Thompson Can Unify Republicans

Human Events ^ | 18 January 2008 | Jed Babbin

[SE Mom]

Faced with either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama as their national opponent, Republicans cannot risk disunity in the fall campaign. Whoever is the Republicans nominate must be able to both unify and energize the core constituencies of their party. When South Carolinians go to the polls tomorrow, their choice is between several men who cannot unify the party and one who probably can.

Fred Thompson’s ability to unify conservatives around their core principles should be much on South Carolinians’ minds. As should the record of the other contenders.

...

Among the serious contenders in South Carolina is Fred Thompson. Is he the unifying force around which conservatives can rally? His record is based more on personal choices than on alliances with liberals. Thompson’s ability to unify Republicans stems from two things. First, his gut-level conservatism. Which leads to the second, trust.

When asked a question, Thompson reacts comfortably without pausing to ponder which focus group will react in which way. He seems comfortable in his own skin. His avuncular style is a bit too folksy at times, but his answers are consistent and – in a way voters will see – principled. Which means people will trust Thompson.

This year the American electorate is more angry and disgruntled than I have seen it in more than four decades of study. Neither the President nor Congress – having failed to win the war, secure our borders or control reckless government spending – have the voters’ trust. The biggest issue this year may not be the war, or taxes, or the economy. Trust could overwhelm them all. And people trust Fred Thompson.

[bd476]

HKMk23 wrote:

"...You lament that nobody's suggesting an alternative. Well, here's an alternative: Fred Thompson.

Nobody has to leave the Republican party to vote for Fred.

Nobody has to compromise their Conservative principles to vote for Fred.

Nobody has to worry that today's Fred Thompson might not be tommorow's Fred Thompson, because -- unlike all of the other GOP hopefuls -- Fred Thompson has a track record on the issues that doesn't look like San Francisco's famous Lombard Street.

The bottom line, here, is this: self-proclaimed "Conservatives" need to either walk their talk and get behind the REAL Conservative candidate, Fred Thompson, or quit all their fraudulent genuflections to Conservatism."

Well said. Keep the faith. BTTT!

[Pajamajan]

"Here's one better: Republicans Can Unify Behind Thompson."

BUMP

[rockinqsranch]

Excellent. Well said.

[rockinqsranch]

Thanks for alerting us to HKMk23’s post. Excellent.

[bd476]

You're welcome, Rockinqsranch. :-)

[Clintonfatigued]

It’s going to take a brokered convention.

[reasonisfaith]

Thanks for the ping.

Our man has been there right in front of us. If people would stop watching the news on television it would make a big difference.

[G.Mason]

Ping

We are with Fred Tompson through November 4th.

[HKMk23]

If McCain is the eventual nominee, I’ll declare the GOP “Dead” for all Conservative purposes, and write in “Fred Thompson” in November.

If Romney is the eventual nominee, I can vote for him without too much trepidation.

Still, I’m hoping that Fred will stick it out until at least February 6th, if for no other reason than to hold up a Conservative standard against which the others can be judged.

[G.Mason]

As you no doubt know Fred is out.

Sad, but I suppose inevitable. Writing him in now is fruitless.

Hate to say it, but it looks like Romney and fingers crossed for our Republic.

Lock&load

[HKMk23]

While I do have some trepidation about Romney, I have less trepidation about him than I do Hukabee, and McCain.

I like what Romney wants to do to our tax structure.
I like his proposed strategy on illegal immigration.
I mostly like his take on healthcare.
I like his stance on strengthening our military.
I think he’s got a good energy plan.

No, he’s NOT perfect, and I’m not yet 100% convinced that he’s got BOTH feet solidly planted in the moral universe that defends unborn humans as people having elemental human rights, but he’s head-and-shoulders above McCain and Huckabee in almost all other important areas.

So, while I wouldn’t rate Mitt as a “staunch” Conservative, his positions are sufficiently infused with the Conservative principles of personal responsibility, free markets, private enterprise, and individual rights that I think he’s within the realm of “predominantly” Conservative, and THAT I can vote for.

[G.Mason]

I agree ... Good luck to us all.

[Jim Noble]

Unless that turns around, it means the republican voters are being fooled

No, it means the fraction of "true conservatives" is 15% of the Republicans (I do not count Christian socialists), zero percent of the independents, and zero percent of the Democrats.

[Williams]

If you’re correct true conservatives have no claim to power. Certainly you are right about the dems and independents, and I know tons of wimpy republicans.