Sunday Morning Talk Show Thread 4 November 2007

FACE THE NATION (CBS): Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., Mark Penn, chief strategist for Sen. Hillary Clinton campaign.

LATE EDITION (CNN) : Mideast peace envoy and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., Chris Dodd, D-Conn., Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Honorable Mention Awards for November 4, 2007

9YearLurker

#162; "I haven’t seen this appearance, but interesting observation, advertising guy. I think of that oldest of TV truisms, that it’s a cool media. That makes me think Fred’s low-key warmth will wear well over the coming 3 months of coverage—despite what all the talking heads will continue to say about him."

Alas Babylon!

#491; "Well, it’s two o’clock and the thread is starting to wind down. I like to see the different opinions expressed today on the thread but please let’s not get personal! For the most part folks were disagreeing strongly but didn’t get too personal except for a couple of times. ... No one can say FReepers march lock step with each other! Still, we all strongly advocate the conservative position and when someone attacks it from the Left we get an attitude and rightfully so. I think being a FReeper hones these skills to no small degree. ... Having said that, when you cut down or say something someone else perceives to be unfair or foul against their candidate, then expect them to become agitated and let you have it. TRY to be non-personal--no stupid, idiot, your type always does this or your type never does that. Usually that doesn't help the argument you're trying to make anyway. ... Today's Sunday Talk Show Thread therapy session is brought to you free, from your host, Alas Babylon! LOL!!!!!"
#515 ; "Changing the subject a little bit, but did you know the US Military had only 28 killed in action in Iraq for the entire month of October? That the number of Iraqis killed in the whole country for October was 680, down from 3,000 per month from last year at this time (Nov, Dec, & Jan)? ... Not something that Timmy, Bob, Stephie, Wolf, and Chris want to talk about, huh? ... Read this welcome news."
#518; "Also, click here for more good news (well, not for Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid) from Iraq. ... Still, crickets from the Sunday Talk Show hosts."

anita

#7; "...Here 's this sunday's Media Nuggets..."

aroundabout

#514; "(Fred's) manner will be very effective against a candidate like billary who is prone to delivering a response bordering on the frantic when she has been cornered. The more reasoned he remains the more hysterical she will become."

ballplayer

#118; "Saw Fred this Morning on Meet The press . I thought Fred was great . ... Thought it odd that he ws not asked at all about his policies announced on Illegal Immigration ,especially after the Hildabeast fiasco. ... Could it be that the Fat Democrat Russert is afraid that Fred will garner support by his tough stand on the illegals ? I saw A democrat on Dobbs show say that illegal immigration is the third rail of issues this election cycle .,meaning no one wants to touch it, well I could not disagree more , I think the Republican candidate who embraces it correctly will win easily . The Democrats dont want to touch it because they are for open borders and amnesty ,and that is a LOSER! I think Fred as the nominee has the best position on it and Rudy will cause the issue to be moot. Rudy is like Bush on the issue and Hillary does not want to touch it and that makes all of us losers . Go Fred !!!"
#169; "Thats where it sholud be no matter what you think of the issue. This is America after all ,Freedom rules . You have to have confidence in the people of your State to be decent God fearing people ,if they are not then at least you have the freedom to move to where they share your views . This is the very foundation of our country . Right now you have no choice what so ever because Washington has spoken and that is it. ... I guess some people just want to be dictated to and be comfortable where they are ,but sometimes action has to be taken and I am with Fred on the states rights issues"

bray

#328; "... Hunter has no chance. I like his ideas but he has the charisma of a turnup. Thompson does have that down home feel that may or may not catch on. ... Bottom line, people give far too much credit to Harpy clinton. She is a poor politician and will have to run away from any serious questions. How could she not get asked about Hsu at the debate??..."

cajungirl

#147; "Here is what I worry about with Fred. He doesn’t look well. He just has a sickly older man look about him. I like him but maybe it was the lymphoma and treatment, he just looks bad."
#163; "I know but my eye is on the debates. Fred may be able as a southern man to skewer Hill with that Tennessee drawl in such a way as to make her look even more strident than she is. There is nothing more beautiful than a southern man in a gentlemanly way skewer a nasty woman. ... Rudi could demolish her I do believe. McCain couldn’t and wouldn’t. I don’t think Romney could as stylishly and unforgetably as Rudi or Thompson."

Carolinamom

#78; "A pity that Powell did not follow (fired by Truman) General MacArthur’s mauldlin words to Congress that “Old soldiers never die; they just FADE away.” Had Powell done so, he might have retained more admirers today."
#168; "The 60s....Dems/Aging Hippies: 'It was the best of times.' Regular folks/conservatives: 'It was the worst of times.' ... That generation is now facing...gasp...getting OLD. Next realization: We're all gonna die. Bummer."

CDB

#388; "... With the cowardly FSOs refusing to do what they promised to do, when they entered the US Foreign Service and gave an oath to carry out ALL of their orders, there likely will be more stories in the not-too-distant future about the State Department under Powell’s and Armitage’s 'leadership.' ... Americans will see the TRUE face of Colin Powell."

Cedric

#204; "Espousing states’ rights on abortion is savvy, politically." (Note: reply to Fawn's post #126)
#321; "'...Fred’s style kept the control of this interview...' ... Now, imagine, if you will, when Fred peels the reptilian skin off of Hillary in the Presidential debates, then eviscerates her, employing his slow, southern style. {And he refuses to apologize for having done so the next day.}" (Note: reply to donnab's post #291)

codercpc

#236; "... In my opinion, there isn't enough talk about his health right now, when we should be vetting our candidates. ... I have no doubts what so ever that he is truly in remission, but I can not believe the virtual media blackout of his cancer there has been. ... What percentage of voters know that he is battling this disease? Because I can guarantee that if he becomes the nominee the media blackout will be lifted. Every MSM network will all of a sudden do exposes on Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. This will become the 'AIDS' of the decade. This will become the heart disease awareness campaign that magically appeared when VP Cheney was the candidate. Even if he never suffers a relapse (that even his own doctors admit is not if but when) they will have you believing that he is at deaths door. ... Timmys weight question of today is only the beginning."
#286; "Rudy is 'cured', he is past the 5 year mark without recurrence, while Fred is still has the active disease while he is in remission. McCain also has been cured, although his disease does have late effects that tend to swell up his cheek (where the melanoma was removed). ... A 5 year Prostate cancer survival rate is 99 % ... while NHL that Fred has is only 50-60% with the median life span of 10 years. ... These are starkly different diseases and outcomes. ... For all of our candidates I would like to see them discuss and disclose their medical records, and I would like it done now, rather than after the MSM disclose it for them. ... One last question, what percentage of voters know about Freds cancer? Also do you think this info will change any general election voters minds?"

donnab

#245; "Fred is doing well. He is controlling the pace and the tone of the interview and not allowing Tim to have the control. Noticed that the last time Tim read a quote from a paper he changed his vernacular to ..this is what they said ...instead of this is what you said."
#291; "IMHO, Fred’s style kept the control of this interview. He did well and kept Tim at an even keel. He shot down the attempts to sink him with reasoned response and reasoned counter points."

dschapin

#482; "I agree with you. I thought Fred was doing well untill he got into the social issues - then he crashed and burned. He seemed to indicate that maybe states shouldn’t criminalize women or their doctors. Said that he thought unborn children were people but that he didn’t want to force his belief on others - at least not at a federal level. Made clear that he would not support our current pro-life platform and indicated that he was unhappy with the people that are making an issue out of the Schievo case. Clearly Fred is no Friend of the Religious Conservatives." (Note: reply to Norman Bates post #330)

ellery

#479; "Those craven state dept. cowards should be ashamed of themselves. A certain level of risk is inherent in a diplomat’s job — what, do they think it’s all high tea and Caribbean junkets??? ... I love Hunter’s proposal that Bush fire the folks who refuse to do their jobs and replace them with retrained recovering US servicemen and women. ... On another subject, I thought Thompson did a great job this morning. I know some prefer a more frenetic style, but I like Thompson’s thoughtful, reasoned demeanor and approach."

Fawn

#126; "Fred is on right now here in florida....talking about abortion....and boy is he going to get it from the strict conservatives. He wants to give abortion decisions to states rights."

fluffdaddy

#355; "Anyone who truly wants to end abortion in this country should be whooping and hollering about Fred’s performance this morning. He’s showing you the path, you just have to be clever enough to follow. ... Let’s restore abortion policy to the political process. Once that’s done make the humane case for the unborn state by state in the legislatures and on the campaign trail. In the process, avoid any suggestion that your morality compels you to treat young women in difficult circumstances as serious criminals. Ending abortion will involve changing many hearts and you can’t do that if you portray yourself as viciously censorious. ... Anyone who tries to claim that abortion should be criminalized as a form of manslaughter is hurting the pro-life cause. Most Americans, even in the reddest states, if forced to choose between abortion on demand and a strict regime of criminal penalties for anyone who has or performs an abortion at any stage of pregnancy, will opt for the former. Whenever the abortion debate becomes a battle of the extremes, we lose. We can’t let it be that kind of battle. ... Listen to Fred; follow Fred; on abortion and on nearly every other issue he is far and away our best hope."

Freee-dame

#425; "'Fred’s style kept the control of this interview.' ... I especially like it when he keeps talking, even when Tim tries to interrupt. Fred talks slower than I would like, but he doesn't pause. I really like that about him." (Note: reply to donnab's post #291)

Gritty

#68; "'... the total is 38 million illegal aliens currently in the US...' ... If the hordes of illegal aliens I see daily in Wal-Mart, the grocery store or merely walking along our main road is any anecdotal proof, this number seems about right. ...They're everywhere and confidently out in the open, not "hiding in the shadows". And here in North Carolina we're 1200 miles from the Mexican border..." (Note: reply to rodguy911's post #28)
#392; "'You guys have to vote the bums out!! N.C. remains a Conservative state!' ... Not when you count the yellow dog Democrats and the northern and Kalifornia Liberals flocking to this state like blow flies to a gut pile. Another election cycle or two and this state will be purple, then blue, just like a lot of other formerly red ones. ... The problem is, Liberals invariably foul their nests and when the chickens come home to roost on their socialist ideas, they pack up and move someplace else - bringing their failed attitudes and policies with them. ... Unless we can hold onto some of the levers of the federal government, take back our schools and universities, and reverse the cultural rot, this country will be lost - if not to our domestic fascists, then to the Islamic ones! ... 2008 is a crucial year for the survival of America. We must hold the Presidency and maybe gain back the House. If not, the opportunity for reversal will be lost and the steep slide into the abyss will begin in earnest. There is a certain final tipping point in a culture. We are on the cusp of it. The illegal immigration imbroglio is just the tip of the iceberg, but a telling one as to how far we have already slipped. For gosh sake, we can barely get an acceptable man confirmed as Attorney General during wartime! ... This country can not, will not, survive eight more years of the Clinton Criminal Enterprise and concurrent Liberal deconstruction of our most precious heritage and values and wholesale sellout to our enemies." (Note: reply to rodguy911's post #133)

Hostage

#503; "Very sensible post and I am glad to see you using Abortion-On-Demand as distinguished from Abortion. ... Abortion was always legal to save the life of the mother or the child or both. Abortion-On-Demand is the moral equivalent of murder where a woman ‘chooses’ to terminate the life inside her for reasons other than her health. ... Abortion is a medical procedure to save a life. Abortion-On-Demand is what the Pro-Choice movement backs, a decision not to save a life but to unnecessarily end a life. ... And not only does Fred Thompson showing the path, he is also illuminating the true culprit for many social ills of the last decades, that would be an overreaching federal judiciary that federalizes many issues that are best dealt with at the state level."

JennysCool

#410; "'it has been rumoured that after several days campaigning etc that Thompson has taken time off.' ... I don't see this as a problem at all. It's the media that wants us to believe Presidents have to be as frenetic as day-traders, always whooshing around and constantly making pronouncements, as if all that rushing is a good thing. ... This is the illusion they crafted around Bill Clinton, like he was some sort of superhuman working machine. I'm sure the reality is that Bill was just as leisurely as anyone else without the image-making apparatus going for him. ... I'm guessing Americans could easily adapt to -- and even decide they like -- a steadier, more relaxed hand at the wheel. In fact, I think we need that." (Note: reply to snugs post #210)

jslade

#85; "Be afraid and NEVER forget. ... Bookmark and spread throughout the Internet! ... The Clinton Chronicles- 1 hr., 43 min. ... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6470450895164255089"

Laverne

#198; "I think Fred is doing a terrific job; he is not letting Russert interrupt him. He is in compete control and I’m impressed with his answers, his maturity, his calmness, and his presentation."

mainepatsfan

#61; "Hillary looked as uncomfortable handling an unexpected question as Drew Bledsoe did facing a blitz."

malia

#513; "the following comment proves to me what Tony Snow said at his awards ceremony is so very true. ... 'it has been rumoured that after several days campaigning etc that Thompson has taken time off.' ... and your comment 'This is the illusion they crafted around Bill Clinton, like he was some sort of superhuman working machine.' ... bill clinton wasted his Presidency and damaged this country by his playing around. The media did protect and did build an illusion of the clintons. bill clinton is a crooked man from the bottom up!! And that is all I’m going to say!! ... Tony nailed the media!! And I think the media is nervous about Fred Thompson!! ... Tony Snow Discusses the Media ... Remarks of Tony Snow ... Upon Receiving Freedom of Speech Award ... From The Media Institute ... Friends & Benefactors Awards Banquet ... Washington, D.C. ... October 16, 2007 ... post #7"
#521; "Not changing the subject at all ..... the following I typed from Tony Snow’s speech!!! ... Snip… '..for months, the media avoided asking about progress in Iraq. Despite repeated reports from the field that Iraqis had turned against al Qaeda, the news seldom made it into newspapers, and almost never on front pages. Last week, the military reported that civilian deaths in Iraq had hit their lowest point since 2003. U.S. and Iraqi deaths and casualties similarly had declined. So what led the paper the next moring? Stories about Blackwater. The statistics that put the war in perspective were relegated to the back pages of the Washington Post and in some publications, to oblivion.' ... any typing errors are mine!!!!!! because I could not copy it."

mimaw

#235; "I believe Thompson would choose McCain as his running mate if he won the nomination. Mc Cain would take the spot as it would be the closest he’d get to the oval office."

MissMagnolia

#17; "'The power under the Constitution will always be in the People. It is entrusted for certain defined purposes, and for a certain limited period, to representatives of their own chusing; and whenever it is executed contrary to their interest, or not agreeable to their wishes, their Servants can, and undoubtedly will be, recalled.' (George Washington, May 31, 1776) ... Please VOTE .... even if it's just for the local School Board. The only way to stop what is going on in DC is to make our 'Servants' accountable, beginning at the local level and working our way up. 'Preaching to the choir', I know ....... :-)"

MNJohnnie

#127; "'People who lost loved ones on 9/11 see him as more than just a symbol' ... No actually they do not. Thompson was right on the money with his comments Bin Laden is nothing more but the face put on a whole movement of Islamic Fascism. Amazing how the same pompous Liberals who arrogantly decry the "death penalty as nothing but petty revenge" are so quick to seize upon revenge, in regards to Bin Laden, to be a "principal" to base US policy on when they can use it to push their own partisan political agenda." (Note: reply to Bahbah's post #81)
#186; "What Conservative should really be watching is where McCain's voters go. He is out of money and almost out of time. When he finally caves, where his supporters go will be crucial. ... McCain is a resume candidate. Lots of old Conservative love him for his military service. The assumption that they will automatically transfer their allegiance to Rudy is an unwarranted assumption on the part of the Republican Establishment. ... Where McCain's supporters go when they finally wise up to the fact that he is the 'Candidate to No Where' will be critical to who wins the Republican nod."
#260; "Repealing Roe v Wade returns Abortion to the state’s. Even the strictest Right to Lifer knows that beyond that any President is largely powerless to effect the Abortion debate."

mountainfolk

#530; "Had a long conversation this AM with a young friend who called to talk about Fred Thompson and his Tim Russert interview. He was excited all over again with Fred’s answers and said Fred had answered questions exactly as he would have. I did not see the interview but my friend and I are almost in lockstep politically so I feel more hopeful about Fred's candidacy. I told my friend that Fred better get cracking because the message has to be sold to a wide enough audience to win the primary and time is very short. I wish all of our candidates well and will support the winner of the primaries. That is when I will get excited."
#547; "Just finished watching the taped FNS and thoroughly enjoyed the interview in the Presidential library with the elder Pres George Bush. We will make it a point to visit the library our next trip thru Texas. The panel discussion of the rebellion within the foreign service diplomat corps was quite lively. Because the positions to be filled in war zones surpass the volunteers for those jobs, the diplomats will now be assigned to go where needed. Juan Williams, bless his heart, was the only defender of Mr. Jack Croddy whose public crybaby whining was an embarrassment to his fellow diplomats and this country as well. Brit got to the crux of Croddy’s complaint by pointing out that his objection began with an objection to the war itself, and that one cannot ‘self assign’ to preferred stations. Hillary and her debate gaffe was discussed with all in agreement that she goofed in playing the gender card. Even Mara was unsympathatic to her and said she has to distinguish between the ‘victim’ card and the ‘woman’ one. Bill Kristol was amused at the thought of women being victims in these situations since it is men who are. LOL. I actually agree with him. He also thinks that OBama has a chance to upset Hillary because there is now a crack in the Hillary armor. All in all, quite a good show today."

Norman Bates

#281; "Yeah but he also skated the states issue saying he doesn’t see it right having laws that criminalize abortion. What exactly does he stand for besides some abstract constitutional principle??"
#304; "Thompson royally blew it on the pro-life issue this morning. He said he doesn’t support a constitutional amendment but that the states should deal with it. Fine. But then he said he doesn’t support criminalization of it which I got to understand includes the states. Where does he stand?? I can’t see his ground."

PerConPat

#276; "... the Pub candidates -their different positions notwithstanding- are a very diverse and accomplished set of politicians. Fred's MTP interview just concluded in my time zone, and he was effective in handling Russert's usual inanities. ... Thompson showed humanity and toughness in measures that should not offend any but the most doctrinaire listeners. His introspective and avuncular style would play well against Shrill Hill and her immature opponents on the Dim side of things. And I agree that Fred's easy manor and reasoned approach to issues could make him the compromise nominee of a deadlocked convention."

prairiebreeze

#179; "...This man doesn't look well??" (Note: post includes two pictures of Fred Thompson with his wife and young children)
#244; "If Fred leaves his family out of his campaign the press will accuse him of being neglectful, uninvested as a father and ashamed of them. They actually help him I believe to show him invested in his life, his future and his kids’ futures. ... Divorced and remarried...so what? Many people are and will relate to that. I don’t see that as a problem whatsoever, particularly when the ex-wife has come out publically supporting Fred’s campaign and her family maintains good relationships with him. ... He’s already been accused of having a trophy wife and has handled that well IMO. ... Fred has stated several times that he’s never felt even one day of sickness from the indolent lymphoma or the treatment. It was discovered upon routine exam, treated successfully and remains in remission. Easily treated again should it become active again. But no symptoms or sickness was ever involved according to what Thompson has repeatedly reported. ... Do be extra vigilant and critical when reading reports of the media regarding Fred, snugs. They are scared witless about him."
#440; "snugs, I certainly wasn’t meaning to seem to attack you, hope it didn’t seem so. I was trying to respond to your points and hopefully did in a positive way, which was my intention. ... There are a few ways his young family will be perceived, certainly some people will have less than positive reactions. But many will see a man who started a second family and respect him for it. Others won’t give it a second thought. I don’t think it’s an automatic negative at all. ... I wanted to put straight the flat out lies that are circulating on FR (not you) and media about the indolent lymphoma too. Fred’s doctors find no medical reason to keep him from running or serving. Unless we are to believe that both Fred and his doctors are lying to the American public then these repeated allegations about his appearance and feigned concern have no more bearing in reality than the concern one would have over any candidates basic level of health. ... What you may not realize since you aren’t following Fred threads much, are the absolute despicable, gutter attacks that detractors have leveled against Fred, Jeri and his children and health, his background, his family etc. As nasty, appalling and un-Christian posts as I’ve ever seen on FR in some cases. So some of the reaction here today is probably based on that, which isn’t to give that a total pass either, btw. Some Fredheads have gone onto other candidates threads with personal attacks, but I haven’t. Nor will I. ... Fred with either make it or he won’t. However he’s consistent, conservative, not afraid to attack the left and name names. He is IMO, the best chance to beat Mrs. Bill Clinton. And the media is scared to death, which is very significant. ... Feel free to check out Fred articles on the fredthompson keyword or his website at www.fred08.com. ... blogsforthompson.com is another good Fred info site...."

primatreat

#239; "Just got done watching Fred. 10:50 ET. I must admit that I stopped eating Butter Toffee coated peanuts so my crunching noise would not inter fear with what he was saying. He said things that made very good sense. I a pleased that I donate $50.00 month to his cause."

Prokopton

#402; "... Gay marriage is a states rights issue, abortion, the Constitutionally protected right to life, is not. ... People who think that SCOTUS is going to 'overturn' Roe v. Wade by ruling that the Court was wrong in taking jurisdiction, and then returning jurisdiction to the states to do as they want, know very little about the Court. If they base their 'anti-abortion' policy on this they are spinning their wheels. ... In Roe v. Wade, the Court was very careful not to say that life was not Constitutionally protected. Instead, the Court based their decision on the Constitutionally protected right to privacy. The Court is not going to say that they were wrong and that there is not a Constitutionally protected right to privacy. It's not going to happen. Jurisdiction, even if not original jurisdiction, will remain with SCOTUS. The Court could, correctly, rule that in most cases, the enumerated right to life trumps the unenumerated right to privacy when they come into conflict. This would proscribe abortion in most cases. ... It was disingenuous for Thompson to say that life begins at conception but that states should be able to allow the taking of this life without due process. Is he saying that life is not protected by the Constitution even if that document states that it is? His position doesn't make any sense. Would he be in favor of states allowing partial birth abortion? This is no greater taking of human life than any other abortion. ... I have been a Thompson supporter and contributor from the start. His poor performance today, including his muddled view of the right to life, his weak and uninformed response concerning WMD's, and his general uninspiring affect, leaves me looking for another candidate to consider."
#550; "'Is murder a federal crime or one handled by state law? ... If the latter, why is murder a matter for states, and abortion a matter for the Feds?' ... Murder isn't a matter just for the states. States pass all kinds of statutes that still must meet Constitutional muster. Many times these statutes are appealed to Federal Courts not because the states don't have original jurisdiction, they do, but because the federal Courts have appellate jurisdiction on all cases that raise Federal Constitutional questions. There was nothing wrong with the states having original jurisdiction on the issue of abortion. These laws, however, had to be Constitutional. The SCOTUS, in Roe v. Wade, said these statutes were not Constitutional largely because, they said, they violated a womens right to privacy. SCOTUS did not say that states couldn't pass laws on abortion, neither did they say the Federal government could, or should, pass laws on this issue. The issue of whether abortion laws are constitutional or not is clearly an issue only SCOTUS can decide. Murder laws are no different. If a state passed a law that said the penalty for killing, say an albino, was different than the penalty for killing anyone else, the law would certainly be appealed to Federal Court questioning it's Constitutionality. The Federal Courts would make the determination, not state courts. ... If SCOTUS "overturned" Roe v. Wade and ruled that it was a state matter, all state statutes on abortion would still be subject to being appealed to Federal Court as being in conflict with either the protections of life afforded by the Constitution or being in conflict with a womens right to privacy.. The matter would be right back in the lap of SCOTUS, no matter what "states rights" proponents claim. ... Roe v. Wade was wrong not because the Constitution makes it a state issue. The appeal to SCOTUS was clearly proper. The problem was that SCOTUS did not abide by the written words of the Constitution and find that the unenumerated right to privacy, protected by the Ninth Amendment, was trumped by the enumerated right to life, protected in the Fourteenth amendment, when the two come into conflict. This is going to have to be decided by SCOTUS, one way or another. This is what will control the future of abortion no matter what the states want to do." (Note: reply to Mr Rogers post #452)

RDTF

#52; "get ready for Fred to get hit with this: ... Thompson Adviser Has Criminal Past (here we go) ... The Washington Post ^ | Nov 3, 2007 | Matthew Mosk ... Posted on 11/03/2007 10:46:24 PM EDT by RDTF ... Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson has been crisscrossing the country since early this summer on a private jet lent to him by a businessman and close adviser who has a criminal record for drug dealing."

Reagan Man

#442; "'>>>>>I choose the candidate who gives the principled answer...' ... A little more principle. ... 'Our nation-wide policy of abortion on demand through all nine months of pregnancy was neither voted for by our people, nor enacted by our legislators--not a single state had such unrestricted abortion before the Supreme Court decreed it to be national policy in 1973. [It was] an act of raw judicial power'... 'Make no mistake, abortion-on-demand is not a right granted by the Constitution. Nowhere do the plain words of the Constitution even hint at a 'right' so sweeping as to permit abortion up to the time the child is ready to be born.' ... ~~~~ President Ronald Reagan : 'Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation', 1983" (Note: reply to Brices Crossroads post #434)

reasonisfaith

#220; "'What Conservative should really be watching is where McCain’s voters go.' ... I would expect McCain at that point to endorse Thompson, given their reported friendship, which would send a lot of them over to Thompson."

retired tt driver

#248; "... Fred was both careful and concise in explaining his positions (particularly on abortion). I believe that his change of heart 'on when life begins' (seeing his child’s sonogram) was very persuasive and strong. He was a bit weak on the WMD issue, but recovered well during the discussion on Iran. I know that other Freepers are disappointed with his 'lack of vigor', but that’s his style and personality, and I believe that such is more in keeping with the desires of the electorate."

Shortstop7

#211; "I worry that you’re listening to much to the talking points of the MSM. ;-)" (Note: reply to snugs post #65)

The Pack Knight

#257; "'I agree and allows one to be above the issues which IMHO a President has to be on some things.' ... It reminded me of something Justice Scalia said at a speech I attended a couple weeks ago. He pointed out that Roe v. Wade essentially put the issue of abortion beyond any constructive political debate by taking the issue out of the political process. ... There's certainly little the President and Congress can do on their own. Congress could propose a Constitutional Amendment, but the odds on such an amendment being ratified are slim at best. Some people think overturning Roe will be as simple as placing a fifth conservative on the court. Those people might find themselves disappointed. ... My point is that I am not sure whether it really makes sense for a Presidential candidate to dwell on an issue he really can't resolve, or to argue that he is the strongest pro-life candidate when there is really little he can do to deliver on the matter. I am sure this won't make some people happy, but I think it's important for a Presidential candidate to be realistic." (Note: reply to snugs post #229)
#290; "One of the reasons Fred Thompson has won me over is that you can tell that he actually thinks about the questions and gives an honest answer. Unlike some other candidates who shall remain unnamed, he doesn't have a sound bite in his holster for each issue. ... On abortion, he has a 100% pro-life voting record, and the safest thing he could do is just leave it at that. Fred Thompson, however, actually takes the time to explain his position, including parts that might not be entirely popular. ... Some people think he doesn't want to be President enough. I just think he's putting himself out there and saying "Take it or leave it." If he's going to be elected, he wants to be elected as Fred Thompson the man, and not Fred Thompson the artificial campaign persona. ... Some of the other candidates could stand to take a cue."

Top Ten Awards for Sunday, November 4th

These are the awards with full text of the posts.

10th Place advertising guy

#132; "fawn, listen closely to Fred..........he said life begins at conception and abortion at any time is in fact killing the baby...he then said as a matter of law....federal law is wrong visa ve Roe vs wade......he said state law not federal law should be the answer........said the same about homo marriages................his whole point is states rights vs hijacked law at the federal level" (Note: reply to Fawn's post #126)
#138; "line of the interview :::: ... Tim says Fred, you are losing weight........Fred says back immediately..........coming from you Tim, that is a compliment."
#144; "...watch Fred’s demeaner....Fred alone controls timing,emotion and results..Tim tries but fails over and over trying to go hyperbolie"
#166; "Fred became the uncle of calm that Russert ain’t got....it slow,clear and controlled by Fred Dalton..........Russert’s voice would raise and Fred would answer slowly, 'Well Tim, no......'"
#225; "if I was managing McLettuce, I could esconche his republican legacy.......As McLettuce leaves the stage, he could be a extremeely powerful media attack mouthpiece for the party ... McLettuce is a solid 90 % republican............John, go spend the clout..........."
#253; "imagine Eisenhower in that chair today just occupied by one Fred Dalton Thompson.............it would have been the
same demeaner and effect because what both would have said was the truth. It’s all good."
#302; "states rights and then PERSONAL responsibility.Not some federal CONSCIENCE was his point beyond his point of law" (Note: reply to Norman Bates post #281)
#404; "the wounds Hillary just received were from darts...wait til the arrows, then swords strike.............she will be pieces parts, watch............ .....notice Bill barked about the massage parlor documents and no media coverage...............hehehe ... this is Obamama’s to lose"

9th Place altura

#417; "Fred can handle Hillary. He certainly handled Tim. ... Which brings me to a point that the Pakistan thing Tim opened with revealed that Tim is not that smart and he doesn’t have an understanding of the issues. ... Beyond his cute little things he posts for candidates to respond to, how much does he know. ... As Fred went through the problems with Pakistan and the various ramifications, Tim was clueless. ... All he wanted was to get on to the next subject that he had a cue card on. ... I was really impressed with Fred and even the domestic partner agreed."
#438; "... Tim didn’t want Fred to say it, but Fred seems to say what he’s determined to say. ... I thought his remarks about seeing his (now) 4 year old in the sonogram and realizing that life begins at conception were very sincere and moving."
#480; "I came into this thread late and didn’t read the first 200 posts or so (will do it later - promise), but .... were there any other shows on today? ... I know we all missed Biden’s appearance (in every way) but I think this thread reveals the obsession with Fred. Most of us like him ... I sure do ... but everyone is fascinated. ... Some run him down because he is not their man, or he just doesn’t float their boat for some reason. ... But, I think he and Rudy are the two guys who can deal effectively with the press and the public and the Hillary. ... I like Rudy but he is not as conservative as Fred, so I’m totally for Fred."

8th Place Brices Crossroads

#434; "'It was disingenuous for Thompson to say that life begins at conception but that states should be able to allow the taking of this life without due process. Is he saying that life is not protected by the Constitution even if that document states that it is? His position doesn’t make any sense.' ... I know you have been a supporter of Fred for some time. Let me see if I can provide a little context for his answer that could not be given in the MTP rapid fire setting. Fred’s position, that the abortion issue is a matter for the states, is exactly the position of Justice Antonin Scalia and Judge Robert Bork. Both of them oppose abortion and are not against criminalizing it at the state level. (Fred and, I think, most ethicists do not favor criminal penalties against the woman who is the second victim of the procedure, but believe the abortionists should be prosecuted). So Fred’s position is indistinguishable from Scalia’s and Bork’s on the treatment of abortion at the federal level under current law. I myself would go further and would apply the Equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the unborn child, defining him as a person, and giving him the rights of a citizen. That is a matter for the judiciary, however, and not for the President or for the Congress. Both Scalia and Bork oppose this application of the 14th Amendment. I have never heard Clarence Thomas’ view, so I will not try to extrapolate it from Scalia’s. Suffice it to say that under current law, Fred’s position is indistinguishable from that of Justice Scalia and Judge Bork. ... On the question of the Constitutional Amendment, let me make a few observations. First, the President has no role whatsoever in a Constitutional Amendment. He neither sign it nor vetoes it. It is passed by two thirds of both houses of Congress and ratified by three quarters (38) of the state legislatures. There are nowhere near the votes in Congress now to pass an Amendment, probably far less than a majority. If, somehow, the prolife forces achieved the two thirds supermajority, there are probably no more than 20 state legislatures, perhaps far fewer, that would ratify the Amendment. This battle has to be won at the state level , and it cannot be joined until Roe v. Wade is consigned to the dustbin of history. The promise to support a Constitutional Amendment is 'pie in the sky' which allows candidates to establish prolife bona fides with full knowledge that the Amendment cannot be achieved for decades, if ever. ... Which brings me back to Fred Thompson’s position. If you are serious about Right to Life, as I know you are ( as I am), the most reliable way to advance the prolife struggle is to change the Supreme Court, not by picking judges that agree with you on this issue or that, but whose overall philosophy is one of constitutionalism. Roe v. Wade was the most extra-constitutional, anti-federalist, ultra vires arrogation of power by the federal judiciary in American history. It was based on bad law and bad science, as Fred Thompson has stated. You have to ask yourself which of the major candidates do you trust the most to nominate Justices who will overturn this blatant anti-federlist decision, not because the Justice is prolife or tell the President he is prolife (Remember Justice Anthony Kennedy, who assured both the Senate and President Reagan, when asked about abortion, that he was a practicing Catholic and then proceeded to affirm Roe). For me, the answer is easy. I choose the candidate who gives the principled answer, not necessarily the one which this group or that group feels he should give, because I trust his principles more than the other candidates’ pledges. That candidate is Fred Thompson. ... Sorry for the long post, but this is an important issue for most of us." (Note: reply to Prokopton's post #402)
#522; "You know...As I was thinking about all these candidates that say what their handlers tell them to say, I thought back to George H.W. Bush’s 'Read my lips' pledge not to raise taxes in the 1988 campaign. This was just a pledge that he was repeating that someone had told him. His principles, expressed in the 1980 campaign, were against supply side economics and tax cuts, and he referred to Reagan’s plans for a 30% across the board tax cut as “voodoo economics”. When the rubber met the road, his principles triumphed, he hiked taxes in 1991, and this led directly to Bill Clinton’s election and to another huge tax hike in 1994. (Top marginal rate went from 28% in 1988 to 31% in 1991 to 39.6% in 1994, all because the GOP primary voters believed the pledge and paid no attention to the principles) ... I do not often agree with Jesse Jackson and I seldom quote him, but during the 1992 campaign when Bush was being savaged on all sides for breaking his pledge, Jackson came out with the following: 'Don’t read his lips; Watch his hips'. I think in evaluating candidates, this is not a bad rule of thumb. Bedrock principles always trump election year pledges."

7th Place snugs

#65; "IMHO Powell feels he was let down and made a fool on with the photos showing the sites of WMDs and therefore feels justified to say and do anything which in his mind clears his name and puts the blame on others. ... Not saying I agree with this or that it is true but IMHO that is where Powell is coming from and I suspect probably has his ear bent by his wife as to how he was set up as a patsy."
#210; "...The press have had a field day with Cheney and his health but compared to Thompson Cheney looks robust and healthy. ... It is also interesting and worrying that it has been rumoured that after several days campaigning etc that Thompson has taken time off. How true this is or if it is just MSM spin I do not but if it is true he could not do this as President. ... At this juncture to me he has not given the impression that he could keep up with the VP’s schedule let alone the President’s schedule. ... This is 2007 and people expect their leader to jump on a plane at a minute notice and go to the other side of the world, give a speech, meet a few people come straight back and resume their normal daily schedule of meetings, touring the country photo ops etc. I worry that Thompson is giving the impression he would not be able to do this."
#223; "Those are lovely photos of him with his family but I fear they are photos that are not going to do him any favours. ... He is going to be ridiculed as an old man with young wife and children, it emphasized the fact he is divorced and remarried. ... IMHO he would do better to keep the children away from the cameras, far from making him appear younger they make him appear older. ... Older men with younger children sometimes do appear younger such a John Edwards but the extra 10 years or so with Thompson plus his previous ill health results in him actually appearing older IMHO. ... I hope people do not think I knocking or am anti Thompson this is not the case but I am desperate for Hilary to be beaten and I fear that Thompson is not up to that." (Note: reply to prairiebreeze's post #179)
#229; "I agree and allows one to be above the issues which IMHO a President has to be on some things." (Note: reply to Cedric's post #204)
#481; "From what I have observed over the years the First Lady has a much larger role than the wife of our Prime Minister because she had to conduct the equivalent of the State Duties that the wife/husband of our sovereign has to do. ... Though I do agree with you it should not affect the President’s ability to do his job though if she was seriously ill that may well could."

6th Place Morgan in Denver

#62; "As explained, the charge is more than 20 years old. If this becomes the criteria no candidate will be free of scandal. ... These things are alwayss thrown at Republicans and ignored when it comes to Democrats. It’s a double standard and I refuse to be swayed by it." (Note: reply to RDTF's post #52)
#79; "The problem is expectations were raised before Fred entered the race and now poeple are not happy when he does not meet the bar they set. I’m not happy with his performance either but I’m not willing to throw in the towel yet."
#101; "Democrats must have victims or they cannot get the support they have to get in order to win elections. Ergo, pander to Hispanic voters. No surprise there. What WILL be interesting is how normally conservative leaning Americans from Mexican heritage will react?"
#224; "The only benefit, or good thing, associated with such a long campaign season is perhaps voters will learn enough about the candidates to make a good decision. Miss Hillary will be exposed over and over next year to our benefit, IF she is really the Democrat candidate. For our side, it gives us more time to show the differences in political philosophy, to our benefit. ... I hope that’s the way it will work."
#409; "I think you have it backwards. This would be a great discussion over a bottle of scotch some evening. ... The court can overturn Roe v Wade because it is not a privacy issue, as it previously ruled. At the time Roe was decided there were states poised to pass laws in favor of abortion and no doubt some states would still approve the procedure. Since the US Constitution guarantees 'life and liberty' this presents a unique situation/argument. Still, this only affects citizens in each state individually. ... On the other hand, because states are required to support other states laws, a gay marriage would cause major problems in a state that had laws against the practice. So, this would certainly be a federal issue. ... I can see (see, not necessarily agree with) both sides, which is why this is such a great discussion. If you have read what Justice Scalia has to say on this issue, you would see the logic originalist justices would use. I believe four on the court would overturn Roe v Wade if a case comes up, all logically and constitutionally based. On the gay marriage issue, the conservative justices seem to agree there as well, that without a national law individual states would be required to recognize homosexual marriages."
#512; "... I just finished watching the Fred Thompson interview on Meet the Press. Fred had the best insight on Pakistan, Iraq and Iran as I have heard from any candidate to date. Things Fred said coincided with my understanding of many issues and he came across as logical and methodical in his approach to the presidency should he be elected. I don’t know how anyone could watch the MTP interview without acknowledging his knowledge on these issues. As to his position on abortion, what he said satisfied my concerns. From what I read earlier on FR, it seems this wasn’t enough but I fail to see how."
#532; "... The upcoming election may be more interesting as time goes on. Hillary seems to implode and Fred seems to be coming out of his shell. Even though neither side has a winner the race is getting more interesting."

5th Place Finny

#445; "'Oh jeez, Timmy get’s all self-righteous over a comment Thompson made about Osama being more of a symbol than anything else. ... 'People who lost loved ones on 9/11 see him as more than just a symbol.' Puke, Timmy.' ... LOL! I know, that was such a stupid 'question.' But on the whole, I thought Russert was very gentle with Thompson, soft-ball pretty much all the way (though I was cooking breakfast so I missed some). I don't know what to make of it. ... The other one that I, frankly, loved, was when the 'torture' question came up. It cracked me up -- I got the idea that Thompson basically said, 'Hell yeah, use what you have to to save American lives in war, just don't call it 'torture' -- I never used that word,' something to that affect. And I thought, 'Right ON, Fred!' ... I think Thompson did very well in what he said -- he was consistent in his message that domestically, smaller government is better. I know there are many who think how a candidate says something is actually more important than what he's actually saying. I disagree. ... The most youthful, handsome, clean-cut, family-sparkling chap on the planet can talk about stepping toward government-controlled health care in a way that sounds like music to the ears and eyes -- yep, he's expressing it beautifully, but what he's saying is destructive to American freedom and an individual's right to self-determination." (Note: reply to Bahbah's post #81)
#504; "You people need to get it through your heads: THE PRESIDENT CANNOT DETERMINE ABORTION LAW. ... The next best thing is a president who will strive to appoint judges that will overturn Roe and give the decision-making power back to the states. There is no president -- NOR SHOULD THERE EVER BE AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT -- who wields the power to make abortion a punishable crime nation-wide. As has been pointed out here, murder is a state's issue; certainly abortion belongs there as well, then. ... You grasp for the red-herring item that Thompson finds disagreeable the prospect of states making it so that young girls, their parents, and doctors be held criminally liable for abortions, and Thompson states PLAINLY that just because he holds a certain view, he doesn't think he should have the power to make all the rest of America abide by those views. People of your mindset refuse to hear that part. ... Engaging in willful self-deception and pretending your own lack of ability to grasp the truth is somehow Thompson's fault, is destructive. And a very poor representative of 'moral' thinking."
#517; "'...because I trust his principles more than the other candidates’ pledges.' ... Brices, your post on Thomson & abortion is cause for many thanks, posted and thought. Count mine among them. The excerpt above reminds me of something my politically wise dad told me long ago and that I've always remembered: ... You don't vote for the man, you vote for the philosophy because the philosophy sets the principles, and the principles can always be trusted. Like a compass. So when you vote for a man who embraces your philosophy, you know exactly what you're getting. On the other hand, when you vote for a man according to his personal opinion on separate issues, you have no idea what you're really getting in part because you have no idea what's going to come up in the next four or eight years. ... My pet peeve is the demand for 'pledges.' They are crap, and every time someone asks for or expects one, it ticks me off. And every time a candidate succumbs, it drops him a tad in my view. I liked the way Thompson handled Russert's demand for a pledge by finally conceding that he'd pledge that his administration would do what it could to keep nuclear options away from hostile ME nations. As in, DUH! Pledges are jokes. Demonstrated consistency to philosophy and principles are serious and true." (Note: reply to Brices Crossroads post #434)
#520; "'Cheney looks better than Fred for his age ...' ... Keep in mind that Thompson is 6'4. He's a very big man, and people -- men and women -- with big frames have more to support physically. ... Put politely, in my personal experience, large, tall people don't age *visually* particularly well physique-wise and in appearance without real effort. We petite folks age much better with less effort, because there's a lot less to maintain and gravity has a lot less of a drag, and NO, it isn't proportional as much as we may think. There's a REASON that insects have never gotten to be the size of dumptrucks, and it has to do with gravity, energy, and mass. ... Anyhoo, empirically speaking, most folks that big in their 60s to 80s don't look as hale as an equally fit person the same age but with 3/4 or 5/7 the the body mass. Just a thing I consider when I see Thompson, knowning that he's well over six feet tall, and that's a pretty big fellow."

4th Place jmyrlefuller

#123; "The primary elections are still about two months away, and as we know, the dynamics of a primary election can change on a dime. Remember, Howard Dean led in the polls up until a couple of weeks before the Iowa caucuses in ‘04. ... Right now you have a lot of people dissatisfied with the top five candidates. Fred had a chance to capitalize on this void but seems to be fading. Huckabee seemed to get a bump but his support seems very shallow and he has his own liberal leanings. ... So who’s left? Hunter, perhaps? About the only thing holding him back is money and name recognition. Those who know him mostly love what he has to bring. But he’s the only one (outside perhaps Tancredo) with a track record of being solidly anti-amnesty and pro-border enforcement, and as we all know that is the crucial issue today."
#131; "To which I would respond to those types, 'Even murder is a state law in most cases.' Federal law prohibits murdering federal agents, as well as traveling interstate to flee murder charges, but murder is a state crime, not federal. ... Why should abortion be treated any different?" (Note: reply to Fawn's post #126)
#212; "Meanwhile on FTN... They just had a pretty good interview with Benazir Bhutto. ... And then they go to Biden. It’s all doomed, the extremists are going to power. Blames the Bush administration... predictable."
#218; "Schieffer: Will the terrorists get nukes if things get out of hand? ... Biden: No, but the extremists are in power, so I’m not sure. ... Fuller: Do you realize that it would take an incredible amount of technical knowhow to operate one of those things? Certainly much more than running a plane into a building."
#221; "Biden just found a way to blame Iraq. Why am I not surprised?"
#228; "They seem to have extended Biden’s stay. After this commercial there won’t be enough time to fit Penn in. ... Has Hillary’s lackey cancelled?"
#234; "Schieffer: Should we move into Pakistan? ... Biden: Yes. Forget Iran... everybody’s in Iraq, not enough troops in the Pakistani area."
#267; "Now on to TW roundtable... Michael Gerson might as well be a mouthpiece for the Democratic Party... no vision, no plan for change on health care and education, tied to the President... Steffy: The GOP candidates are running on Bush’s platform. George Will says that not really, they’re running actually further to the right. ... Dionne: Economic insecurity “it’s real,” GOP running out of answers, getting stale..."
#381; "NARAL and Planned Parenthood are also very much extremist organizations on this issue. They are against anything short of government-sponsored abortion and birth control, so someone who would relinquish decisions to the states would receive very negative marks for those organizations, regardless of whether or not all of those states would institute abortion on demand."

Third Place rodguy911

Great insights and pithy comments. Invaluable POV additions to the thread.

#28; "It was a slow week but here's a little story I ran across and then followed up on, it's verrrry interesting. ... Earlier this week I was listening to the Joyce Kaufman show which airs from 2-5 PM Eastern on WFTL AM 850 out of S. Fla.(Ft.Lauderdale I believe) and heard on the web as well. ... The day I listened Steve Malzberg had picked up WFTL for the day on his syndicated show originated out of NJ on WOR. I thought I heard a reference to "38 million illegals" on his show as I listened while I worked and you all know how that can go. ... On a long shot I e-mailed Malzberg if that really was the case and he e-mailed me back with this link. Many thanks to Malzberg for the link. ... http://www.insight-report.com/ Checking that out and several others that all linked to the story I wound up Reading portions of "The Social Contract" written by James H. Walsh Volume 17,Number 4 written in the Summer of 2007. Turns out Walsh(not the Congressman)is a former Federal Prosecutor and U.S. -German Marshall Fund Scholar in the field of immigration.(in other words he knows what he is talking about) ... Two paragraphs from an article I found "Illegal Aliens" Counting the Uncountable" will give you a good idea of how Walsh comes to the figure of 38 million illegals as opposed to the other figures from 3-20 million that are routinely bandied about by the drivers by. ... The following is a Summary paragraph: "No exact head count exists for the ghost population of illegal aliens residing in the U.S. Data compiled by the U.S. census bureau(USCB) and by national survey,governmental agencies, non government statistics-keeping agencies,philanthropic organizations, religious charities, and immigrant advocates are used in estimates ranging from 7 million to 20 million. This article demonstrates that this number is closer to 2 times 20 million." ... The following paragraph gives and even better summary of how Walsh got to the 38 million number. ... "My estimate of 38 million illegal aliens residing in the U.S. is calculated, however, using a conservative annual rate of entry(allowing for deaths and returns to their homelands)of three illegal aliens entering the U.S. for each one apprehended.(Walsh quoted other border patrol agents who put the figure as high as "7" note he uses three) My estimate includes apprehensions at the Southern Border(by far the majority,at the Northern border, along the Pacific, Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico coasts, and at seaports and airports. Taking the DHS(Department of Homeland Security) average of 1.2 million apprehensions per year and multiplying it by 3 comes to 3.6 million illegal entries per year,then multiplying that number by 10 for the 1996-2005 period, my calculations come to 36 million illegal entries into the U.S. Add to this the approximately 2 million visa overstays during the same period, and the total is 38 million illegal aliens currently in the US. If this total is true it changes a lot of things and may explain why so many different interested parties act the way they do, anyway I was flabbergasted to see the number and just had to chase it down a little."
#87; "... If the number is accurate or even close,it could change a lot of minds on just how important border security really is. ... Walsh used conservative stats. I read elsewhere where border agents told him as many as 7 get away for everyone they catch and he only used 3. ... One of the sad things about the entire fiasco is that both parties are guilty of not securing the borders and it needs to change and soon. ... Some pubbie politicos want the cheap labor and are not afraid of violating US law to get it along with the supposed campaign contributions that go with it. ... The other side is even more devious. ... The rats are already frantically trying to get as big a percentage of the 32 million legal Hispanic vote as they can and if the number of illegals swells to 38 million who knows how many of them will get Spitzer type ID's or the equivalent and how many will vote. Anything is possible with devious dem/rats at work. We don't dare turn our back on them."
#128 ; "The sad thing is the rats are so slick they keep doing out anything and everything they can to all their target voting groups; Hispanic, African American, gay, unions, illegals, etc. in hopes of getting beyond 50% come election time. ... At that point they win all the time and every time, and we don't stand a chance. ... It's not the view of govt. our forefathers had and one can just imagine how fast they are spinning today underground."
#255; "ROTFLMAO! Just saw the 'Fred' interview with the living breathing Potato. ... I thought Fred did an excellent job. ... The big thing was that Fred is not afraid to answer semi-straight questing with straight forward answers. ... He refused to triangulate and realizes that voters don't like candidates that are all over the place trying to please every one and in effect pissing everyone off. ... He was a little lacking in charisma but that seems to be somewhat contagious this election cycle. ... On Mushariff in Pakistan Fred picked up right away that Mushariff is probably trying to solidify his position now that Mrs. Bukito is back in town. He looked beyond all Mushariff's stoopid over reaction and realized just how important Pakistan is to the U.S.,good response. ... On Iraq he shut Timmy down by pointing out our victories over there. ... Russert tried time after time to use Fred's words against him but it never worked, the closest he came was on the abortion debacle where Fred was confusing at best but bottom line is he's a states rights guy and so am I. ... Fred straightened out Timmy on Osamma telling him the wot will still go if Osamma is taken out and also told Timmy in no uncertain terms we are in a "global conflict" with people like Iran who still think the thirteenth imam is coming back. ... His take on Iran was good as was his overall take on actions like waterboarding "measures meet circumstances". One quote he made that had me cheering was 'the less govt. the better'. ... He also handled his 'pot selling buddy Phil' well by stating that he would talk to him but would not 'throw him under the bus' until he had the talk. ... His obvious differences between bubba and himself kept coming through--medical records,c haracter and many other things. All in all I thought Thompson did an excellent job."
#329; "I missed it today, but I guess that's not too surprising,he is a card carrying member of the CCF (Clinton Crime Family). Did you see the segment on FNC with Peter Paul about the Hillary fund raising? ... Evidently the 12 minute video was put up on Google and was number one until the took it down!!"

Second Place kabar

Comments on the shows, interesting discussions of other's posts plus great facts (with links). A tour de force.

#57; "Thompson’s campaign said the candidate was not aware of the multiple criminal cases, for which Martin served no jail time. All are described in public court records. ... Karen Hanretty, Thompson’s deputy communications director, said Saturday that 'Sen. Thompson was unaware of the information until this afternoon. Phil Martin has been a friend of the senator since the mid-1990s and remains so today.' Thompson communications director Todd Harris added that Martin was not subjected to the campaign’s standard vetting process because 'he’s a longtime friend.' ... 'There’s not a campaign in the world that has the ability to research every one of its supporters going back more than 20 years,' Harris said." (Note: reply to RDTF's post #52)
#74; "... Comparing the 1990 Census to the 2000 Census, the Mexican-born population of North Carolina went from 8,751 in 1990 to 179,236 in 2000 or more than 20 times in just ten years." (Note: reply to Gritty's post #68)
#207; "Dubya's strengths as a politician against both Gore and Kerry were that he was 'comfortable in his own skin' and could communicate in a down-to-earth, folksy manner. Bush was/is not an enegetic, galvanizing speaker in the mode of a Reagan, the 'Great Communicator.' Bush's malapropism and speaking gaffes have become a daily source of jokes by the late night talk shows, especially Letterman's Great Moments In Presidential Speeches, which is daily fare on his show five days a week."
#222; "'At this juncture to me he has not given the impression that he could keep up with the VP’s schedule let alone the President’s schedule' ... You are drinking the MSM Kool-aid about Thompson, i.e., 'lazy,' 'no fire in the belly,' etc. He is not the one giving that 'impression,' it is the MSM and his opponents who are trying to create that impression. Yet, Thompson remains the second ranked candidate and I believe will become stronger the closer we get to the primaries while Giuliani's support has crested. ... More than likely, we are going to have a brokered convention with no candidate having enough delegates to be elected on the first ballot. That favors Thompson who is going to be the consensus candidate." (Note: reply to snugs post #210)
#237; "Watching MTP now. Thompson is doing very well. His answers on Pakistan and Iran are spot on. He is demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of the nuances involved in dealing with these regimes. Very comforting."
#247; "'I believe Thompson would choose McCain as his running mate if he won the nomination. Mc Cain would take the spot as it would be the closest he’d get to the oval office.' ... LOL. I can see it now the "Grumpy Old Men" ticket representing the Grumpy Old Party." (Note: reply to mimaw's post #235)
#272; "LOL. Under the same circumstances, political rallies and military audiences, I have no doubt that Fred’s skills as an actor would serve him in good stead. Fred can play the role of President quite well, rest assured. And he is a far better ad hoc communicatior than Bush."
#277; "Tim’s questioning left a lot to be desired. The ommission of any questions about immigration is proof enough that Tim is more interested is trying to blow Fred out of the water."
#332; "'Rudy is “cured”, he is past the 5 year mark without recurrence, while Fred is still has the active disease while he is in remission. McCain also has been cured, although his disease does have late effects that tend to swell up his cheek (where the melanoma was removed). A 5 year Prostate cancer survival rate is 99 %' ... As someone with personal experience with melanoma, you are not cured. McCain must be examined regularly for the rest of his life to check and see if another questionable lesion returns anywhere on his body. ... I trust you heard Thompson's response on his physical condition on MTP. Do you really believe he would run for President if he believed that the possibility of not surviving his first term due to his illness was a real question? And don't you think that he would have access to the best level of care as President? ... 'One last question, what percentage of voters know about Freds cancer? Also do you think this info will change any general election voters minds?' ... What I object to is using the "C" word to torpedo a political candidate. You can bet the Hillary campaign, indirectly, will try to use it against Fred, Rudy, or McCain should they be nominated. The problem is that some voters may very well change their mind depending upon how the issue is played. Frankly, the average voter is not well-informed or knowledgeable about a lot of things. That said, it is not going to affect my vote." (Note: reply to codercpc's post #286)
#377; "Here is Fred's voting record on abortion and other subjects. You can also use the links to get interest group ratings. I notice NRAL and Planned Parenthood gave him a zero in most years and never above a 10."

First Place - Bahbah

Consistent and informative reporting of what is actually said on the shows, coupled with insightful comments. This is what this thread is built on.

#81; "Oh jeez, Timmy get’s all self-righteous over a comment Thompson made about Osama being more of a symbol than anything else. ... 'People who lost loved ones on 9/11 see him as more than just a symbol.' Puke, Timmy."
#122; "'I sincerely hope Fred does not get on the defensive with fat Tim' ... There is nothing defensive in his manner at all. There is really nothing wrong with his answers, although he did miss an opportunity with mention of the Kay report as Huck mentioned. But I'm not sure there is anything about his delivery that people are going to find very compelling." (Note: reply to rodguy911' post #112)
#136; "Here comes the question about the drug dealer with Thompson’s campaign. ... Timmy reads an incredibly lengty piece on it. ... Fred says yes, he is still with his campaign. Has not had a chance to talk to him about it yet. Says he has complied with all rules on airplane travel. ... (Fred is very good at not letting Timmy get him off his message.) ... He did not know about the things that happened in Phil’s twenties. He turned himself around. He is my friend and he will stay my friend. I’m not going to throw him under the bus."
#208; "I highly recommend the segment with former President Bush. His goodness and decency cannot be missed. ... How very different from what we have with the Clintons."
#231; "Jack Croddy of the State Department is being exposed over and over for the cowardly fellow that he is."
#238; "Juan made Kristol quite angry saying that diplomats’ life insurance policies were void if they went into a combat zone. Says it’s simply not true. ... Brit point out that Croddy revealed that lots at State don’t support the policy in Iraq. LOL. Brit calls what Croddy did 'caterwalling' and a disgrace."
#242; "Nice little dust up at the end of the Fox panel over Juan’s exceptionally dumb remarks about the weasels at the State Department. ... I was glad to see that Hume and Kristol thought that Croddy’s performance was an absolute disgrace and a big black mark for State."
#256; "LOL. John Edwards talking about how we need someone with honesty, sincerity and integrity. LOLOL."
#283; "Steffie has gone into full I’m for Hillary mode in this session with John Edwards. ... He gets Edwards to say that, no, he doesn’t think Hillary is corrupt, which she patently is."
#316; "Good grief! Steffie’s panel could be titled 'How do we get Hillary elected president.'"
#325; "'I sense that snugs supports another candidate.' ... Well, you are wrong. snugs wants the Republican to win. She is giving us her unvarnished impressions. You can't stand to hear anything not entirely positive about YOUR chosen candidate...which is pretty much what has been going on on this site for months now. Someone doesn't see thing your way, attack, attack, attack. It has become mindless, tiresome and annoying." (Note: reply to Clara Lou's post #307)
#374; "Dodd takes the Biden route and blames Bush and Iraq for what is going on in Pakistan."
#389; "Sheesh, the CNN panel all in a tizzie over Hillary. There is no real race for the dem nomination. This is all they have to talk about and they are making the most of it. ... I think I have to tune out the rest of it. It’s too sickening."

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