Posted on 01/18/2008 11:41:41 AM PST by 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 Thompsons 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. Thompsons 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at humanevents.com ...
Ping:)
Some of my Democrat friends like Fred. They say he is a straight shooter.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
You’ve got good Democrat friends. And being based in MA, you’d be in trouble if you didn’t: I know, I used to live there!
Here’s one better: Republicans Can Unify Behind Thompson.
We need to take some responsibility, folks.
I hope that Fred Thompson gets the nomination. But I have come to accept that until he starts winning, these are republican voters and republican primaries coming up. So if the true republicans don’t choose Fred soon, or at least give him a strong chunk of the vote, they are being convinced Romney or whoever is a better candidate. As much as they want a true conservative, they arent flocking to the only one in the race.
The people who most need to read this in SC probably don’t read Human Events.
It would be nice to get something like this in a bunch of local papers.
Like Jed Babbin always says, SC voters need to “wake up and smell the coffee”
I agree. Fred needs to stay in the race so he can unify what’s left after the first primaries leave the GOP in pieces.
That is what scares the demoncrat leadership so much about Fred.
Never happen! Herding cats is a snap by comparison.
Rush reading this now...
Rush is reading the piece now...
Its so nice that you have come to accept what? The nomination process goes well beyond the first FEW primaries. This MUST be your first election cycle for you to say something like that.
BINGO!
GMTA:)
No radio .. slow connection - what did Rush have to say on the matter?
And great minds type alike, too.
Uh no, I referred to the primaries that are coming up. Fred isn’t leading in any polls, I hope he wins but REALITY is that so far he has gotten beat in every contest. Unless that turns around, it means the republican voters are being fooled into believing Romney, McCain, Huckabee or somebody else is the real conservative - IF they want a real conservative.
My statement was one of frustration but I am only one vote.
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