Notice the Romanov double-headed eagle on the podium and the guards dressed in old Imperial-style dress uniforms.
Posted on 07/24/2010 3:47:23 PM PDT by Brices Crossroads
Below is a transcript of a portion of Fred Thompson's interview with Rich Galen on his radio show July 23, 2010 in which Thompson and Galen discuss the relative merits of Gingrich and Palin, as well as the likelihood that either or both will enter the GOP.
Galen is a former press Secretary to Gingrich, and he gives the back of his hand to Sarah Palin in the interview, calling her "a really interesting personalit[y]...but not necessarily ... qualified to be the nominee or be president." Incredibly, and to his discredit, Thompson laughingly agrees:
"THOMPSON: Uh huh...
GALEN: And uh, I don’t think Sarah Palin’s ever going to be the nominee. I don’t think she believes that she can be the nominee and I’m not sure she wants to get into that. I mean, I think she’s, uh...you know...she’s doing what she does and she’s doing what she does better than anybody we’ve seen in a long time.
THOMPSON: You know she may be in the first stages of Newtism, and that is, uh, being...being a real player and going around the country making lots of money. (Laughs)
GALEN: Yeah, and ...
THOMPSON: That’s what Newt’s done for a long time and maybe he’s ready...maybe he’s ready for the next stage and maybe, uh, you’re right. Maybe Sarah’s idea is that she’ll do this for a while and then her second stage will come along a little later."
As someone who supported Fred Thompson in 2007-8 both on this forum and financially, I am bitterly disappointed that, at a minimum, he did not correct Galen's outrageous statement that she is unqualified to be either the nominee or the President. I know Rush Limbaugh or Mark Levin would have defended her because I have heard them both do it. In fact, Galen would never even have made such an outrageous statement in front of them because he would know it would draw a harsh refudiation from either El Rushbo or the Great One. (In fact, I heard Levin take Ann Coulter to task one time because she trashed Thompson).
Instead, he says "uh huh" and proceeds to amplify Galen's canard by citing the lamestream media/GOP Establishment wishful thinking-spin that she is too happy making money to run. Galen is a RINO "gun for hire" and former employee of Gingrich. He is not admirable, but he is doing what he is paid for. Fred Thompson has no such excuse. Shame on him.
The transcript of the entire segment on Newt and Palin is below:
"THOMPSON: Rich Galen, the founder of Mullings.com, the wit and wisdom of Rich Galen uh, if you want to check that out. Rich, you’ve been around here a long time, uh, you worked for Newt Gingrich, you worked for Dan Quayle and, uh, GOPAC and uh...
GALEN: And Fred Thompson..
THOMPSON: Yeah, I thank you much for that. We had a lot of fun on the campaign trail. They’re coming out of the woodwork now. Do you think Newt might be serious this time...?
GALEN: Yeah I do...
THOMPSON: You know Newt pretty well and Newt, this time of the year every four years you know, uh, says, “Well, I’m thinking about it, I’m thinking about it” and then he doesn’t. What do you think?
GALEN: Yeah, I think that, uh, that this time, unless there is some..something pops up between now and next February that says “don’t do it”, he’s...I think he’s disposed to do it. So I think he’s gonna be a candidate.
THOMPSON: Is that right? How do you think he figures...is it as clear as, you know, it seems to be, and that is that Obama is very unpopular and, uh, he can’t come back like Reagan did, uh, in his second two years and be re-elected?
GALEN: And Clinton did...
THOMPSON: And Clinton did...
GALEN: Yeah, you can’t..I don’t think you can project that far out. I think what Newt is...and I’m putting words in his mouth; I haven’t discussed this with him...I have discussed the first part with him, but not this part.
THOMPSON: Uh huh...
GALEN: The, uh, I think what Newt is looking at is A) the Republican competition, first of all. I mean, it doesn’t matter whether the incumbent can be defeated. If you’re not the nominee then it doesn’t make any difference. Um, and uh, I think he looks across the landscape, uh and he sees some really interesting personalities.
THOMPSON: (Loudly laughs) You’ve been in town too long Rich, you’re becoming too diplomatic. (Loudly laughs again)
GALEN: But not necessarily people who are qualified to be the nominee or be president.
THOMPSON: Uh huh...
GALEN: And uh, I don’t think Sarah Palin’s ever going to be the nominee. I don’t think she believes that she can be the nominee and I’m not sure she wants to get into that. I mean, I think she’s, uh...you know...she’s doing what she does and she’s doing what she does better than anybody we’ve seen in a long time.
THOMPSON: You know she may be in the first stages of Newtism, and that is, uh, being...being a real player and going around the country making lots of money. (Laughs)
GALEN: Yeah, and ...
THOMPSON: That’s what Newt’s done for a long time and maybe he’s ready...maybe he’s ready for the next stage and maybe, uh, you’re right. Maybe Sarah’s idea is that she’ll do this for a while and then her second stage will come along a little later.
GALEN: There’s no, uh, I mean there’s no advantage for somebody like Sarah Palin to absolutely do, uh, you know, do a, uh, what’s the statement that we always talk about?
THOMPSON: Sherman-like...
GALEN: A Sherman statement, you know, if nominated I will not run. If elected, I will not serve. I mean, it doesn’t do any good to take herself out of the running. It makes good sense for her to be among the mentioned and, uh, you know why get in the way of that? Next Spring, sometime, she’ll decide what she wants to do and everybody will react to it then. But uh,...
THOMPSON: Uh huh...
GALEN: Yeah, I think the threshold question is I think Newt is serious about it.
Well said Kandy! I think the stakes are high...and we need to win. Having said that, I think winning and governing successfully are two different subjects. Any Republican can win...Palin should not run, as I don’t think Palin is the one “we’ve been waiting for”.
No white supremacist wanted in the return the Declaration’s God-given Rights to men of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
You People? Hey now FRiend! What’s with this ‘YOU PEOPLE’!?!? (just kidding)
I appreciate the well documented argument, and clearly there is some merit to your perspective. However, Palin supporters can’t selectively praise her for ‘standing up to Obama and the liberal elite’ and say she quit her job because she was no longer able to do it with all the attention she was getting. Either she is tough enough to take the heat and do her job or she’s not. If being a popular target of the left while trying to execute the duties of the Alaskan governorship is too distracting, what have you seen her demonstrate that shows you that she can handle the presidency?
Looking back, I don’t know how Bush did it. I think he should have stood up to his critics, answer back at least a little, and I would have liked Sarah to show that kind of mettle to go against her critics and expose them as the desperate frauds that they are. No such luck.
I live in Arizona, and I’m guessing its the newness of the SB1070 thing, but I am just waiting for motivated leftists to dig into Brewer’s history, sift through her trash and pull out all the stops to find something that will besmirch her. I am sure this coming gubernatorial race (Brewer’s first) will be brutal with national resources doing opposition research on everything she has ever done.
So. To address your arguments one x one:
She quit honorably because she wasn’t able to do the job any longer because she was attracting too much attention from the left. You believe voters would have preferred her to step aside.
First, I believe that is supposition on your part that you know the will of the Alaskan people. Had she defeated a few of these ethics probes, they would have subsided. However, you assume she would have been clinging to power, broke, gasping for air. Why such desperation? Even the moonbats give up after a while. But no, she quit. I don’t think quitting is an option at the presidential level.
I am not outraged that she quit. She can do whatever she wants, but it doesn’t demonstrate the stamina (I won’t say courage) to weather the presidency.
Smack down? Don’t flatter yourself.
Those politicians continued to serve out the offices they were duly elected to serve in. As distasteful as it is with that list of shady characters, they did serve out their terms as elected. Politicians milking jobs? duh.
“Higher Calling”...come on man. The thinly veiled religious fanaticism associated with Palin followers has got to stop. Let’s not become easy targets here. Her facebook jabs at Obama didn’t do everything. She’s not elected, has no power, and her facebook comments were pretty indicative of the right wing sentiment on every issue. Which is my major point with her - she’s not a thought leader, or projecting original thoughts. Nothing she posted isn’t something Rush or Steyn or Hannity hadn’t been chatting up. EVERY Republican is against Cap’n’Trade. Every senator and congressman had been complaining about that. Don’t grant Palin some power she doesn’t have. I don’t think anyone would honestly cite her as the most influential person in the mix at this point. She has NO power...period. As for her endorsements...Again, I live in Arizona. I saw Sarah campaigning for McCain. So don’t tell me how she’s bravely endorsing conservatives as a rule.
Inexperience: As an executive the 2.5 years of governor of one of the least populated and least complex states, mayor of wasilla (ahem), and helping run a small business. Yeah, I’d say that’s not a lot of experience. If she had more experience, she would have chewed up Couric and the other leftist media types. She didn’t. Larger states, more complex scenarios, more direct involvement in varied executive roles would have necessarily made her more decisive, a better communicator, and forced her to have her positions more thought out. She’s just not there yet.
I appreciate a debate. I hope someone we can all agree is a better choice than Sarah comes along (and soon). We can all go and vote this person into the presidency and feel great about it as conservatives.
You articulated it very well.
I am a huge Sarah fan, because she IS saying what needs to be said, without cowering in fear like 99.9% of Republican politicians and talking heads.
However, stealing the hopey changey line bugged me too, and the fact that while she is always on the correct side, and brings up the correct points, she doesn’t have an original analysis or insight like, say, a Rush Limbaugh.
If she were our nominee, that would be good enough for me, but I fear that too many independents and less-political folks have believed the negative press about her. And I fear that maybe it’s true that she is not ready for prime time.
But I love her and wish she were the one to beat Obama. Certainly I don’t know who else can be an unabashed conservative and explain why the constitutional way is best for EVERY American. That is whom we need.
A willingness to give up coercive power such as a political seat is a virtue the lack of which is partly the reason for this nations' troubles. Clinging to power is the one thing a corrupt person or a compromised person will never do of their own free will, and that is why we so seldom see it and see arrogance instead. There is an unfortunate mindset in this country that power is the objective and that mindset is destroying us.
If Bob Dole and McCain had known when to fight and when to forget their quest for power in exchange for the less prestigious power of the pen in political debate this nation might never have had to suffer through two communist presidents and congresses full of people so habituated to the Beltway and the northeast that they have lost touch with reality and indeed, any pretense of sanity. They have come to believe that they personally are essential and nothing could be further from the truth.
You've never quit a job before? That's such a silly argument. She quit a job. If that's the criteria, you sure would never vote for me.
Maybe, like a gazillion other people, they think she's the best man for the job. Certainly has the biggest balls.
Second, a good General must distinguish which battles
can be won and which had better be avoided.
Third, truth -like fractals- seems to repeat itself
in all the little things, at all levels.
Sounds like you've been sleeping with the enemy, and are proud of it.
” “a really interesting personalit[y]...but not necessarily ... qualified to be the nominee or be president.””
Where do people get this? I hear it in the most unlikely places - among “Conservatives”. It is spectaculary and glaringly WRONG.
Sarah Palin has publicly proven her ability to govern by reforming the corrupt Alaska government and then went on to bring the oil companies into line where she could get them to benefit the Alaska citizens directly. How many candidates for anything could you say these things about?
She is MORE qualified than most of the the qualified!
Newt actually didn’t say he would love to debate barry, BOR said newt would and newt babbled something about “exploring different philosophies”. Please. If you want to see newt “debate” just look at his debate/agreement with john kerry that man-made global warming is a great threat. Then look at his debate with mario cuomo where he apologizes for conservatism.
LLS
Remember this one... Time magazine's cover, “THE GINGRICH THAT STOLE CHRISTMAS”? newt couldn't get elected dog catcher. No offense but newt is one of the worst candidates that we could have... but he is one of a few that the gop machine can control... they cannot control Palin.
LLS
Who is this mythical GOP presidential candidate who is magnetic, articulate, and can think on his/her feet, and who isn’t carrying a trainload of baggage like Newt’s??
Face it: sharp people do not run for President these days. The job is a blender that grounded ones do no aspire for.
So far, Palin is about the best compromise around. Like Reagan, she is not a Mensa candidate, but so what? She definitely is sharper than Reagan was at that point in his career.
The economic conditions in 2012 will dictate the outcome of the race. Obama wins if they are tolerable and seem to be going in a positive direction. If not, the GOPer. A LOT will be overlooked. In that circumstance, I prefer someone with some star power and some fairly reliable conservative principles. My only reluctance about Palin is her steadfastness to those principles. She has compromised in the past.
LLS
You reminded me of a serious moment in Star Wars (Empire Strikes Back) when Obi Won thought the galaxy was lost because Luke Skywalker was leaving his training early. He said “that boy is our last hope...”
And Yoda said,
“no, there is another”
(referring to his sister, princess leia).
I’ll admit, kind of obscure...
Notice the Romanov double-headed eagle on the podium and the guards dressed in old Imperial-style dress uniforms.
I never noticed that before... you may be right. Thanks for pointing that out. He probably does think himself King.
LLS
“This thread has gone to 300 posts. Please tell me who has done more to aggressively attack the Obama nightmare than Palin?”
It is proof as I said to one poster that the only person and the only personality in the GOP who is both interesting and consequential is Palin. She is thus the target of the left and will be for all time. She is the target of the ambitious and the Establishment in the GOP, such as Galen.
As far as leaving the GOP, I wouldn’t consider it, my friend. The GOP is coming your way. Sarah Palin is about to seize it as Reagan did in 1980. This time, there will be no Bush mole on the ticket to turn it back over.
I'm a long-time student of Russian history. If you watch what's happening in Russia today culturally, there is a great deal of nostalgia for the Tsars. The Russians are also mythologizing of the old Tsarist White Army and its betrayed leader, Admiral Aleksandr Kolchak, who somewhat resembles Putin.
In fact, one of the most successful recent films in Russia was Admiral, which presents a romanticized "lost cause" view of Kolchak's later career as an Imperial Russian naval officer and leader of the White forces in Siberia during the Russian Civil War, never minding the inconvenient fact that Kolchak was in reality just as big a butcher as Trotsky.
Anyway, Communism aside, the Russians have always loved their Tsars and still do, and Putin plays on that to maintain his hold on power. I suspect that he thinks that he is indeed a modern day Kolchak.
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