[Fred]Thompson's ready to step on toes

The Seattle Times ^ | August 16, 2007 | David Broder

[2ndDivisionVet]

When Fred Thompson makes his long-delayed entrance into the Republican presidential race, he will not tiptoe quietly. Instead, he will try to shake up the establishment candidates of both parties by depicting a nation in peril from fiscal and security threats — and prescribing tough cures he says others shrink from offering.

In a two-hour conversation over coffee at a restaurant near his Virginia headquarters, the former senator from Tennessee said that when he joins the battle next month, he "will take some risks that others are not willing to take, in terms of forcing a dialogue on our entitlement situation, our military situation and what it's going to cost" to assure the nation's future.

After spending most of the past few years on TV's "Law and Order," and starting a new family with two children under 4, the 65-year-old lawyer says he finds himself motivated for the first time to seek the White House.

"There's no reason for me to run just to be president," he said. "I don't desire the emoluments of the office. I don't want to live a lie and clever my way to the nomination or election. But if you can put your ideas out there — different, more far-reaching ideas — that is worth doing."

Thompson, like many of the others running, has caught a strong whiff of the public disillusionment with both parties in Washington — and the partisanship that has infected Congress, helping to speed his own departure from the Senate.

[reefdiver]

Any time He wants to get that toe in the water, Lots of people are waiting to see what happens

[loreldan]

I’ve been hearing about his grand entrance into the race for months now...Do it already!!!

[doc1019]

Amen! I’m an extremity patient person … but this is getting old. Do it already (and let the chips fall as they may) or let us know that you are never going to be a candidate.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Looks like we will actually have a “principle” type campaign vs. the “Focus group-poll driven campaign” of her Thighness. Could be real intresting.

[Moonman62]

In a two-hour conversation over coffee at a restaurant near his Virginia headquarters, the former senator from Tennessee said that when he joins the battle next month, he "will take some risks that others are not willing to take, in terms of forcing a dialogue on our entitlement situation, our military situation and what it's going to cost" to assure the nation's future.

I like Fred, but that sounds like political suicide to me. He wants to be preachy like Carter, rather than an optimist like Reagan.

[raptor29]

I’ll take the straight talk right about now.

[no-to-illegals]

Sir:
He (Fred) best have a plan to remove these illegals, or I will go elsewhere. Presently our death toll, of innocent lives is 57,000 plus and increasing at a rate of twenty-five more innocent lives lost every single day, due to this invasion. I am sick of our losses to people who should not be in our nation. I am willing to listen, but Fred had best have a plan to remove these people.

These thoughts may get me banned, but I am sick and tired of seeing the people of this nation die, because our politicians are busy attempting to give these people amnesty. What is a citizen to do? Our nation is under attack from inside our borders, while our politicians at the local, state, and federal level continue a charade.

The democrats want amnesty for these invaders, and the republicans have done nothing to stop this invasion, even when the chance for the republicans to do something was there.

What good is life if it can be taken by someone who should not be inside the borders of our nation?

I apologize to you, 2ndDivisionVet, for my rant. I realize this thread is not about illegals, but I am growing weary of the lies and the charade of the majority of our politicians.

If Fred has a plan, he would be wise to speak up soon. I am about to leave him, and not come back.

[Politicalmom]

Third posting of this story, so NOT a PING!!

Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference

WARNING: If you want to join, be aware that this ping list is EXTREMELY active.

[noamnasty]

I voted for Mr.Amnesty twice, so I won’t be fooled again by another rich elitist .We don’t need anymore million airs in that house of ill repute . I am fed up with all of them . And most Americans .If we want to save this nation ,we will need to get them cleaned out of our high office’s . Voting only works if we keep an eye on them, power corrupts absolutely.

[cowdog77]

.. in terms of forcing a dialogue on our entitlement situation”
______________________
Welfare reform (elimination) would be plenty of reason for me to vote for a candidate. I’m sick of paying for single mom’s to stay at home and illegal’s hospital bills! Not to mention programs for the ones who live under bridges and are afraid of a full day’s work. WELL, C’MON FRED !

[dirtboy]

"There's no reason for me to run just to be president," he said.

Amen to that. Fred's short essay comparing the alarmism over global warming to the lack of concern about entitlements was a masterpiece. Let's hope he can get a real debate started on real issues.

[dirtboy]

We don’t need anymore million airs in that house of ill repute

Well, I'm sure Dennis Kucinich ain't worth a million airs, so maybe you can vote for him.

[Gondring]

Funny that the word “invasion” isn’t used by many of us, when that’s exactly what it is.

[dirtboy]

If we want to save this nation ,we will need to get them cleaned out of our high office’s

So, in other words, you want a government composed of people unable to accumulate a net worth in excess of one million dollars.

Brilliant!

[2ndDivisionVet]

I am known as an immigration “fanatic” so rant on! LOL

[no-to-illegals]

I could put up (possibly) with a peaceful invasion. But these people (invading) are killing Americans by the tens of thousands at the last count. When will enough of our citizens' deaths be enough for these amnesty, look the other way, types of people? If Fred has a plan, I want to hear it. I will listen, but if I do not hear a plan that includes removal of these people, I will go elsewhere, to someone who is as angry as I am over the loss of our innocent lives, by a people who have no right to be here.

If we were really at War, someone with authority would stop this invasion.

I have ranted enough, and 2ndDivisonVet may think me nuts for stepping out of bounds on this thread. But Fred had best have a plan, I have had enough. Tell US your plan Fred! We can track a cow, so do not tell me America cannot track illegals and remove them. IKE did it, will you, Fred?

[Moonman62]

I think Fred’s focus has been on Social Security and the coming baby boomer retirement. W tried it and failed. The best way to handle it is to get the economy to grow at its best rate. Being preachy isn’t going to work.

[no-to-illegals]

Some days I am a post short or a post late, just as now LOL

Fred step up to the plate or get out of the batter's box.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

DO IT.

Step on toes. Speak loudly. And fight to WIN.

Be as tough on Democrats, as on terrorists. Because one, helps the other.

This poster for one, is so sick and tired of the spineless MILQUETOASTS currently running the GOP.

One does not compromise with Marxists.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Fred Thompson on the issues:

http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Fred_Thompson.htm

[RobbyS]

Ever try to put a campaign together? Even at the congressional level it takes a long time get the ducks all in a row. That was forty years ago, What must it be like when tens of millions of dollars must be raised and a senatorial size staff assembled. Of course, he is not starting from scratch, but still, he has been out of the game for five years and he is older.

[onedoug]

...zzzzzzz......

[Theophilus]

Bracing!

[Theophilus]

Reagan was a great optimitst but a whole lot of stuff got left undone that did not need to get left undone.

[Saundra Duffy]

This has got to be a joke, right? This is the guy who avoided major debates with the other candidates and now he wants to “take risks”?

[tcrlaf]

Relax...
It’s Summer. The silly season....

The Never-Ending Campaign only appeals to us junkies. Thompson has been absolutely correct to wait, and let the field thin out on it’s own before committing.

We already see what it’s doing to Hillary...

[rwfromkansas]

You idiot, to run you have to be a millionaire. That simple.

It sucks, but that is life. And you propose running some common joe.....say hello to President Hillary under your ideas.

[doc1019]

I hope you are right.

[rwfromkansas]

You really are a racist psycho....put down the bottle.

[Lexinom]

Well, I'm not a supporter of his but in fairness to Fred, how did Reagan speak as a candidate before the primaries? Let's do apples and apples, now, come on!

[Jim Robinson]

Woo hoo!! Run, FRed, Run!!

[RipSawyer]

“There’s no reason for me to run just to be president,” he said. “I don’t desire the emoluments of the office. I don’t want to live a lie and clever my way to the nomination or election. But if you can put your ideas out there — different, more far-reaching ideas — that is worth doing

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Obviously, this is the way the system was supposed to work. Run a campaign on what you truly believe is right and let the voters decide and if you lose go home gracefully knowing you have put your message on the table. Unfortunately it has mostly degenerated to the point that nearly all candidates say what they think will win whether it has anything to do with what they really think or not. That is why nobody trusts politicians.

[Josh Painter]

Major debates? Oh, you mean mean those dog and pony shows where the dogs and ponies were limited to 30-second answers to stupid questions.

[hershey]

Interestingly, Reagan spent years on the rubber chicken circuit, speaking about issues to women’s voter groups, town meetings, rotary meetings, wherever he could find an audience. At the time he was (except for Goldwater), a lone voice in the wilderness. Middle America knew him and loved him. No wonder Fred resonates with the same people.

[noamnasty]

An idiot is someone who keeps doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results, so who’s the idiot !

I am beginning to see that name calling is habitual here, by a chosen few. I am glad I don’t have to be a part of the crowd who is PC .There are some here who are still conservative and think free speech is a good thing.

[noamnasty]

Not what I’m saying .I was saying we don’t need any more multimillionaire corporate sponsors in there .

[noamnasty]

Why do you keep attacking and falsely accusing me ? You have something to say, say it .

[dirtboy]

Ah, so you can dish it out but can’t take it. Typical.

[Fledermaus]

You call those debates “major”? How so? Ten guys answering stupid questions from idiots in 60 and 90 second time increments is a “major debate”?

Wow.

[lolhelp]

Well, say what you mean on here or you will be jumped over and over, not much tolerance here for STUPID!

[noamnasty]

I don’t recall ‘dishing’ anything personal off to you . Also i don’t think this has anything to do with this thread . Being new here is not easy, and even less so when there are certain few who think they own the place. If your not one of them than forgive me,if you are than remember I’m not the only one reading these threads .It’s getting obvious that certain cliques want to dominate .

[eyedigress]

Just tell the truth Fred, and you will win.

[brothers4thID]

I see you learned how to spell clique. You know I think you’re just being misunderstood because you’re so adamant about your cause. Your passion tends to overwhelm your message. As our dear First Lady said to her husband in 2000: “tone down the rhetoric”.

[#1CTYankee]

Fred will run, he will get plenty of airtime the week he announces and plan his schedule accordingly for maximum exposure. The key is getting his message out and building interest in his candidacy.

I wish he had announced in early Aug when his poll numbers were higher but this may work out better. (After the straw poll in Iowa)

[noamnasty]

Yes I do get by with a little help from my ‘friends’,[ clique ]!

I do get passionate when I see my country going down . Change has always been a part of living, but not to this degree .

[no-to-illegals]

no, sorry, you have the wrong person.

[hershey]

The country needs him, and thank God, he’s willing to run.