Fred Thompson appeared on the Glenn Beck show today and Hot Air has the audio. Two segments below:
A bit of the transcript:
GLENN: Then let’s start here. I have a — as a voter, as an American, I have a quest and so far I haven’t seen anybody that hits all of this. I have a quest of hiring a President or voting for a President that is not going to compromise with evil, and that is in the Middle East, that’s, you know, here and abroad, but also not going to compromise with socialism and what I believe is a global movement to turn us away from our own Constitution. Convince me that you’re the guy.
SENATOR THOMPSON: The two big issues facing us, the Democrats clearly want to take us down the road of a welfare state. I think that we’re at a crossroads in that respect. I think that as some would have it, the Government would become more and more of a transferation between some Americans to others, between one generation to another and it would continue to grow and the attitude would be, don’t worry, be happy, we’ll take care of things and, you know, we’re spending our grandkids’ money but let them worry about that.
GLENN: Go ahead.
SENATOR THOMPSON: That’s on the social front. That’s my plan on the social front. On the other side there are those who think that if we will sit down across the table from the most evil people in the world and just talk common sense to them that they basically, just the way we are and they think the way that we do and we can work things out. In the meantime the world is becoming a more dangerous place almost day by day. It’s not only the terrorist organizations and the weapons of mass destruction that they have at their disposal out there in the world that they are trying to get their hands on but it’s the rogue nations that have the infrastructure and so forth to create these things on their own or to cooperate with the terrorist organizations, and we have to be stronger and more united and more committed in terms of unity and resources than we’ve ever been before.
Bryan brings up the fact that some talking heads are asking “where is Fred?” My answer would be “he has been right out there in plain view but the MSM is ignoring him.” I’ve done multiple posts on his recent speeches and activities, but the MSM is no where to be found and then they have the gall to ask where he is?
Sheesh….
Just today the founder and president of the Leadership Institute, Mr. Morton Blackwell, endorsed Fred Thompson:
Of all the candidates who have a chance of winning the
Republican presidential nomination, Fred Thompson is my choice. Senator
Thompson has the most conservative instincts on the public policy
issues that are important to America.”
Fred wrote this out in thanks:
I am grateful for the endorsement of Morton Blackwell,
who is one of the most respected leaders of the conservative movement
in America. His long history in the conservative movement matches my
own journey. We were both early supporters of Barry Goldwater and
Ronald Reagan and we have been consistent conservatives since. I
appreciate Morton’s confidence in my commitment to conservative
principles, my vision for our country, and my ability to lead it.
Day after day it seems Fred has real true conservatives endorsing him and Bill Kristol thinks the fight between Mitt and Huck can give an opening to Fred & McCain:
This gives John McCain and Fred Thompson a big opportunity. In
tomorrow’s debate, they can go presidential. They can draw a contrast
with the squabbling governors and mayor next to them on stage. It is,
after all, a wartime election, even if voters occasionally forget it.
There are, after all, big domestic issues at stake, like entitlement
reform and the courts. Thompson and McCain are lagging in the polls,
but they are (now more than ever, ironically) the most presidential
candidates in the race. Can one of them pull off an upset by refusing
to pander and to squabble, by refusing to stoop to (try to) conquer?
Fred’s out there everyday trying to get his message across. Now if only people would start to give him a second look because really, he is the natural conservative choice with a long history of true principled conservative leadership
UPDATE
Early early poll in Wisconsin, but interesting nonetheless:
The poll found that of the Republicans and independents leaning toward
Republican, 30 percent chose Fred Thompson, followed by Giuliani, John
McCain, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney.
See author page
I agree.
Fred is finally doing what I have advised recently which is to be on some conservative talk show every day, whether the host is naturally antagonistic or not. I have been monitoring the number of comments that “Fred is dead” or conservative blogs and they have increased in the last four days. There is still an incredible base of support out there but he HAS to make it so that the question has no reason to be asked. Fred HAS to appear as if there are no concerns about his viability and never acknowledge any questions about it. The average pubby has to turn on his Fox or Beck or whatever and see Fred alive, relaxed, and kicking every freaking day, happy and unconcerned as can be.
Fred also HAS to stop two things: personally criticize Huckabee and mention any media bias. His previous attempts to do either of those two things have not resonated and there isn’t time to try again. EVERYBODY who cares about Huckabee’s negatives either have heard or will hear from someone else all they can handle, this information doesn’t need to come from Fred.
My last two pieces of advice to him is this: he needs to become all Jesus all the time. The time for “I don’t change for nobody, take me or leave me” is over. I know all about the ends not justifying the means, I had read Dostoyevsky in the original, but Fred, the fate of the country you love and of the world as we know it is in your hands, don’t mess it up. You’re an actor, play a part for humanity, it’s that serious. In retrospect, Fred would be well on the way to being an unbeatable candidate if he had gotten the Evangelicals on his side. There is time, but the time is incredibly short. The only way to knock out the evil Huck is to out-Jesus him. Find a way to get the images of Fred in church (I know they exist, I’ve seen them) turned into commercials and played on in Iowa, SC and GA. The has to be Fred talking about his love for the Lord quoting Bible passages all the time IN ADDITION to Fred on Fox and whatever talking about Iran and impoverishing the future generations. There is no need for “fiscal conservative”, “experienced on foreign policy”, or “tough on illegals” commercials in Iowa, won’t accomplish a damn thing. Remember Fred, you said you’re at peace with the Lord, talk a little more about it, that’s all. And do something dramatic, give Dr. Dobson a hug, show some Christian forgiveness. Lead an African-American congregation in prayer, I’ve seen the polls they love you in the South, more than the white folks.
And lastly come out with a crisp vision of a shining city on the hill, YOUR version. Do you realize that NOBODY in the pubby race has created a simple vision? Huck is catching fire because he has reduced it to being on God’s side, but there you don’t have to go his way, just have a vision an articulate in in a televised speech. Mention Jesus in the closing statement. Fred, my advice is good, do it for all of us!
Hey Curt – Your “Fred Thompson” category is not working. I wanted to link to your archive of Fred Thompson posts, but the category is not a clickable link.
Hmmm, well just went through the category and fixed it all up but as usual with movable type its only showing the first 10 posts.
Moving back to WordPress with a whole new blog and new header picture soon. Can’t wait. Nothing but problems with Movable Type.
Until then use this link for all my Fred posts.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22fred+thompson%22+site%3Afloppingaces.net
Igor: I would disagree with Fred dropping his emphasis on immigration, foreign policy and fiscal conservatism. Those are all strengths for Fred and weak points for Huck.
Just by touting his credentials in that area he can highligh Huck’s lack of them without even mentioning him by name.
The immediate threat to the nation is both the national debt and infrastucture yet it’s those pesky “outside forces (which will always be invented if none exist)” that seems to top the Republican candidates’ agenda (even if the press started it, the cadidates should be able to take back control of their messages). Most world superpowers died from decay rather than from an invasion while they were still strong. If the World Trade Center towers in New York were still standing, yet an engineer felt that they were going to collapse on their own in the next 30 years (and it turns out to be a true statement, but the people now don’t know it), how would the candidates respond? I know something like that was presented to the university I went to. The engineer said a multi story parking structure would collapse during the next big earthquake. The university just got more engineers to dispute that finding. The Northridge earthquake happened and indeed the structure collapsed. Just look what the Democrats did with New Orleans and they had over 40 years to get it right. Instead they tried to shift blame because they couldn’t do their job when New Orleans flooded.
I think the Republican candidates should focus on infrastructure rather than homeland security. In 2003, $56 billion was spent by the general U.S. government for homeland security. This story says the infrastucture problem could be spending $800 billion more on infrastucture (the U.S. already spends $120 billion to patch it rather than fix it) in 5 years. Eliminating homeland security would provide $280 billion in that five years. Some of that money could come from saved money that was used to patch the existing infrastucture. It could be sold as a “no recession” on my watch plank, eliminate the non functioning Homeland Security (didn’t stop those school, mall and church shootings which are acts of terrorism) and beat the Democrats in the government helping the people department. They can also showing where it will be saving the federal government money over the years.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/26/business/Glob27.php
he needs to become all Jesus all the time
I don’t think this approach would work. Not that I necessarily have a winning plan either, but I don’t think Fred is going to out-Jesus Huckabee. Emphasizing his conservative record and proposals, and managing expectations so that third-place finishes in IA and NH don’t make people write him off going in to SC, seems like a better idea.
Mike and bbartlog, I don’t mean to say that Fred needs to permanently drop making substantive points, I’m talking about the next three weeks in Iowa, where is moving for a couple of weeks. In fact I’m an atheist who doesn’t much care about abortions, homosexual marriages, Mormons and their theological differences with Christians, or anything that happens to resonate with Evangelicals based strictly on their religious beliefs. I care about Iran, illegal immigration, taxes, Federalism, and the 2nd amendment and happen to enthusiastically agree with Fred’s positions on these issues and consider other candidates seriously flawed in some of these areas. HOWEVER I also understand human psychology.
As we all have heard, doing something the same way and expecting different results is insanity. This isn’t strictly true as just pulling the level on a slot machine indefinitely will eventually result in SOME success after a lot of failure. But slot machines aren’t a good analogy for winning elections. WHAT FRED IS CURRENTLY DOING ISN’T WORKING. Denial in my opinion, as I learned from Charlie Munger who is a very wise man, is the strongest force in understanding human behavior. Denying that Fred is on a losing path will not result in victory.
I believe that many thoughtful and rational voters are convinced that Fred is the best man for the job. Yet he is losing. Why? It took the Huckapalooza to point to the biggest part of the answer: the Evangelicals want to hear unabashed God talk, they want to be loved, understood, and pandered to by the candidates. Just like many conservatives who say that they will not vote for this or that RINO even if that hands Hillary the nomination, the people personally connected to the Lord will not vote for someone who isn’t deferential enough to them. Terri Schiavo, Dr. Dobson, not attending church regularly are all signs that point in one direction: Fred isn’t exactly one of THEM. All of a sudden the idiot Huck shows up. He has no other redeeming qualities besides his godliness and a sense of humor, yet when he appears viable in terms of making it to the end he is received like a rock star. Learn from it, make these people feel appreciated and WIN.
I read press releases from Iraq by our brave military every day. Lately, they started referring to the murderer of Americans Mookie Al-Sadr as “Al-Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr” which is an honorific term in the Iraqi culture. If the US military can do THIS to win and save American lives, Fred can surely play a little footsie with the God people to save the free world from annihilation. In fact by being where he is and what he is he has a RESPONSIBILITY to do what he has to to win.
As I mentioned in my first post, he also has to dispel the notion that he is dead and appearing on every TV channel all the time is the best way to do that. I’m not saying he has to stop talking THERE about substance. I just heard a woman call Rush from Germany about whether she should vote absentee for her best candidate or for the one who is likely to win in the South Carolina primary. Her favorite was Fred, but she questioned his viability. This call literally made me squirm, but that’s reality.
I also do think that Fred has to create a hopeful vision. I read poll results in detail, people in their majority believe in the positive, activist role for government even though I don’t and Fred doesn’t and his supporters don’t. Problem is he has few supporters left in the “general population”. As it happens, the general population is very ambivalent about to what degree to support the illegals that are already here. Making strong statements about this topic over and over is questionable at point. Fred has to articulate a hopeful vision to give something to hope for to the crowd that doesn’t know the spirit of the Constitution from a hole in the ground. Just because the world is full of worthless idiots doesn’t mean that their existence or influence needs to be denied. I didn’t like Fred’s comment that if Americans really wants someone like Huck it’s up to them. Of course it is, but who among us wouldn’t save America if we could by whatever means necessary?
Lastly, there are very few people left to convince that his substantive positions are the best if they are not already convinced. That’s why using the commercial time in the early states differently than emphasizing these points can be spend most productively in other ways, and I think