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‘I dance to no man’s tune’: Thompson time
The Fort Dodge Messenger ^ | December 22, 2007 | Bill Shea

Posted on 12/21/2007 10:32:56 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson came to Fort Dodge Friday and quickly staked his claim to being the true conservative Republican who can protect American values if he becomes president.

He defended his qualifications for that job by asserting that a resume loaded with administrative experience doesn’t always make a good leader.

‘‘Administrators are people who leaders hire,’’ he said. ‘‘There is a difference between administration and leadership.’’

Speaking in the measured baritone that TV viewers came to expect on ‘‘Law & Order,’’ the actor-turned-politician recited what he views as the basics of conservative government.

Along the way, he enhanced his homespun Tennessee lawyer image with quips such as calling the signers of the Declaration of Independence ‘‘the old boys.’’

Of himself, he said, ‘‘What you see is what you get. I dance to no man’s tune.’’

He spoke to about 80 people at the Webster County Republican headquarters, 900 Central Ave., winning over Linda Sorenson, of rural Webster County, who had been a Democrat for years.

‘‘I was not at all a Fred Thompson supporter until tonight,’’ Sorenson said. ‘‘He’s very straightforward. He doesn’t hold back punches. He says what he thinks.’’

Sorenson said she’ll caucus for him because she believes he’ll bring leadership and truthfulness to the White House.

Others in the crowd, like Howard Ortmeyer, of Fort Dodge, are still making up their minds about the candidates.

‘‘I kind of liked him,’’ Ortmeyer said. ‘‘I do think he’s a little conservative for me, but he has good ideas.’’

He said he’s still considering three candidates.

Thompson said he’s committed to the ‘‘sound conservative principles that have unified us for over 200 years.’’

Topping the list of those principles, he said, is the idea that basic rights come from God, not government.

Smaller government and a federal court system that’s limited to case law, not social policy, are also key, he said.

He called for tight-fisted budget policies.

‘‘You don’t spend money you don’t have and you don’t borrow money that only your children and grandchildren can pay back,’’ he said.

Thompson said all those ideals are threatened by a ‘‘liberal, big-government, high-taxes, weak-on-national-defense Democratic Party that is licking its chops to get back in power to lead us down the road to a welfare state.’’

The candidate said that if he’s elected he’ll simplify the tax system, save Social Security, modernize the military and stop illegal immigration.

The security of the nation would be his No. 1 priority, he said. The United States, he said, is ‘‘one terrorist plot away from nuclear disaster.’’

A Thompson administration, he said, would permit an aggressive search for domestic energy sources that would include drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. He said he also supports ‘‘clean coal,’’ nuclear energy and alternative fuels such as ethanol.

While some of his competitors hit the campaign trail in 2006, Thompson entered the race in late summer 2007. He said presidential campaigns ought to be shorter. Long campaigns, he added, are ‘‘certainly not adding to the intellectual capital of our nation.’’


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Politics/Elections; US: Iowa
KEYWORDS: democratparty; democrats; election; electionpresident; elections; fredthompson; gop; ia2008; republicans; taxes; terrorism
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To: paul544

it’s not out...send money. They are doing alot of commercials and such. Alot of info is coming out about Huckabee and Fred’s real conservatism clearly puts him in the race in Iowa too.


21 posted on 12/22/2007 12:28:35 AM PST by fabian
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Sounds good to me. I hope he’s still around when Wisconsin votes.


22 posted on 12/22/2007 12:43:48 AM PST by militem (Bizarro Election 2008)
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To: the invisib1e hand

agreed.


23 posted on 12/22/2007 1:14:42 AM PST by marsh2
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To: marsh2
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference

WARNING: If you want to be added to this list, this ping list is EXTREMELY active.

24 posted on 12/22/2007 8:05:12 AM PST by Politicalmom (Huckabee’s foreign policy experience consists of eating at the International House of Pancakes.)
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To: jellybean; Politicalmom; girlangler; KoRn; Shortstop7; Lunatic Fringe; Darnright; babygene; ...

FRED PING!!


25 posted on 12/22/2007 8:56:18 AM PST by Politicalmom (Huckabee’s foreign policy experience consists of eating at the International House of Pancakes.)
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To: meadsjn
I wouldn't be at all shocked if there was another Iowa "surprise" like the 2004 Democrat caucus.

That one was supposed to be between Dean and Gephardt, with Kerry in single digits.
26 posted on 12/22/2007 9:00:50 AM PST by The Pack Knight (Duty, Honor, Country.)
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To: paul544

Don’t count Fred out of winning Iowa one bit. He is bypassing the doodieheads in NY and taking it right to the local press and the people. The Iowa marketplace of ideas is buzzing about Fred in paper, TV, and radio. He jumped up to 16pts (solid 3rd) in the latest SV poll last week. I got a feeling that folks are going to be surprised at just what he is doing.

Go FRed Go!


27 posted on 12/22/2007 9:01:16 AM PST by commonguymd (Move it to the right -Vote for Fred!)
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To: commonguymd
Don’t count Fred out of winning Iowa one bit. He is bypassing the doodieheads in NY and taking it right to the local press and the people. The Iowa marketplace of ideas is buzzing about Fred in paper, TV, and radio. He jumped up to 16pts (solid 3rd) in the latest SV poll last week. I got a feeling that folks are going to be surprised at just what he is doing.

No polls until Thursday and I am hoping and praying for a Christmas miracle that will save our country.

28 posted on 12/22/2007 9:35:18 AM PST by Texas Federalist (Fred Thompson - The only true conservative in the race)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Long campaigns, he added, are “certainly not adding to the intellectual capital of our nation.”

LOL!! Right on, Fred!


29 posted on 12/22/2007 10:57:42 AM PST by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

FRED THOMPSON - NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERT (I’ll protect the American people and American values, whatever it takes to stop the Islamic-Fascists including water-boarding) - 2ND AMENDMENT ADVOCATE (arming the People to disarm criminals) – INCREASE THE MILITARY’S STRENGTH AND SIZE (giving those brave men and women a Commander in Chief to be proud of) - SECURE AND SEAL THE BORDERS (don’t give sanctuary anywhere to illegal’s, don’t employ illegal’s, don’t rent to illegal’s, don’t extend credit to illegal’s, don’t give illegal’s rights they don’t deserve, report all crimes committed by illegal’s and deport those illegal’s who have already committed crimes against America) - LAW AND ORDER (enforcement first and foremost with laws currently on the books) – DENY FEDERAL DOLLARS TO SANCTUARY CITIES (enough is enough) – CONSERVATIVE JUSTICES FOR SUPREMES (those who will interpret the law, not create rights that do not exist) – PRO-LIFE ADVOCATE (nominate superior Constitutional Justices to overturn Roe vs Wade) - SOCIAL SECURITY REFORMER (reform a broken program that can’t sustain itself and will bankrupt future generations, with the added benefit of private savings accounts) - DEFEAT ANY DEMOCRAT AND RINO (any fool DemocRATS put up) – TAX SIMPLIFICATION (variety of choice for the tax payer) - WON’T PUT UP WITH CRAP FROM THE MSM (including stupid questions by moderators and pundits) - “WE THE PEOPLE” CANDIDATE (We the People asked him to run and he stepped up) - PING!


30 posted on 12/22/2007 11:14:37 AM PST by Bobbisox (ALL AMERICAN GRANDMA FREEPER FredHEAD! The Hunt for a FRED November is on! Don't be fooled!)
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To: ThomasThomas

Huck won’t have sex standing up because it might lead to dancing....or so they say.... ;)


31 posted on 12/22/2007 11:22:18 AM PST by Uriah_lost ("I don't apologize for the United States of America," -Fred D Thompson)
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To: Route66
Nice fair coverage for Fred.

While overall, I'd say that it's fair coverage, this particular phrase struck me as a bit dismissive:

...the actor-turned-politician...

More accurately, he could be described as the lawyer-turned-politician-turned-actor-turned-politician but I guess that would be a little long. :=)

32 posted on 12/22/2007 11:35:10 AM PST by Bob
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To: Bob
...or just....LPAP...well, I tried. :/
33 posted on 12/22/2007 11:43:16 AM PST by skinkinthegrass (just b/c your paranoid, doesn't mean they're NOT out to get you....Run, FRed, Run. :^)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
‘‘Administrators are people who leaders hire,’’ he said. ‘‘There is a difference between administration and leadership.’’

Describes 41, George Herbert Walker Bush. A skilled administrator and team player but a little short on charisma and leadership abilities.

34 posted on 12/22/2007 12:19:42 PM PST by Mind-numbed Robot (Not all that needs to be done, needs to be done by the government.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Does Fred dance at all?

Some how it doesn't seem like his thing.


35 posted on 12/22/2007 12:30:30 PM PST by x
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To: Bob

True. But compared to the usual media pieces on Fred, maybe we should forgive that one. :-)


36 posted on 12/22/2007 1:58:26 PM PST by Route66 (America's Main Street - - - Fred D. Thompson / Consistent Conservative...The One with Gravitas)
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To: Route66
True. But compared to the usual media pieces on Fred, maybe we should forgive that one. :-)

I agree. While I was encouraged by the overall tone of the article, that one phrase kind of jumped out at me as a bit of a cheap shot.

37 posted on 12/22/2007 2:06:49 PM PST by Bob
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To: x
Does Fred dance at all?
Some how it doesn't seem like his thing.

I saw Fred dance with the bimbo from the Register at the debate -- started right off by stomping on her toe. :)

38 posted on 12/22/2007 3:10:00 PM PST by meadsjn (Hey Spock, round off, partner!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
‘I kind of liked him,’’ Ortmeyer said. ‘‘I do think he’s a little conservative for me, but he has good ideas.’’

"I want somebody who's a little more liberal with my money. You know, someone who will feel free to take it and free to give it to illegal aliens. Since taxation is really, really important, we'll need somebody who tax us a whole lot so we can have a really, really good country."
39 posted on 12/22/2007 3:19:08 PM PST by aruanan
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He’s the only one that has not bought into the CO2 induced global warming scam.


40 posted on 12/22/2007 7:03:38 PM PST by steveab (When was the last time someone tried to sell you a CO2 induced climate control system for your home?)
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