Posted on 11/25/2007 5:20:01 PM PST by Josh Painter
Former Tennessee Senator and presidential candidate Fred Thompson has been accused of lacking fire to run for the presidency.
Seeking to alter that image, Thompson fired away at Chris Wallace of Fox News this morning, accusing the network of being biased against his campaign:
Thompson said, "This has been a constant mantra of Fox, to tell you the truth." He noted that other conservatives have praised his bid for the GOP nomination and took issue with a Fox promo that focused on polling in New Hampshire, where Thompson is registering in the single digits.Thompson has a point. While his campaign has been universally criticized for gaffes and missteps early on, it is equally clear Thompson has righted the ship in recent weeks and is starting to generate some momentum.He said he is running second in national polls and has been leading or tied for the lead in South Carolina for "a long, long time." Thompson, in a firm, but measured tone, scolded Wallace: "...for you to highlight nothing but the negatives in terms of the polls and then put on your own guys who have been predicting for four months, really, that I couldn't do it, kind of skew things a little bit. There's a lot of other opinion out there."
His policy papers on social security and immigration have been widely praised on the right as being well rounded, thoughtful, and meaty. His tone on the stump has changed as well as he as begun to criticize both Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney for what he calls their "fake" conservatism.
The media, including Fox, have focused largely on the inside the beltway criticism of the campaign and the candidate himself while ignoring the fact that despite the bad start he is still polling in second place nationally among Republicans.
At the very least, this criticism of Fox shows Thompson to have some fire in the belly - something the media has criticized him for lacking. It also shows an independent streak that not too many candidates have demonstrated.
Since it was contrasting our anticipated reaction to Fred's smackdown of the anchors' distortions to our reaction to the dems' whining about Fox's "bias" (to the point that they refused to participate in a debate hosted by Fox), it is still a pineapples and oranges comparison (to call it apples and oranges does not make an adequate statement on the dissimilarity of the items being compared).
I can see your point. People are bound to react differently to Fred’s approach than to the democrats. I was taking a too-high-up view of the situation, based on what I now agree was a misleading headline and excerpt.
I’m not certain I believe Fred struck the right tone between solid rebuttal and whining, but it wasn’t as clear-cut as it seemed originally for me.
However, that said I was reacting to comments made by some that suggested we should boycott Fox, which was more like what the democrats were doing, and seemed to suggest we were giving into their point about Fox not being a real news source.
Which maybe it isn’t for some people any more.
Which maybe it isn’t for some people any more.
I would say that Fox is STILL a decent news source, and by far the most balanced in that they have some who approach the news from the right and some that approach it from the left. There are no "unbiased" reporters or anchors out there anymore and they all filter the news through their personal biases. Of course, the fact that there are some reporters and anchors at Fox that do not toe the leftist line makes the dems (and pretty much anybody who watches CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, or any of the rest of the MSM for their news) perceive Fox as being "right-wing". When you're so far off to the left that you would consider FDR or Lenin to be "moderate" then a true moderate looks like the far right.
I would SO vote for Hunter if he ran for CA Gov. I think he should start looking toward 2010 and either the CA Gov race, or whichever Senate seat comes open then.
I agree with you to a point, but it is also important to examine our candidates with all vigor. If the candidate cannot bear scrutiny when among friends, how will he survive the far more damaging environment of the general election?
There is certainly room for contention. The common rules of debate and decorum allow for it, providing some level of tact and civility exist.
Exactly. The Dems cry about FOX all the time being "unfair" to them, and it's ridiculous. Fred can do better.
Must admit your right... see my profile on this decision.
I agree with you. It’s been tough. I’ve so much wanted Hunter to make it over the top. But he hasn’t.
I’m stuck with that reality.
The conservative with the highest numbers at this point is Thompson. I, too, can dream of a Thompson/Hunter ticket.
I think Hunter would really help in terms of national security and military experience. I also think he’d be a worker in the same sense that Cheney has been a solid worker on behalf of the President for 7 years now.
At the same time, Hunter can take the route of Calif. politics and seek the governorship or a senate seat.
Chris Wallace’ parents were Sam Donaldson and Mike Wallace, what would anyone expect except in your face from this guy? Has he ever done a puff piece? Reagan used to make mincemeat of Sam Donaldson...mebbe Chris and Fred are setting up the same relationship!
I do remember listening to the All-Star panel last week...they kept talking about Fred Thompson’s campaign in past-tense.
I thought he had pulled out of the race by the way they were talking. Had to log on to FR to see that he hadn’t.
I’d say Fox News is in the tank for Rudy.
I agree; that said...FRed is only, "defining himself, (strongly, I might add :)" and not letting Chrissy Wallace do it for him...
FRed, has stated his beliefs/platform, has any other GOP/'Rats Political Candidates, done the same? I thought not....*GRIN*
Ron Paul :) He has, "gone over the edge."
FNC; may be in the tank, for Rudy......b/c, they're sooo comfortable w/ him.
...in typical, 'In-the-Beltway' thinking, "We're in fly-over country....so we don't count."
” Sorry by the knight on the white horse fell off his mound and dented his armor.”
Says the pro Rudy “moderate”.
After much experience with fellow conservatives, I've learned that the term "whining" has more to do with agreement or disagreement than anything. People (especially conservatives) toss the word out far too often, when in actual fact, what they are witnessing is the showing of spine and character, and a natural anger against being maligned, not whining. So quit your whining about Fred whining ;-)
I saw what you posted later about it being too strong of a characterization. This is just one of my pet peeves from dealing with a friend of mine. You can't comment on the weather without being accused of whining, but he complains constantly. Of course, that's different. I'll quit whining about it now.
Fox is for Rudy. It’s their chance for the neos to grab power from all these southern social conservatives.
Just WHO is this "everyone" you speak of? What I see is that many here say that Hunter would be a good running mate, but that he isn't ready for primetime.
“I would have loved it if Fred would have taken this whole campaign seriously enough to fight for it. I think he thought he would be anointed the day after he announced. I just want someone to beat the dems I don’t care who he is.”
Anyone who reads your posting history knows that is not true, but you have been consistently trying to pretend it is so.
You signed up to promote Rudy Giuliani and you have from the very beginning, just be open about it, you guys that sign up and proceed to attempt to gently prod us to the left without revealing your hand only come off as weak and sneaky.
Your third post at FR is pretty representative of your style, it is repeated over and over as the months have passed trying to soften the tone of your devoted support for Giuliani.
“””I will vote for whatever candidate has the best chance to beat the dem. As a conservative the safety and security of my country comes first and foremost in these uncertain times. If at primary time Rudy is the most likely he gets my vote. Any of ours is certainly superior to anything the democrat party will produce.”””
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