I’d like to ask every Paul Cook supporter a very simple question that they will have to ask themselves prior to this election. Who will Paul Cook represent if he does get elected to Congressional District 8? I didn’t attend every primary forum this past Spring, but I did go to some of them. Not once did Paul Cook show up to those I attended. There was thirteen people vying for the position vacated by former Congressman Jerry Lewis. You would think that with the new top-two system we have here in California, and thirteen candidates running, it would be very important to make each and every one of those forums? We hear now that Mr. Cook has hairy cell leukemia, an incurable form of cancer that in some cases can be fatal within the first two years of treatment. I don’t know how long Assemblyman Cook has been ill with this disease, but it may have impacted his ability to make the many candidate forums he should have been attending, because leukemia weakens mind and body as a result of treatment.
Does Cook think the schedule gets easier after election? Our district is the largest district in the United States. True, some calculating politicians will tell you that it is large but is sparsely populated. You only have to worry about those who paid to put you in office and satisfy their needs. Well that isn’t how challenger Gregg Imus, who was the top vote getter in the primary, views things. He wants to represent the people, and that message doesn’t indicate any specific group of special interests. Imus is running a grass roots campaign that has no connections to big money or special interests. Again, I ask those who support Paul Cook if they support special interests over their own interests in CD8? Keep in mind, our congressmen and women are the peoples representatives.
Distilling this race down to simple, observable facts, I’ve already identified that Cook isn’t healthy by his own admission. I’ll get into special interests here in a minute. Next let’s look at the choice of signage for both Cook and Imus. Cook’s signs and all of his mail literature indicates that he is a retired Marine Colonel. The literature emphasizes his many decorations and that is a powerful motivating factor for many Americans post 9/11. We honor those who have served, almost instinctively. I salute his service- but Cook isn’t in the Marine Corps now, what party does he advocate on his signs? He doesn’t, even though his candidate statement says he is a Republican. He is running as a Republican, but his signs don’t say he is. Cook has intentionally governed (as an Assemblyman) and written or voted for laws that are moderate views in a best case scenario, liberal in his vote to authorize illegals to have California drivers licenses. He is triangulating. On the other hand we have Gregg Imus whose signs say that he is a Republican. Imus has a Minuteman standing with a musket in his hands and proudly proclaims what New Hampshire’s General John Stark once said during the Revolutionary War: Live Free or Die, Death Is Not The Worst Of Evils. Gregg just used the first part of that full quote. Quite a difference in my opinion.
Cook is a man who said he is a Marine. I’ve known many Marines having worked for the Marine Corps for seven years at MCLB, Barstow. I have Marines in my family who proudly served in Iraq. I know Marines who know Colonel Cook. Vietnam didn’t span twenty-six years. Where was the Colonel’s last assignment and did his command get crossed with my fraud,waste, and abuse charges filed with former Congressman Jerry Lewis? 29 Palms ring a bell Colonel? One thing that is deeply imbedded in a Marine’s psyche are his or her values. Who are you and what do you stand for? Marines stand for Honor, Courage, and Commitment. Their values don’t bend and they don’t triangulate for votes. Not all Marines believe in these principles and the movie, “A Few Good Men”, brought home that fact. Fiction you say? Just a movie designed to run down the Corps? The danger to instinctive allegiance to something that has a proud heritage is that we don’t take individuals associated with that heritage on a case-by-case basis. Is it possible to be a hero in Vietnam and a slug post-Vietnam? John Kerry was a hero in Vietnam and then, after he threw his medals back at his country, he became a senator and we found out that he actually put himself in for those decorations!
Marines don’t have others do their fighting for them. They say they are the first in- and the last out in combat. True statement. Many Marines believe the following, “Leader of men, teller of tall tales, legend in his own mind, U.S. Marine extraordinaire, stream fordable, air drop-able, beer fueled, water cooled, author, history maker, lecturer, traveler, freedom fighter, defender of the faith. Wars fought, tigers tamed, revolutions started, bars emptied, alligators castrated. Let me win your hearts and minds or I’ll burn your damn hut down.” Now with this kind of bullet proof mentality, why would Cook have others do his dirty work? If you received the negative mailers that Spirit of Democracy America has been putting into your mailboxes, you might be comfortable still with your support for Cook. The tough, decorated Marine is letting others fight his battles for him. Who knew that Gregg Imus was so- dirty?
Unlike the Marine Corps, I was United States Air Force. Our officers fly, fight,and win. We don’t send others to do our fighting for us, we send our leaders into combat. This story isn’t about inter-service rivalry, though I’m sure some may think so. It’s about selecting our next leader to represent the people of our district. A little refocus for my readers. My point here is leaders- real leaders- don’t hire dirt merchants to do their bidding for them. Cook will claim, just like Obama has on his dirty hit pieces, that he can’t control what Spirit of Democracy America sends out. In case you don’t know, this PAC is controlled by Charles Munger Jr. a moderate Republican ( I call them RINO’s) who has poured a half million dollars into the Marine’s campaign. Cook could tell Munger to shove off- but he won’t. Cook has no honor and is burning the Imus family hut down with lies. Cook is playing the real life part of Colonel Nathan R. Jessup from, “A Few Good Men”. For those of you who support Cook, what is your cut going to be? Munger plans on making sure his is the largest in return for helping Cook possibly get elected, and he lives nowhere near any of us in CD8. I don’t think we have any billionaires in the 8th District, but I could be wrong. You small “r” Republicans are about to get shafted again if you vote for Cook. Our last congressman only did for those who did for him- but he was a Republican!
The last hit piece sent by Munger’s PAC says Imus and his wife collected $34,000 in unemployment while campaigning in 2010. Let’s take this apart. The inference is it was under the table. If so, that’s a felony charge- yet no charges have been filed or arrests made Colonel Jessup. If indeed Imus did collect unemployment while campaigning, it isn’t a crime if you report it. Lots of people are unemployed as a result of RINO’s and socialists who dominate the peoples house. So that allegation is a garbage allegation Colonel Jessup, just like all the rest of them are.
Paul Cook isn’t like the many Marines I’ve met in my life that adhere to Semper Fidelis, which means Always Faithful. He is Colonel Nathan R. Jessup. He is, because he allows others to do his fighting for him, can’t stand up and be counted when the forums were held, and lies about people he is running against in order to win. He has no honor in my book. Duty, Honor, and Commitment Colonel Cook is for leaders. You don’t lead, you follow.
Related Posts
Gregg Imus vs Paul Cook: Sometimes the Little Guys Come In First
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Gregg Imus vs Paul Cook: Open Letter To Paul Cook
Gregg Imus vs Paul Cook: Paul Cook Pushes for another Boneheaded Nanny State Assault on Outdoor Recreation
This is a real cheap shot from no name.
Larry, I think it should be posted as an opinion piece but I think it asks some serious questions.
For instance, is the reason Mr Cook has failed to show at many important events due to his health? That’s not joke but maybe as an old fellar yourself you find questions like that offensive. If I were selling our home in 29 Palms and you had the same disease it would be an important factor in hiring you to sell our home. Is holding a very important office and serving our communities any less important? Not in my opinion. It’s a very high stress environment and the likely hood of his health deteriorating due to the high stress placed on an aging body increases his risk of poor health and or passing away do to the high terminal likelihood prognosis. If Mr Cook was such a great leader why would he put his troops ‘voters’ in jeopardy of losing our voice ‘his vote’ by risking it all? Do you really want Jerry Brown to name his replacement?
Jerry brown doesn’t appoint representatives when the incumbent dies. There’s a special election.
LOL, that’s a cheap shot. Just kidding. While in some states the governor appoints a new congressman and usually their same party I’ve been trying to find law pertaining directly to California’s deceased congressman law. Would you please direct me to the site where you found the information specifically on California? I can’t find that, thanks.
U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 2: “When vacancies happen in the Reprentation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill suchn Vacancies.”
So…. are you willing to endure months of no representation at all in Congress to feed the ego of a dying lifelong bureaucrat and politician? Just so it can be said on his grave marker, Officer, Mayor, Assemblyman and Member of Congress? Come on this is the kind of ego that Julius Caesar would even find fault with.
I personally believe we need a full time congressman that is healthy and ready to hit the ground running. I believe this would not be the case with Cook.
He obfuscates about not only his personal health issues but every issue that has any amount of controversy… He stands for nothing. He says nothing. He is like a Coconut Palm swaying in a breeze. He leans which ever way the strongest wind blows.
He is not the kind of man I want representing me or my family. On the other hand Gregg Imus is.
Larry, that seems to be the best answer that I could find. My thought mistakingly applied to the Senate which has a different obligation. but thats only part of the story. While a House seat is vacant, the office of the former representative remains open, its staff operating under the supervision of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. The people of the affected congressional district do not have voting representation in the House during the vacancy period. According to the US Constitution and state law, the governor of the state calls for a special election to replace the vacant House seat. The full election-cycle must be followed including political party nominating processes, primary elections and a general election, all held in the congressional district involved. The entire process often takes as long as from three to six months. So at best we’d be without representation for quite a long time. Our bankrupt state would have to bear the financial burden of another full blown election. So for me, electing a person with a very questionable health record isn’t a risk I think I would take even if I were a Cook supporter. I’d be willing to bet that his doctor has told him that entering this contest will certainly impact his life expectancy. For me thats a sad commentary on how much he values his family. He’s not fighting for our country and there is a healthy and able soldier that is ready to represent the constituents of this district in Washington.
It would have been nice if your “Reporter” who first reported about Cook’s condition had included all the facts.
Here are the rest of the facts: Cook was diagnosed with this disease nearly 15 years ago which has been in remission for a decade.
He is not “Dying.”
When Cook is home, and for those who care to see his “Condition” up close and personal, he’d probably be more than happy for anybody to join him on his five-mile daily run at the Yucca Valley High School track….
So then the reason for his inability to attend events, answer questions of constituents, or debate, is not his health? I’m guessing then it is he just doesn’t give a rats ass about the voter?
I suppose then he is just a complete dick that is unwilling to campaign in the open or in a gentlemanly manner and would prefer to just have his minions send out hit pieces, because he stands for Nothing other than the pursuit of power….. I got it.
No Dan, you got it wrong
The reason is he was out running 5 miles. In his condition it takes about 5 hours between changing his depends and thinking up new excuses as to why the people that attended those events weren’t important enough for him to show up and answer their questions. If that’s the way he’s going to operate to elected I’m sure he’d be even less attentive after getting elected. Where is the honor in that?
Scots Slant, according to reports here on CT. Mr Cook has admitted that he has hairy cell leukemia. An incurable disease. Adding the additional stress of the duty of Congressman in Washington DC won’t help him remain in remission. Thats common sense. Why do you think Jerry Lewis retired?
“Minion sending out hit pieces”? Not.
Your folks started the “hit pieces,” with their incomplete, half-assed, “Reports.”
While your “unemployed” candidate has the time to get across the map on somebody else’s dime, Cook is in Sacramento doing his job.
Racemutt, never mind…..again.
Cook is in Sacramento doing his job???? No kidding?
“Thursday, October 18, 2012
The Assembly has adjourned for Recess. ” *
Jesus man get with the program. If you are going to talk politics at least have your facts straight.
They are all supposed to be out running for office.
If it wasn’t for Charles Munger and the San Manuel Indians Cook wouldn’t have a political pot to piss in. He has Zero ground game and depends on the dirty politics of the Munger Super PAC and the Gambling Interests in this county to give him any legs at all.
So your cleaver retort fell flat, Scot.
*Source: http://assembly.ca.gov/dailyfile
You’re qquite right, Mr. O’Brien about how Cook is being supported by his casino Indians.
I’m quite sure that Geronimo and Sitting Bull would be very ashamed of these fat and lazy Indian tribes now who only care about the millions they can count per week from the idiots who think they’ll win any money in those rigged casinos.
Is the only reason Cook is running is because he wants to die of his leukemia while still in office?
Scots Slant. I’ve never seen anyone make as many provable errors in their comments as you have. Gregg is a self employed and very successful building contractor in Lake Arrowhead. Talk about half assed reports one needs to look no further than your last post which serves as a poster for ignorance. The only thing I can agree with you on is the title of the post. It’s wrong to assume that just because someone doesn’t agree with your personal viewpoint that their service to this country wasn’t authentic or valid. The fact remains that Mr Cook was a Marine, did honorably serve our country and its is deplorable to suggest anything else in Mr Cooks case. I do thank him for his service and all who received an honorable discharge or retired reserve.
O’Brien,
Are you serious, legislature adjourned Oct. 18?
Are you talking about this past Oct. 18, five days ago?
Your hit squad started the attacks over a month ago (Before the legislature adjourned) when they screamed that Cook missed a forum. And of course they didn’t bother to research why he missed that event.
Neither did your folks report that Cook was in your backyard at The Virginian this past Sat. for a “Meet, Greet & Eat.”
Of course you and they knew that, but, what?
Racemutt, well……. no, forget it.
So he was hanging in a bar, But he could not come out and support our towns most important community event…. OK I got it…. that makes up for all his lost momentum…. All he has to do is slosh down a couple of beers with the Virginian crowd and all is forgiven… lol