Posted on 12/05/2007 4:15:12 PM PST by ellery
Here at the Campaign Spot, we've previously wondered if Rush Limbaugh, officially neutral in the GOP presidential primary, prefers one of the candidates and is periodically offering statements that seem to be an endorsement-without-an-official-endorsement.
Earlier today, Limbaugh was chuckling and enjoying the following exchange between Fred Thompson and Charlie Rose — an exchange that suggests that Rose is fuzzy on the difference between "principles" and "issues."
CHARLIE ROSE: You constantly say in this campaign that you are a conservative. What does that mean today? Is George Bush a conservative?
FRED THOMPSON: Well, let`s talk about me. (LAUGHTER) I thought we might get to that. I think that it means things that are consistent with God`s design for man. It`s consistent with human nature. It`s consistent with the lessons of history and the lessons of the ages. They found form in the Constitution, I think, and what our founding fathers believed. They understand that man can do great and wonderful things, but man is prone to error, and sometimes do terrible things. That too much power in too few hands is a dangerous thing, that power is a corrupting thing.
CHARLIE ROSE: In all of that, you didn`t mention abortion, gay rights — all things that have been part of recent presidential elections.
FRED THOMPSON: Those — well, you`re talking about different things there. Those are issues that are before us, which derive from principles. I don`t consider them to be...
CHARLIE ROSE: Principles.
FRED THOMPSON: ... the first principles. But the principles are what guides you in coming to positions with regard to the issues. You know, the Declaration of Independence said that our basic rights come from God and not from man. The founders talked about, you know, life and liberty and the importance of that. And everything is based on those basic principles. And I take those principles, and you know, for example, I come to a pro-life conclusion there. And when we had issues, you know, for eight years when I was in the United States Senate about whether or not the federal government should be funding, for example, abortion-related activities and things of that nature, you know, the application of those principles in that instance told me the answer was no, properly.
ping — more speculation about Rush unofficially endorsing Thompson...this time from Geraghty over at the National Review.
I started watching this show last night and turned it off in disgust — not at Fred Thompson, but disgust at the producers of the show.
They used the “extreme close up” camera technique on Fred in order to make him look menacing. Just a few days ago Charlie Rose had John Edwards on and the camera angle was normal, even flattering. Typical crap from public television.
Five “you know” in that statement by Fred. He should stop that, it’s a Hillary thing.
I was thinking the same thing, you know. Otherwise, you know, it was a good...you know...answer.
Mrs Thompson should tell him, you know, in a nice way not to say....you know.
The difference is that Fred's are transcribed verbatim, while Hillary!'s are ignored by the transcriber.
In Fred's speaking style, they are not as obtrusive as they appear in print, you know...
Fred’s older than Hillary. It’s a Fred thing. And it is insignificant, so why bring it up?
Ping to ya
it isn't insignificant. It's a bad habit and does not sound good for someone in Fred Thompson's position to be saying "you know" before and after every sentence.
AND that's why I brought it up.
"As far as Charlie Rose was concerned, Thompson was speaking Mongolian."
Sorry— it seems just a bit pompous to have you criticizing a successful US senator and lawyer who shepherded a man through the hoops to become Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. How did Thompson manage to do all of those things without taking your opinion into account?
Fred gets it, you know. sorry I couldn’t resist. :)
because it’s like, totally funny that Fred ...I mean he’s like so cool, you know...he is just so cool! and he like, talks like this but that’s like totally cool with me, you know?
Oh let them pick apart the way Fred speaks. It all most of them have. Its been a while since I’ve read ‘no fire in the belly’ or ‘his wife is too young’.
My daughter does that and it drives me crazy.
I think I heard somewhere that their minds are way ahead of their verbal language and that is why they do that. Regardless, I think it is an annoying habit.
I did not say the man is dumb so don’t change the subject. In fact I think he is very intelligent. For that reason he should break the you know habit.
Fred was just great in the interview with Charlie Rose. He gave all the right ‘conservative answers’!!!!
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