Posted on 12/28/2007 5:09:03 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
He rode in on a gigantic campaign bus, but he talked like a Tennessee trainer and had this to say about his campaign thus far. "We're in a horse race, a very fluid kind of situation." The "he" is former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, the two-termer from Tennessee, who brought his presidential tour to Missouri Valley last Thursday.
Thompson, during a brief interview in The Times-News office, said, "An awful lot (of people) haven't made up their minds yet-and that's a good thing. Now, people are focusing."
Thompson was traveling with his wife, Jeri, and the usual entourage of aides and press people, had some heavy backing from Iowa's 5th District Congressman Steve King (R-Kiron), who was along for a leg of the tour. King participated in the T-N interview and told Thompson across the table, "My concern is who the next president will choose to serve on the Supreme Court. I like your ideas along that line. The next president will likely make two nominations to the Supreme Court and many more to lesser federal courts. I want to have confidence decisions will be made on nominees I can support."
Thompson said he agreed and said he had been called upon by President Bush to help shepherd the John Roberts nomination through the Senate. (Thompson served as a counsel on the Watergate Committee during the crisis that cost President Nixon his office in 1975.) He said that after national security, Supreme Court nominations are the most important things a president does in office.
For his part, Thompson, most recently an actor and star of NBC's Law and Order dramatic series, said his goal on the tour was to "get out there and meet people, get our message out. In a few days, people in Iowa are going to make a decision on who is going to lead the free world."
Could this close race for the Republican nomination between Thompson (currently third in Iowa) and Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and John McCain go all the way to the convention for a nominee to emerge? Thompson said, "Sure, I think it's a real possibility. All we know is how little we really know."
Thompson is sure of his own place in the campaign, though. "We need a man who says what he means and means what he says. I'm today where I've always been and will be there tomorrow." As noted, the lanky Tennessean is looking for a victory in the Iowa Caucuses.
Congressman King, and State Sen. Jim Seymour (R-Woodbine), who was also part of the interview, both said they plan to work hard for a good Republican turn-out at the caucuses, Jan. 3. Seymour said, "I won't be satisfied with anything but a very good showing." Sen. Seymour asked Thompson some questions about medical care, and told him that the Medicare Part D program has been good for people in this part of Iowa. "I'm not sure we can afford it, but it has been beneficial."
Thompson retorted, "Yeah, but we should have done overall reform of the system while we were at it."
Before he left to schmooze folks at Ace Hardware and the Double Barrel Shooter's Supply stores, Thompson reiterated his view that courts need to be balanced and have a Constitutional construct.
Soon, the man who has played president on screen, rode off into the sunset-and another Iowa town.
Fred ping!
I think Fred's scriptwriter must be on strike.
Fred’s “scriptwriter” never made it on the bus;since you can’t ghostwrite authenticity, honesty and conviction.
Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
WARNING: If you wish to join, be aware that this ping list is EXTREMELY active.
Please remove me from your pinglists. Thanks.
More like trite, meaningless, phrases meant to say not much of anything. Bleh.
Yeah. Take me off your pinglist too.
Coming Up on ‘FNS’
‘FOX News Sunday’ continues our Choosing the President series with an exclusive interview with Fred Thompson.
Plus, David Yepsen handicaps the Iowa caucuses
This coming Sunday! GO FRED!
I hope he’s on the ascent. I really do. I feel any other candidate would be a disaster for this country.
Bump to your post.
I find that liberal or conservative, most people simply aren't THINKING hard enough when it comes to this election. I hear a lot of emotion. I hear a lot of ridiculous stuff about what they FEEL certain candidates think or what they will do.
Fred just seems to be right on all the issues important to me. He doesn't have the sizzle of some of the other candidates, but whatever happened to us all talking about how we were tired of that, how we want substance?
The rise of Huckabee is somewhat alarming, though I hope it's just a limited-time story, because it makes me realize some "Republicans" will toss all their convictions aside for someone who's "one of us" i.e. a Christian, which is no different from blacks voting for Obama because he's "one of us" or women for HRC, etc.
I look at the candidates, and there really is no acceptable second choice to me. Romney is a nice man, a smart man, but I see no leadership qualities that this country needs right now. Giuliani and McCain, contrary to what most FReepers seem to think, are Americans worthy of respect who I don't agree with on certain issues, making them non-starters. Ron Paul and Huckabee are, to be blunt, out of their minds. I like Hunter quite a bit, but he simply doesn't have what I perceive as the leadership qualities needed to win a general election against the dems.
It doesn't mean Thompson is the last man standing. I think in a better slate he'd STILL be my choice.
I am often irked by the doom prophecies of partisans, who predict the world will end if their guy doesn't win. But when faced with the really disturbing criteria some people seem to have for picking a president--religion seems to trump all for some; rabid emotion for others--I see this country at risk. For the first time, I fear for this country if my choice doesn't win.
You said it!
I, too, have respect for those running. But, their records and their changes of positions have left me wanting. I was relieved when FDT got into the race.
As for the opposition, I have respect for a few of them as well.
Mostly, I respect Obama. He has been consistent on nearly every issue. He has been consistently wrong on those issues, but he does not stick his finger in the wind to see where he should head each day.
Fred Thompson is consistent as well.
I know where he stands, and could bank on it.
But unlike the other dems, at least I know he's what he is--a socialist.
Fred is just so what I hoped he would be. And he's also a man who isn't ashamed of being one, unlike Edwards, or a man who thinks he has to appease women and homosexuals in order to "seem" like he's less of some stereotypical white guy.
None of which would convince me to vote for him. He just happens to agree with me on just about every issue.
Agreed.
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