Showed up in Little Saigon just in time to be greeted by State Assemblyman Van Tran, R-Costa Mesa, and got handed a cigar as they celebrated a long night and a solid victory for Sen. John McCain in the California primary.
Tran has been a McCain supporter since 2000 and stuck it out even during the summer when the Senator’s campaign looked like it was on life support.
Tonight, Tran and his squad are looking pretty smart…and tired.
– Norberto Santana Jr.
Tran said his troops made more than 4,000 phone calls today getting voters to turn out. The operation also generated tons of radio ads in the Vietnamese media and entertained more than 100 people at Tran’s Westminster privately-funded outreach office in the Asian Village shopping center in Little Saigon.
And despite McCain’s turn of luck, Tran said he is not surprised.
“It was just plain grit and determination,” Tran said of McCain. “Just hard work.”
Tran also said that McCain’s victory also pointed out an interesting fact about campaigns.
“Money is not the end all be all. If that was the case, we would all be looking at Mitt Romney as our nominee.”
Tran thought that Romney did an amazing job in Orange County of reaching out noting that “he paid his dues and respect to the Orange County conservative community.”
But in the end, Romney was up against history and the real deal.
“People vote on impressions,” Tran said noting McCain’s Vietnam service.
“That’s very powerful because many voters don’t have a front row seat,” Tran said. “And even when they disagree with the Senator, they will tell you they admire his courage and sacrifice.”
“No one can take that away from the Senator,” Tran said. “You can see it in his body.”
But it takes two to Tango, Tran said. And now, McCain has to start reaching out to those conservatives, he said.
One way to do that is the Vice Presidential nomination. And Tran thinks that former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee might be a good move looking at his primary results.
And tonight, Tran’s picks don’t look that bad.
– Norberto Santana Jr.
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Many registered Republican will cast the vote for Democrat at the general election.
Ah, cigars from men who fancy themselves bosses of a political machine. Smoke-filled rooms, punishing one’s enemies, misogyny, paternalism, shady dealing. How very Tammany Hall!
On the cigar fixation, what would Dr. Freud have to say?
Publius,
Give it a break, really. Cigars serve as a good nicotine relaxant after a long and stressful day for any hard working person.
You shouldn’t even attempt to politicize cigar smoking. After all, not only Arnold gets to enjoy them but millions of Americans.