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‘I LOVE BIRTH CONTROL’
I could make ‘I love the rhythm method’ t-shirts, but I have too much class.
A group of College Democrats celebrate the end of the 2006 Wisconsin College Dem convention (Photo submitted)
I’VE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE
A local College Democrats chapter president at Texas State University sent an e-mail to students asking them to volunteer for an incumbent Republican judge. Shortly thereafter, he resigned.
Cue this lead: “The president of College Democrats resigned Wednesday amid controversy and pressure from outside democratic organizations.”
Katie Naranjo, a national programs director, got involved and made some demands and asked for people to fill out a few forms and yada yada yada.
Just a few months ago I wrote about [Katie Naranjo’s wild night.] (Remember: Hydrogen Peroxide can prevent infection!)
THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE DEMS…IS FROM ALABAMA?
While we live in 2006, we think about 2007 (and 2008).
A special operative says Anna Ruth Williams, of Alabama, is the future of the College Democrats of America, and a possible 2007 national president candidate. Aside from being the “hardest working e-board member,” she’s reportedly strikingly beautiful (which makes things easier on the campaign trail, or so I hear).
A reader writes, “Her southern roots are apparent in the highly refined grace she pulls off, developed as the daughter of a Baptist minister. While she supported Luther, she is still well liked by all, and never fails to impress those she meets. She just graduated from Alabama, and is going on to work for CDA as a field director, but will be headed to law school soon.”
PHOTOS – MORE
While there are no photos of anyone gargling bong water, the Pennsylvania College Democrats have a large archive of photos from the CDA Convention last week.
EXCLUSIVE – KATIE NARANJO’S WILD NIGHT
Last weekend, as the CDA National Convention came to a close in St. Louis, the newly elected programming director, Katie Naranjo, was nearly arrested for underage drinking, and a TRUTH CAUCUS special operative was there!
A special operative writes, “The weekend’s climax surely had to be Katie Naranjo nearly getting arrested a few hours after being elected the National Programming Director.”
“The bouncers at Laclede’s Street Bar apparently have seen the bracelet trick a time or two before,” the operative tells TRUTH.
Naranjo, 20, pictured above with a green arm bracelet to indicate she’s 21, was escorted from the bar and told not to return.
Naranjo, called the “Katherine Harris of College Dems,” is from the University of Texas where there’s a vibrant “nightlife” on Sixth Street in Austin.
Developing?
truth@truthcaucus.com – aim: crnctruthcaucus
COLLEGE DEM VOTE TOTALS
The race for College Democrats of America president:
Lauren Wolfe (of Smith College) won with 55% of the vote (376 delegate votes). Luther Lowe (of William & Mary) got 307 votes.
The race was one of the most hard-fought in recent memory, and was dominated by young, southern Democrats.
State with largest represenatation: Arkansas (71 votes) and Pennsylvania (45 delegate votes).
A complete state-by-state breakdown is available at the link below.
[TRUTH CAUCUS – CDA vote totals]
WOLFE ELECTED COLLEGE DEM CHAIR, 376-307
Lauren Wolfe of Smith College defeated Luther Lowe of College of William & Mary to become president of the College Democrats, Saturday evening.
The race was one of the closest—and hard fought—in the organization’s recent memory. Regional ties proved dominate as Lowe did well in the South, and Wolfe did well in the Midwest.
Earlier…
Sources say a motion to suspend the rules at the College Democrats national convention and allow delegates to vote by secret ballot has sent the room into a fury. The rules committee has yet to issue a response.
COLLEGE DEMS DEBATE
CHAIRMANSHIP RACE TURNS UGLY
Candidates for College Democrats national president debated Friday night—and the race turned ugly.
Both candidates (Lauren Wolfe and Luther Lowe) received ovation and deridation during an hour long debate.
Awais Khaleel, Wolfe’s co-chairman candidate, was repeatedly asked about his stance on Israel (the question came from an AIPAC member, sources say). For the record, Khaleel supports Israel and Hezbollah—at the same time. (If that’s not pandering, I don’t know what is.)
The election for chairman is Saturday night.
WILL COLLEGE DEMS MAKE LUTHER LOWE THE COMEBACK KID?
COLLEGE DEMOCRATS, SERIOUSLY
In what will be the largest gathering of Whole Foods and Starbucks workers on the face of the planet, the College Democrats national convention will get underway this week in St. Louis.
There are two major candidates: Luther Lowe of College of William and Mary and Lauren Wolfe of Smith College.
A reader writes, in part:
I think that Luther is pretty cute and seems friendly and Lauren is a bit serious. However, it seems like Lauren has the support of the entire organization. I mean, is anyone actually supporting Luther for president? It seems like everyone in CDA likes him but isn’t planning on voting for him. Maybe you could inform me and other truth caucus readers about why this might be?
Well, maybe it has something to do with dressing in drag. Or, maybe it doesn’t.
My general advice on dressing in drag: Don’t do it. Even if it’s for a cancer fundraiser, a campaign to end world hunger, or a local grassroots effort to buy your cousin a used Buick Skylark. Don’t do it.
Despite this (or, quite possibly, in spite of this), Lowe is a credible candidate who could mount a serious challenge to Ms. Wolfe. Wolfe has endorsements, Lowe has passion.
The real question is: Will Wolfe’s endorsements show up and vote for her? Or will Lowe charm enough people on the convention floor to send her packing?
From an outside perspective, Lowe must cultivate an image of maturity if he wants to win. In the end, people who want their organization taken seriously want a person who’s capable of being serious at the helm.
They want a “Serious Show.”
To surrender to cliché: anything can happen.
TO WIT – THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GROVER
As Washington debates the Voting Rights reauthorization (don’t do it!) and the New York Times wonders why the word “slut” often follows a cheerful “hi,” the President continues his German tour of strange places such as Stralsund, Trinwillershagen, and Heiligendamm.
Need to know: I’m enjoying this new alliance with Germany. (Too much.)
Meanwhile, Republicans “back in the states” are outraged by the latest ad from the party of Al-Zarqawi apologists: [DCCC]
But, we have other things to worry about here at TRUTH CAUCUS. For starters, next week’s Georgia Republican primary.
Here are some things you need to know about former CRNC Executive Director Ralph Reed:
He supports the Fair Tax
He opposes amnesty
He’s pro-family and pro-life
He’s pro-gun
He’s opposes the use of eminent domain (Note to Kelso Barnett of Sonoma: that one was just for you.)
Let’s not also forget: Ralph Reed is the “right hand of God.”
Luther Lowe (he’s running for CDA president, Goddamnit) wrote on his blog: “Josh and I are at my favorite hotel in DC (the Helix) and making calls. I just got off a call with Lauren who suggested we have breakfast at Starbucks instead of McDonalds. I told her I’d switch only if she accepted my request on facebook to make our relationship status as “It’s Complicated.” The conversation ended with both parties anticipating egg mcmuffins for breakfast.”
A reader says Hotel Helix is the “most profane hotel ever” and has an “Austin Powers feel.” [Hotel Helix]
It is much different than my favorite Republican DC hang out (where I drink scotch indoors), The Hay Adams: [Hay Adams]
Speaking of Lowe, a reader reported that at yesterday’s Campus Progress, “Luther Lowe was everywhere.” As in…ubiquitous. Lauren Wolfe was nowhere to be found. As in…unwonted.
Moving on. Jeremy B. Hughes officially announced his resignation as the 1st Vice Chair of the Kentucky Federation of College Republicans. “I contemplated my decision for a few weeks and feel this is best decision for the KFCR and myself,” Hughes said. Chairman Hugh Derek Hall said, “During Jeremy’s two years of service as an officer he has worked tirelessly to advance the agenda of the KFCR. Jeremy is one of my closest confidants and friends and I fully support him in his decision to step aside.” Hughes is working on the “highly competitive” congressional race to re-elect Geoff Davis in Kentucky-4. (He should, however, honor his commitments.)
If you’re CRNC inclined, please vote in this poll: [TRUTH CAUCUS]
Only a College Republican-type personality would do something like this (and I love it), the Philadelphia Inquirer reports: New Jersey Senate hopeful Tom Kean Jr’s pol researcher Chris Lyon “once sent out thousands of anonymous post cards” accusing a New Hampshire candidate’s wife “of being in an orgasm cult.”
Grover Norquist wants you to know (and so do I) that the Democratic party is made up of “coercive utopians who want to get the government to give them grants and then tell the rest of us you have to separate the green glass from the clear glass, and our toilets have to be too small to flush, and our cars have to be too small to have kids in, and you can’t wear leather, and you can’t date girls.” [Prospect]
I can’t stand: Recycling. (If you want my aluminum cans, dig them out of the trash. I’m not separating anything.)
TO WIT – WELCOME TO EARTH, THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN
If you want information that is boring and uninteresting, go someplace else. If you want information that is politically correct, go someplace else. If you want another “community driven website,” call Ron Fournier. But don’t knock on this door. Not ever.
What a difference a day makes. In the span of 24-hours, the race for College Democrat national president got a whole lot more interesting (with the help of Matt Drudge) after yours truly posted photos of candidate Luther Lowe (gasp) in drag. (All we need now is Jack Bauer.)
Lowe responds that he was “proud to be a participant” in a Drag Ball fundraiser for cancer. (He also notes that he “had a good time.”)
The event was called the “Drag Ball,” “an event sponsored by the Lambda Alliance, formerly the Gay Student Union.”
The Flat Hat, a William & Mary student newspaper, writes, “Funds raised go toward a wide range of services provided for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community throughout the year. These services include educational programs like Safe Zone and campus and statewide activism. The Lambda Alliance sponsors National Coming Out Day, Day of Silence and Drag Ball.”
In 2005, the proceeds went to the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life.”
Need to know: The drag ball has been affiliated with Psi Upsilon, the traditionally gay fraternity on campus. Psi Upsilon has just lost its charter from the national and school organizations for at least three drug, vandalism, underage drinking, and party violations. More information can be found at
[Flat Hat].
So, what is the moral of this story? What does it all mean? If you’re young and in college and looking for a future political career: Don’t dress in drag. (Or at least take photos of it.)
A very observant (and correct) reader writes: “Not to go all William F. Buckley on Luther, but isn’t it “Truth Caucus” rather than “the Truth Caucus,” much in the same way it’s “National Review” rather than “the National Review”?”
Need to know: WFB is a hero of mine.
President Bush heads to Germany today in preparation for the G8 Summit in Russia.
Former CRNC Executive Director Grover Norquist writes about W’s focus on the deficit: “The deficit is the wrong metric. No one has ever won or lost an election on the deficit.”
Grover is talking about the President, but meaning to talk about deficit hawk Senator John McCain. (He and McCain are having a Star Jones/Barbara Walters-esque feud.)
I can’t stand: Budget deficits.
Here is his recent commentary in the pages of National Review: [National Review]
If you’re CRNC inclined, please vote in this poll: [TRUTH CAUCUS]
The Maine Gubernatorial is, as Dan Rather would say, “getting hotter than a Laredo parking lot.” A new poll shows Republican candidate Chandler Woodcock gaining ground. Maine CR State Chairman Nate Walton is the deputy campaign manager. [Survey USA]
The Wall Street Journal writes: Republicans “see Maine, North Carolina, and Oklahoma as states where they may gain an advantage” by using local issues against the Democrats. [Wall Street Journal]
The Leadership Institute holds a Grassroots Activist School in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
LOWE RESPONDS TO ‘DRAG’ PHOTOS…
Luther Lowe writes, in part:
There has been a playful-sarcastic post on the Truth Caucus which has now been linked by the Drudge Report:
In 2005, I was proud to be a participant and correspondent for my college TV station in a “Drag Ball” fundraiser for the American Cancer Society at the College of William & Mary. It was a fun night.
MISSIONARY POSITION…
A reader points out Luther Lowe’s “missionary position”: [Luther and Ashanti]
A reader writes: Missionary Position, I always thought that was the one and only position that Republicans use.
LUTHER AND ASHANTI L.L.C.
College Democrat National Chairman candidate Luther Lowe has unveiled his campaign website. Some observations:
Luther was in the National Guard.
Luther has a blog that will offer “minute-to-minute” campaign updates.
Luther links to his opponent’s—Lauren Wolfe—website.
Luther links to TRUTH.