[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16271]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL DRAFT GOLDWATER RALLY

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, yesterday was the 
funeral for a great statesman from Arizona, former House Armed Services 
Chairman Bob Stump. I was reminded of another late Arizona statesman, 
Senator Barry Goldwater. In fact, next week marks the 40th anniversary 
of his significant step in the historic presidential campaign he waged 
in 1964. On July 4, 1963, the National Draft Goldwater Rally was held 
at the Washington National Guard Armory. I was honored as a young 
teenager to come on a bus from South Carolina with some of the founders 
of the modern Republican Party, Drake Edens, Floyd Spence and Rusty 
DePass. This failed presidential campaign actually was spectacularly 
successful in launching a political revolution for limited government 
and expanded freedom. Especially in the South, Republican conservatism 
has risen from virtual nonexistence to majority status on the local, 
State and Federal level.
  I am grateful for the lasting influence of Barry Goldwater, who 
inspired victory over communism, achieved by Ronald Reagan, and an 
emphasis on expanding freedom by reducing taxation, promoted by George 
W. Bush.
  In conclusion, God bless our troops.

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