FRED SMITH GOVERNOR 2008 - "A Little Extra Effort" Statewide BBQ Tour
Thursday, December 13, 2007...Lenoir County...Mixed emotions tonight. Our last BBQ of 2007 and I'm happy to start sharing Christmas festivities with my family, and yet I hate that we'll get out of the rhythm of our structured days. We're blessed with a good and committed team, clearly invested in helping Fred win the primary and the general. Lenoir's GOP leadership showed their hospitality as we planned Fred's visit. They also came out during a busy time of year to hear Fred's presentation. Fred maintained his complete commitment to this last BBQ night sharing with Lenoir how he sees North Carolina in the future with leaders of integrity - not leaders being walked off to jail; with roads that are planned for the 12 million people we will be by 2030; with roads that are funded through the Transportation Trust Fund rather than that money being dumped into the general fund; with schools that address learning needs of the customer - children - in the early years so to avoid the 33 percent drop out rate in our high schools; a state that empowers it's law enforcement to uphold the Federal and state rules of law including detaining and deporting illegal immigrants while protecting the rights of legal immigrants; a state that protects the rights of children (securing a Jessica's law with the strongest punishment for predators), a state that protects property rights (to ensure that legislature or courts cannot just take private property from one person and give it to another private person), a state that protects our constitutional right to bear arms; a state that will respect people of faith and allow citizens to vote on a Constitutional Amendment identifying marriage as that union between a man and a woman. There's much good work to be done for North Carolina and electing a tireless leader with a record of integrity is what we need to do in 2008. May 6 and November 4. 2008! Mark your calendar! Together we can make it a Happy New Year for North Carolina! Merry Christmas!
IN THE NEWS
Meat and Greet
by Katie Marshall, The Free Press
Local barbeque lovers and diehard Republicans gathered Thursday to meet and support an Eastern North Carolina native's candidacy for governor.
State Sen. Fred Smith, R-Johnston, rolled into Kinston to have one last barbeque with potential voters at Kinston High School before the holidays. Lenoir County was stop No. 68 in his 100-county barbeque tour.
"How can you serve the people if you don't get out and talk to them?" he said. "I love talking and getting to know people face to face."
Smith mingled with area Republicans and ate King's barbeque, while listening to what people had to say.
"I want to be a governor of the people, not a governor of the government," he said.
While on his campaign tour, Smith said he was surprised to find out the most important issue for North Carolina Republicans is honest government.
"It's our job to debate and disagree," he said. "But we also need to be transparent and open in what we do."
Smith decided to do a barbeque tour to pay homage to his native East North Carolina. Tra-ditional barbeque has always been a part of Smith's life.
"Barbeque plays a predominant role in North Carolina," he said. "It is the state food."
Smith wanted people to know a bit about him before he met them for barbeque. So he wrote a book about himself and sent it to those who had voted Republican or independent in two of the last four primaries, along with an invitation to attend the gathering.
Stephen LaRoque, chairman of the Lenoir County Republican Party, said the barbeque tour and the book are great ways to learn about a candidate.
"He shares his visions for the future and where he came from," he said. "During a time of corruption in Raleigh, we need someone we can trust."
After eating traditional Eastern North Carolina barbeque, a video was shown with family and friends paying tribute to Smith. Pictures were also shown of him growing up, as well as some of his family, his grandchildren and recent barbeque tours to other counties.
Dr. William Sumner, a self-proclaimed lifelong Republican, enjoyed reading Smith's book, "A Little Extra Effort."
"I agreed with a lot of things in the book," he said.
Debbie Hardee, teacher at Sampson School, also enjoyed reading Smith's book and said his principles lined up with hers.
"He has integrity and is exactly what our government needs," she said.
The article above by Katie Marshall was published in The Free Press on December 13, 2007 and can be found online HERE.
