National Chairman's Letter

July 2000

Dear Members and Friends of the Independent American Party,

Our presidential nominee, Howard Phillips, wrapped up a Western States campaign tour with a breakfast-news conference in Salt Lake City just hours before our National Conference. He had participated in the Shovel Brigade at Jarbidge, Nevada, campaigned in Portland, Oregon, and made a number of campaign stops in Idaho on his way to Utah. Most of the Utah congressional and statewide candidates got to meet and visit with Howard and even participate in the news conference near the end. Howard then flew home to Virginia for other campaign commitments.

Our National Conference on July 7-8 was a real success with an Executive Committee Social Friday evening, a Saturday business meeting and seminar, a noon luncheon at which the major Utah IAP candidates spoke, and an afternoon Speakers Forum. Dan Hansen, Western States chairman of the Constitution Party (from Nevada), and Sarah Ward, President of the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union (from Indiana), were our key speakers at the afternoon forum.  Dan speaking on freedom issues and Sarah speaking on moral issues complemented each other well, as we cannot maintain freedom without morality and vice versus.  Carlton Bowen and Hartley Anderson spoke very well in behalf of our presidential/vice presidential nominees.

We have some interest now in the national conventions of the other political parties.  Ralph Nader has already been nominated by the Green Party and Harry Browne by the Libertarian Party.  Pat Buchanan is likely to get the Reform Party nomination. It is speculation who George W. Bush and Al Gore will pick for their running mates at the Republican and Democratic Party conventions.  Howard Phillips, our IAP and Constitution Party nominee, will remain unaffected by whatever happens at those other conventions. He will continue campaigning hard and undaunted through election day.

Howard says it appears unlikely now that Alan Keyes will consider leaving the GOP and becoming his running mate following the Republican convention in early August.  Dr. Curtis Frazier, who was initially chosen to be a stand-in vice presidential candidate for Howard until a another choice such as Keyes became available, will likely be the vice president nominee on the November ballot.  Curtis is a good man and a good candidate.  Should there be a change, the IAP will call a Special Convention in conjunction with the Constitution Party's National Committee meeting scheduled for Labor Day weekend in Maryland to resolve the matter.

It is exciting to see our www.usiap.org web site flow again with new Viewpoint articles and other information again.  I hope you visit it often for the wealth of information that it carries.

Yours for Freedom!

Bruce Bangerter
IAP National Chairman