Some in GOP impatient with [Fred]Thompson

Lawrence Journal-World & 6News ^ | August 27, 2007 | Margaret Talev

[2ndDivisionVet]

Indianapolis — “I’m with Fred” enticed the placards set up here at the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference at a table touting the noncampaign of actor, ex-senator and possible presidential candidate Fred Thompson.

In exchange for a $250 check, the faithful and the curious could enter a private room to meet Thompson, a political insider playing the outsider who might be the nation’s next Ronald Reagan — or might not even run.

Some walked away from the closed-door fundraiser on Saturday afternoon convinced.

“He looks presidential,” said Jeff Cardwell, 47, a conservative Christian lumber and hardware retailer. “He talks about going back to the basics. Putting God first in our country. I think he’s the person everybody looks to as being the true conservative of our party.”

But many of the party activists attending the conference from a dozen heartland states said they were seriously turned off by what they saw as Thompson’s ambivalence about whether to run months after other presidential hopefuls have been hard at it.

Thompson’s testing-the-waters bit is about to come to an end — supporters expect an announcement early next month — but here in the Midwest some said he’s waited too long.

“You can’t wait to get a mandate from the people,” said Elizabeth Morris, a community publisher and councilwoman in Dearborn County, Ind. “Either a person has a fire in the belly or they don’t.”

[airborne]

I’ve heard the expression “fire in the belly” more times in the last eight weeks than in the rest of my life put together.

Perhaps what Fred needs is some jalapenos! ;^)

[thefactor]

wow. you have mastered the cut and paste functions quite well. you should be very proud of yourself. and with 3 whole months here at freerepublic!

go away troll.