Is The Arlington Group Coalescing Around Fred Thompson?

The Atlantic Online ^ | 21 Jun 2007 | Marc Ambinder

[Josh Painter]

After more than a year of fretting, it looks as if many members of the Arlington Group, an informal roundtable of the country's most influential culturally conservative groups, are fast settling around Fred Thompson as their presidential candidate of choice.

Thompson is not an evangelical, but he has, evidently, sounded solid enough in his private meetings with individual Arlington Group members, a series of which have taken place over the past few weeks.

The Group does not endorse as a whole -- that's not how it's set up -- but its views generally reflect the views of conservative, politically active Christians in some early primary states...

Many Arlington Group members are pragmatic. I've been told that they realize Mitt Romney does not have longstanding family ties to the conservative establishment and assume that he will govern from the center... that a President John McCain would not care and feed their members' institutional interests at all... that Rudy Giuliani would not align his governing agenda with theirs. Choosing Thompson may be as much about survival as it is about policy.

[Squidpup]

“I’m just one of many thousands of voters who, not being willing to settle for the candidates the GOP offered us, CHOSE Fred Thompson”

Actually it was the MSM not the GOP who chose “the Big Three”
GO FRED

[RockinRight]

Liberty University - Jerry Falwell

Gonna have to update that one, unless Rev. Falwell has a webcam in Heaven. ;-)

[xsmommy]

Fred’s been silent lately on the Senate’s far-reaching immigration bill

do you have your fingers in your ears by any chance???

[Shelayne]

I saw my first “Fred Thompson for President” bumper sticker today as I was running errands. I wanted to give the woman driving a “thumbs-up”, but I was afraid she might think I was actually flipping her off.

It was nice to see here in Keith Ellison’s district.

[Shermy]

“You’re joking, right? You mean you really haven’t read Thompson’s comments on immigration?”

Yes I did. And I said “lately”. Given the immensity of this debate in recent weeks, and how important this is to the future of the country I think he should be in the fore front of actively defeating this bill, not merely making a record.

Imagine the opportunities...one photo op at the border, a speech covered by tv networks stating his operation to the bill. The people will move to him fast from all sides, and he can create an environment where the msm can’t avoid making Democrats like Clinton and Obama show their colors.

Going to see Margaret Thatcher is nice, but small and kind of 9/10

[darkangel82]

and assume that he will govern from the center the left

Fixed.

[Norman Bates]

It's almost like they are grasping at straws. As far as traditional GOP nominees go, Fred's resume is fairly light (although adequate). He is a middle-of-the-road conservative like McCain (their style is different), but much less qualified, which is why I favor McCain.

[Randy Larsen]

I’m so confident that Fred will run that I’ve already sent him $$$!

[darkangel82]

McCain isn’t middle-of-the-anything. He’s a RINO.

[Man50D]

And the ‘truth’ is your candidate is not going to win because your candidate gets little of the Republican vote.

That’s a fact. Let’s say it again, your candidate gets very little of the Republican vote and is getting less and less as time rolls by.

You're not paying attention. As I stated in post #23 I haven't decided on a candidate and won't for some time. It may very well be Thompson if he declares he is running and if I agree with his positions on the issues.

[Norman Bates]

Really? Compare Thompson’s and McCain’s lifetime ACU ratings.

[Oztrich Boy]

I've been paying close enough attention to know he hasn't declared his candidacy.

When people need him, a hero appears

"Fred Dalton Thompson is running for President"

Captain Obvious does not hold the rank of Captain in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines, or any Police or Fire Department. Nor is he licensed to fly commercial or cargo aircraft or pilot fishing boats or cargo vessels.

[darkangel82]

Lindsey Graham had a high rating too, and he’s one of the worst RINOs in the senate.

[Man50D]

Or you can go back further with that example and criticize them for showing an interest in subscribing to the IPO when it hasn’t even been priced yet.

Poor analogy. The appropriate analogy is saying you will invest in a company that doesn't exist because the Presidential candidate Thompson does not exit!

Your comment about FDT is so asinine it is irritating.

Ah yes, use insults when all else fails but then again the truth hurts.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

"Why? We've been watching Fred all along and like what we see. What's so odd about that?"

" I'm not disputing what you like about him but it's based on one big assumption without any fact. It's tantamount to wanting to bet on a horse that has not yet been entered in the race!"
This won't even be a issue in about 2 more weeks when he is going to announce around July the 4-8 th time period.

[Man50D]

He’s running - he has an exploratory committee and he’s been all over TV, the Internet, and radio.

He’s running, he’s doing it his way, and he’s gonna win. So you better get used to Fred.

Hopefully those are signs he is running and hopefully he will drive the socialists nuts. I will have no problem "getting used to it" if he runs but not until he runs.

[Man50D]

It's almost like they are grasping at straws.

They are grasping until he decides to run.

[Man50D]

I’m so confident that Fred will run that I’ve already sent him $$$!

More power to you but donating by itself money does not confirm he will run.

[Man50D]

This won't even be a issue in about 2 more weeks when he is going to announce around July the 4-8 th time period.

I hope you're right but no one outside his closest allies know for a fact his decision until he states it publicly. At the very least he will make it interesting.

[Man50D]

When people need him, a hero appears

Time will tell!