Posted on 01/05/2008 8:29:07 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
Eight years ago, Fred Thompson came for an editorial board visit after we had already endorsed George Bush, to tell us how wrong we were. We should have backed John McCain, he told us. I knew that, of course, but I sat still for his gruff advice as a sort of penance for my failure. I had tried hard (more about that in my Sunday column), but the consensus on our board had gone against me.
As futile as his gesture was at that point, I still appreciated Sen. Thompson's position, as bad as it made me feel. McCain had been the man, and it was the nation's loss that he was not elected in 2000.
Since he knew that then, and Sen. McCain is the same man he was, I've wondered all year why in the world Mr. Thompson even thought of running. As I said back in this column, he forgot to do one thing when he jumped in late: Tell us what it was he brought to the campaign that the candidates already running did not already offer.
Now, it's my turn to return the favor and tell Fred Thompson something that he should already know: It's time for him to do the principled thing again, and assert what he knew to be true back then: He should bow out, and support McCain. And he should do it now; now is when he can make a difference.
Sen. McCain is tied for first place in New Hampshire polls with a damaged Mitt Romney; Mr. Thompson is in single digits. By the time he comes South, all he will be able to do is be a spoiler, to pull just enough voters away from another candidate (and I suspect that candidate would most likely be his longtime ally McCain) to throw the victory to the surging Huckabee.
Nothing against Huckabee on my part; I just don't see him as the alternative Mr. Thompson himself would prefer. Meanwhile, he has continued to express his continuing respect for Sen. McCain; this would be a chance to show he means it.
Speaking of Gov. Huckabee, his victory is his own. But he was not in a position to begin that rise, he was not in striking distance, until Sam Brownback gracefully departed from the race. They had both been drinking from the same well of voters, and Sen. Brownback clarified matters for them.
Quitting when he did was Sen. Brownback's greatest contribution to this campaign, and was the best thing he could have done to serve the values and ideas he espouses. If Sen. Thompson wants to advance his own values, if he wants to make a difference and serve the country -- or if he simply wants the gratification of being a player at all -- he should get behind McCain now.
Super Tuesday, Feb. 5
It’s SO NOT SO!!!
McCain was absolutely pathetic at tonight’s debate. Old, evasive and unconvincing. Fred was funny, straight-talking and dead-right on every point. His ridicule of Ron Paul was priceless (”let me make sure I undertood that...”) Romney also looked like a complete doofus. FRED all the way!
Read this and you may very well want to become one:
http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=1949015%2C27
What you said is correct!
In the News/Activism forum, on a thread titled One Adult (Fred Thompson), Bobbisox wrote:
EXCELLENT! I am glad to see other opinions of how they feel how FRED performed. I was quite shocked to hear George Ste.... state that FRED did quite well!
Best debate format so far. I was impressed. We’ll see how “Fair and Balanced” FoxNews can be tomorrow night.
FRED THOMPSON - NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERIENCE (I’ll protect the American people and American values, whatever it takes to stop the Islamic-Fascists including water-boarding!) -
2ND AMENDMENT ADVOCATE (“Individual” rights to protect their homes and property!)
INCREASE THE MILITARY’S STRENGTH AND SIZE (Diplomacy through Strength and verification!)
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 have no right to; report all crimes committed by illegal’s to ICE and immediately deport those illegal’s who have already committed crimes against America!) LAW AND ORDER (Enforcement of our current laws regarding illegal immigration!) –
DENY FEDERAL DOLLARS TO SANCTUARY CITIES (Enough is enough!)
CONSERVATIVE JUSTICES FOR SUPREMES (Great progress has been made on the Supreme Court in Bush’s term. FRED was asked by President Bush to spirit Justice Roberts through the confirmation process. The next President will probably have the opportunity to seat two additional Justices. This is huge folks. FRED will nominate Justices who will interpret the Constitution, not create rights that simply do not exist and legislate from the bench!) –
PRO-LIFE ADVOCATE (will strive to nominate superior Justices with the eventual goal of overturning Roe vs Wade)
SOCIAL SECURITY REFORMER (Social Security is an entitlement program that will soon overtake the budget. The program can’t sustain itself and will bankrupt future generations; FRED has detailed proposals to save Social Security and provide the added benefit of private savings accounts for younger workers!)
DEFEAT ANY DEMOCRAT OR RINO (Close your eyes and imagine the first debate between FRED THOMPSON and ANY liberal DemocRAT they put up?)
TAX SIMPLIFICATION (Reform and perhaps eliminate the IRS with a variety of choice for the tax payer!)
EDUCATION (Return education to the States. It is that simple. The NEA is the greatest enemy of our educational system!)
WON’T PUT UP WITH TRUTH MANIPULATION FROM THE DB-MSM (including stupid questions by liberal moderators, and “purchased” political pundits)
FRED THOMPSON IS THE “WE THE PEOPLE” CANDIDATE (We the People asked him to set aside his personal life and step up one more time for his Country…and he stepped up!)
That's interesting and very encouraging. I live in Charlotte and before Christmas went down through Tega Cay-Ft. Mill-Rock Hill-York area putting up signs, and the order was Paul and Huckabee by far, followed distantly by Romney, followed distantly by Fred. Huck signs are *everywhere* there, including folks' yards. Lots of large banners for Huck and Mitt as well.
No thanks. I am a Duncan Hunter supporter.
Good man, but I don’t think he can make the top spot. I would love to see a Thompson/Hunter ticket — the only two REAL conservatives on the horizon.
Thank you for saying 2 good conservatives. I appreciate that and I have nothing against Fred. Duncan mirrors more closely my values and goals.
(One can dream, right?)
McCain’s history also involves following the example of another military leader—Benedict Arnold! He turned on conservatism at every opportunity—campaign finance, immigration, taxes, judges. He’s an old man and the Dems second favorite to run against—Obama “change” versus McCain near-death “experience”.
McCain should just drop out period. I’m not sure his followers (The pro-Amnesty / Pro-Tax crowd) would ever vote for a conservative, so I don’t care who he endorses as long as he goes back to the Democrat party he came from.
Since 2000, McCain has stabbed conservatives in the back at every turn. I would never vote for either, but even that liar Romney would be preferable to McCain. At least Romney is pretending to be conservative, McCain’s not even making an effort.
Works for me. :-)
Getting him out of the Senate and into that bucket of warm spit would be worth it in itself.
No way I want him as the nominee though.
“Sen. McCain is tied for first place in New Hampshire polls with a damaged Mitt Romney”
Bullcr*P. Romney leads the delegate count with his Wyoming win. Thompson beat McCain in Iowa and beat McCain in Wyoming.
Maybe Rudy should bow out and endorse someone. He’s doing awful.
Oh I think they are loud enough about it.
(1) pull out of Iraq immediately
(2) nationalize the health care industry
(3) loot large corporations
It is a simple and comprehensible platform. Everyone knows what they stand for.
Wyoming with more delegates than New Hampshire shakes up race!!!
Fred! finishes third in Iowa, surges in Wyoming to Second.
Romney fails expectations, only second in Iowa, barely holds lead in Wyoming.
Giuliani a no show in Iowa and Wyoming and should drop out.
McCain fourth in Iowa, slides to nothing in Wyoming, and should drop out.
Huckabee, slides in Wyoming and loses.
Hunter, the dark horse? --receives a Wyoming bounce.
The only republicans who have more delegates than Duncan Hunter are Romney and Thompson. According to this article, there were no delegates selected in Iowa.
First G.O.P. Delegate Goes to Romney (Romney, Hunter Leading in WY)
New York Times ^ | January 5, 2008 | MEAD GRUVER
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/us/politics/05cnd-wyoming.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1199563235-58hBRHoYXSVDHcyr25G/Fw&oref=slogin
“Wyoming chose the first 12 delegates of 2008 at 12 separate county conventions. Iowa Republicans, who have 40 delegates, conducted a straw poll but elected no convention delegates Thursday.”
So, that means that Romney has the most delegates (8), Fred has 3 and Hunter has 1, going into New Hampshire. I see now that Hunter was wise not to campaign in Iowa, and where he did choose to campaign he drew blood. You get more bang for the buck with Hunter.
The New Hampshire GOP withdrew its sponsorship of tonight’s debate.
The fact that he’s being excluded from New Hampshire debates is probably a historical first. The GOP is late in waking up to the fact that the media hates conservatives.
That’s good.
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