JIm Gilchrist Defends His Endorsement of Mike Huckabee

I just found this online and will share it although Gilchrist wrote it at his website on the 14th of December:

Dear MinuteMen and Women,

We have long struggled together to encourage those in power in the Federal government to follow the rule of law and secure our borders and enforce U.S. immigration laws. We have had great success in bringing this issue directly to the American public in the absence of leadership by our political governors in Washington, DC.

Now, as the Presidential Election of 2008 draws near we have a unique opportunity to raise our collective voices at those candidates who wish to lead America for the next four years.

We cannot just stand by and allow any candidate who wants to lead our country to not make a stand in defense of our sovereignty.

That is why for the last several months I have been actively seeking more information about the history, record, and future plans of all the major candidates for President of the United States.

It is important to speak honestly about who has the best possibility of being elected to the White House and, of those possibilities, which one will serve the goals and objectives of Minutemen everywhere.

I understand that by personally immersing myself in the presidential political debate I will upset some of you in the Minuteman movement. That is an expected consequence of being involved in political activism and I am prepared for that consequence.

However, I cannot allow personal preferences, whether it is my own or that of my fellow allies in the battle to defend the borders of our country, to disallow what in all fairness is “political reality”.

Many of you remember when I ran for Congress in 2005 as a third-party candidate. We had a great team and fabulous supporters from all over the country. Many so-called political professionals said we had “no chance to even make an impact” in that Congressional race. But, we garnered the highest percentage for a third-party candidate in a congressional race in 40 years. I am proud of what we all have achieved together.

I have learned much about politics since establishing that political bench mark.

Right now the issue of illegal immigration and border security is foremost in the minds of voters in the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. In fact, because of the efforts of Minutemen everywhere, it is the major issue in both the Republican and Democratic parties. Like you, I am thrilled that, finally, all of our politicians are forced to address the issue of our nation’s chaotic neglect of U.S. immigration laws in every debate, town hall meeting, and personal appearance he or she makes.

And, like you patriots, I want more than just talk. I want a president who will act. I want a president with a “plan”, and a willingness to accept the challenge of effectively addressing the most unprecedented invasion of the United States in its 231-year history.

There have been very few voices in Washington DC who have echoed our call to secure the borders and enforce our immigration laws. One of those lone voices, and a great leader for America as well, is Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo. Congressman Tancredo is a personal hero of mine who gave me the inspiration to create the Minuteman Project over three years ago.

And Duncan Hunter, Congressman from California, actually wrote the bill to get the fence built on the border between the San Diego, California and Mexico.

Both of these men have been more instrumental in moving the debate of border security and illegal immigration to where it is today than any one else. Tom Tancredo and Duncan Hunter are the quintessential political pioneers in the quest to maintain a respectable and responsible immigration system.

But as we go forward in our movement with a national stage to implement a new policy with new leaders, we have to recognize that the American people have decided there are only three viable candidates for a Republican Party presidential nominee: former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, and former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The Democrats will place either Hillary Clinton or Barrack Obama into position for the presidential race.

You have a choice: either stand with me on this mission to restore our nation to governance by the people, or scatter in mutual acrimony and resign yourselves to the fact that pro-amnesty Hillary Clinton or pro-sanctuary city Rudy Giuliani will very likely be the next president of the United States.

My recent decision was made to prevent just that from happening.

Americans, I have never made a promise I never intended to keep, and I have never lied about my intentions to devote my all to bringing America back under the rule of law insofar as our immigration laws are concerned.

My endorsement of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was not decided over night. It was six weeks in the making.

Governor Huckabee came to me…solicited me for help. Although I personally sent every candidate for president a certified, registered, return receipt query about his or her position on the immigration chaos, only Governor Huckabee bothered to reply.

Not only did Governor Huckabee solicit input from minutemen, he also published on his web site www.mikehuckabee.com a written “plan” on how he will address the more salient issues of illegal immigration. When I read his published statements of position on the issue, it seemed as if I had written the “plan” myself. It is tough. It is demanding. And it leads America back to its heritage as “a nation governed by the rule of law”.

Our Founding Fathers envisioned a nation of “representative government”, a nation in which the electorate was actively involved in designing and implementing policy and principle. When Governor Huckabee invited the founder of the Minuteman Project to participate in his campaign, it became undeniably clear that he was virtually asking for the input of 250 million Americans…the estimated number of Americans who support the intent of the minuteman movement.

Now, fasten your seat belts and get ready for one wild ride through the 2008 presidential election cycle

Jim Gilchrist