Posted on 08/06/2007 6:24:55 PM PDT by gobucks
(snip) Much has been made about whether or not Fred Thompson is the second coming of Ronald Reagan, and while it's clear that he's not, it's also becoming fairly clear that the oddly constructed coalition that Reagan built combining fiscal conservatives, defense hawks, libertarians, Evangelicals and working-class conservative Democrats is about to fall apart unless Thompson can reinvent it.
(snip)
Among those issues, of course, abortion is the major litmus test that Thompson will need to pass to win their support. And fortunately for the candidate, his lobbying on behalf of Planned Parenthood took place 17 years before his presidential run, not unlike Reagan, who 13 years before his own run had signed a therapeautic abortion law as governor of California.
In Reagan's case, evangelical voters accepted his explanation that he had been tricked by liberal legislators who had promised him that the law would allow for abortions only for serious medical conditions, when it in fact opened the way for a "health" exception that was subsequently interpreted broadly in its application.
Similarly, future Thompson voters are likely to accept a mea culpa from the candidate if it's straightforward and doesn't fudge. These are, after all, evangelical Christians for a reason, one of the central tenets of the faith being forgiveness for an act that is repented of and is in the past, preferably the distant past.
With his Evangelical base solidified, Thompson will then be able to secure his more natural constituencies — gun owners, "lunch pail" Democrats, country music fans, star-struck Law & Order viewers, and even elements of the entertainment industry who are unlikely to see him the same way they see other conservative candidates because of his star power.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
“Fred Thompson, the Second Coming of Ronald Reagan?”
Not even close.
I think he sees a terms as president as basically a 4yr pilot of a drama series w/ an option to renew. Thus, he takes the whole marketing background from Hollywood, and notes that a well timed marketing campaign begins with lots of teasers.
Even Thompson has said he is not Ronald Reagan, that there will only ever be one Ronald Reagan.
ping
I’m still not sold on the guy...
I knew President Ronald Reagan: “Close enough for government work” as we used to say in the Army.
No more than there will ever be another Washington or Lincoln...
There are two main reasons to call someone the new Ronald Reagan - to build them up more than they deserve or to build them up to tear them down.
Either way its not helpful.
No, he is not the second coming of Reagan. I would expect President Fred Thompson to be President Fred Thompson and chart his own course in his own time.
I am an undecided as yet. Rudy McRomney is a disgusting option for the Republican party. I will need to hear more from Fred before I support his candidacy, he will probably need to enter the race and convince me first.
Take a look here, if you haven’t already: http://www.ImWithFred.com If you haven’t visited in awhile, there are updates.
Possibly so he has less money reporting and oversight compliance headaches, and to get his Law and Order appearances out of syndication for equal time issues?
And most likely, you never will.
Ping!
Other than that, Fred is Fred and Ronnie was Ronnie. I am sure they would agree about 90% of the time, and the other 10 they’d flip for...
Law and Order will be in syndication for a long time, so that isn’t it.
I'm still open to him as I am open to others and probably won't decide until at least Mar 08, but his reluctance to announce makes me doubt his decisiveness...thus, his effectiveness in the biggest Executive Position in the world.
At the very least the “new look” is screaming “Time to RUN now”
Fred Thompson, the Second Coming of Ronald Reagan?
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