Posted on 06/03/2007 10:00:47 AM PDT by Politicalmom
During his 1994-2002 Senate tenure, he was considered a reliably conservative vote. But he had few significant legislative achievements and he established a reputation as a less-than-hard worker.
“That’s one rap that you can cure,” Thompson said.
Defending his record, he said he managed the homeland security bill in the full Senate and added: “There were a lot of things. ... It doesn’t always have to do with putting your name on a piece of legislation. There was an awful lot of bad legislation that I helped to stop, for one thing.”
But, he said with a smile, “We’ll have a chance to get into all that when I start telling everybody what a wonderful person I am. But we’re not quite at that stage.”
Sweet music ..... :)
"If a person craves power for the sake of power, if he craves the office for the sake of holding the office, he's got his priorities mixed up," Thompson said. "It's a desire to do something, not to be something."
Wow. Fred just ripped Mitt a new _______ in the kindest way possible.
Fred T did not pay his dues by participating in the first two debates and by campaigning with all his heart. Will he be there tonight on CNN? Must be nice to just waltz in at the last minute and expect everyone to pay attention because you’re you.
This has a bunch of gems. Fred addresses the concerns that even some FR gnats have raised in recent months:
...he established a reputation as a less-than-hard worker. “That’s one rap that you can cure,” Thompson said. (I’d been saying the same. A vigorous campaign will instantly dispel this myth.)
...(regarding his not having sponsored many bills) “It doesn’t always have to do with putting your name on a piece of legislation. There was an awful lot of bad legislation that I helped to stop, for one thing.”
“If a person craves power for the sake of power, if he craves the office for the sake of holding the office, he’s got his priorities mixed up,” Thompson said. “It’s a desire to do something, not to be something.”
(Regarding being behind others in fundraising) “I don’t know who made those rules. I don’t know who the experts are. I’m too late to follow those rules even if I wanted to, and I don’t want to,” Thompson said. “At the end of the day, the people have to be receptive to you and your message. It doesn’t matter how many campaign advisers you’ve got or how much money you can spend. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.””
He finished Algores last 2 yrs IIRC
Wow, they REALLY wanted a change from Gore!
I love all these phony new requirements. Prior to this elections, most candidates have not even formally declared at this point. Now we have a full field and having 'debates'. 90% of the people have not barely started to pay attention yet.
“Paid his dues”??
The first two debates were a JOKE with all caps. Feh.
Seriously, did you learn anything new about ANYONE of the candidates? On either side??
All I saw was a bunch of pandering to MSM faves (and sadly, that even happened at FOX) at the expense of the other candidates, who barely got out a few seconds worth of sound bites.
Fred is doing an amazing job of running a campaign without running a campaign, LOL. Watch and learn. He’s doing things the right way, not jumping into the pool way ahead of time like all of these other candidates. Fred’s waiting for the pistol shot to start the race! The others took off waaaaaaaaaaay too early, for goodness’ sake. :-)
Are you are journalist?
Fact: There was corruption in the Nixon administration
Fact: The governor in Tennessee was also..corrupt.
Helping Roberts wade through the Congress would hardly be called dirty work.
We might look at it this way- when Thompson sees corruption- he doesn’t care which side of the aisle it’s on- he doesn’t like it..
Funny why CBS doesn’t ask Hillary about her legislative achievements as a Senator for New york.
Funny the media is so hung up on what Thompson accomplished while in the Senate, while they totally ignored old “Introduced Legislation to Name a Government Office Building after Some Shlupp” Kerry. Thats the only thing sKerry ever did in all his years in the Senate but the media looked at him as completely qualified for the job of President.
Caesar: There is one more duty... that I ask of you before you go home.
Maximus: What would you have me do, Caesar?
Caesar: I want you to become the protector of Rome after I die. I will empower you to one end alone-- to give power back to the people of Rome... and end the corruption that has crippled it. Will you accept this great honor that I have offered you?
Maximus: With all my heart, no.
Caesar: Maximus... that is why it must be you.
Maximus: But surely a prefect, a senator... somebody who knows the city, who understands her politics.
Caesar: But you have not been corrupted by her politics.
Many of the quotes from Thompson reflect the degree of humility and sense of duty that Maximus had. Just thought it was an interesting comparison.
Oh, so it’s OK with you guys if Newt stands around watching and waiting, see how Fred T sizes up . . . and then Newt can decide at the last minute to jump into the fray and save the day. Right?
I’m proud of Mitt Romney - good grief, the crap that has been thrown his way. He’s been there, head held high, campaigning his heart out.
Then along comes johnny-come-lately still testing the waters and putting the feelers out. I don’t have to like it.
By the way, strategically, I think it’s good for Mitt for Fred T to jump in because he (Fred) will take votes away from Giuliani.
As Mitt says to Fred, “Come on in, the water’s fine.”
Putting one's name on a piece of legislation is often not worth the piece of paper it is written on.
But stopping bad legislation? PRICELESS!
Uh, Fred was drafted into the race by legions of conservatives who were disgusted at the Big 3 (includes Romney). He didn't declare his presidential intentions nanoseconds after the mid-terms like the other clowns did.
“At the end of the day, the people have to be receptive to you and your message. It doesn’t matter how many campaign advisers you’ve got or how much money you can spend. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.””
Words of wisdom!
Some guy named Harlan Mathews, obviously a quite forgettable guy since I couldn't remember the name or anything he did.
Give me a break. Like I said, all of the other Republicans made their intentions known right after the mid-terms. Who in the heck is going to pay attention to politics when a political race just concluded.
Romney and all the other guys are simply overexposing themselves. And no, Thompson is going to hurt your boy ROMNEY the most, because conservatives aren't going to vote for McCain & Giuliani anyway and Romney was the more conservative of the Big 3.
So . . . it’s OK with you for Newt to be waiting in the wings, too, right?
The MSM is trying to paint him as lazy or just an actor. But he has over 35 years of service in government. While Hillary was a low level staffer in the Watergate trial Thompson was actually making history. While Hillary was being corrupt in Arkansas with her Governor. Thompson was taking down corrupt governors.
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