April, 19th 2009
By Mytheos Holt, CUCR Second Vice Chairman

This Sunday, the Connecticut Union of College Republicans held their annual convention to elect the next year's incoming leadership, with guest speeches by Connecticut Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy and 2010 Senate Candidate Rob Simmons. The event was held at the University of Connecticut's business school and was attended by representatives of colleges which ran the gamut from Western Connecticut State University to Yale University.

Chairman Healy in his speech stressed the importance of youth in politics. calling it a "game for the young" and exhorting the delegates to continue their work against Leftist students, faculty and staff, who Healy described as "liberal scum." Healy also rebuked the Obama campaign for using a falsely youthful image and claiming a title to the youth vote which it did not possess, while simultaneously commenting on what he saw as dishonorable tactics by the Joe Courtney campaign in 2006. "Next time, we'll get limos," Healy joked, in reference to the Courtney campaign's get-out-the-vote efforts at the University of Connecticut. Yet despite the recent Republican defeats, the general tone of Healy's speech was highly optimistic and his conversational style was well-received by the delegates, who often laughed and gave Healy a strong ovation when he had finished speaking.

Former Rep. Rob Simmons's speech covered many of the same notes as Healy's, but also stressed the importance of the Founding ideals of the American Constitution - ideals which Rep. Simmons accused Senator Chris Dodd, his opponent in 2010, of violating. "We never let our boss sign a bill he hadn't read," Simmons said in reference to his time as a Congressional staffer, adding sternly, "If you haven't read it, vote no," as if addressing the Democratically controlled House and Senate. Sprinkled as it was with references to former Senator and conservative hero Barry Goldwater, libertarian political philosopher John Stuart Mill and permeated with morally indignant, biting humor, Simmons's speech frequently evoked spontaneous applause and laughter from the students in attendance, who cheered raucously when Simmons had finished, and lined up eagerly to ask questions during the Q&A.

When asked what was the first thing he wanted to go when he got to Washington, Simmons replied, once again to spontaneous applause, "Hopefully, kick a little ass."