He Can Act, but Can He Debate? Untested Thompson Faces Rivals for First Time

New York Times ^ | October 8, 2007 | Susan Saulny

[Doofer]

In an unusual political season that seems to offer up a presidential debate every week or so, the Republican debate tomorrow is expected to offer something new: Fred D. Thompson.

Untested in debate against his opponents until now, Mr. Thompson, a late entrant to the race, chose to skip the last contest in favor of announcing his candidacy on “The Tonight Show” early last month — a decision for which he was roundly criticized. Many have been wondering how Mr. Thompson, a former senator from Tennessee, will do.

By his own admission he is “a bit rusty” when it comes to debating, and he has said he hopes he will be able to “hang in there” with the other candidates, including Rudolph W. Giuliani, the sharp-tongued former New York mayor, and Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, who is known for his polished delivery. A look at some of Mr. Thompson’s debates years ago offers a mixed picture, with the candidate mostly projecting calm and confidence against Representative Jim Cooper, his Democratic opponent for the Senate seat in 1994.

Mr. Thompson’s delivery back then was usually smooth and expressionless, not a monotone but not displaying much charisma, either. He sounded articulate, speaking in full, well-rounded sentences, but stopped short of eloquence.

Even when he was on the attack, or firing back at a rough question, he rarely lost his cool. Speaking of Mr. Cooper, he deadpanned, “There’s nothing more desperate than a career politician facing the prospect of having to get a real job for the first time in his life.”

[rwa265]

“If Hillary had to participate in one such debate, with no one to feed her the questions and answers, she’d probably have a melt down, claim the GOP candidate had “verbally violated” her, and refuse to participate in any further debates.”

And of course the lame stream media will portray Hitlery as a poor defenseless woman being unfairly attacked by a mean, vicious, and dirty male.

[Chunga]

“Fred Thompson attacks a sleazy Democrat and you castigate him for it? What the hell kind of conservative are you?”

The kind that appreciates that MY candidate won’t act and attack like a sleazy democrat in order to win their votes.

Earth to Kimberly GG: Attacks on Democrats are good.

Democrats are evil. Democrats are anti-American criminals, liars, obfuscators, traitors and socialists. All attacks on Democrats are welcome.

By castigating Fred Thompson for attacking a Democrat, you're siding with the Democrat. That, coupled with your support for an unelectable Republican, identifies you as either clueless beyond comprehension or as a Democrat yourself.

I'm a Thompson supporter who would support Duncan Hunter in the General Election...but you're doing "your candidate" no good whatsoever.