Posted on 10/27/2009 4:45:19 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Fred to Newt: We're not 'deaf, dumb' By: Andy Barr October 27, 2009 07:20 PM EST
Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson brushed back former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Tuesday over Gingrich’s warning that the Republican Party is wrong to thrown in its lot with the Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman over Dede Scozzafava, the GOP’s candidate, in the special election in New York’s 23rd congressional district.
Gingrich has called the many prominent national Republicans – including Thompson – who have endorsed Hoffman over Scozzafava in recent days “misguided,” arguing they are making a “mistake” to back a third-party candidate over the party’s nominee.
The conservatives who back Hoffman point to Scozzafava’s support for abortion right and ties to local union leaders.
During his radio show Tuesday, Thompson said he was “sad” to hear “when a good Republican friend of mine says that I, and the other good, conservative Republicans who have endorsed Hoffman, are ‘misguided.’ And that’d be my friend, Newt Gingrich.”
“I respect Newt. He’s a friend. Done a lot of good, I think. But he endorsed Scozzafava early on. So, we have an honest disagreement in the family,” Thompson said.
But, he added, “Newt said that our support for Hoffman was a ‘purge,’ was ‘misguided,’ was—we were applying a litmus test that said if you’re not 100 percent with us than you're not with us at all. And that Scozzafava was more in step with her district and therefore we shouldn't substitute our judgment for the party elders of the district.”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Uh, perhaps because he is right andUh, why is he right Mr 1998?
NY-23 also demonstrates that Republicans need Conservatives more than Conservatives need Republicans, in order to win elections. No Conservative should back a Democrat Lite, Daily Kos supported, ACORN funded candidate.
This is not a F’ing game, Newt!
Now, if you read my comments out of context and thought that "perhaps because he is right" referred to Newt, then we have a simple communication breakdown and not a disagreement.Well then, thanks for the clarification.
What kills me are the idiots that say the RINO can win, the Conservative hasn’t a chance.
Been there, done that here in California.
Fred didn't withdraw from the race until after he took third in South Carolina and lost his last chance to get his candidacy off the ground. He didn't fail for lack of energy or lack of clarity. He was a good conservative candidate. Unfortunately he arrived late in the process when Republicans were already deeply divided and being a good candidate no longer counted for anything.
Social conservatives were mad because they'd been told for more than a year that they had to accept a lisping, cross dressing, pro-abortion New Yorker. They were gravitating toward some weight loss guru from Arkansas. Lots of veterans were mad because the party seemed to be dissing McCain (who richly deserved dissing). Romney was doing what he does best — spending a boatload of money to promote himself and making everyone queasy.
Fred only started thinking about running after the food fight was well under way. By then the party was no longer looking for the right leader. It was just settling internecine scores and his efforts were wasted.
Disappointed conservatives who want to write him off are wasting a precious asset. Fred explains conservatism to the masses better than anyone in America today aside from Limbaugh, and Rush is never going to be a public official.
Fred may not be right for another presidential run but he there are other roles he could play. Republicans need a coherent national campaign for control of the House in 2010. Such a campaign needs a leader, and nobody in Congress is remotely suitable. The House Republican caucus needs to go outside its ranks for a leader with stature who can speak to the nation on their behalf. Fred would be the perfect choice.
Nothing in the Constitution requires that the Speaker of the House be a member. Republicans can choose any leader they want and elect him Speaker if they take the House. But Fred could probably win the seat in Tennessee Zach Wamp is vacating to run for Governor in a walk if he needs to join the club.
Of course the retards in Congress would never do anything as clever as choosing Fred to lead them. They don't know their own limitations and probably think they can manage without help. Mike Huckabee probably has a better chance of being the next Pope than Fred has of being the next Speaker, but it's fun to dream.
Fred has stuck to his conservative principles. newt has not. In fact, one could argue that populism ‘party’ thinking like Newt’s is what got us McCain instead of Thompson.
Fred was just put in there to get Huck out of the way. Fred is kind of a washout when it comes to the big leagues. Let him stick with acting.
I agree, but he’s doing a good job for conservatism right where he is now.
Onward and upward.
I respect Thompson as much as anyone, and I would have loved to see him as president. But for whatever reason, he couldn’t seal the deal in ‘08. Gotta move forward. He’s doing great work where he is, and I think what he’s doing now suits him (and helps all of us).
Demint just endorsed Hoffman (today I think—or yesterday).
How about one percent? Can we get a candidate that is one freakin percent conservative?
I didn't think so!
EPIC FAIL, Newt.
Fred Thompson is saying and doing the right things, as we should all be doing. Unlike Newt, McCain, Huckster, Romney, among others, who claim to be conservative but refuse to act conservative and endorse Doug Hofmann.
I could NOT have said it better myself.
Fred is a treasure- but America wasn't ready for a treasure- they wanted bling.
~~ You tell him, Fred!
Ditto
Way to go Fred! Republicans need hold to their conservative ideology, really. To forget that is to become a Democratic Party member and a disgrace to the Republicans and conservatives alike. See ya, Newt!
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