Posted on 06/04/2007 5:54:41 AM PDT by John Galt 72
Fred Thompson: The Man from Rocky Top
by Matt Carrothers
June 4, 2007
The unwritten rules in the current GOP presidential election cycle have been:
Compare yourself often to Ronald Reagan; Avoid staking out too many specific issue positions; and Get in early.
The conventional wisdom is apparently that Republican primary voters are merely looking for the next Reagan. The problem is that the candidates themselves do not really know what the voters’ desire for another Reagan means. Thus, given the number of candidates in the race, it will take a long time to buffalo the voters into believing that a particular candidate has the ear of our 40th president’s ghost.
Now comes wily ol’ Fred Thompson, breaking all of the rules. That may seem ironic for a man who portrays a stoic, pragmatic district attorney on television. However, a close look at the issue positions, voting record and outward demeanor of this former U.S. Senator, movie and television actor suggests that he is the legitimate conservative that voters demand.
Thompson’s advisers leaked last week that he will finally form an exploratory committee, allowing him to raise money prior to a July 4 formal announcement of his candidacy. When the three leading candidates – Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney – announced their candidacies in February, Thompson kept his gunpowder dry. He eschewed the two Republican debate debacles, and chose instead to give speeches before select groups of possible supporters in California, Virginia, Illinois and Connecticut. Judging from the leading candidates’ debate performances, a political market exists for Thompson to enter the race, win the voters’ hearts and minds, rise quickly in the polls and amass the financial resources a presidential bid requires.
Fred Thompson has been quite specific on his issue positions. He delivers radio vignettes almost daily, and regularly pens opinion columns that detail his conservative views on fiscal, social and foreign policy issues. Thompson’s recent statements include:
“We’ve tried the ‘comprehensive’ route before…Twenty-two years and millions of illegal immigrants later, that comprehensive plan hasn’t done what most Americans wanted it to do – secure America’s borders. Now Washington says the new ‘comprehensive’ plan will solve the problem that the last comprehensive plan didn’t.
“A lot of folks in Washington suffer from a big misconception about our economy. They confuse the well-being of our government with the wealth of our nation….Taxes are necessary. But they don't make the country any better off.”
“Our founders established an independent federal judiciary to decide cases, not social policy. Yet more and more, that is exactly what it is doing. Roe v. Wade is a classic example.”
In addition to his political conservatism, Thompson possesses intangible qualities that will immediately distance him from the GOP pack. His coffee shop speaking style is comforting to voters in an era of cynicism toward all things politic. Thompson’s countenance is resolute, but he has an easy demeanor as sweet as soda pop that will particularly engender his candidacy to voters from the West, Midwest and his native Southeast.
Fred Thompson’s acting credits help him match Giuliani’s star power, but he is also well-versed on the issues. He has worked in Hollywood and Washington, yes, but he’s a son of the South. The impact of geography on the Republican nomination race cannot be dismissed. Republican voters like to see themselves in their presidents. Voters in 2008 will particularly seek a candidate they can trust. Candidates from New York and Massachusetts are . . . candidates from New York and Massachusetts.
Nor can one dismiss the timing of Thompson’s planned announcement date. July 4 is not just a day on the calendar. It’s The Fourth of July. Moreover, the planned location is Nashville, as in the home of country music. Picture an announcement event replete with bunting, American flags, families, barbeque, country music artists and marching bands playing a nonstop chorus of Rocky Top. Even the most rabid Gator, Bulldog or Crimson Tide Republicans will not be able to hear the Volunteers’ stirring anthem that day without tapping their toes and embracing Thompson’s candidacy. Well, at least they play college football in Tennessee.
A further example of Thompson’s likely appeal can be found in recent poll results. The latest Real Clear Politics national poll average has Thompson tied for third place with Romney at 10 percent, behind McCain at 18 percent and Giuliani at 26 percent. Not bad for a man who has yet to announce his candidacy.
National poll results should always be viewed suspiciously, since the U.S. does not hold national elections. This presidential election cycle is different, though, with delegate-heavy states such as New York, California, Georgia, Illinois and at least 15 others slated to hold their presidential primaries on February 5, 2008, just two weeks after the January 21 Iowa caucuses. Thompson’s likely appeal among voters across a wide ideological spectrum, including conservative Republicans, independents and moderate Democrats, will surely steal support from both the leading Republican and Democratic contenders.
Fred Thompson will not have to invoke Ronald Reagan’s name on the campaign trail to attract attention. His own political conservatism and personality will appeal to primary voters hungry for common sense leadership in the White House. As the late Buck Owens once sang, all he has to do is act naturally.
© 2007 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.
[((ping))]
Good morning. It’s good to see more buzz about Fred.
Fred is in the game now. His bankroll will quickly grow, he will get more key endorsements and his polls numbers will rise close to 20%.
My ears...MY EARS!
"Even the most rabid Gator, Bulldog or Crimson Tide Republicans will not be able to hear the Volunteers’ stirring anthem that day without tapping their toes and embracing Thompson’s candidacy."
I like Fred and will more than likely vote for him given the chance...yet I guarantee you one thing, I will not be tapping my toes to Rocky Top! lol This Crimson Tide Republican (love that name) will respectfully plug her ears. :)
Fred’s strategerie is absolutely brilliant..............He’ll make one heluva President.....President Thompson......has a great ring to it!...........
This is the best and most dead on characterization of the Thompson candidacy that I’ve read. This is the first writer that I’ve read who fully understands what’s going on.
Here’s one Hawkeye who wouldn’t mind hearing Rocky Top for four years...
Wish that I was on ole rocky top,
Down in the tennessee hills.
Aint no smoggy smoke on rocky top,
Aint no telephone bills.
Once there was a girl on rocky top,
Half bear the other half cat.
Wild as a mink, sweet as soda pop,
I still dream about that.
Rocky top, youll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good ole rocky top,
Rocky top tennessee, rocky top tennessee.
Once two strangers climbed on rocky top,
Lookin for a moonshine still.
Strangers aint come back from rocky top,
Guess they never will.
Corn wont grow at all on rocky top,
Dirts too rocky by far.
Thats why all the folks on rocky top
Get their corn from a jar.
Rocky top, youll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good ole rocky top,
Rocky top tennessee, rocky top tennessee.
Now Ive had years of cramped up city life,
Trapped like a duck in a pen.
Now all I know is its a pity life
Cant be simple again.
Rocky top, youll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good ole rocky top,
Rocky top tennessee, rocky top tennessee.
Rocky top tennessee, rocky top tennessee.
Yeah rocky top tennesee eee eee eee.
Rest assured that I will place MY VOTE for the candidate that can convince me he can pull this country back from the brink of extinction where we currently hover thanks to the current administration and the Immigration reform bill. I wont care if its Thompson, Romney or Guliani. It WONT be McCain... I don’t vote for traitorous bastards.
Fred is going to rise to the top quickly!
“...marching bands playing a nonstop chorus of `Rocky Top’”
Huh? Why don’t they just play the theme from “Deliverance” instead?
Anyway, I think the Dems and Reps alike are scared to death of Fred. If he gets the nomination, he gets my vote.
;^)
Sheeh, lighten up!
One paragraph of the article about the 4th of July does not make it the ‘tone of the article’. I can’t stand football and I’d rather swallow razor blades than listen to most country music.
I’m from New York and I won’t vote for a New York or Massachusetts politician either. Because I’m bigoted against my own home state? No, because you have to be a slimy RINO to get elected here as a Republican.
Governing as a liberal and then pretending to be a conservative is not acceptable presidential material as far as I’m concerned.
I had a note stuck under my winsdhield wiper this weekend that said, “Where did you get that Bumper Sticker? I want one”. and he left his phone number. I have a Fred Thompson bumper sticker on the car for weeks.
Here is one plece they are available....
http://www.cafepress.com/buy/fred%20thompson/-/cfpt2_/x_15/cfpt_/source_searchBox/copt_/y_11
Rudy has too much money to go away quickly, but my bet is that Fred!-mania is going to knock John McCain out of the race pretty quick. Romney man also decide that this is just not his year. At 60 years old, he might decide that running in 2012 might be his best bet.
If the Donks win in 2008, the result will be a train wreck. A soothing, moderate Republican could do very well in 2012, in that environment.
still no toe tapping...sorry! lol But I do find the lyrics interesting! Thanks for sharing.
Liked the song....not too sure about the man.
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