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As has been reported elsewhere today, Fred Thompson's mother is gravely ill right now. Our prayers ought to be with Sen. Thompson, his mother, his wife, and their family. This must be a very difficult time for them. All of this political stuff is of only secondary importance right now. That said, here is what I would do, politically, if I were Thompson: I would just lay low. Just wait. See what happens in Louisiana's caucuses tomorrow. See what happens in Florida next week. See who drops out of the race at some point. And then consider reviving my campaign,...

Fred Thompson or Ron Paul? Like Perry and some others, I would rather see a big government Democrat elected than a big government Republican. At least that would bring back some opposition. Republicans in Congress have a much better record of reining in the Democrats' presidents than their own. And as I explain later, I think that one of these two is the only Republican candidate capable of winning the national election. Ron Paul answering the What programs? question by naming three cabinet level departments ... Wow. Good answer. If there was no rest-of-the-world, he would possibly have my vote....

Days left until the Jan. 19 S.C. Republican presidential primary: 46 Days left until the Jan. 26 S.C. Democratic presidential primary: 53 Days left to register to vote: 17 CAMPAIGN TRAIL When and where presidential candidates are appearing in South Carolina 12:15 p.m. today: Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson will have a meet-and-greet at Wade’s Southern Cooking at 100 N. Pine St. in Spartanburg. 2 p.m.: Thompson will visit Blue Ridge Shooting Sport Store at 3559 Ballenger Road in Greer. 6 p.m.: Thompson will visit Market Square Deli at 2029 Wade Hampton Blvd. in Greenville. 8:45 a.m. Wednesday: Thompson will...

By now I'm sure the majority of you are aware of who most of the 2008 presidential candidates are. I'm also sure that by now you may be just a little bit sick and tired of the rhetoric that some of these folks are spewing forth. Not a day goes by that we aren't bombarded with the media's biased reports of certain candidates, whether good or bad. If you are one of the people who are undecided but want to really learn about a particular candidate, I would invite you to take a look at former Sen. Fred Thompson. When...

FLIP FLOP ALERT! FLIP FLOP ALERT! CALLING ROMNEY OPPO TEAM! Earlier today, we linked coverage of The Huckster on Fox News, where he couldn't have been clearer that he opposes a state-by-state solution to abortion. This is to differentiate himself from Fred Thompson, who's taken that approach and thus, in effect, would permit abortion to remain legal in at least some states, regardless of how the Bush court might rule someday on Roe v. Wade. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee rejects letting states decide whether to allow abortions, claiming the right to life is a moral issue not subject to...

In September, I posted another vanity (linked below) in which I observed that the historical trends in this election favored Fred Thompson. Since then, his RCP average has dropped from about 22% to 16-17%. In the more volatile Rasmussen daily tracking poll, he has also dropped to 16%, about a 10 point drop from his post announcement high. In light of the above poll numbers, is it time for me to issue a mea culpa? No. This is not at all inconsistent with the hypothesis of my previous post. Neither of the successful insurgent candidates in modern times, Reagan or...

Fred Thompson took his acid bath this morning on Meet the Press. Measured by the traditional standards of Sunday morning political theater, it was an uneven performance. Fred did well on international affairs and "stumbled" on domestic policy. His answer on abortion in particular will come as an uncomfortable revelation to some of his more conservative supporters. I have a team of Jesuits attempting to unravel the yarn-balled logic of Fred's rambling answer, but it appears to boil down to this: "I'm 100 percent pro-life and have voted 100 percent pro-life. I hope one day Roe will be overturned and...

Senator Fred Thompson appeared for the hour on "Meet the Press" with Tim Russert and it was evident that this is a more comfortable milieu for him then the debate format at this point in the campaign. He talked easily and comfortably about issues of foreign policy such as Pakistan and Iran - and displayed a staunch defense of federalism with some positions that may not please some of the members of the base. Thompson certainly came across as authentic - and his grasp of foreign policy issues gives lie to the contention that those with executive experience have a...

Those expecting to see a train wreck this morning when Fred Thompson appeared on "Meet the Press" must have come away disappointed. Though Tim Russert was his usual aggressive self, Thompson held his own and committed no gaffes of the sort that have plagued his campaign for the past two months. Yet that Thompson's performance on "Meet" — much like his debate debut last month — was one in which merely getting through without making any major errors is seen as tantamount to success says much about the diminished expectations for the candidate once seen as the cure to GOP...

That Southern charm may soften the appearance of the actor-senator’s hardened conservative views. Last month brough the moment in the presidential campaign I’d been dreading. The popular conservative from my home state, fellow Tennessean Fred Thompson, entered the Republican primary. The pundits and “insiders” have dismissed the actor and former senator even before he declared his candidacy on late-night TV. Some claim he’s a Hollywood lightweight, but I’ve heard that before (Ronald Reagan). Some dismiss him as a Southern simpleton, but I’ve heard that before (George W. Bush). And I’ve even heard some claim he has a wealth of sexual...

Human Events’ presidential preference poll of American conservatives found that former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson leads the competition for conservative support with 23% of the participants selecting him over the other candidates. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee tied for second with 19%, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney came in third at 13% and Arizona Sen. John McCain -- in what is probably a direct result of his stance on amnesty for illegal aliens -- came in dead last at 2.1%. The poll, conducted by e-mail between October 24-29, was sent to approximately 32,000...

Thompson’s Plan to Fight Illegal Immigration From Thompson campaign: Thompson Announces Plan to Secure Border, Enforce Existing Immigration Laws Senator Fred Thompson today unveiled a comprehensive border security and immigration enforcement proposal that would make America safer by increasing security at our nation’s borders, enforcing our country’s existing laws to reduce the incentive for illegal immigration and streamlining the legal immigration process. “A country that cannot secure its borders will not remain a sovereign nation and you cannot have national security without border security,” said Thompson. “It’s not only necessary for any meaningful immigration reform, but border security plays a...

At Friends of Fred Thompson our mission is to explain how great a leader and future President Fred will be. We believe to take the measure of a man you must understand his principles. What will be the standards he applies as issues come before him? Fred Thompson has clear principles he has honed through his years of public service. We now have those principles on the Fred08.com website. Here are a few: Individual Liberty. As Jefferson spelled out in the Declaration of Independence, our basic rights come from God, not from government, and that among these inalienable rights is...

Though America got where it is today by following a pattern of freedom and prosperity followed, Americans at a present political crossroads may be in danger of choosing instead a path that leads to inevitable demise, said Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson Monday in Marshalltown. Thompson, however, advocated adhering to the country’s foundational principles and doing what is right. “How often, when you do the right thing, it turns out to be good politics too?” he said to a full room at the Tremont on Main. At the core of his campaign, Thompson said he stands behind a federalism based...

A well-known evangelical leader is encouraging conservative Christians to give presidential hopeful Fred Thompson and all other candidates a fair chance not long after another prominent conservative leader criticized the former senator for being too weak on key issues. Although he doesn’t endorse Thompson, former Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer contends that conservative Christians should seriously consider him if they want to avoid a “nightmare scenario” where they are forced to choose between two pro-abortion, pro-gay rights candidates – Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani. “He (Thompson)’s obviously against same-sex marriage. He doesn’t support quite the same constitutional amendment that some...

Has Fred Thompson's entry into the presidential race got you wondering what a Thompson administration might look like? From a federal management perspective, it's an interesting question. Thompson would come into the job with a relatively large amount of experience in overseeing government operations, since he chaired the committee formerly known as Senate Governmental Affairs. In an Aug. 2001 column in Government Executive, Paul Light, now a New York University professor and then a vice president at the Brookings Institution, took a look at Thompson's tenure, taking note of his presidential prospects. At that point, the senator was weighing whether...

There have been so many dismissive or blistering articles about Fred Thompson in recent months, I half expected last weekend to see Larry, Curly or Moe lead a bumbling three-day bus tour through Florida. George Will likens the former Tennessee senator to overhyped New Coke; Robert Novak suggests the late-announcing candidate may have crashed and burned before takeoff; Dick Morris declares him clearly over his head on the campaign trail. These guys need get out of the Beltway for a few days and see what's happening on the ground in places like Florida. They're underestimating hunger among Republicans for an...

MR. OCTOBER Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is examining whether or not to enter a "testing the waters" campaign phase beginning the first week of October. According to Gingrich associates, he is mulling an announcement tour that would include appearances on one major Sunday morning show next weekend, along with several Fox News shows on Monday, as well as an appearance on Dr. James Dobson's radio show. "It's not a coincidence that you saw Dr. Dobson attacking Fred Thompson when he did," says a former associate of Dobson's. "There's a strategy here, and it's about clearing the way...

Rich Galen is a veteran of Republican campaigns, former press secretary to Dan Quayle and Newt Gingrich, Internet-based political commentator and (lately) senior adviser to former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, the lawyer-actor who recently declared his candidacy for president. He spoke to the Austin American-Statesman last week during Thompson's Austin stop, which included a visit to a Dell Inc. manufacturing plant in Round Rock and a fundraiser at the Driskill Hotel. The conversation started with the conventional wisdom that Thompson may have entered the Republican fray too late compared to others who have been stumping for months. Austin American-Statesman: As...

There's no need to ask Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity, why his agency created the Defending the American Dream Summit. U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. -- who actually could be president one day -- can tell you. At the NASDAQ stock market last week, Mr. Obama said the "'what's-good-enough-for-me-is-good-enough' mentality has crept into parts of the business world, while working men and women toil longer hours and still struggle to pay for health care, tuition and taxes," according to The Associated Press. "If we are honest, I think we must admit that those who have benefited from the...

Republican presidential candidate former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee will appear on Bill Bennett's radio show later today. Click to find a station near you.

The dueling perceptions of Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson are vividly displayed on a political website. "Thompson Is Clearly In Over His Head," an opinion column headline says - right next to national polls that suggest he is near the top of the GOP field. Two weeks after he entered the race, Thompson's candidacy is as much of an enigma as it was during his summerlong "testing the waters" phase. He has not fizzled or run away with the lead, yet there is evidence that either possibility could happen. Some of the initial reviews of Thompson's entry have been harsh....

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson will attend a candidates forum sponsored by the state GOP next weekend. Wyoming Republicans have jumped their caucuses up to January 5th and Thompson campaign spokesman Jeff Sadosky said Thompson wants to start gathering support in the state based on his "consistent conservative" record. Candidates will speak to Republican precinct committee members and answer questions from them during two meetings on September 29th - one in Casper and the other in Riverton. Both will also be open to the public. The state Republican Party has said Sen. Sam Brownbeck, Rep. Ron...

I think with all the attacks coming against Fred for his strong stand in defense of the principles of Federalism, it would be worth posting again Fred's video in which he explains just what Federalism is, and why it is important. Watch Video Dobson and others are criticizing Fred for being a consistent conservative on this issue, because Fred won't sacrifice his principles for political expediency and sign on to a Federal Marriage Amendment that would ban gay marriage. Fred has made it clear he opposes gay marriage and believes marriage is the union of a man and a woman....

Other than the right to bear children well into one’s 60s and unashamedly express the love of one’s own mama, former Sen. Fred Thompson and I agree on just about nothing. He’s anti-choice (and would overturn Roe v. Wade), he doubts humanity’s responsibility for global warming and he not only supported the invasion of Iraq, but wants to keep boots on the ground till the proverbial cows come home, which, hope-soaked hearings to the contrary, seems to be when the whole Middle East is turned to pasture. Granted, the man thinks “mistakes have been made,” but he also believes that...

All the candidates from both political parties have emphasized the need for better education. It is plainly obvious that many, if not most, public schools across America are sub-par. Sub-par not only relative to schools abroad, but when judged against the rigors of American schools of yesteryear. The Democrats and Republicans, in theory, differ greatly when it comes to federal funding of education. Ronald Reagan, as well as the conservative wing of the party, wanted to get rid of the Department of Education altogether, while the donkeys have long howled about the supposed lack of spending on schools. The so-called...

As soon as former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson announced that he was mulling over a run for the presidency, pundits and voters alike began to announce comparisons between Thompson and Ronald Reagan. Now that Thompson is in the race with both feet, it is worthwhile to examine more carefully ways in which he is or is not somehow parallel to Reagan. It is important to note at the outset that Republicans have to come to grips with the facts that there was only one Reagan and that he was not perfect (though he was very, very good). Constant seeking after...

We’ve put up a new section on the website. You can now dig into Fred’s stance on issues like national security, the budget, taxes, and healthcare. Fred believes these are serious problems which will require us to unite behind common sense solutions; and this section of Fred08.com will provide some insight into his approach on these topics. Let us know what you think. What issue concerns you the most?

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070917/BREAKINGNEWS/70917062 Cannot be posted due to copyright issues...

Go to a Fred Thompson rally and for $5 you can buy an "I'm a Fred-Head" button. But you might not be able, at any price, to learn what exactly is in Fred's head. After six months of Waiting for Thompson, the former Tennessee senator has arrived on stage. Unfortunately, Thompson's dialogue so far consists of folksy platitudes and broad pronouncements, unobjectionable yet unenlightening. "We do whatever's necessary, hitch up our britches and come out the other end," Thompson said during a campaign rally in Iowa. He was talking national security, but, hey, a little britch-hitching can't hurt, whatever the...

Candidate Fred Thompson breezed through my town recently, and naturally I went to join the cheering crowd of Fred Heads and hear what he had to say. The crowd warmed up to him quickly and cheered with unabashed enthusiasm for the man many of us hope will be the conservative alternative to the neo-cons. And I have to admit, I loved all of it. I loved his humor and style. I loved his humility. He is a man who doesn't seem quite comfortable in the role of presidential candidate, but has given up an easy and enjoyable acting career to...

THE VILLAGES - Villager Dave Herrick and a thousand like him gathered at Lake Sumter Landing Thursday to see what presidential candidate Fred Thompson was all about. On the Republican ticket alone, there are so many choices in Florida's fast-approaching January primary that seeing a candidate in person could help make that important decision. "As a loyal Republican, this is a hard election," Herrick said. Once Thompson started speaking, the crowd of supporters seemed a bit more sold on the former Tennessee senator and star actor with a southern drawl. Enthusiastic backers from The Villages and surrounding communities endured summertime...

Fred Thompson could certainly go places with his emphasis on federalism. For one thing, he would do the body politic a great favor in reminding it that the concept is not dead, that it is part and parcel of our Constitutional and national tradition and that we ought to revive and revisit the idea to help pave the way towards resolving some of our tougher and more intractable political debates. Small government works best and it is what the Founders intended, having placed in the Constitution specific and defined powers for each of the branches of government and having restricted...

U.S. presidential candidate Fred Thompson is scheduled to speak in Cape Coral Friday afternoon. Thompson will be at Jaycee Park, 4125 S.E. 20th Place, around 1:20 p.m., according to his schedule on his campaign Web site, http://fred08.com. Anyone who would like to attend Friday’s event can R.S.V.P. at Thompson’s campaign site. http://www.ImWithFred.com

There has been a void in the Republican presidential race. The GOP candidates have spoken about immigration, taxes, social issues, and the war in Iraq. Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and John McCain have also spoken frequently about Ronald Reagan in order to position themselves as the political heirs to the great president. The candidates, however, have overlooked a central idea that animated Reagan's view of government. That was federalism, the constitutional principle that the federal government's responsibilities are "few and defined" as James Madison put it. Reagan believed that the federal government had grown too big and swallowed up too...

I believe that marriage is a between a man and a woman... I voted for the Defense of Marriage Act... It's a judge-made problem. It's activists liberal judges who have decided someone elected them to make social policy for this country and overturn things that have been accepted for 200 years. That's the heart of the problem. I have an amendment proposal that will fix the problem and it'll do two things: it'll prevent that one state moving from another and someone having to recognize it, but it will also say to judges - federal and state alike - that...

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070826/LOCAL19/708260382 Cannot be posted on FR due to copyright limitations...

Friday, August 17, 2007 Nix That [Kathryn Jean Lopez] From Team Thompson: I'm afraid CNN story you linked mischaracterized Thompson's comment on gay marriage. They've since altered the story....without noting the change. For the record, the Thompson camp has officially noted that "Fred Thompson does not support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage." He supports the rights of States to choose their marriage law for themselves. The Thompson camp issued this statement: In an interview with CNN today, former Senator Fred Thompson’s position on constitutional amendments concerning gay marriage was unclear. Thompson believes that states should be able to...

Supporters of Fred Thompson are seeking to raise $4.6 million to help launch the former senator and "Law & Order” star’s expected run for president in 2008. A group called the First-Day Founders got the ball rolling when all 100 members each donated the primary maximum of $2,300 on June 1, the day Thompson’s exploratory committee filed with the Tennessee secretary of state, allowing the committee to begin fundraising. If the First-Day Founders come through with their fundraising efforts, "Thompson presumably would start off with $4.6 million in ‘seed money,’” The Hill newspaper reported. "Speculation has been rampant as of...

In a live chat yesterday, Liz Garrigan discussed her recent Washington Post piece on Fred Thompson's presidential chances and briefly highlighted two elements of alt-weekly journalism. After she said Al Gore won't enter the 2008 race because "he's got swimming pools to heat," a reader complained about Garrigan's off-hand remark. "Snarky asides help to pay my bills," she replied. Later, when a reader asked if she "might want to at least appear objective," Garrigan took the question head-on. "Part of what distinguishes alt-weeklies from mainstream media is that we don't peddle objectivity (or even think it's possible)," she said. "We...

ABC News' Rick Klein reports: Former senator Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., has been out office for more than four years now, but he chose this past weekend to close the political action committee he’s had open since his days in the Senate. Might he have another office in mind? Thompson filed his "termination report" with the Federal Election Commission on Saturday, formally shutting down the Fred D. Thompson PAC. He'd barely been using the account anyway, and he was prohibited from using money raised for the PAC for his presidential bid. It just might be an attempt by Thompson to clean...

Fred gave everyone something to like in this speech. On the Iraq war, he remained steadfast in its central importance to American global security... He focused more, however, on economic policy and the need for a federalist outlook... The growth of federal government burdens the private sector, both in reduced freedom and reduced capital. Both make it less likely that entrepeneurs can create businesses, and therefore jobs, especially as the regulatory burden also increases. Government bureaucracies rule by edict as a part of their nature, and adding more money to them is as effective as giving a gambler money to...

Steve Gill just announced on his radio show this morning that he has penned a book on the Tennessee political subject burning up all forms of media, old and new. That subject is, of course, the political aspirations and plans of Fred Dalton Thompson. The Fred Factor will no doubt be a pro-Fred book as it is written by a pro-Fred radio talker but it has been thoroughly researched and will include an extensive biography section as well as the obligatory polemics. I'm excited to read it.

They stood earnestly in a row, combed, primped and prepped, as Nancy Reagan gazed up at them with courteous interest. But behind the hopeful candidates, a dwarfing shadow loomed, a shadow almost palpable in its power to remind Republicans of the days when men were men and the party was united. His power is only increased by his absence. But enough about Fred Thompson. This is a piece about Thursday night's Republican presidential debates, but first I would like to note that the media's fixation with which Republican is the most like Reagan, and who is the next Reagan, and...

'Law & Order's' Fred Thompson, a former senator, could fall victim to equal-time provisions. The crowded field of Republican presidential contenders is not the only group waiting nervously to see if Fred Thompson jumps into the race. For television networks that air programs starring the former Tennessee senator, his 2008 candidacy could cause a host of complications relating to the equal-time rule, which regulates how broadcasters treat political candidates. The fact that Thompson's gig on "Law & Order" places him on one of TV's most ubiquitous series makes the situation even thornier. In the last two decades, the gravelly voiced...

Fred D. Thompson never took an acting class, performed in summer stock or dreamed of Hollywood fame. But one day a big-name director, preparing a film about political corruption that Thompson had exposed, asked him to play himself in the movie. A star was born. Thompson, then a lawyer, went on to make 23 movies, countless television programs and millions of dollars. Now, the accidental actor is being urged to take another role he has not been gunning for, as a growing crowd of conservatives clamors for him to run for the Republican nomination for president. Other candidates have been...

Results -- Out of 188 ballots cast: 1. Fred Thompson -- 116 votes 2. Newt Gingrich -- 47 votes 3. Rudy Guiliani -- 12 4. Mitt Romney -- 7 5. Jim Gilmore -- 3 6. Huckabee, McCain and Paul -- l vote each 7. Receiving zero votes: Sam Brownback, Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, and Tommy Tompson

Few probably would have paid much attention to a mild little essay by Ponnuru taking Fred Thompson to task for votes on a couple of issues that, as even Ponnuru noted, few if any actual voters care passionately about, such as federal pre-emption of state laws and a federal cap on attorney's fees in state tobacco cases. "But if conservatives mean what they say when they complain about the dangerous rapacity of the trial bar," Ponnuru challenged, "they ought to ask Senator Thompson a few hard questions." Much to everyone's surprise, Fred Thompson quickly dashed off a response, posted on...

April 23, 2007, 5:25 p.m. For the DefenseFederalism’n’me. By Fred Thompson On Friday, Ramesh Ponnuru penned an article called “Thompson’s Tort Trouble.� While he referenced my conservative voting record he took issue with two instances when I voted against “tort reform.� He noted my stand on federalist grounds but thinks I must have a mistaken view of federalism and that conservatives may want to ask me a few hard questions. This hardly constitutes the stuff of a major dispute, but I would submit that the problem is not so much my mistaken view of federalism as much as it...