Posted on 07/07/2007 3:41:39 PM PDT by GhostSoldier
Thompson Wows Young Republicans
By BRENDAN FARRINGTON,AP
Posted: 2007-07-07 16:11:28
Thompson energized young Republicans with a speech Saturday that was heavy on rhetoric and short on policy pronouncements. He branded Democrats as "the party of despair."
Chants of "Fred" and "Run, Fred, Run," greeted the actor and former GOP senator from Tennessee from many among the 350 people at the Young Republicans National Convention. The crowd interrupted his nine-minute speech with wild applause and mobbed him when he left.
"It makes me feel like the waters are pretty warm," Thompson said afterward. He has formed an exploratory committee to gauge support for a White House run and raise money. He is expected to announce presidential campaign plans to run soon.
While he has yet to join the 10-man Republican race, he has soared in polls, taken in at least several million dollars, assembled a staff and visited early primary states New Hampshire and South Carolina.
Thompson's speech came on the heels of reports that a pro-abortion rights group hired him to lobby President George H.W. Bush's administration 16 years ago. At issue were attempts to ease a regulation that prevented clinics that received federal money from offering abortion counseling.
Thompson gave an oblique response when asked about the matter, first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
"I'd just say the flies get bigger in the summertime. I guess the flies are buzzing," said Thompson, who is considering running for president as a social conservative. He refused comment on whether he recalled doing the work.
His supporters did not seem bothered, citing policy stands by some of the leading GOP presidential contenders, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, ex-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain.
"Whatever choice do we have? Mitt Romney has been on both sides of the issue," said Paul Boyd, 26, of Memphis, Tenn. "Rudy Giuliani is 100 percent pro-choice. John McCain, at least for the first four years of the Bush term, was against whatever the president was for. Everybody has their flaws."
In his speech, Thompson fired up the crowded when he said he was the top target of The New York Times and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. He said the United States was the greatest country, and that set the audience off, too.
"I'm getting tired of having to apologize for the United States of America around the world," Thompson said. "I'm tired of other people's perceptions that we need to apologize."
He said voters will not support Democratic candidates who are "driving over a left-wing cliff." Thompson added, "I don't think the people are going to turn the keys of this country over to the party of despair."
Not everyone at the convention was ready to join the Thompson bandwagon. Daniel Ruoss, 27, of Lauderhill said he is supporting Giuliani.
"Fred Thompson would not only have to hit a home run, he'd have to hit a grand slam for me," Ruoss said before the speech. Afterward, he said there was a lack of substance in the speech. "I would call it a double. I liked it, but we need more."
Participants at the convention were to hear from Romney late Saturday.
Kevin Fickert, a 22-year-old college student in Los Angeles who originally is from Massachusetts, said he liked Romney's leadership as governor but thinks Thompson has more appeal. "Thompson has this star power about him that I really like," Fickert said.
Before arriving at the convention, Romney took questions from about 150 people in West Palm Beach. He said he would like to use the country's leading marketing minds to help sell the idea of American values in the Middle East.
"People will give up half a day's salary to get a Coca-Cola in some parts of the world. We market Coke well. We market McDonald's well. We market our rap music, our movies, our jeans," Romney said. "We market everything America sells brilliantly, but when it comes to marketing ourselves and what we stand for, we don't do a very good job of it."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 07/07/07 16:10 EDT
"Run, Fred, Run,"
“He said he would like to use the country’s leading marketing minds to help sell the idea of American values in the Middle East.”
So easy a Jihadi can do it? America, now with 25% more illegal aliens! Four out of five terrorists prefer New York City!
the media is trying to attack fred for being pro-abortion but record will show that hes pro-life. Isn’t it lovely how the media is trying to attack him for being pro-abortion, a position they support. They’re trying to damage fred with the conservative base by lying about it
That’s a pathetic turnout — 350 YRs = 7 people per state.
Can anyone tell us what’s happened to this organization?
The funny thing is the same media who is now trying to make it look like Fred might have some pro-abortion skeletons in his closet, will be saying how much of an extremist pro-lifer Thompson is when the general election roles around.
Perhaps it’s been somewhat replace by http://www.yaf.org/
I’m a little too old to be in either group so I don’t really know.
Opened with a line that basically says the Young Republicans are a bunch of dummies for getting worked up over a speech that contained no real policy ideas. Yet Hillary can screech for 45 minutes and say nothing and the press is beside it’s self with adulation.
Thank you for this thread. It was a pleasure to hear once again President Ronald Reagan, one of my three favorite presidents, speaking so eloquently in his July 4th speech. A man of vision, he spoke of the courage needed to lead the country in future.
Duncan Hunter has that courage Ronald Reagan referred to. Duncan Hunter is well equipped with the understanding and quick knowledge to lead the country through troubled years ahead, morally, economically and militarily. Duncan Hunter is the man for our times.
Actually my #11 was in response to YOUR link. http://www.yaf.org/ Thank you again.
Not bad.
Thompson says all the right sayings, moves all the right moves, acts all the right actions.
When is he going to hop down off the stage and run?
Thompson says all the right sayings, moves all the right moves, acts all the right actions.
When is he going to hop down off the stage and run?
“Marketing” America is nothing like marketing Coke and McDonald’s. Romney has his head up his butt.
Yes, this quote is reminiscent of Chance the Gardener in “Being There.” Remember?
Eventually the man is going to have to actually say something that means something.
It acknowledges the attack without dignifying it, and is effective and brilliant.
“Sorry, but it means that the attacks are irrelevant annoyances, like flies of gnats (a term he used before with reference to the “pole” insult on his wife.”)
It acknowledges the attack without dignifying it, and is effective and brilliant.”
Is every question about controversial issues that pertain to Fred going to be considered attacks and irrelevant annoyances? We are talking about answering a question about an issue of importance to conservative voters. Refusing to reply is neither effective nor brilliant, in fact, it tells me more about what the man, than his answer.
Of course not. Don't be silly.
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