Posted on 12/30/2007 10:31:17 AM PST by Sir Gawain
Every once in a while I am more thankful than ever for todays 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 wasnt 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 doesnt like modern campaigning, isnt interested in running for President, and will not be devastated if he doesnt win.
Below is a transcript of what I actually said in response to a question by a local Burlington resident which was the basis of the reporters story.
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 wouldnt know that because she wasnt even there.
The transcript is below the fold . . .
Q: (Courtesy ABC News) My only problem with you and why I havent thrown all my support behind you is that I dont 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 its difficult to answer, but Im 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 wouldnt be here if I didnt. I wouldnt 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 havent had any income for a long time because I figured to be clean, youve 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 didnt want to do it.
I am not consumed by personal ambition. I will not be devastated if I dont 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 aint going to be a good deal. But if you mutually decide its 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.
Im offering myself up. Im saying that I have the background, the capability and concern to do this and do it for the right reasons. Im not particularly interested in running for president, but I think Id make a good president.
Nowadays, the process has become much more important than it used to be.
I dont know that they ever asked George Washington a question like this. I dont know that they ever asked Dwight D. Eisenhower a question like this. But nowadays, its all about fire in the belly. Im not sure in the world we live in today its 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 Ive been as successful as Ive been in everything that Ive done. I won two races in TN by 20 point margins in a state that bill Clinton carried twice. Ive never had an acting lesson. I guess thats obvious by people whove watched me
When I did it, I did it. Wasnt just a lark. Anything thats worth doing is worth doing well. But Ive always been a little more laid back than most. Im 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 aint that guy. So I hope Ive discussed that and didnt talk you out of anything. I honestly want I cant 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.
"Listen to me now and hear me later - there is no fire in that belly! I heard it from the American media..."
First I though it was J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman)
Go Fred, go.....
No one knows how to react to clear and honest talk from a politician.
You know that cowboy hat is gonna just drive the Loony Left even loonier!
The greater the zeal to hold public office, the more likely the candidate is mentally unfit to hold it, regardless of apparent qualifications
Cases in point are abundant in the House & Senate...and in the Clinton Crime Family
Ewwww Jill Lawrence - failed reporter - has a striking resemblance to very young Helen Thomas.
Similar temperment it would seem.
Is there a new cloned variety of angry white woman emerging from the liberal laboratories?
bttt
Sounds like the useful idiots are getting desparate, don’t it.
There is good in this. The fact that the leftstream media are starting to lie about Fred and distort his message suggests that they have reason to believe that their previous tactic of ignoring him completely, isn’t working.
“Bill Clintons fire in the belly ended up on Monicas dress.”
You really had to go there didn’t you? I now have to shower to wash off the stench. :)
What exactly did you see, and what did you want to see?
Indeed.
Rockon Fred !
“My guess .. the journalist is a Hillary supporter.”
Hillary Lapdog.
As in ‘head in her lap’.
Reads like one of the old "Constitutionalist" FReepers...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.