Vic Vickers on Homeland Security Republican Senate challenger

We can't handle expense of foreign adventures

"I haven't heard any national leader say we've got to pull out of Afghanistan," he said, adding that increasing military forces in Afghanistan, as both major presidential candidates propose, is the wrong way to find a fugitive. "These foreign adventures have to stop. We're not the United Kingdom during the 18th century."

Fought & beat Bush in Dubai Ports deal

"We started trying to light the fuse," he said. That meant stirring up press reports and getting some members of Congress to take up the cause. By the time the matter was finished, Mr. Bush had backed down in the face of a full-fledged revolt from his own party, which controlled Congress and was preparing to pass legislation overturning his decision.

"In that fight, I had the emir of Dubai and the president of the United States against me. In this fight two years later, I've got a senator who thinks he's emperor of Alaska and the entire political establishment against me, and Big Oil against me," he said. "I don't know which one is tougher."