e-mail from Fred: "Where we are, and where we're going"

email ^ | July 26, 2007 | Fred Thompson

[RobFromGa]

In the past few months, I've traveled the country talking and listening to folks. I've been discussing where I see America going, about what we need to do to keep our nation secure, what we must do to keep this remarkable economy growing, and the challenges we must address together for the next generation of Americans.

I believe the United States is at a crossroads, and what I'm hearing on the road is that a lot of people agree with me. They're ready to move forward together to meet our challenges here at home and abroad. They aren't buying into the defeatist talk about our security, our economy, and our future.

During this "testing the waters" effort we've undertaken, I've been saying the political waters feel pretty warm. It's allowed us to start laying the foundation of a good team across the country and to keep up this national conversation we've been having. Now we're going to take that conversation to a different level.

On Tuesday, August 7th, we're inaugurating a new weekly "I'm With Fred" email, complete with news, updates, and photos from the road. We're also working on the ImWithFred website 2.0, in order to keep in touch on a daily basis and to give you more opportunities to join us at events, help us organize, and spread the word about our efforts.

I'm excited about what I'm seeing out on the road. I appreciate everything you're doing for our effort.

Sincerely,

Fred Thompson

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Check the March 5th date.

xxxx

Copyright 1997 The Washington Post
The Washington Post

February 23, 1997, Sunday, Final Edition
Correction Appended

SECTION: STYLE; Pg. F05; DATEBOOK

LENGTH: 1129 words

HEADLINE: March Right Up

BYLINE: Robin Groom

BODY:
March’s festive parties.

March 1

The Washington Savoyards Ltd. gala at the British Embassy offers cocktails, a musicale and more. Tickets: $ 100 ($ 175 per couple). Call 703-525-7513.

Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels and Clarence Clemons with Steve Smith and the Nakeds are some of the performers at the Bartenders’ Ball — which benefits CapCom, Christmas in April, Crossroads, Elementary Baseball, the Frost School and SOME — at the Sheraton Washington. Tickets: $ 100. Call 202-296-7200.

The Northern Virginia Heart Ball, with music by a cardiac specialists’ band, Off Trax, is at the Sheraton Premiere, Tysons Corner. Tickets: $ 250. Call 703-941-8500.

The Avis Cystic Fibrosis Celebrity Tennis Gala XII — tennis, dinner and more — is at the McLean Racquet & Health Club. Tickets for non-tennis-playing guests: $ 100. Tennis players are offered a variety of sponsorship packages.

March 2

Ford’s Theatre’s “Gala for the President” with Natalie Cole, Gregory Hines, Jon Bon Jovi and others includes a post-show supper at the Organization of American States. Tickets start at $ 2,500 (for two). Call 202-638-2941.

March 4

Howard University’s Charter Day Dinner is at the Washington Hilton. Tickets: $ 250. Call 202-806-2180.

A fashion show by Hecht’s with celebrity models to benefit the D.C. chapter of the American Red Cross is at the Embassy of Finland. Tickets: $ 75. Call 202-728-6469.

March 5

The National Council of La Raza’s gala — Sens. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.) and Bob Graham (D-Fla.) are the honorees; Liz Torres is mistress of ceremonies — is at the National Building Museum. Tickets: $ 250. Call 202-776-1770.

March 6

Single-Malt Tasting at the Irish Times benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International. Tickets: $ 25. Call 202-371-0044.

March 7

The Nation’s Capital Chefs Association of the American Culinary Federation’s “Chef and the Child” auction and Chef of the Year Award Dinner is at the Omni Shoreham and benefits Route One Corridor Housing and the Sasha Bruce Youth Center. Tickets start at $ 75. Call 301-317-1299.

The Cancer Research Foundation of America’s spring gala is at the Corcoran. Tickets start at $ 250. Call 703-836-4412.

The National Association of Black Accountants scholarship banquet is at the J.W. Marriott. Tickets: $ 80. Call 703-394-3646.

March 8

The 1997 Beaux Arts Masquerade Gala benefiting the Corcoran School of Art scholarship fund is at the Corcoran Gallery. Tickets start at $ 50. Call 202-639-1800..

Childhelp USA’s gala and auction is at the Tysons Corner Ritz-Carlton. Music by Right Mix. Tickets: $ 150. Call 703-241-9100.

March 9

The Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless’s concert and auction is at Alexandria’s Washington Street United Methodist Church. Tickets are $ 20 ($ 50 for patrons) and $ 10 for children 12 and under. Call 703-525-7177.

March 10

The Beethoven Society of America concert and reception is at the German Embassy. Tickets: $ 25. Call 703-938-4696.

March 11

Retired Gen. Colin L. Powell is the speaker at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies’ dinner at the Washington Hilton. Tickets: $ 500. Call 202-789-3545.

“Treasures of the Sea,” the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala, is at the National Building Museum. Tickets start at $ 300. Call 703-824-0111.

March 14

The Viennese Opera Ball at the National Building Museum benefits SOS Children’s Villages USA. Tickets: $ 250. Call 202-237-5202.

The Studio Theatre celebration of the opening of the new Mead and the Milton theaters includes dinner and a performance of “Look Back in Anger” or “Sylvia,” March 14-16. Tickets start at $ 250 March 14-15 and $ 100 March 16. Call 202-232-7267.

March 15

“Under the Big Top,” the Friends of the Red Cross Ball, is at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. Tickets: $ 75. Call 202-728-6418.

The first fund-raiser for the Camelot Circle, the Kennedy Center’s young-patrons organization, is at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Tickets: $ 55. Call 202-416-8313.

March 16

The Project Children’s benefit at St. Albans Little Sanctuary features Malachy McCourt, one of the brothers in Frank McCourt’s memoir, “Angela’s Ashes,” and musicians Linn Barnes and Allison Hampton. Tickets: $ 40. Call 202-298-7784.

March 17

Composer Marvin Hamlisch and Sallie Mae President and CEO Lawrence A. Hough are the honorees at the Young Audiences of the District of Columbia’s dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel. Tickets: $ 150. Call 202-944-2790.

March 19

The Greater Washington Urban League’s Whitney M. Young Jr. Memorial Dinner at the Washington Hilton honors Prince Bandar bin Sultan, D.C. Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Sam Jordan, Lockheed Martin and NewsChannel 8. National Urban League President and CEO Hugh B. Price is the special guest. Tickets: $ 200. Call 202-265-8200.

The Northwest Pregnancy Center and Maternity Home’s dinner at the Capital Hilton honors Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), Sargent and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and Anne and George Higgins. Tickets start at $ 125. Call 202-483-7008.

March 20

The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation’s Latin American Wine Tasting is at the new Chi-Cha Lounge. Tickets: $ 25. Call 202-371-0044.

Ed Moser, a writer for Jay Leno and author of “The Politically Correct Guide to American History,” is the Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, luncheon speaker at the Writer’s Center. Tickets: $ 15 ($ 10 for the lecture alone). Call 301-217-3882.

March 21

The D.C. Chamber of Commerce’s Mayor’s Meritorious Service Awards Luncheon is at the ANA Hotel. Tickets: $ 50. Call 202-347-7201, Ext. 26.

March 22

The Fabulous Fantomes are performing at the American Heart Association’s HeartThrob Ball and dinner at Sequoia of Washington Harbour. Tickets: $ 150 (or $ 75 for the ball only). Call 202-686-6888.

March 24

The Metropolitan Washington Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation’s Oscar night gala is at Planet Hollywood. Tickets: $ 150. Call 202-537-6800.

March 26

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s Media Awards dinner with Rita Mae Brown, Candace Gingrich and others is at the National Press Club. Tickets start at $ 150. Call 202-986-1360.

March 27

The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters’ dinner at the Sheraton Washington honors Samuel L. Jackson, B.B. King, Bryant Gumbel and others. Tickets start at $ 350. Call 202-463-8979.

The Hospitality Sales Marketing Association International’s art auction benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International is at the Omni Shoreham. Tickets: $ 25. Call 703-751-2328.

March 28

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation salutes professional singles and businesses at its benefit at the Bethesda Hyatt. Tickets: $ 35. Call 301-657-8444.

CORRECTION-DATE: February 27, 1997

CORRECTION:
The phone number to get tickets to the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters dinner March 27 was incorrect in a Style article on Sunday. The correct number is 202-463-8970.

LOAD-DATE: February 23, 1997

[ellery]

I guess my philosophy is this... Don’t worry about the general election. During the pre-primary conservatives should push as hard as possible for the most proven conservative candidate based on voting record and/or accomplishments. Who cares if they seem unelectable at the time. If we truly believe that our ideas are better than it shouldn’t matter who are nominee is as long as they can clearly articulate that vision for America. Number two, conservatives/republicans are going to vote for the R candidate no matter who he/she is anyway — if it’s Rudy vs. Hillary, I’m voting for Rudy - even though I can’t stand him So why not push for a hardline conservative in the primaries?

I agree with most of what you said (except that I will never vote for Giuliani) -- but I do think now is the time to support the candidate that most closely fits our views. Hunter's a good guy, but for me, Thompson is the best candidate -- he's a lot more conservative than Hunter in the areas that matter most to me.

[HoustonTech]

This kind of racist garbage does not belong in a presidential campaign. Spencer Abraham is a great American and the lies being spread about him for political advantage is disgusting.

[ari-freedom]

don’t forget to call in a good forensics team to fend off any possible conspiracy theories.

[traderrob6]

K, I’ll bite who in your opinion is as conservative and electable. (based on past behavior)

[SuziQ]

Got mine this afternoon, too.

[mnehring]

I agree, except replace Giuliani with Paul in my ‘never’ category.

[samtheman]

Like I said. Fair weather friend. You never paid attention to him, you projected something from inside your own head onto a mental screen in front of your eyes and labeled it “Fred”.

So of course, the first time he does something that conflicts with your fantasy screen-shot, poof! You’re gone!

Or, even more to the point, the first time a Paulite-inspired campaign of orchestrated hysteria comes along that just happens to conflict with your fantasy screen-shot, poof! You’re gone!

That’s ok.

This is America. You’re free to do that. Free to gather up your marbles and go home when you don’t like the game anymore.

That’s what freedom is all about.

Freedom is another word for here-today-gone-tomorrow.

Bye, bye.

[dforest]

Now that is something I do agree with. All the questions you have put forth are real.

Fred has not yet risen to answer those questions.

[traderrob6]

This from Thompson today on IWF:

Hazleton Immigraton Decision

Most Americans want something to be done about the illegal immigration problem we have in this country. They’ve been expecting the federal government to enforce the immigration laws already on the books. The federal government hasn’t done that, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the governments closest to the people – municipal and state – are looking to take action. This is an entirely proper role for these governments.

Back in 2006, the citizens of Hazleton, Penn., were noticing some troubling signs resulting from an influx of illegal immigrants. They were seeing an uptick in the number of murders, an increase in drug-related crimes and a school district bursting at its seams. In fact the English as a Second Language program reportedly went from $500 a year in 2001 to more than $1 million a year today. The citizens of Hazleton demanded that something be done, and the Illegal Immigration Relief Act was introduced by the mayor and supported by the city council by a vote of 4 to 1.

Let’s be clear about what’s going on here. No matter what some groups may be trying to do to muddy the water and portray Hazleton’s law as something playing to an uglier agenda, this law is not about legal immigration. This law is about dealing with the illegal immigration problem in Hazleton. The town’s mayor and city officials made this clear from the beginning, and it seems like they took a common sense approach.

Our constitutional system allows cities to take reasonable steps to protect their citizens. When the federal government is unwilling to enforce immigration laws effectively, then cities need to be able to act, and take reasonable steps to secure their citizens from the social, financial, and criminal costs of illegal immigration.

No doubt, this ruling will be appealed. And it should be.

Spoken like a true Federalist.

[samtheman]

I don’t get all this whining and moaning! Spencer Abraham isn’t Secretary of State. He’s simply running this part of Fred’s campaign. He’s someone with connections and Fred needs as many of those as he can get before he gets ready to announce.

The "whining and complaining" probably starts with the Paulites amongst us, who are always looking for some pretext to scream out a chicken-little warning about Fred. Then there are the Fred "supporters", those who don't know much about the candidate and have their own preconceived ideas of what Fred should do -- today, tomorrow and yesterday -- to satisfied their stock notions. And when those people hear the latest Paulite-inspired hysterical raving, some of them get infected by it.

That's pretty much what's going on here, in my opinion.

[samtheman]

Wow. That’s a pretty clear statement about the rights of citizens to protect themselves from the invasion of illegal aliens — at the local level, if the federal government won’t help.

But this statement CAN’T have come from Fred Thompson. It’s impossible. Not after hiring who he hired to be his campaign manager. Because his campaign manager would probably disagree with this statement and NO candidate can have a policy that differs from the policy of his campaign manager. That’s what we’ve learned here today on Free Republic and that’s something we must all keep in mind.

So I must reject this statement in support of Hazleton by Fred Thompson, simply because, based on his campaign manager, there is no way Fred Thompson could have made this statement.

[papasmurf]

Good point. "Fred Derangement syndrome on parade."...I like that.

Pretty soon, they'll be examining his neighbor's voting records and telling us how bad FRed is because his neighbor voted for {enter name of RINO here}.

Sad thing is, Duncan IS a great guy, I like and respect him very much. He's just not my choice.

All of these rudy supporter clones that have been baggin' on FRed have left a huge distaste in my mouth, and cause me to dig in harder and support FRed even more. And the fact that Duncan's son is supposedly a FReeper, makes me wonder who really orchestrates these types of anti FRed hit squads.

Sad, just sad.

:O)

P

America. Together. Again Fred Thompson/JC Watts in '08

[RobFromGa]

There are also Fre supporters who are buying into the general idea that Fred is waiting too long, and this is mainly based on their own impatience to have him formally announce.

I have some of this impatience as well and I would rather have him enter the race soon. But I also understand two things:

1. It is a major thing to set up a campaign and since Fred is already a strong #2 he must be sure to enter ready to puch through to the primaries without a lot of stumbling and time to reflect.

2. The general population is not paying attention yet, and sill not get engaged until after summer is over, probably around Labor Day at the earliest. So, even though us hardcore political junkies are impatient the general public is oblivious.

There is plenty of time left and it is more important to get it right than to get it done tomorrow.

[samtheman]

Please don’t be impatient. He’s doing the right thing, I’m convinced of it. All these other politicos have convinced themselves that “earlier is better”. Only Fred is playing it smart. I trust his strategy as much as I trust his politics.

The more I learn about Fred, the more I like him... his campaign manager decision notwithstanding.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Hunter’s son goes by the tagline “Duncan Hunter Ambassador”.

[mnehring]

Great comment.. shows Thompson actually has thoughtful conservative positions and not just sound bytes.

[NoGrayZone]

I just love that man!

[GitmoSailor]

October surprise!!!!!!......

[Mister Politics]

I’m with Thompson too and have been a strong advocate for him for a long time, however I am growing tired of waiting for him.

Get in soon Senator.