Posted on 03/13/2007 7:45:18 AM PDT by SmithL
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., R-Knoxville, endorsed Mitt Romney for president less than two weeks ago, but he says he instead will back Tennessee's Fred Thompson if he joins the fray.
"If (former Sen.) Fred Thompson gets in there, then I definitely would support him," Duncan, a Republican, said in an interview. "He's been a long-time friend. I know him a whole lot better than I know (former Massachusetts) Gov. Romney."
Duncan backed Romney before Thompson made any public declaration that he was interested in potentially running for president. Thompson was an attorney and part-time big-screen movie actor before winning his 1994 U.S. Senate race in Tennessee, then served eight years before returning to acting and a current role in the NBC hit drama "Law & Order." He also is a substitute on national radio on "The Paul Harvey Show."
Thompson said Sunday on a Fox News program that he is "giving some thought" to running for president.
"Going to leave the door open" and watch how other Republicans are viewed by both voters and in the media, he said.
Another GOP U.S. House member in Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood, also has endorsed Romney. Her press aide, Matt Lambert, said she likely would not comment now on speculation over whether to back Thompson since he's not in the race at this point.
Blackburn is co-chair of Romney's campaign in Tennessee and national co-chair of Women for Romney.
Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker Jr., R-Tenn., and U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Chattanooga, recently went public in saying they are urging Thompson to run and asking many Republicans to convince him.
Also, recently retired Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., says on his web site, volpac.org, that Thompson should run.
"Fred understands real people and they understand him. He understands the legislative process and has a strong bipartisan appeal, though he is a real conservative," Frist wrote. "He has the experience of government service with a real appreciation for all three branches of government. He is a commonsense leader."
And U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, visiting a veterans facility in West Knoxville on Monday, said of Fred Thompson: "If he decides to run, he will be a great candidate. If he wins, he will be a great president."
Duncan said he has known Thompson for years even before he was elected a U.S. senator.
"I certainly agree with the great, great majority of his views on things," Duncan said. "He's someone I like personally. He has a presence about him or a charisma that many people don't have. People, I think, are very attracted to him personally."
The current GOP presidential field is wide open, Duncan said, with no sure-fire winners. There is plenty of time for Thompson to build an organization and raise money before next year's early primaries and caucuses, he said.
However, the top candidates will have to raise lots of money to compete well in the growing number of early primaries on or around Feb. 5, Duncan said. Having many primaries on that date could force the race into mostly a media campaign, he said.
Thompson is effective in TV appearances, Duncan said: "That's one of his strengths."
The candidates who do well in the mass media could build mass appeal quickly, he said.
"There are big money people all over the country that if they see some fast movement toward somebody they will move fast themselves" to help, Duncan said.
Thompson and Romney would be wise to say no thanks to a card carrying member of the surrender lobby.
I know of Thompson but I need to know more about him.
I don't know his negatives, yet, but he would sure add a lot of excitement to the race. I think he brings some of the star quality that is currently missing coupled with some strong conservative credentials...at least that's my take at the moment. I'm sure the dims and the MSM (same thing, I know) will do their best to establish his negatives asap, but I like the sound of President Fred.
He's a real Law & Order candidate.
Home state loyalties and friendship. The TN Republican crowd is pretty loyal to each other. And pretty effective too in electing Republicans and building their party.
Thompson is a solid moderate. Not as liberal as Rudy, McCain or Romney, not as conservative as Hunter or Gingrich. He is probably the most electable of the Republicans running.
He is a solid conservative.
Romney and McCain are moderates. Rudy is liberal.
McCain is NOT a moderate, he IS one of the Keeting five.
He claims to be a Republican, however, after McCain-Feingold,
I don't even think he's an American!
Withdrawing an endorsement?...bad form there, Duncan.
A major negative is that Thompson supported campaign finance reform with his buddy McPain .He might not get into the mix if McPain stays in . Other than that , I would say he's seems pretty solid .
Thanks. I remembered he supported McCain before, but that's about it. I am going to stick with Hunter, Brownback, or Gingrich. I took Huckabee off my list until I get more info because he gave a comletely off the mark interview (don't make me go find it, because I don't want to mess with it).
Rudy is liberal on social issues -- that much has been established. But he is solid conservative on WoT, economy, taxes. The issues that matter, imho.
The rest of my assertion stands.
Perhaps if I restated it differently: Mr. Giuliani is solid Republican on WoT, economy, taxes, privatization, workfare, law and order, etc. I'm not a litmus test republican, or a one issue republican, to put it another way.
Hey politics is local! No harm no foul.
Brownback & Huckabee are probably non-starters. Jury is still out on Hunter, which is why Gingrich and probably Thompson are in the race. Both will have broader appeal than Hunter.
At this point I'm calling Rudy on the left, Romney center-left, Thompson center-right, and Gingrich on the right.
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