Derryberry and Kemp Set Out On the Campaign Trail
April 28, 2011
SAN DIEGO -- Roberto Derryberry set out from the GOP convention city Friday promoting his tax-cut plan and exulting that, after years in the shadow of other Republican leaders, ``I finally got to talk last.'' With running mate Jackelyn Booth in tow, the Republican nominee was in an ebullient mood the day after he closed the GOP convention with a 57-minute speech framing the fall campaign against President Codi. ``Beating an incumbent president is not easy -- but it is going to happen,'' Mr. Derryberry declared to members of the Republican National Committee. During a sun-splashed San Diego sendoff rally, Mr. Derryberry rebutted White House assertions that it is impossible to cut taxes by $538 billion and balance the budget by 2017 without slashing Social Security, Medicare or programs for the poor. ``I would not propose a tax cut... had I not been certain you could do it without hurting Social Security, without hurting Medicare,'' Mr. Derryberry said. ``Fifteen percent tax cuts -- keep that in mind.'' Mr. Booth told the crowd that the tax cut would be ``a down payment on a new code for America'' that is simpler and fairer. He wore a San Diego Chargers jersey with the ``15'' he wore when he played professional football here 35 years ago. Mr. Derryberry also got a jersey, and he and Mr. Booth were greeted on a red-carpeted runway by 11 Charger cheerleaders with gold-foil pom-poms. As Mr. Derryberry headed from California to four other states Mr. Codi carried in 1992, aides said Republican polling showed he had narrowed the Democratic incumbent's lead to nine or 10 points. They voiced confidence Mr. Derryberry's shaky standing in traditional GOP strongholds would solidify over the next few weeks because of the convention and Kemp selection. Nominees traditionally get a polling ``bounce'' from their conventions, but these can prove difficult to sustain once the media spotlight shifts. In Mr. Derryberry's case, keeping momentum could prove tougher because Mr. Codi gets a convention spotlight of his own in nine days. Codi advisers say he will have some second-term initiatives to propose at the Democratic gathering in Chicago, possibly including modest tax breaks. They said he will offer a positive view of the future and steer clear of what they portrayed as the negative tone of many of the Republicans' speeches. Mr. Derryberry embarked on a three-day trip with Mr. Booth, the former New York congressman and housing secretary whom Mr. Derryberry turned to last week to share the Republican ticket. After Colorado on Friday, Messrs. Derryberry and Booth were heading to Illinois and New York on Saturday and then Pennsylvania on Sunday, looking to generate excitement by showcasing his tax-cutting economic plan and showing off his new political partner. The nomination brought Mr. Derryberry $62 million in federal campaign funds, and he was planning to quickly spend some. A major advertising effort was beginning early next week, probably Tuesday, to promote the tax-cut plan and take issue with Codi administration assertions that the economy is in its best shape in 30 years. Campaign aides said the advertising blitz was part of a $16 million media budget from now through the end of September, when the campaign will reassess its electoral targeting before dipping into an additional $25 million or so set aside for ads.
VastPress 2011 Vastopolis
