Coats to speak at Lincoln Day Dinner

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

GREENCASTLE -- Former U.S. Sen. Dan Coats will be the featured speaker Sunday at the Putnam County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner.

The dinner starts at 1 p.m. in the Ball Room at the DePauw Student Union.

Coats is one of the Republican candidates to replace Sen. Evan Bayh, who has announced he is retiring from the U.S. Senate.

Coats represented the state of Indiana in the United States Senate from 1989 to 1999. He was a member of the Senate leadership, serving as Midwest regional whip.

In the Senate, he focused on defense, national security, health care, education and human resource issues.

Prior to his service in the Senate, Coats represented Indiana's Fourth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1988.

While in the House, Coats served on the Committee on Energy and Commerce and as Republican leader of the Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families. Before his election to Congress, Coats served as Indiana director for then-Congressman Dan Quayle from 1977 to 1980.

Prior to his involvement in politics, he was assistant vice president of a Fort Wayne life insurance company.

Upon retirement from the U.S. Senate in 1998, Coats joined former Senate Majority Leaders Bob Dole and George Mitchell as special counsel with the Washington law firm of Verner Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand. Coats' practice focused on legislative, international and corporate matters including defense, telecommunications, health care and non-profit organizations.

Appointed by President George W. Bush, Sen. Coats served as U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany from August 2001 to February 2005.

In April of 2005, he joined the Government Advocacy and Public Policy practice group at the law firm King and Spalding LLP as senior counsel.

Coats served on the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he chaired the subcommittees on Military Personnel and Air/Land Forces, the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. In 1995, he received national recognition as the author and champion of the Project for American Renewal, a comprehensive initiative aimed at shifting power and funding from Washington directly to local, faith-based and non-profit groups which are successfully working to resolve many of the nation's social problems.

Following his retirement from the Senate, Coats and his wife Marsha formed The Foundation For American Renewal (FAR) for the purpose of continuing his engagement in support for faith-based initiatives. FAR is associated with the Sagamore Institute For Policy Research, an Indianapolis based non-profit organization, which Senator Coats co-chairs. He has lectured and written on this topic, and is the author of "Mending Fences: Renewing Justice Between Government and Civil Society."

Coats, who served in the U.S. Army from 1966-68, was a leading voice in the Senate for military reform and transformation to the post cold-war world. He was a strong advocate of a bi-partisan approach to national security issues, joining Sen. Joseph Lieberman on a number of defense reform initiatives.

He is a former member of the West Point Board of Visitors, the Defense Panel on Globalization and Privatization, and the Defense Policy Board.

Coats served as co-chair, along with Sen. Lieberman, of the Center for Jewish and Christian Values. He is past president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, an organization he has been associated with since 1972. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Wheaton College, Illinois and on a number of boards, civic and volunteer organizations.

Coats is a 1965 graduate of Wheaton College and holds a Juris Doctor degree from Indiana University School of Law, where he served as associate editor of the Law Review. He holds three honorary doctoral degrees.

Tickets to the Lincoln Day Dinner are $25 each and can be purchased at the door or by calling Republican County Chairman Larry Sutton at 653-5954.

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  • I don't quite understand why the "conservatives" or "Republicans" or whatever they are calling themselves these days, would send someone back to the problems in Washington when they have already been a part of the problems in Washington. Coats hasn't even resided in Indiana in nearly 10 years. How can merely owning a home in one state qualify you as a resident of that state? I know he supported the Brady Bill and gun control, and that's all I need to know! I'd say he had his chance at it, let's look elsewhere. I have seen several of the candidates and so far my choice would be Richard Behney, a businessman from Indianapolis. It's time to put someone in as Senator who has some fresh ideas for accomplishing things for Hoosiers, not the same old song and dance.

    -- Posted by Thomas Paine on Wed, Mar 10, 2010, at 9:03 AM
  • In order to get Coats on the ballot, the national Republican party hired people from Minnesota to get the signatures. sounds like ACORN to me. I agree, Coats has no place on the ticket. I resent the national party and the state party bringing Coats to Indiana. There are 3 qualified candidates that have never held federal office, all have been successful businessmen and are strong anti-spending conservatives running for the senate. Let's give one of them a chance to get us out of this mess

    -- Posted by albert on Wed, Mar 10, 2010, at 12:55 PM
  • Agree with the above that Dan Coats is not the man for Indiana. He's got too many connections on Capitol Hill to bring the cut-down government we need.

    My choice for Senator is Marlin Stutzman. He's got the credentials to go in and cut spending, and he's shown that in his time in the Statehouse.

    -- Posted by John Locke on Wed, Mar 10, 2010, at 1:07 PM
  • I agree with all of the comments above. Also, don't forget about the house race which the National Republican Party has already got behind the Dr. from Evansville while there are two much more fiscal conservative candidates in the race. I will be voting for Stutzman in the Senate race and Dan Stockton in the House race. Time for not only new blood, but people who have no connection with the national parties just with the voters.

    -- Posted by Heritage Lake Resident on Wed, Mar 10, 2010, at 2:03 PM
  • Let me see if I have this straight. If I understand your argument properly, you argue that because I served in the Army for over 35 years, first as an enlisted man and then retiring as an Officer, I am, therefore, a part of the problem.

    According to you, it is far, far better to throw an inexperienced raw recruit, straight out of Boot Camp, right into combat because they would be better suited than I to handle the horrors of combat simply because they would bring a whole new "fresh" perspective into the equation. Is that it?

    How stupid are you people?

    Oh, and one more thing, besides their not being credentialed, what branch of the military did your little boys serve in, the Cub Scouts? Or the FFA?

    WOW, I'M IMPRESSED!

    -- Posted by Retired Army Major on Wed, Mar 10, 2010, at 5:53 PM
  • Major. First, I sincerely thank you for your service to our country.

    Second, No, you don't have it straight. This has nothing to do with you and your 35 years of service in the Army. The above comments were in no way directed at you, therefore you are NOT a part of the problem or even, until now, a part of the discussion.

    This was a discussion about Dan Coats and our thoughts on his qualifications to suddenly leap from being a lobbyist living in Virginia for the past 10 years to running for the Senate in Indiana. Got it?

    This has nothing to do with "raw recruits" "boot camp" or the "horrors of combat". Get a grip, Man! You appear shell shocked!

    I didn't realize a requirement for running for political office was a military record. When did they slip that one in?

    "Little Boys" "cub scouts" "FFA"? And you ask how stupid WE are???

    I'm sure you were a good officer in the Army, Major, but leave the arguments and insults to someone else, because frankly, you are not very good at it.....

    -- Posted by Thomas Paine on Wed, Mar 10, 2010, at 10:41 PM
  • Major -

    With due respect to you for your sacrifice to our country, you are an idiot.

    There is a HUGE difference between "war" and "politics/governence".

    The Legislature was DESIGNED to be a citizen legislature. That means the "raw recruits" are supposed to be able to get in there with fresh ideas and new perspectives.

    I for one am tired of the political dynasties and the idea that one must have a certain pedigree & life history to run for Congress.

    -- Posted by Rasputin on Thu, Mar 11, 2010, at 12:05 AM
  • Country-bumpkin, I agree that Kristi is fiscally conservative but I believe the best and most conservative candidate is Dan Stockton running in that Republican Primary. I think though that we can both agree that the Dr. from Evansville, speaks a good game but I am not sure there is much true conviction on the issues!

    -- Posted by Heritage Lake Resident on Thu, Mar 11, 2010, at 9:54 AM
  • No, Paine, you don't have to be prior service to run for a political office, after all, look at Obama, Pelosi, both Clinton's (who "loathed the military"), and all the others from both sides of the fence who found it more expedient to hide in the basement dirtying their little pink diapers rather than serve their country during its hour of need.

    I find it disconcerting that these same individuals have now gone to one or two of these Tea Party events and now consider themselves as being the greatest Patriots this country has ever seen!

    Their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers who fought in Iwo Jima, the Battle of the Bulge, Normandy, TET, Khe Sahn, etc..., would hide their heads in shame having to claim these little "Patriot Wannabe's" as their own because, quite simply, THEY HAVEN'T EARNED THE RIGHT!!!

    -- Posted by Retired Army Major on Thu, Mar 11, 2010, at 9:19 PM
  • Quite frankly, Paine, I would prefer what you refer to as my "shell shock" to the "toxic shock syndrome" that you and your buddies appear to be experiencing!

    -- Posted by Retired Army Major on Thu, Mar 11, 2010, at 10:07 PM
  • Well, well, Major, you are so very clever, indeed. However it is quite difficult to discuss issues with someone whose points are so obviously illogical and flawed as yours are. From the jump, you have resorted to name calling and chest pounding, trying to bully your viewpoint rather then merely stating your opinion and having a discussion about it. Perhaps being a "Major" has something to do with that. You are used to getting your own way.

    I don't disagree that we owe everyone who has ever worn the uniform of this once great country a sincere and heartfelt "Thank You". But, service is NOT the only way a person becomes a "Patriot". All you have to do is love your country. I have no doubt there are many people who have worn the uniform and hate their country. Also there are many who, for whatever reason, did not chose the military path but still love their country DEEPLY.

    I strongly disagree with your notion that our preceeding generations would hide their heads in shame over someone belonging to the "Tea Party Movement". Quite the contrary. From what I gather, these people are just as patriot as you are. They are willing to stand up and exercise their right of freedom to assemble and voice their concerns about the direction their country is taking. If the Heros of wars past were able they would be standing right there with them.

    Love of country, Major, love of the Founder's ideals, love of the Constitution. That is what being a Patriot is. That is what being an American is, at least to me. And being willing to stand for these principles and defend them, whether facing enemy fire or standing on the steps of a statehouse with a sign.

    Now, about Dan Coats........

    -- Posted by Thomas Paine on Fri, Mar 12, 2010, at 7:36 AM
  • Don't put words in my mouth Paine!

    I never said that my fellow Tea Party members were unpatriotic. What I am saying is that through stealth, many within our movement have sneaked in to capture top leadership positions for their own personal gain. They are using us as their own private political base and there are many of us who resent it!

    Thank you for your service to our great nation, Paine. We sure could have used you during the TET Offensive back in 1968, standing in front of the State House holding up a protest sign! HOOOOWAH!

    -- Posted by Retired Army Major on Fri, Mar 12, 2010, at 9:42 PM
  • And yes, I know my arguments are absolutely STUPID. That's because they are your arguments. That's what my original thread pointed out. What a shame it took you two whole days to finally come to an epiphany!

    -- Posted by Retired Army Major on Fri, Mar 12, 2010, at 9:44 PM
  • Who said I've come to an "epiphany?" After your last post I honestly do not understand what in the Hell you are talking about. The scary part is, I believe you do!!!

    You win, Major!!!

    See you at the Statehouse on Monday.....

    Beam me up, Scotty

    -- Posted by Thomas Paine on Fri, Mar 12, 2010, at 10:34 PM
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