Posted on 12/29/2007 3:47:31 PM PST by amordei
A Message from the Campaign Trail Posted on December 29th, 2007 By Fred in On The Road
Every once in a while I am more thankful than ever for today’s technology which allows me to talk to you directly instead of having to go through the filter of the main stream media.
Some of them are intent on making the outcome of the campaign dependent upon their pre-conceived notions. Every once in a while their incomplete and slanted coverage makes this clear.
Today I had this story written about me regarding what I said at a Town Hall event in Burlington, Iowa by a reporter who wasn’t even at the event. Incidentally, I declined to be interviewed by this particular reporter yesterday for reasons which will soon be apparent.
In referring to me, she reported “he doesn’t like modern campaigning, isn’t interested in running for President, and will not be devastated” if he doesn’t win.
The following is a transcript of what I actually said in response to a question by a local Burlington resident which was the basis of the reporter’s story:
[THIS IS A BEST-EFFORT TRANSCRIPT OF THE SPECIFIC QUESTION AND ANSWER]
Q: (Courtesy ABC News) My only problem with you and why I haven’t thrown all my support behind you is that I don’t know if you have the desire to be President. If I caucus for you next week, are you still going to be there two months from now?
That is a very good question, not because it’s difficult to answer, but I’m gonna answer it in a little different way than what you might expect.
In the first place, I got into the race about the time people normally get into get into it. The fact of the matter is people get into it a lot earlier than they used to. For some of them, they were juniors in high school.
The first place, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I wouldn’t be doing this. I grew up in very modest circumstances. I left government and I and my family have made sacrifices to be sitting here today. I haven’t had any income for a long time because I figured to be clean, you’ve got to cut everything off. I was doing speaking engagements and I had a contract to do a tv show. I had a contract with abc radio…and so forth. A man would have to be a total fool to do all those things and to be leaving his family which is not a joyful thing if he didn’’t want to do it.
I am not consumed by personal ambition. I will not be devastated if I don’t do it. I want the people to have the best president they can have.
When this talk first originated from people around the country both directly and through polls, liked the idea of me stepping up and of course, you always look better form a distance.
But most of those people are still there. I approached it from the standpoint of a deal. A kind of a marriage. If one side of a marriage really has to be talked into the marriage, it probably ain’t going to be a good deal. But if you mutually decide it’s going to be a good thing. In this case, if you think this is a good thing for the country, then we have an opportunity to do some wonderful things together.
I’m offering myself up. I’m saying that I have the background, the capability and concern to do this and do it for the right reasons. I’m not particularly interested in running for president, but I think I’d make a good president.
Nowadays, the process has become much more important than it used to be.
I don’t know that they ever asked George Washington a question like this. I don’t know that they ever asked Dwight D. Eisenhower a question like this. But nowadays, it’s all about fire in the belly. I’m not sure in the world we live in today it’s a good thing if a president has too much fire in the belly. I approach life differently than a lot of people. People, I guess, wonder how I’ve been as successful as I’ve been in everything that I’ve done. I won two races in TN by 20 point margins in a state that bill Clinton carried twice. I’ve never had an acting lesson. I guess that’s obvious by people who’ve watched me…
When I did it, I did it. Wasn’t just a lark. Anything that’s worth doing is worth doing well. But I’ve always been a little more laid back than most. I’m only consumed by very, very few things. Politics is not one of them. The welfare of our country and our kids and grandkids is one of them.
If people really want in their president super type-a personality, someone who has gotten up every morning and gone to bed every night and been thinking about for years how they win the presidency of the united states, someone who can look you straight in the eye and say they enjoy every minute of campaigning, I ain’t that guy. So I hope I’ve discussed that and didn’t talk you out of anything. I honestly want – I can’t imagine a worse set of circumstances [than] achieving the Presidency of the United States under false pretenses. I go out of my way to be myself.
----
It is clear that there are those in the media who will exact a high price for candor and from those whom they consider to be insufficiently ambitious. But it is with increasing amazement that we see that those who are willing to slant or leave out important parts of a story to make their point.
If a candidate succumbs to this he will be reduced to nothing more than a sound bite machine.
As for me I am going to continue to say exactly what is in my heart and is on my mind and give straight and honest answers to those who ask straight and honest questions.
Incidentally, the audience in Burlington broke into applause in the middle of my answer. The reporter wouldn’t know that because she wasn’t even there.
The media completely mis-interpreted the comment, but I think most of the people who voted for him understood what he was saying. As I recall, he won that election.
I also remember seeing a reporter for MSNBC reading the Supreme Court decision after the 2000 election, thinking that the ruling was in favor in Al Gore. The look on her face as she finally understood what she was reading was priceless.
The media really needs to get a refresher in reporting what happens, not providing their own spin as they report it.
Yup, we really only have two choices, Fred or a moonbat. I am hoping/praying that pubbies are not as STUPID as the current polls show them to be and Fred shines on Jan 3. Otherwise, say goodnight USA.
“The media really needs to get a refresher in reporting what happens, not providing their own spin as they report it.”
The MSM always adds their own “spin” and if that does not help their agenda, they just lie! It is quite rare to see actual facts reported! Fred is the man the MSM really fears so this will continue to happen throughout the campaign. The voters in Iowa will make their choice on January 3rd, and I am counting on them selecting the best man, Fred Thompson! GO FRED!
The BS story is now in another thread from the AP. Much like the one from CNN. Nice that folks can see the whole transcript of what Fred actually said on this thread! Boy is the MSM worried about Fred! GO FRED!
Hey elizabetty,
Care to make a retraction for what you have been saying concerning Fred today?
Are you a big enough person?
I won’t hold my breath!
Fred will be on CNN Late Edition tomorrow 12/30 at 11:00AM Eastern. A campaign event in Iowa will be shown on CSPAN tomorrow at 4:12 Eastern and then Fred will be on Fox News Sunday with Chris Walace at 6:00PM Eastern. GO FRED!
If FRED wins in Iowa, or even places well, the lamentations of the leftists in the MSM is going to be palpable..
They KNOW that Fred is really the only Republican candidate that can make short work of the massive propoganda campaign we are going to be facing next year...
Service above Ego.
That’s the kind of President FRED THOMPSON will be.
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