Posted on 11/24/2007 11:44:20 AM PST by Stoat
LADSON, S.C. (AP) — White House hopeful Fred Thompson called his trip down aisle of rifles, shotguns and pistols at a gun show "a day in paradise," and said he wished he could come back to spend more time and money.
It was the former Tennessee senator and "Law and Order" actor's second trip to a gun show since launching his late bid for the GOP nomination in September.
He reached out and picked up an old M-1 Garand rifle and raised an over-and-under Winchester shotgun suitable for the skeet shooting he's been known to do as he made his way through the 200 vendors at The Land of the Sky Gun Show at a fairgrounds just outside of North Charleston, S.C.
"It's a beautiful day in paradise," Thompson said when greeted by one of the people packing the show's aisles.
Thompson was a hit with James Hill, 65, from Summerville. "It's absolutely important to come to gun shows," Hill said. Thompson, he said, wins his support because he's strong on Second Amendment gun ownership rights. "He's right where our strength is."
Anthony DiPaolo, 22, said he wasn't ready to settle on a presidential candidate yet, but said he'd narrowed his field to three Republicans — Thompson, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. "I like Fred Thompson's stance on firearms," he said. "I don't want to see anymore assaults on my Second Amendment rights."
But DiPaolo added that he also liked Giuliani's handling of the terrorist attacks in New York and Romney's "business plan." And, he has doubts about Thompson's ability to win the nomination.
"I just think he got in too late," DiPaolo said.
While mingling with the crowd, someone else mentioned the late entry and Thompson responded that he got in at just the right time.
Republican presidential hopeful and former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn. visits The Land of the Sky Gun Show Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007, during a campaign stop in Ladson, S.C. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton)
Republican presidential hopeful and former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn. talks to a dealer at The Land of the Sky Gun Show, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007, during a campaign stop in Ladson, S.C. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton)
Republican presidential hopeful and former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn. greets supporters at The Land of the Sky Gun Show Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007, during a campaign stop in Ladson, S.C. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton)
Republican presidential hopeful and former Sen., Fred Thompson, R-Tenn. looks down the sight of a rifle while at The Land of the Sky Gun Show, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007, during a campaign stop in Ladson, S.C. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton)
Ping :-)
Ping :-)
I look forward to voting for this man.
Ping :-)
Unlike Kerry, this man looks at home with a shotgun in his hand.
Fred can do it. Go Fred!
BTTT
bump
LOL...thats close to what I said at the new Cabelas store in Lacey last Sunday.
Interesting that a presidential candidate can safely and confidently enter a place with all those guns. Seems like there is a couple of messages there.
Given the supreme court timing, Fred is alone on this issue among top candidates. Notice how none of them are to be heard. Hopefully the primary voters are watching...because it’s very simple to end our right to bare-arms...even with bad republican nominations.
Once you end that, forget about it.
Fred N Guns PING!
yes, these are some scary times. we have to back the candidate with the spine to just stand up for what is right.
Go Fred Go!
LOL...thats close to what I said at the new Cabelas store in Lacey last Sunday.
There's a Cabela's store in Washington??? WOW!
<<<firing up MapPoint and plotting the best route from the stoat cave :-)
Can't say as I blame you.
Once you end that, forget about it.
Agreed. Although this was a WONDERFUL photo op, I would have appreciated some shots of him holding and commenting on HANDGUNS....fine, expensive skeet guns such as what he might want to buy are very, very far down the list for the gun-grabbers.. But this was a wonderful campaign stop nonetheless!
What's wrong with my formatting?
I agree with Thompson’s timing. I don’t think the American public wants to think about the election yet anyway. Hillary is just out there to pulverize the opposition—and will probably pulverize herself by next July—she’s way overexposed. Fred is staying cool... The MSM doesn’t like it, though!
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