A TN roundup on Fred Thompson and the weekend rally

KnoxNews: No Silence Here ^ | 4/30/7 | Michael Silence

[SmithL]

Sevier County's Rich Hailey was there: One thing that surprised me about the turnout was the age range. There were a lot of younger people there, something conspicuously absent when I was at the Republican campaign headquarters during the last election. If Fred can mobilize the kids, he's going to be hard to stop.

Glenn Reynolds has video from a 15-year-old at the rally.

From Bill Hobbs: The film star and former Republican senator from Tennessee will this week use a speech in the heart of Reagan country, in southern California, to woo party bigwigs in what insiders say is the next step in his coming out as a candidate.

John Norris Brown: “Beware the Tennessee Twosome”

Hounds looking for dirt on Thompson

Here's some pictures from the rally

The Associated Press story.

From A.C. Kleinheider: No, this embryonic campaign would appear to be about more than that. This movement seems to be one seeking to put a friendly face and solid salesmanship behind the failed foreign policy of neoconservatism. Fred Thompson seems to be not just selling a plan to win in Iraq but to conquer the Middle East. Is this what conservatives really want?

Jay Bush: I know this is Tennessee, but I've seen this Fred Thompson '08 bumpersticker on at least four or five different vehicles in the Nashville area recently. That says something.

[SmithL]

Run Fred Run!

[Politicalmom]

PING!

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[#1CTYankee]

RFR!!!

[Tennessee Nana]

Run Fred Run....all the way to the White House...

President Fred Dalton Thompson... doesn’t that sound fine?

On June 2, the (RPV) Republicans in Richmond, VA are having a Dinner at the Convention Center, (downtown) and Fred is the speaker !!!!!!!

IThe attire is business suits etc and should be a great night...

Call (804) 780-0111 and ask for an invitation to be sent to you.....

[Tennessee Nana]

I was there ...

It was a great rally...

My congressman, Zach Wamp gave a great speech as usual...

Run FRed run... all the way to the White House...

President FRed Dalton Thompson....

[bert]

.....Fred Thompson seems to be not just selling a plan to win in Iraq but to conquer the Middle East. Is this what conservatives really want? .....

Ac? AC? Hey AC?....... where have you been for the last 6 years? Fruit basket turnover has been the game from the beginning. The old way is already gone and the new way is being forged as you write.

[pangaea6]

I’m for FDT all the way, but I am starting to think we need a way to get out of Iraq, support the Kurds up north but let those other fella’s down south fight amongst themselves. I read Bill Buckley’s piece this AM and he makes a lot of sense and kinda codified the way I’ve been leaning here the last few weeks. I have no idea what will happen if we leave Iraq but I sure don’t want to tell everybody when we’ll do it and I want it to be in a good way. I think we could certainly claim victory for the autonomy and relative peace for the Kurds up north and that’s the route I think I would take right now.

[bert]

We are not leaving Iraq any time soon. Iraq is only part of the total picture and pales in comparison when considering the improtance of the Gulf states that will be in jeprody if we leave.

Please recall that the war wit Iraq began in 1991 and is continuous to this day. Military operations were ongoing all through the Clinton administration on a daily basis.

You must take a long horizin of 25 or 50 years and consider all events as a blip on that time frame. The Democrats are making no friends by talking big for political gain. They know they won’t leave even in 10 or more years. They Leave, America dies. It’s that simple.

[pangaea6]

Besides myself I have seen several polls and more and more people are wanting to get out. You may be right about the long term but there won’t be any kinda term but instant humiliation and defeat for USA and Republicans if a Dem wins in 08 and withdraws. It’ll be blamed on Bush & Republicans for decades. At least this way Bush can claim some kind of victory for peace and democracy up north and redeploy a decent amount of troops up with the Kurds. I want to win as bad as the next guy but these Iraqis need to do something for themselves, for crying out loud the Kurds did (frustration at them, not you). It’s just like Africa, you can send all the aid there you want but until they do it themselves it’s gonna be a mess.

[bert]

You grossly misunderstand the situation. The war is not about Iraq or saving face or the kurds.

You sound pretty trollish to me.

[pangaea6]

I think you’re grossly over optimistic and failing to look at practical matters. We can want victory over the terrorists all day long but sticking our fingers in our ears saying “ I don’t hear you, I don’t hear you, nah, nah, nah” isn’t going to help if all around us our candidates are getting defeated! If the Democrats are just gonna keep blocking any effort at total victory, I say MAYBE, regroup and live to fight another day. I’m a Conservative that wants to win but I don’t want our candidates bashed over the head with Iraq, Iraq, Iraq all day for the next year. I’ve listened to GWB and I don’t know how much more clearer he can state the cause, but I understand full well what’s at stake and it’s unfortunate others don’t. But politics is politics and if our side doesn’t heed the warning signs, we’re gonna be on here from 2008-2012 bashing our heads against the wall, lamenting a liberal president and sounding like those kooks on DU! We lost a lot of Congressional seats in 06, I know Iraq wasn’t the main cause but it sure didn’t help 6 senators and 30 house members. I’m not a military strategist but I say the war on terror isn’t over, sometimes after and during a battle you have to regroup. My main concern are SCOTUS appointments and that nothing good is gonna happen with a Democrat in the WH.

Run Fred, Run!