Posted on 03/25/2007 10:11:04 PM PDT by Josh Painter
Fred Thompson for president?
It's pretty obvious why he's getting consideration -- the Republican party is a conservative outfit but neither of its two leading presidential contenders is solidly conservative. That leaves a gap -- the space that George Allen or perhaps Bill Frist was expected to fill. Their absence gave Mitt Romney the opportunity to occupy the the conservative niche, and for me he does. However, many conservatives have their doubts on this score, or they doubt his electability. And even I have to admit that right now Thompson appears more electable than Romney.
In a sense, then, Thompson looks like the perfect blend of the Allen/Frist/Romney/Gingrich and McCain/Giuliani "factions." He seems to combine the conservatism of the former cluster with at least some of the popularity and stature of the latter pairing. This is not to suggest that Thompson is a national hero like McCain and Giuliani. But in addition to a long and distinguished record of public service, he has the good fortune to play a distinguished public servant on television. Millions of Americans see Thompson exercise sound judgment every week as the district attorney on "Law and Order."
But the point isn't whether we're seeing the real Fred Thompson on the show; the point is that, if Thompson runs, millions of America will see the character when they see the candidate, and to that extent will like what they see.
I'm told by a source who was there that Thompson was a reasonably diligent member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
What will matter is whether Thompson is prepared to campaign diligently for the nomination. If so, he likely will represent a force to be reckoned with.
(Excerpt) Read more at powerlineblog.com ...
And a rotten driver too!
Absolutely. To me, just as an observer, he *seems* to be growing in popularity and recognition. But he needs to hurry up and announce his candidacy because he still has a long way to go, and the "top three" are out there campaigning hard.
Transcript Here
In fact...for the first time in YEARS...I'm changing my tag line.
I love the new tagline, Phil.
Pinging Hoodie.
Look, I like Duncan Hunter, but Hunter couldn't put California in play anymore than Tom McClintock put California in play (yes I know, different office, I'm drawing the parallel to make a point, not to be literal in my example). Arguably, even a RINO like Arnie won only because he had the ginormous name recognition that came with being the Terminator. Practically the only GOP elected to serious state office in California have been RINOs like Arnie and Deukmajian. LA had a GOP mayor (Richard Riordan), but he was a charging RINO too.
I hate to say it, but anymore, about the highest office a real conservative Republican will win in California is that of the US House of Representatives, and that's because the state does have a minority of very conservative districts floating in a sea of West Coast liberalism. California has produced some very conservative Representatives - Hunter, Rohrabacher, Bob Dornan, and so forth. But this is because their districts, which all tended to cluster in Orange County or the San Diego area, were or are about three clicks to the right of Attila the Hun.
Upshot to all this? We don't necessarily NEED a Veep candidate to bring on extra states. Bush won with Cheney as his VP, as if we desperately needed him to win a 3-electoral point fire-engine red state!
Sorry, I meant to say "elected since 1990".
"I would recommend that you review Sen.McCain's war record. He is most definitely an American Hero."
Why don't you just point out one heroic thing he has done, since you have already reviewed it.
John S. McCain came from a Navy family. Both his father and grandfather became Navy aviators, and John III followed in their footsteps.(snip)POW experienceThe flight met with considerable resistance in the form of anti-aircraft fire and surface-to-air missiles (SAM) approaching the target. As McCain rolled into his dive, his aircraft was observed by his wingman to take a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire and to burst into flames. McCain was able to eject from his crippled aircraft and made brief emergency contact before his parachute landed in a nearby lake in Hanoi. He was captured immediately and confined in the Hanoi prison system, as was verified by Radio Hanoi broadcasts and later information gathered during his years of imprisonment. McCain was severely injured, having broken both arms and his right leg, and his strength in coping through his recouperation was inspiring to many of his fellow POWs.(snip)
They tried many designs to force me to embarrass my father and the United States. I found that prayer helped. It wasn't a question of asking for superhuman strength or for God to strike the North Vietnamese dead. It was asking for moral and physical courage, for guidance and wisdom to do the right thing. I asked for comfort when I was in pain and sometimes I received relief. I was sustained in many times of trial.
He better get moving if he is going to do this rather than thinking everyone will know him because he is on Law and Order.
I think it's shrewd of him to wait. He gets to keep his Law & Order and Paul Harvey gigs. If he announces, there goes his free exposure on TV and radio. I thought I heard he would decide by June--just after May sweeps for Law and Order.
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I like that sound...Fred and JC.
Good detective work there. The most appealing part of Thompson's candidacy would be that he is a federalist just like Reagan. The rest of the field doesn't even understand the term.
I can get along. If you read my posts you will see who started the name calling. I will never start, but I won't back down.Thank you for your good intentions and effort.
"Spending like a drunken Democrat" comes to mind.
Freedom isn't free.
You're joking, right?
No, if your talking about money spent, freedom isn't free.
"Thompson is a national hero like McCain and Giuliani."
What has either of these two done that is heroic? There should be a law against the misuse of words like "hero".
I would never vote for McCain or Guiliani for POTUS but I will give credit where credit is due. McCain fought for us in Vietnam and endured torture and deprivation as a POW - Honorably fighting for our country was as heroic in 'Nam as it is in Iraq and Afghanistan today.
Guiliani performed admirably after 9/11 - his service in that respect was heroic especially when you compare it to other recent disasters in big cities, i.e. New Orleans.
None of this is enough to make them presidential material though, at least not for conservatives since neither of them is a conservative.
he is a federalist just like Reagan
Would you mind defining this? Just for an FYI to all of us who don't necessarily know the specifics of this ideology?
Thanks!
Have you served in the military facing enemy fire, death, torture, severe life threatening injury, depriving yourself of modern comforts, friends, family, and romance?
If so, I'd say that qualifies you as a hero, if not you're full of it and need to find some gratitude for those who serve honorably in the military so that you can dismiss it with a conceited, cavalier, selfish emotional rant.
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