Posted on 12/18/2007 5:49:35 AM PST by JRochelle
About three months after his initial campaign kick-off, Republican candidate Fred Thompson returned to Iowa with a re-invigorated pitch in his final appeal to the early voting state.
Thompson -- who will spend 15 days in Iowa leading up to the Jan. 3 caucuses -- warned the country is "one successful terrorist plan away from nuclear attack."
Barely pausing to clear his throat, the former Tennessee Senator boomed, "it's not time for on-the-job training," a familiar jab on this year's campaign trail. Thompson believes he has the leadership skills to lead the country in national security issues.
"When the time comes where our worst enemy in the world is sitting across the table thinking about what he can do to the United States of America ... Who do you want sitting across the table representing us?" Thompson asked, a question which staffers say will be one of the campaign's driving themes during his statewide tour.
He also vowed to fight against a "left-wing, big government, high taxing, weak-on-national security Democratic Party."
"We're not going to turn over the keys to the country over to that outfit," Thompson said, accusing the Democrats of "licking its chops ... so they can lead us down the road to a welfare state."
Thompson drew upon his latest debate performance, when he refused to raise his hand in a vote when candidates were asked about climate change.
"How are you going to stand up to the leaders of Iran and North Korea if you can't stand up to an overbearing moderator?" Thompson asked, drawing laughs and applause from the crowd of 75 supporters.
Thompson subtly carved lines of distinction between him and his higher-polling rivals, and used his fresh endorsement from Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, to pledge his commitment to campaigning in this final push.
"There were some other folks from another campaign standing around the wall, waiting for their guy to be named and he wasn't," Thompson said, alluding to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's staff. "They were kind of shocked that I got the endorsement ... But I won't rub it in -- I will just say this: This ain't the last surprise you're gonna get, folks."
They maybe shrinking a little, but his support is scattering among all of the top candidates. In fact, they’re going to Fred the least out of all. He needs to be doing a better job of courting Giuliani’s soft supporters. These are people who rank national security as their top issue.
LLS
I like Hunter too but I don’t believe the MSM’s descriptions of Thompson’s “vigor” is accurate. He appears to be as “vigorous” as the other candidates, to me.
They must have a negative. What else have they got???
No one knows that that committee is but us hardy political hacks.
I hope so too.
Fred ought to be able to pick off enough soft Huckabee and Romney supporters to win this thing, if he plays his cards right.
OK, I can live with that. In fact I agree with Fred. Nobody reading this thread (Save the odd DU lurker who didn't make it past the first three paragraphs in the original article) believes it to be proper for a US Government sponsored liberal agenda, so why would a US Government conservative agenda be OK?
To wish it so is to ignore the tenth amendment. That's no different than ignoring the second, or the fifth. Social change is the purview of the States, or the People. What you are saying is there is a little Ron Paul in Fred, and that's OK by me. If Paul were as pro self defense on a national level as he is on a personal one I'd think he'd be the front runner today.
Anyway, Fred is is own man, and isn't a composite public face molded by handlers or public relations experts designed to me everything to everyone and happy to be something for most. Fred will do what Fred will do, and if most of what he does is what you wish, then vote for him.
We do that for any candidate, but Fred is what. you see, not what you wish to see.
He’s not the one who used the term “reinvigorated.” The liberal journalist did. The MSM can’t talk about Fred’s positions lest the people figure out who the real conservative is in the race. Hence the ad hominum attacks.
Smart voters consider the source and judge accordingly. The campaign has never said it needed to be invigorated, and, in fact, a study by Gannett Newspapers found that Fred was second, after John McCain, in frequency of campaign stops.
It’s too bad that so many FReepers are unthinkingly playing into the hands of the media and the Dems by parroting the “lazy” line. You’d think they’d know better.
It doesn’t matter if they already know about the committee or not.
If he says he was chairman of a committee that directly advised the State Department on issues of international terrorism and nuclear proliferation, people will get it.
Wrong. He is in third place.”
Source?
Guilianni — Ack!
Romney — Oh no!
Huckabee — Don’t joke around!
McCain — Coo Coo!
Paul — Coo Coo Too!
Which leaves: Thompson, Hunter and Tancredo.
Hunter is, intellectually speaking, also my first choice. But he never seems to get more than about 2% of the polls. I can’t support someone who can’t raise money, can’t get any attention and can’t move up in the polls at all. Fred is the next best thing (and he doesn’t fall short by much at all), so he’s got my vote.
Hunter will make a SUPERB Secretary of Defense in the Thompson Administration, and will nicely complement John Bolton over at State.
Do you honestly believe that anyone, outside of policy wonks, are going to even be able to listen to the entire title
International Security Advisory Board for the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation
without their eyes glazing over?
ISAB/BISN is even too long for a decent acronym. Most people couldn't give a decent definition of "nonproliferation", much less figure out what it means in that title.
And the fact that "nonproliferation" seems to contain the words "nonprolife" could hurt him amongst the stupider elements of the pro life movement.
And no I'm not kidding. (Ask me how many times I get criticized by otherwise well meaning church members when I tell them one of my hobbies is "medieval philosophy". All they hear is "evil" and "philosophy")
That info is in his resume for those who need it. From my understanding of his appearance here in Jackson, that I sadly had to miss despite having access to tickets, he talked up the WOT and the Iranian threat a good amount.
That is Fred’s way, going directly to the people. it worked for two successful Senate runs.
...and right now the MSM is pulling hard for Huckabee. Rudy gets hardly a mention. They clearly think that the Huckster will be more easily disposed of than Rudy. Of course, Rudy will also lose, mainly because he won't be able to energize the Republican base. Fred can and will.
Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
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