Posted on 11/02/2007 9:35:48 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
When word began circulating in Republican circles last spring that former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson was considering a run for the presidency, the reaction ranged from relief the party had finally found a suitable standard - bearer to squeals of delight about the actor/politician and his resemblance to former President Ronald Reagan.
It was arguably the high mark of the campaign thus far.
Thompson seemed to squander the summer as he considered his run and raised fewer campaign dollars than hoped. Once he hit the campaign trail, he was forced to acknowledge ignorance about some local issues when stumping across the country, such as Terri Schiavo and offshore drilling in Florida. Republican voters found him wanting, a reaction epitomized by a moment that can be seen on YouTube when Thompson had to ask his audience for applause.
And yet, in a striking statement about the fluidity of the Republican race, he strode into Las Vegas on Thursday as a top-tier candidate with a real shot at the nomination.
His chief opponents, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, are seen as having weaknesses, especially among the party's conservative core. Thompson, who was the Republican staff lawyer for the Watergate Committee and then a prosecutor and a lobbyist, will be especially tough in the South , which is the party's geographic base and which will host an early primary in South Carolina.
The man who plays tough-talking, straight-shooting New York District Attorney Arthur Branch on TV's "Law & Order" spoke to about 100 Republicans at Stoney's Rockin' Country, a country bar on South Las Vegas Boulevard , at a breakfast fundraiser for the state Republican Party. It was an unconventional fundraiser crowd: Some seemed to be bar patrons dropping by for an early nip.
Thompson began with a joke that drew a laugh: "Keep watching those reruns. There's something called residuals," he said of "Law & Order" and its ubiquitous presence on cable TV.
He said Republicans would have to stop the Democrats, "a political party that wants to turn the country into a giant welfare state" and "plays politics with national security."
Thompson, who speaks in a laconic drawl and in a spare style devoid of policy details or soaring rhetoric, described himself as a "common -sense conservative" who believes in low taxes and strong national defense.
Politics isn't so complicated, Thompson said. "It's peace and prosperity, my friends."
It was a short speech, and then he worked the rope line.
State Sen. Bob Beers, who was at the breakfast, said he'll support Thompson. "I like him, I like his politics, and I feel comfortable following him."
Beers said Thompson's campaign hadn't asked for an endorsement or any help with his Nevada organization.
Nevada Republicans will hold their caucus Jan. 19.
Yes, I heard that last night, or part of it. I think John Ziegler is really a great talk show host and I hope to see him go far in his profession. I know, Ann seems absolutely, surprisingly inconsistent in her stubborn refusal to acknowledge Thompson’s proven credentials as a conservative. You’d think she’d love his stand-up stances against the gay agenda alone, but ... that old quote about “a woman scorned” comes to mind. But I have hopes for Coulter — she’s smart and she’s blessed.
Mitt Romney opposes gay marriage. He is pro-life, opposes embryonic stem cell research, will appoint strict constructionist judges, thinks Roe is bad law. He has signed the no-new-tax pledge, supports making permanent the tax cuts. He has support from the NRA, has no interest in grabbing guns.
Other than that, your post had nothing of interest.
Bob Beers is a good guy, I saw him recently at Bill Laub’s memorial service.
Does what you said apply to today, or last year, or even tomorrow? I can’t keep it straight. How about 1993?
“Bob Beers. The finest Republican in the state of Nevada.”
Yup.
Looks like elizabetty was a hit and run post.
Maybe that’s a good thing.
South Carolina and Neveda hold their primaries on January 19th. They’ve got a combined toatal of 81 delegates. I think 1230 is needed for the nomination. So this is a good endorsement.
What does that mean?
LLS
Remember, we can always find something good to say about everyone. :)
BTW... he stated in one of the debates that he would sign an AWB. He IS a gun-grabber... no doubt. AR15’s are guns... and we have a right to own them... he would make that illegal.
LLS
****************
I think it means he's a Romney supporter.
Catty.
I take it you disagree with him? Would you like a 50-caliber machine-gun for self-defense, or would THAT be a bit much for you? Or should we all be allowed to have anti-aircraft guns mounted in our attics, just in case the Cubans invade?
I didn’t say Romney was open to people owning any weapons at all they choose. I said he was not looking to take people’s guns from them. OK, so maybe if you managed to get a certain gun he might want to take it from you and the hundred other people who wanted them.
Bush said he’d sign the assault weapons ban. That made him less desirable to the pro-2nd-amendment crowd, but was not seen as disqualifying. Not sure why when it’s Mitt that might agree to that stupid ban, suddenly he’s a “gun-grabber”.
There ARE real gun-grabbers in the race, people who want to ban guns, and people who want to sue gun manufacturers. Romney is not your enemy, he’s just not in your club.
If conservatives limit themselves to people who are exactly what they want, they won’t get a candidate, and we’ll have Rudy.
Thompson isn’t religious enough for the social conservatives, but I argue with them that he’s “good enough” given his other stances. Of course, the other conservatives give the social conservatives hell for caring about THAT issue, while they bash Mitt for signing a bill that, for Mass, was so “pro-gun” that the NRA supported him doing so.
As Ann Coulter says, it’s not the flipping that’s the problem, it’s where you flip to. We LIKE it when people “flop” so long as they flop to our side, and don’t flip back.
Unless you are opposed to converting any people to conservatism. Then you probably don’t like floppers.
Anyway, given a choice, I’d rather vote for the guy who says he agrees with me, than one who says they don’t. Sure, the one who agrees with me might be lying, but the other guy is either lying or is opposed to me, and that’s worse.
Did you run out and buy one before the ban took effect? They were only banning their SALE. I could have purchased one from a friend who owned a local hardware store, before the ban took effect, but I didn’t, because I just didn’t want one.
Yes, I’d rather we NOT have an “assault weapons ban”, but in the grand scheme of things banning a couple of guns that most people have no interest in isn’t the end of the world, except for people who are looking for perfection.
Life is full of lines, and people draw those lines in different places. Some people oppose banning “cop-killer” bullets, but most people don’t. I don’t know which side of that line you are on, but I bet for MOST gun-lovers I could draw a line where that gun-lover would be on the “left” of the most rabid pro-gun person.
You probably don’t think ordinary folks should own a 5-inch gun. But if you are OK with banning 5-inch guns, then we’ve already established you are a “gun-grabber”, it’s just a question of where you draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable guns.
If you DO think people should own 5-inch guns, then I apologize, but note that you are probably in a club with very few members.
“These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people.”
I own one of those very common rifles, me being described as wanting it for the sole purpose of hunting down someone to kill them is a personal attack that I will not forgive.
I do not want that man to become the Republican candidate for President.
I’m just saying that last month, the slogans used to promote Fred’s ping list were much more uplifting than this one.
“It’s not a bubble”? I see two birds in the water, and some bubbles around one of them, and the bird is saying “It wasn’t me”. (Finding Nemo?)
I don’t think a bubble translates well into a tidal wave.
“It’s not a splash, it’s a tidal wave” would have been much better.
You could also use “It’s not a flash in a pan, it’s a blast furnace”.
Feel free to take those.
Since I have been using this graphic for MONTHS, your opinion is meaningless and stupid.
If FRedheads don’t like my ping graphics, I am sure they will let me know. This one is based on a phrase that was being used in a lot of FRed articles, and several people helped me with it.
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