Monday, March 19, 2007
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Making the Case for Fred Thompson
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Posted by:
Mary Katharine Ham at
4:46 PM
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Chris Cillizza gives it a go:By walking away from a sure-thing second term in 2002, Thompson
reinforced that populist image. He also spent the next five years
outside of Washington as his party steadily lost the trust of the
American public. Thompson can make the argument that he wants to be
part of the solution. That's a compelling argument when paired with
Thompson's conservative credentials and personal attributes.
The final piece of the Thompson puzzle is money. McCain, Romney and
Giuliani have all been in the race and raising money for months (if not
years), and with the pricetag for the nomination estimated at between
$50 and $100 million the ability to raise millions of dollars is a huge
hurdle.
Lucky for Thompson that his home state is renowned for its
willingness to donate to political candidates. Beginning with Sen.
Howard Baker's (R-Tenn.) run for the presidency in 1980 and with Al
Gore's first run in 1988 and then both of Sen. Lamar Alexander's
unsuccessful bids for national office (and don't former Sen. Bill
Frist's abbreviated run), Volunteer State donors are acclimated to
supporting their native sons.
John McCain helps make the case by reminding us all that he is no Fred Thompson.
We fiscal conservatives don't take kindly to Club for Growth bashing.
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Way too soon for Fred Thompson. He hasn't made his views clear enough. Until he does I'm sticking w/the real Reagan Conservative in the race, Duncan Hunter. Granted his campaign isn't getting much traction. But its early yet. Thompson may very well be the leader the GOP faithful have been praying for. I hope so. But its too early to know.
One thing - TEXAS and its "34 electoral votes" can not be counted on to stay "red". Texas will be a battleground state in 08 and will most likely go "blue" if any of the "big 3" get nominated. The GOP can have no hope of winning in 08 w/out Texas. Here's a site that explains what I'm talking about:
http://streetlevel.townhall.com/g/40db1d93-d21a-468d-be6a-4a6abca758d2
http://www.gohunter08.com
DD |
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Here in Tennessee Phil Valentine is an average radio host, Fred Thompson is a great presidential candidate. Conservatives need a communicator, that man is Fred. We will have spent 8 years with virtually no voice in DC with the present non-communicator, Bush. I want to hear a big man, with a booming voice tell the liberals to go to ....it's been years since they were talked back to instead of kowtowed to. |
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As an Illinois voter,I have always had the job
of voting in a Primary election that meant
absolutly nothing. The decision had already been
made in states with earlier Primary elections.
Illinois Democrats are now talking about
moving our Primary ahead in order to help
Osama Obama.
I'm hoping that this move will bring more
Illinois Republicans out in our Primary.
Our state isn't as solidly pro-Democrat as one
might think-- it's just a fact of life that you
can't get people to participate in a hopeless
election where their options are as limited as
ours have been.
Fred Thompson will fair very well here if our
Primary is moved up and becomes relevant.
RUN FRED RUN !!!!!! |
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Call me a pessimist. With the exception of Romney, all the names for the GOP nomination are senators and one mayor. Now, we get Fred Thompson, another senator. History has not been kind to non-executives. You have to go back to 1964 to find a senator who got elected president. Senators are normally compromisers. Generally, senators are not strong will people. Deal makers, given in to pressure, rather then making the tough decisions.
Why not George Allen? Strong conservative governor. Joe Biden and Hillary have said worse things then Allen's macaca comment. |
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Republican voters still get to decide who their nominee will be. Money only buys elections when people act like sheep. If 80% of Republicans are indeed seeking a conservative, we can nominate one. We can nominate Duncan Hunter. The money players won't like it and are trying to convince us only Rudy, Romney, or McCain can win. Hogwash. 49% of people will never vote for Hillary. Only 60% voted last time and turnout was the difference. My belief is Rudy would push turnout down. There might even be a third party, splitting the vote. Give Americans a chance to vote for a candidate who WILL secure the border and watch what happens to turnout. Americans want their government to fulfill it's most basic responsibility.
The primary responsibility of the U.S. government is to protect the territorial integrity and people of this country. They have completely abdicated this responsibility. Both parties have been complicit in this. We are being told it is not possible to control our borders, enforce our laws, and thereby control our destiny as a nation. Hogwash. We are being sold out by corporations intent on importing workers for jobs that can't be exported with the taxpayers paying the true costs, financial and human. If we act like sheep and don't stop the inundation across our borders, we will lose our country without a bleat.
http://www.gohunter08.com
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What about the second half of that post, eh?
The point is that Thompson is not The One any more than The Unholy Trinity is.
I'm still living in hopes that Duncan Hunter will rise up, but if he doesn't, my default pick is still Mitt Romney. |
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Hector Berlioz writes: Not necessarily....
It might just mean that he was good at fooling liberals...
================================================
Maybe he's better at fooling conservatives:
In a November 2005 interview with the Globe, Romney described immigration proposals by McCain and others as "quite different" from amnesty, because they required illegal immigrants to register with the government, work for years, pay taxes, not take public benefits, and pay a fine before applying for citizenship.
The audio is available on the Globe website
Then there is this:
Gov. Mitt Romney expressed support yesterday for an immigration program that places large numbers of illegal residents on the path toward citizenship. 'I don't believe in rounding up 11 million people and forcing them at gunpoint from our country,' Romney said. '[T]hose that are here
paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process towards application for citizenship, as they would from their home
country.'" [Lowell Sun, 3/30/06]
Thanks for stirring the debate, I wouldn't have bothered looking him up otherwise. Sounds like Mitt takes after Kerry and is a weather vane of the current political winds.
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Hector, You're absolutely right! Thompson's C rating on the immigration issue doesn't inspire me one bit, nor does any of his recent statements about dealing with the illegal invasion. Before conservatives start flocking to this "conservative" savior I think it is appropriate to look a little closer. I realize that the specter of a Giuliani or McCain GOP nominee is rightly whipping up conservative angst and forcing us into a desperate search for any alternative, but let's make sure this guy is genuine. Past history suggests that he may not be what we think or hope he might actually be.
I also see more firm and uncompromising rhetoric on the issue of illegals from Romney than what I have so far seen from Thompson. I'm willing to give Thompson a look, but he's going to have to show me a lot more concrete and uncompromising approaches to ridding our country of the illegal alien menace.
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And if you think that's a bozo position, you'll have to jump ship from Fred Thompson's boat, because he holds the same view. |
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It might just mean that he was good at fooling liberals...
A lot of his "flip flops" are merely his stances on whether the State or the Federal Gov't should decide things like Gay Marriage. |
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4 years as governor of Massachusetts only proves that Romney will bend in any position - not a talent that I'm looking for after for years of "Thank You Sir, May I have Another" Bush. The mere fact that he's from the land of Kennedy and Kerry makes me and most of the rest of the thinking voters suspicious of his intentions.
Thompson/Hunter in 2008. |
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Why thank you ; ), I worked hard on them. But I see history has not treated me as well as I had hoped. Who is this Debussy fellow who is worshipped? He seems like an amateur... :p |
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Nice screen name. Loved your orchestral works... |
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Phil Valentine is syndicated now. Great show. |
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A lot of those points apply just as easily to Romney... |
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Here in TN there's a great radio talk show host, Phil Valentine. He is a big Fred Thompson guy, who has been a frequent guest over the years. I'm not bothered at all by his enthusiasm for Fred, but I'm starting to have my own doubts.
I mean, I'm even closer to voting for Romney than Fred Thompson. I hate to say it, because I realize he's such a likeable guy...he does SEEM to be right on all the issues, including illegal immigration (which by the way, seems to be a modified position).
One of the things that bothers me is Phil Valentine's excusing of Fred's rating of C with that Immigration website...
If you can excuse Fred on immigration, you can excuse Romney on HIS "modifications" as well.
Another question I have is: does Fred have what it takes? I realize his credentials, but are they enough? Can he place policies right? He was after all, a Senator...and I trust those far less on implementing good policy than Guv'ners.
Fred IS an actor, are we sure he's not just having us on with his likeable froggy profile?
Romney LOOKS like he's an actor, making us suspicious of his Hollywood smile, but do we need to take another look?
But hey, if Fred and Mitt teamed up tomorrow, it might be the magic ticket still... |
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I want a candidate who...;
1) Is Strong on National Defense
2) Will Make Border Security a Priority
3) Will Appoint Strict Constructionist Judges
4) Is Pro-Life
5) Is Pro 2nd Amendment
6) Has Impeccable Conservative Credentials
7) Will Address the Entitlement Program Problem
8) Will Restore Quality to Education
9) Understands Foreign Policy
10) Is Against Gay Marriage
11) Is Environmentally Friendly But Not Eco-Nutz
12) Is A Man of Strength, and Character With the Backbone To Stand Tall Against The Liberal Agenda
This Man Is Fred Thompson.
Support Fred Thompson
For President 2008
Visit Draft Fred Thompson
Add Your Name To The Petition
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The bad news is, given my track record in the primaries, he doesn't have a shot in hell.
Has anybody here, seen my old friend Steve Forbes? Can you tell me where he's gone?
Has anybody here, seen my old friend Jack Kemp (before he went a little goofy)? Can you tell me where he's gone?
Has anybody here, seen my old friend Phil Gramm? ... |
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There's plenty of time for Thompson to get in the race. Starting a presidential campaign the day after the mid-terms is a new phenomenon, and hardly required to get the nod. He'll raise money if he runs. Pro-business, pro-war, pro-gun, he's got a lot of positive attributes. |
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I'd hate to be in any cabinet post under President McCain. I imagine that would be like, oh say...being Michael Moore's dietician--lots of good advice given, but none ever followed. A complete waste of time.
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