That's good news - that's GREAT news...
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.
upchuck, how do things look up in your area? Here in the Charleston area we see signs for almost all candidates, but a surprising number of Ron Paul supporters.
As far as face to face, most I’ve talked to are for Fred as I am. Second most are for Mitt, but some of them weren’t impressed with him tonight and are considering Fred.
I’ll Tell you what JJ, Fred is the only one I saw tonight on both sides thats wasnt a lying weasel.
“I think McCain should drop out and support Fred.”
YES!!
Besides .. Fred did support McCain until Fred found out what was really in McCain’s CFR legislation. Fred did support it, but later changed his mind about it. I don’t think Fred is any too anxious to support anything McCain.
I agree with the bow out part. And alas, when he does, it will be McQueeg he endorses.
Sumter County.
Many signs for Fred, McCain, Paul, and Romney.
In that order.
And a Few for Hillary, and Obama.
I have yet to see one from Huck or Edwards.
In my area of SC, the PEE DEE, other than phone calls incessantly ringing, you wouldnt know there is a primary coming. Very odd.
Consistant.
Because they don’t want to compete with a grown-up who actually IS a Conservative, not one pretending to be just when they decided to run for President.
You would think that someone from South Carolina would know what an anchor Grahamnesty is around a candidates neck. Hopefully the voters there will give him a demonstration.
Rubbish.
I doubt it. McCain goes agaist what Thompson stands for.
**What I’d like to know is—should Thompson drop out of the race, would he back McCain?
If he would, I would have to find another candidate to support (other than Fred).***
Highly unlikely that all Fred supporters would go to McCain, even if Fred endorsed him. McCain’s history on illegals and the WoT have sunk him with a great deal of conservatives. I for one will never cast a vote for McCain. His childish antics tonight, as well as his less than truthful rhetoric on illegal immigration, only served to sink him even lower.
Not so. Just one more attempt at sabotaging the Fred campaign.
He is often well parsed, but always consistent.
The article is rubbish. The comments at the link back that.
But McCain is the one who should drop out on support Fred.
I would vote for Obama before I would vote for McPain, just to watch Obama break the back of the Black caucus in the Dem party. Buh-bye Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton!
That's good news - that's GREAT news...
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