College students valued resource

With his jacket off and cowboy boots on, Republican National Committee Deputy Chairman Jack Oliver, shared his experiences and stories with IU students and the Bloomington community in a lecture sponsored by IU College Republicans Monday night in Woodburn Hall. \nOliver, the former National Finance Director for Governor George Bush's presidential campaign, said he enjoys talking with college students and was very glad to come to speak at IU.\n"College (students) are our untapped resource in national campaigning," Oliver said. "They work all day, we feed them pizza or a bottle of beer, if they're old enough, let them sleep on the couch and then they'll get up and do it all over again."\nOliver also spoke about the beginning of the Bush campaign.\n"We had mastered the art of losing," Oliver said. "So, we asked ourselves what we were going to do to win."\nA reporter had reported that Bush would raise $20 million for his campaign. The record in the past was a mere $14 million. \n"It was reported, 'They're going to raise 20 million,' and I about had a coronary heart attack," Oliver said.\nOliver and his team raised an astonishing $37 million in 120 days. Throughout the campaign, the RNC raised a record $99 million. Along with a well-financed campaign, Oliver received a pair of cowboy boots -- the same boots he wore in last night's lecture -- for raising over $20 million.\nOliver said he relied heavily on his team to get the money.\n"It was just like herding cattle. They were energetic and I just had to move them in the right direction," he said.\nDuring the Bush campaign, the team worked hard to attract votes from African Americans, Latinos and women. Oliver believes this was a key to their success. \nWhen questioned about bills, such as McCain-Feingold, concerning campaign finance reform, Oliver said that he supported eliminating soft money. \n"They should outlaw and ban corporate and union money but at the same time they shouldn't limit the people," Oliver said. He said there are no current limits on unions who could possibly receive corporate soft money.\nSophomore Casey Cox, IU College Republican president, asked Oliver if he would ever consider running for office, to which Oliver replied, "I don't know, but I've been incredibly blessed so far."\nOliver encouraged college students, of any party, to "sign up, show up and help." \n"If you believe in something, go for it," Cox said. "Sweat equity is what is behind the passion that can change the world in a small way." \nStudents found they could relate well to Oliver's laid-back style.\n"It (the speech) was really inspiring," senior Karen Hopp, a member of College Republicans, said. "He was real."\nJunior Lindsay Blessinger agreed. "You could relate to him," she said.\nAmong those present were Kent Benson, Indiana Secretary of State candidate; Barbra Clark, Monroe County Auditor; Marty Stephens, Monroe County Chairman; and Jeff Ellington, Monroe County Councilman. Ellington will be announcing his decision to run for Ninth District Congress in two weeks.