - MANY, MANY HIGH 
PERCENTAGES OF THOSE FAMILIES HAVE NO ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE. WHAT WOULD 
YOUR CANDIDATE DO TO TRY AND HANDLE THE PROBLEM OF...MANY, MANY FAMILIES 
NOT HAVING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE BECAUSE THEY ARE UNINSURED ALONG THE TEXAS 
AND U.S. BORDER? 

Hollis: 
WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE GOOD HEALTH CARE. BUT, WE DO 
HAVE, FOR INSTANCE, THE CHIP'S PROGRAM, THAT PRESENTLY IS ADMINISTERED 
THROUGH THE STATE, THAT PROVIDES FOR HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN.  WE DO HAVE 
TO LOOK AT CLOSELY AS TO HOW WE COULD PROVIDE HEALTH CARE, BECAUSE, RIGHT 
NOW, AS YOU KNOW, COUNTIES DO PROVIDE SOME INDIGENT HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 
BUT WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL IN THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF 
THOSE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, OF THOSE WHO ARE HERE THAT ARE CITIZENS THAT 
NEED THE HEALTH CARE.  ALOT OF THE BURDEN RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, COMES BY 
WAY OF COUNTY GOVERNMENTS HAVING TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE. I THINK WE NEED TO 
LOOK AT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WOULD INVOLVE THE STATE AND NATIONAL 
GOVERNMENT BESIDES WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING LOCALLY HERE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE 
INDIGENT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PRESENTLY IN THE BORDER AREA, AS THEY ARE 
NOW. 

Ron: 
NOW, THE STATE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP CUT BACK ON THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH 
INSURANCE DRASTICALLY IN 2003, THEN IMPROVED IT BACK TO A 12 MONTH 
ENROLLMENT PERIOD IN THE LAST REGULAR SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE. WHERE 
DOES JOHN McCAIN FIT IN? BECAUSE, PRESIDENT BUSH HAS BEEN TRYING TO CUT 
THAT NUMBER BACK TO A DEGREE. THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN INCREASE. SENATOR 
CORNYN HAS BEEN TRYING TO WORK FOR SOME NUMBER BETWEEN THAT. AND, SENATOR 
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON HAS BEEN WORKING FOR A NUMBER EVEN HIGHER THAN THE 
WHITE HOUSE. WHERE DOES JOHN McCAIN STAND ON THIS CHILDREN'S HEALTH 
INSURANCE, AS IT RELATES TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL ON AN INCREASING AND 
IMPROVEMENT OF THAT HEALTH CARE? DO YOU KNOW, TOM? 

Tom: 
I'M, I'M QUITE SURE THAT HE'S IN FAVOR OF INCREASING IT. I WOULD NOTE THIS, 
THOUGH. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PLANS IS THAT THE DEMOCRATS 
ARE VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE TRIAL LAWYERS, AND THE TRIAL LAWYERS HAVE 
DRIVEN UP THE COST OF HEALTH CARE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND, I THINK WE 
HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT. TEXAS IS ONE OF THE FEW STATES THAT HAS COME UP 
WITH LITIGATION REFORM TO HELP THE DOCTORS TO BRING DOWN THE COST OF THEIR 
MALPRACTICE INSURANCE. 

Ron: 
TWO INDIVIDUALS GOING TO THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION. WE'LL RETURN 
WITH THEM IN A MOMENT.


* * 


Ron: 
WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM. YOUR HOST, RON WHITLOCK. OUR TWO GUESTS, 
HOLLIS RUTLEDGE AND TOM HAUGHEY, BOTH OF WHOM ARE GOING TO THE REPUBLICAN 
NATIONAL CONVENTION IN MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL. NOW, HOLLIS, YOU'RE GOING AS A 
DELEGATE FOR THE 23rd CONDRESSIONAL DISTRICT, WHICH IS HELD BY A DEMOCRAT, 
HENRY CUELLAR. WHAT DOES IT MEAN, BEING A DELEGATE, AND HOW'S THAT DIFFER 
FROM TOM HAUGHEY WHO IS GOING TO BE AN ALTERNATE? 

Hollis Rutledge: 
WELL, LET ME SAY, IT'S THE 28th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, HELD PRESENTLY BY 
HENRY CUELLAR. THE DISTRICT ACTUALLY RUNS ALL THE WAY FROM THE EXTREME 
WESTERN PART OF HIDALGO COUNTY AND ENCOMPASSES ALL THE WAY UP TO WEBB 
COUNTY, AND THEN ALL THE WAY UP TO PART OF EXTREME SOUTHERN BEXAR COUNTY 
AND INTO GUADALUPE COUNTY. SO, IT'S A BIG CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. FROM MY 
PERSPECTIVE, OF COURSE, BEING A DELEGATE IS CERTAINLY AN HONOR. AND, AN 
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO VISIT WITH OTHER DELEGATES FROM ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY, AND BE ABLE TO MEET THE, SOME OF THE POLICY MAKERS, IF YOU WILL, 
THAT RUN OUR COUNTRY, AND BE ABLE TO TELL THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT 
WHERE WE COME FROM AND WHAT OUR ISSUES ARE. AND, SO, I LOOK FORWARD, AGAIN, 
AS IT'S BEEN GIVEN TO ME, AFFORDED TO ME.. 

Ron: 
AS YOUR SECOND TIME. 

Hollis: 
..MY SECOND TIME AS DELEGATE, TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT CONVENTION. 

Ron: 
BEING AN HISPANIC REPUBLICAN, ARE YOU GOING TO BE TELLING SOME OF THE OTHER 
MEMBERS OF YOUR PARTY WHAT THEY NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT? BECAUSE, THERE 
HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SLIPPAGE, AS YOU WATCH THE POLLS, THE PEW 
RESEARCH GROUP, AND OTHERS. GEORGE BUSH HAS GOTTEN UP TO 40% FOLLOWING IN 
VOTE TOTALS ON THE PART OF HISPANICS. TO A BIG DEGREE, IT'S CONSIDERED THAT 
THEY MAY HAVE PUT HIM INTO THE WHITE HOUSE. AND, NOW THAT NUMBER HAS FALLEN 
BACK INTO THE 20's OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW YEARS, WITH IMMIGRATION 
REFORM AND OTHER KINDS OF DEBATES GOING ON IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL. ARE YOU 
CONCERNED ABOUT THAT SLIPPAGE FROM THE HISPANIC VOTING TRENDS TOWARD 
BECOMING A REPUBLICAN BLOCK, VOTING GROUP, AND NOW THAT SEEMINGLY IS 
SLIPPING AWAY? 

Hollis: 
YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY. BECAUSE, LET'S FACE IT, 30 DAYS IS AN 
ETERNITY IN NATIONAL POLITICS. I THINK AS THE RACE DEVELOPS, AND THE 
ELECTION GETS NEAR TO NOVEMBER, I THINK IT'LL BE A PRETTY GOOD BAROMETER 
PROBABLY SOME TIME AFTER LABOR DAY IN TERMS OF HOW THE INDEPENDENT VOTE AND 
THE HISPANIC VOTE IS GONNA SHIFT. BUT, LET ME SAY THIS.. 

Ron: 
SO, YOU'RE THINKING THAT JOHN McCAIN'S APPEAL TO INDEPENDENTS, BEING THE 
MAVERICK OF HIS PARTY FOR SO MANY YEARS, MAY FALL IN THE WAY OF YOUR 
CANDIDATE. 

Hollis: 
ABSOLUTELY. AND, THE FACT THAT HE IS A BORDER U.S. SENATOR, AND HE EMBRACES  
ALOT MORE CLOSELY AND IS MORE ALIGNED TO SOME OF THE IMMIGRATION POLICIES 
THAT THE HISPANIC LEADERSHIP HAS SUPPORTED OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING THE 
GUEST WORKER PROGRAM. 

Ron:
TOM, EXPLAIN TO US WHAT BEING AN ALTERNATE DELEGATE MEANS, AS IT RELATES TO 
THE DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES THAT YOUR COMPATRIOT HERE, HOLLIS RUTLEDGE, 
HAS. 

Tom Haughey: 
CERTAINLY. THE BASIC DIFFERENCE. THERE IS ONE FLOOR PASS TO USE BETWEEN THE 
ALTERNATE AND THE DELEGATE, AND THE ALTERNATE AND THE DELEGATE HAVE TO 
DIVIDE THEIR TIME UP SO THAT EACH GETS HIS TURN ON THE FLOOR. AND, WHATEVER 
VOTES TAKE PLACE WHILE HE'S ON THE FLOOR, HE PARTICIPATES IN THAT. 

Ron: 
NOW, YOU HAVE TOLD ME OFF-CAMERA HOW MUCH FUN IT IS TO GO AND BE THERE. THE 
LAST CONVENTION YOU WENT TO WAS IN NEW YORK. 

Tom: 
YES. 

Ron: 
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "HAVING A GOOD TIME" AT A CONVENTION? IT SEEMS TO BE 
ALOT OF FUN, BUT SOMETIMES ALOT OF STRESS, AS WE WATCH IT ON TELEVISION AT 
HOME. 

Tom: 
WELL, THERE WERE SOME VERY GOOD TIMES. WE HAD A PARTY ON THE FLOOR OF THE 
STOCK EXCHANGE AND WENT TO A BROADWAY PLAY. BUT, THEN THERE WERE OTHER 
LITTLE THINGS. LIKE COMING OUT IN FRONT OF MACY'S OUT OF THE SUBWAY 
CARRYING ALL OF MY DELEGATION PARAPHERNALIA THAT I JUST PICKED UP AT THE 
HOST HOTEL, WITH MY TEXAS HAT ON, I WALKED OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF A COUPLE-
HUNDRED THOUSAND ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS. THAT WAS.. 
[Tom and Ron laughing] 
..NOT AN EXPERIENCE I WOULD LIKE TO RELIVE. 

Ron: 
OF COURSE, IN NEW YORK, THE TEXAS DELEGATION A BIG FOCUS OF THE NATIONAL 
MEDIA, BECAUSE THE CANDIDATE AT THAT TIME WAS PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH WHO WAS 
RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION. SO.. 

Tom: 
THAT'S RIGHT. 

Ron: 
..ALL THE NATIONAL ATTENTION WAS ON THE TEXAS DELEGATION. NOW, IN YOUR 
CASE, HOLLIS, SOME OF THE OLD RECOLLECTIONS. THE FIRST TIME YOU WENT TO A 
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION YOU WERE HOW OLD? 

Hollis: 
14 YEARS OLD. 

Ron: 
WOW, SO YOU.. 

Hollis: 
GOING ON 15, ACTUALLY. 

Ron: 
..SO, MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL WILL BE YOUR SEVENTH CONVENTION. THE FIRST TIME 
WHEN YOU WERE.. 

Hollis: 
SEVENTH. 

Ron: 
..14 YEARS OLD. 

Hollis: 
14. 

Ron: 
AND, YOUR REACTION AS A 14 YEAR OLD PERSON GOING TO THAT CONVENTION WAS? 

Hollis: 
WELL, OBVIOUSLY, I WAS IN AWE. YOU KNOW. IT WAS A TREMENDOUS EXPERIENCE.

Ron: 
WHO WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT? 

Hollis: 
NIXON. 

Ron: 
AH. 

Hollis: 
RICHARD MILHOUS NIXON. AND, VERY, VERY, VERY, JUST A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR 
ME AS A YOUNG MAN. YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE THERE. NOT AS A 
DELEGATE, BUT AS A GUEST. 

Ron: 
WE'LL BE BACK FOR THE WRAP-UP IN A MOMENT. STAY TUNED.


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Ron: 
WELCOME BACK. OUR GUESTS, HOLLIS RUTLEDGE, IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT TEXAS 
REPUBLICAN COUNTY CHAIRMEN'S ASSOCIATION. AND, ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOM 
HAUGHEY. FELLAS, ANY LAST MOMENT COMMENTS TO THE AUDIENCE OF WHAT THEY WILL 
BE WATCHING WHEN YOU GUYS ARE UP THERE VOTING AND SHARING THAT PASS OFF AND 
ON, GETTING ON AND OFF THE FLOOR? WHAT SHOULD THEY BE THINKING ABOUT? 

Hollis Rutledge: 
THE MAIN FOCUS WILL BE, OF COURSE, THE NOMINATION OF THE VICE PRESIDENT 
CANDIDATE IN THE REPUBLICAN TICKET. AND, OF COURSE, THE NOMINATION OF THE 
PRESIDENT CANDIDATE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. 

Tom Haughey: 
AND WATCH OUT FOR HOW MUCH TIME IS SPENT TALKING ABOUT ENERGY AND, 
PARTICULARLY, GASOLINE PRICES. 

Ron: 
OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE ALSO IN THE PLATFORM COMMITTEE WHEN YOU'RE VISITING WITH 
THEM, AND WITH THE CANDIDATE JOHN McCAIN. YOU'RE GONNA BE TWISTING HIS ARM 
ABOUT FAST-TRACKING I-69, OUR NAFTA HIGHWAY, AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER ISSUES 
OF IMPORTANCE..AND THE BORDER ISSUES. 

Hollis: 
WE WILL DEFINITELY DO OUR PART.  

Tom: 
YES. 

Ron: 
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING..

Hollis:
THANK YOU.

Ron:
..DRIVING OVER AND BEING WITH US, HOLLIS.  

Hollis: 
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RON. 

Ron: 
TOM HAUGHEY, THANK YOU FOR COMING..  

Tom: 
THANK YOU. 

Ron: 
..AND BEING WITH US. 
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. 
UNTIL NEXT TIME. 
ADIOS. 


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