The Thompson triumphant

Enter Stage Right ^ | September 17, 2007 | Bruce Walker

[2ndDivisionVet]

I have been touting Fred Thompson since January 2007, and it has been several months since I have written an article about him. Among other things, I have noted that Thompson antagonizes no one and would unite the Republican Party – no one really had anything bad to say about him in the New Hampshire debates, and the closest anyone came was John McCain, a close friend of Thompson. I have noted that Fred got the gay marriage issue precisely right – a constitutional amendment which does not require states to give full faith and credit to gay marriages is precisely the correct answer, even if his folksy way of stating it belied the intellect behind it. I have noted that Fred is exactly the right person to get Supreme Court nominees confirmed – did he not usher through Chief Justice Roberts? And I have observed that Fred Thompson has no skeletons in his closet or real "flip flops" on issues.

One other thing: Fred Thompson is an outsider. He left Washington in 2002. He has given up a career as a television star, the successor of Paul Harvey, and a film star after having left office voluntarily because he was sick of Washington. America, by the way, is sick of Washington too. To the surprise of everyone in the Beltway and no one outside the Beltway, Fred Thompson is now four percentage points ahead of Rudy Giuliani and leading the Republican pack. And Fred has just begun to campaign.

No conservative has a great a chance to win the Republican nomination as Thompson and for that reason, all of those Republicans unhappy with the choices prior to Thompson will gravitate to him. Expect, of course, the usual snipes at Thompson by pundits: he has no "fire in the belly" (his ambition is for America and not himself; he is "lazy" (six months ago he was starring in two television programs, making a movie, and sitting in for Paul Harvey); Fred is not a good on the ground campaigner (true – he is a great campaigner, as people will soon notice in New Hampshire and Iowa); Fred is not a good media communicator (The television persona of Arthur Branch in Law & Order? The backup voice of Paul Harvey? The role of POTUS in major motion pictures?); evangelicals, you know, the people who are close friends with so many Beltway pundits, "are uneasy" with Thompson (Mike Huckabee is the only Republican more naturally sympathetic to evangelicals than Thompson, and he will not win the nomination.) The sniping at Thompson is coming from those who do not like the fact that he refused to play by the rules of punditry and from those who have genuine disdain from people who have come from flyover country.

In the end, it will not matter. As conservatives gravitate around a man who is not only the only conservative who can win the nomination but also the only conservative who can beat Hillary, the whole flow of the presidential election will change. Pundits actually help Thompson by continuing to keep his expectation level low, so when he does win the next Republican debate, his stock will rise higher still.

Will Fred Thompson beat Hillary Clinton? Hillary is extremely unpopular, and Fred is liked by nearly everyone. Hillary purports to be the smartest woman in America, and Fred will prove a vastly superior debater because he actually is an outstanding actor and trial attorney. Hillary will not "draw" any votes that she does not already have, but Fred will prove a reassuring figure to moderates and a sympathetic figure to women voters. Hillary has flip-flopped on Iraq and the war on terror so many times that people have lost count, and yet Fred has been about as consistent on every issue as anyone could expect a senator to be. Hillary still seems to have scandals popping up – every during her campaign! – and Fred is as clean as a whistle (in fact, he built his career on convicting a corrupt Southern governor, a point he could slyly make more than once during the campaign.)

Likeability, integrity, wonderful voice, decades of excellent work in front of the camera, solid conservative credentials, inspiring life story, a unifying figure, a love of America instead of a lust for office – this is the Fred Thompson Story. At times it sounds like the Rodney Dangerfield Story, but not for long. Fred Thompson will not just get respect: he will earn it, as our next president.

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Bruce Walker has been a published author in print and in electronic media since 1990. He is a contributing editor to Enter Stage Right and a regular contributor to Conservative Truth, American Daily, Intellectual Conservative, Web Commentary, NewsByUs and Men's News Daily. His first book, Sinisterism: Secular Religion of the Lie by Outskirts Press was published in January 2006.

[2ndDivisionVet]

What he said.

[Sacajaweau]

I would definitely vote for Thompson AT THIS POINT.

[TLI]

I have been touting Fred Thompson since January 2007

I think that is when FT started to catch fire. I know that is when I started pushing the THOMPSON-HUNTER 2008 potenital ticket as a BIGTIME winning propisition.

And I still do. Duncan needs to see the handwriting on the wall and team with Fred. Then Duncan can start planning a winning Presidential run in 2016.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>... Thompson antagonizes no one and would unite the Republican Party ..... Likeability, integrity, wonderful voice, decades of excellent work in front of the camera, solid conservative credentials, inspiring life story, a unifying figure, a love of America instead of a lust for office – this is ... Fred Thompson .... our next president.

Good article. I think we can count on seeing more articles supporting Fred in the coming weeks and days.

[Paradox]

I’ll vote for any decent Republican to thwart the Democrats. And in my opinion, all of the remaining viable candidates are decent, save one, who really doesn’t need to be named, but hell I might vote for him if push comes to shove, and if folks can drag my butt out from under the covers on election day..

[TLI]

potenital = potential

must - remember - spellcheck.

[Pistolshot]

Likeability, integrity, wonderful voice, decades of excellent work in front of the camera, solid conservative credentials, inspiring life story, a unifying figure, a love of America instead of a lust for office – this is the Fred Thompson Story.

We have a winner!!!!!

[trisham]

Fred for president bump.

[NavyCanDo]

“Having Fred in the White House will be like having Davy Crockett back in Washington. He is a no-nonsense leader who doesn’t wait for pollsters but follows the maxim: “Be sure you are right and then go ahead”.”

[ejonesie22]

Yes sir, that is a big plus.

[BubbaBasher]

GO FRED!

[NavyCanDo]

The most important but least discussed asset we are looking for in a candidate is the ability to communicate, and Fred Thompson seems to be what we the Republicans are yearning for.
You must admit, a major irritation for all of us has been Bush’s trouble articulating. Given a prepared speech he can deliver it with the best of them. The speech given before congress following 9/11 had to be within the top 10 speeches given by any President. But slap a microphone in front of him like at a press conference and we Republicans cringe. His sloppy speaking style only serves to bolster the false perception that he is incompetent.

We need to get beyond that. We need to nominate someone who can communicate to not only us, the Republican base, but touch bases with the millions and millions of moderate voters who most often vote Democrat. Being one of the original “Reagan Democrats” – I speak from experience. (read my FR profile page). Fred has that same appeal to people as Reagan did.

In President Reagan’s Farewell Address he said, “I wasn’t a great communicator, but I communicated great things.” Fred Thompson is a communicator of great things and a great communicator, and I am honored to be behind him.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

There's only one thing I don't like about Fred, and I'm hoping it'll change, as I do want to be able to vote for him.
What I like most, is that he fairly roars this message: I don't NEED to be President. This is so normal and right, one can't help liking Fred. He's not an eel, constantly trying to elude his own positions, just to win. If a man isn't genuine, he cannot fool anyone for long, and therefore he cannot lead anyone.
Fred Thompson never said he was perfect, but he can definitely do the job of leading America.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

The sniping at Thompson is coming from those who do not like the fact that he refused to play by the rules of punditry and from those who have genuine disdain from people who have come from flyover country.

[Politicalmom]

Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference

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

[Uncle Miltie]

"the only conservative who can win the nomination"

Exactly. Thompson may yet step on a land mine, but so far, the Conservative Republican Party's nomination is his to lose. Liberals (Guiliani), Socialists (Mitt*), Pro-Lawbreaking and anti-First-Amendment (McCain) candidates will have a hard time in our party.

CONSERVATIVES RETAKE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!

Go Fred!

(*Nobody has explained to me how FORCING the healthy young and wealthy old to buy health insurance is not socialism on the hoof.)

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

his ambition is for America and not himself

I like that.

[LibLieSlayer]

That is the leftist mythological “conservative” baseball writer that thinks he can write about important things.

LLS

[Rennes Templar]

“the only conservative who can win the nomination”

FT is the only true conservative in a long time who has the “e” word associated with him: electable

FT + DH = Unbeatable!

[Sacajaweau]

Hillary’s out for the invisible people....like Hsu!!...and Foster...and Brown...