Billed as a Patriot Rally, about 100 supporters of Senator Lori Klein (who is running for the State House) sat on bales of hay at Mortimer Family Farms as they listened to Russell Pearce, Quan Nguyen and Joe the Plumber. Music was sandwiched in between. Pink underwear, autographed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio was available for raffle.

First up, Russell Pearce

Russell Pearce, who is running for re-election after having been recalled almost a year ago, spoke of his grandchildren, saying, "...you look at these babies, and I'm so blessed, and I think, what kind of life are they going to have if we don't fix it now? If not us, who? If not now, when? ...It's our fault, we've allowed things to get this bad. But we can take it back, I know we can."

He took some time to endorse Klein, stating, "The media's ugly, they're evil, almost without exception, and that's disappointing. But, most of you know better. We're going to persevere. We're going to elect people like Lori Klein, we're going to put people like Lori Klein back in office. Folks, we'll miss such an opportunity if we don't return her. There's just very few folks with the courage and the backbone that Lori Klein has."

Quang Nguyen, "Love you long time."

The next speaker was Quang Nguyen, a local Tea Party favorite, with a message that never fails to stir the heart. "I always wanted to say this," he started out. "Love you long time."

Nguyen, a refugee from Viet Nam, spoke with conviction as he described childhood in his native land. He said that in the early 1970's, his father gathered them around and said, "We need to talk about food, water and the possibility of loss of a nation."

Watch here, as Nguyen draws parallels to the current situation in the United States today:

Joe the Plumber, More on the Immigration and 2nd Amendment

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, spoke next. He had spoken the night before, and picked up where he left off - asking, "How many of you love the 2nd Amendment like I do? Anybody packing?"

"I'm very big pro-2nd amendment, I've worked real hard to promote that, I like to think I've done as much, if not more than the NRA, because I speak my mind and I don't worry about political correctness. And I think that's really important. Political correctness will kill this country, and I think it's on the way there right now, that's why we've got to get people up there right now to really speak their mind and say what they mean."

At that point he repeated something that he had said the night before, "Put troops on the borders and start shooting. I bet that solves our illegal immigration problem real quick."

Then he explained, "It's not because I'm bloodthirsty. It's not because I want to kill illegal immigrants, it's because I want my border secure. It's all it comes down to."

Joe the Plumber spoke for a little more than 5 minutes.

Lori Klein on the 'Chamber of Communists,' Other Observations, Accusations

Senator Lori Klein, who is running against Speaker of the House Andy Tobin and incumbent Representative Karen Fann, wrapped the day up, first thanking her supporters, and then responding to questions she had apparently been asked during the day. "...I am honored, I am very honored to run in this race. ...I want you to know that I am endorsed by patriots, like Russell Pearce, Joe Arpaio, people that believe in this country. Joe the Plumber, Hermann Cain, people that love this country, serve this country. I don't want endorsements from the unions, I don't want endorsements from the Chamber of Communists, I don't want endorsements from the status quo. I want endorsements from you, I want endorsements from patriots, and I want us to work together as a team to take this country back."

During her speech, Klein made several accusations and observations that are worth noting:

• "Nobody is standing up in our state."
• "But the insiders, the money guys downtown, the business community - they are the ones who want to support people who will get along and go along."
• "We passed those bills in the Senate, and they were killed by the House. So we need to hold these people's feet to the fire."
• "My opponents are... propping up a system that we really need to topple."
• "And look what they [her opponents?] did to Russell Pearce."
• "We need to bring him [Russell Pearce] back."
• "We need to take back the Senate out of the hands of those that just go along with the down crowd's money crowd that want more money."

And in speaking of a debate scheduled for August 13, Klein said, "Andy has chickened out. He has not wanted to come anywhere where I am to debate because - they even cancelled the PC meetings for the LD1 and the party because he doesn't want my story out to you all and to the Republican base... I'm almost getting ready to put out a wanted poster..."

A couple of these accusations deserve some fact checking. First of all, both Speaker Tobin and Representative Fann adamantly deny they had anything to do with Pearce's recall, and removal from his Senate seat and position. Since it took a district vote to unseat Pearce, this accusation appears very unlikely to be true.

Regarding the cancellation of the LD 1 Precinct meetings, the Chairman of the Yavapai Republican Party, Malcolm Barrett, Jr. sounded astonished at the accusation, and replied, "What??? That's pathetic. We delayed, postponed, changed the date of the Precinct Committee meeting from August to September because all the new precinct are going to be seated at the primary election and canvassed by the Board the first week of September. We thought it important to canvass the new committeemen and swear them in immediately after the election to prepare for the general election."

So did Tobin request the postponement of the meeting? "That's silly," Barrett replied. "Absolutely not."

Finally, as for that debate that she said Speaker Tobin was going to chicken out of? He was there in person, and participated fully - with no apparent fear.

Senator Lori Klein, Speaker Andy Tobin and Representative Karen Fann at the Highway 69 Republican's forum. 

Tomorrow: Lori Klein sits down for one on one interview.