Fred Thompson Is No Ronald Reagan

The American Thinker ^ | March 26, 2007 | Steven M. Warshawsky

[RepublicanPatriot]

Yes, Thompson has portrayed strong executive leadership in his acting roles, but what reason do we have to believe that he will exhibit the same qualities in real life? Unlike Reagan, to whom he sometimes is compared, Thompson has never led a major labor organization, never served as governor, and never been considered one of the leaders of the conservative movement in this country.

[delphirogatio]

And, yet, it's not really like a campaign. In fact, we have many who are daily trying to aviod having a clearly elucidated opinion on anything...that's why Obama's comment made the news. It's the first morsel, though we've been at the table all this time.

So, in a sense, we DON'T have campaigns going on. See my other post....where's the meat?

(I guess all this Regean talk transported me straight back to the 80s!!!)

[Coldwater Creek]

Fred was our senator for over eight years in Tenn. Google Fred Dalton Thompson, if you want his record.

[gogeo]

Believe you me, Thompson is not hanging around, waiting. If he is at all interested in a campaign, he is rounding up campaign workers, feeling out donors, conducting issues research, etc. He is also performing cost-benefit and feasibility analyses of every aspect of running...

To paraphrase another Freeper, he's campaigning now, and getting paid to do so. If he declares, no more fill-in for Paul Harvey, no more L&O.

[Steel Wolf]

You know, my momma used to tell me that when a schoolyard whiner tells you that you better do things his way or he's gonna take his ball and go home... you probably ought to let him.

Absent any Ross Perot/Ralph Nader figure on the conservative horizon, I think this is sound advice. It's one thing to push for exactly what you want in local politics. In a country of 300 million people, it's foolish in the extreme to do so in national politics.

As WC Fields used to say, "I never vote for anyone, I always vote against." Like it or not, Presidental politics are about voting against what the other guy represents more than supporting what your own guy does. People that don't understand that don't understand the fundamental design of the U.S. political system.

[Chunga]

He thinks Ruth Ginsburg was a fine choice for SCOTUS.

So did Kip Bond, Paul Coverdell, Pete Domenici, Phil Gramm, Connie Mack, Strom Thurmond, Mitch McConnell, Bob Smith and Alan Simpson, all of whom voted to confirm her.

Would you like to assail these men's conservative credentials?

[traderrob6]

I hate to do that lest I misconstrue what was said but I'll try.

He said that Fred's waiting and watching might not be a bad thing and that he still had some time to catch up with the top tier. With the current sentiment of the Republican base once Thompson announces money could very well come in fast and furious.

He also said he could work to an advantage of the grassroots support reaching a "fever pitch" (my characterization not his) before announcing.

[SE Mom]

BTTT :)

[Cold Heat]

since I had NEVER heard of him until this campaign.

Oh my.....You have been sleeping though the immigration debate? Hunter led the efforts in the House...

But you are correct that he is unknown in any other circle. But not here.

As to that business about child support, I suspect you are taking away too much BS from the divorce. It was messy, as they often are....Women do not like to get the news their man has strayed and they retaliate like a war machine....LOL...

Newt is not running, as far as I know anyway....neither is Thompson yet.

I doubt either will. I really do....There is not enough money shaking loose in the GOP because of divisions within the party, and the only one who has some of his own funds to get through the primary is Romney. The rest is going to Rudy, or will when the rest start dropping like flies. I don't see Thompson getting the seed money he needs....

[Steel Wolf]

So, in a sense, we DON'T have campaigns going on. See my other post....where's the meat?

There's no meat for us yet. Financing, political support, and alliances are what's on the menu, but we're not invited to that table. The candidates are playing musical chairs with the big league donors and political honchos. Getting their ducks in a row. They're not going to start putting out positions until they know who's toes they might be stepping on.

Until the tens, and ultimately, hundreds of millions are raised, we're pretty much stuck. For now, we're waiting for them to wait each other out. It's like king of the hill, but the territory is political resources. They're trying to grab as much cash and internal support as they can, and run out the clock on their opponents. Boring for us, and not very illustrative of what they'd do or say as candidates. But that's where we're at.

[Oztrich Boy]

No one will be elected POTUS by just looking good.

What's changed?

Kerry lost because he looked goofier
Gore lost because he looked more wooden
Dole lost because he lookede to old
Bush lost because the other guy looked like a good ol' boy
Dukahis lost because he looked silly riding a tank.
Mondale lost because the other guy looked Presidential
Carter lost because the other guy looked Presidential
Ford lost becsue he looked clumsy
McGovern lost because (OK I got nothing)

And in most cases the taller gut with more hair won.

OK Thompson is only slightly less balding than Giuliani, but at 6'5" noone is coing to be looking down on his shiny dome, Whereas Giuliani is 5'9½". (No one that short has been elected since Carter, and he was the last since McKinley)

I know who I'd put money on

[sport]

Maybe not. But he is no Rudy Guliani [sp?] either.

[massadvj]

Absent any Ross Perot/Ralph Nader figure on the conservative horizon, I think this is sound advice

I am fairly certain Ron Paul will make a 3rd party or independent run after he loses the primary to Giuliani. There may even be a Tanredo/Paul ot Paul/Tancredo ticket.

[tkathy]

You have a point. Coming across good on the tube is important. I sincerely hope Fred has the fire in his whatever.

go rudy

[sport]

If Rudy gets the Republican nomination then the Democrats will win the election.

The winner will either be the Democrat, whomever that may be. Or it will be a Democrat masquering as a Republican.

Either way the Democrats win.

[Steel Wolf]

I am fairly certain Ron Paul will make a 3rd party or independent run after he loses the primary to Giuliani. There may even be a Tanredo/Paul ot Paul/Tancredo ticket.

Yes, but who would fund such a thing? How much appeal does Ron Paul really have? As for Tancredo, my hat's off to him for his relentless work on border issues, but he's not Presidential timber. Even were they to team up, they're not eccentric billionaires or darlings of the environmentalist movement.

Ron Paul isn't even for the GWOT, in most senses. Conservatives may not like Giuliani, but they're not going to dump him for an overt "cut and runner". Even the "close the borders immediately" crowd would be hesitant to team up with him, for that reason alone.

I may be obtuse, but I just don't see who their rank and file would be.

[Graymatter]

They voted to confirm her but that doesn't necessarily mean that they considered her a fine choice. Moreover, Rudy Giuliani thought her a fine choice more than ten years after she was nominated.
You know she's a far left liberal. Don't you care?

[dirtboy]

So did Kip Bond, Paul Coverdell, Pete Domenici, Phil Gramm, Connie Mack, Strom Thurmond, Mitch McConnell, Bob Smith and Alan Simpson, all of whom voted to confirm her.

The Republicans during the Clinton years, unlike the Democrats more recently, recognized that the president has the perogative to nominate qualified jurists that match his philosophical bent. Orrin Hatch told Slick that Bruce Babbit would not pass muster because he was not an experienced or qualified jurist. But when Clinton nominated Ginsburg, she was qualified and the GOP confirmed her. That was in no way an approval of her views - whereas Rudy is in much agreement with Ginsburg in areas such as abortion - heck, Ginsburg is to the RIGHT of Rudy on 2nd Amendment issues.

[massadvj]

I may be obtuse, but I just don't see who their rank and file would be.

I completely agree. I don't see any real conservative bolting Giuliani when the net effect would be to help Hillary, Gore or Obama win the presidency. Even those who claim that there is no difference between Giuliani and Hillary will see a huge difference when you add the power of Dim control of congress to the mix.

Truthfully, I think most of the Rudy bashers are honorable, but when I see the "I will not vote for him under any circumstances" line I assume that's a dead givaway that the writer is a DU troll trying to foster dissent in the Republican ranks.

[KDD]

Ron Paul for president? Talk about cult of personality. How often do you visit Roswell, NM to look for sign of alien landings?

How do you associate alien landings with Ron Paul? Or is it that you wish to denigrate a Republican Congressman with a higher conservative rating then any other GOP candidate. Are you a member of the American Idol generation? Venality over principal and you'd vote for Rudy because...he looks good to you in a dress?

[Oztrich Boy]

It's rather confusing, the anti-Guiliani group here has gone from Hunter to Gingrich to Thompson...all in about one month!

I think the phrase is "Anybody But Rudy" as opposed to "Rudy is Our Only Hope"