Fred Thompson To Run For RNC Chair?

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To go along with Wordsmiths post below comes the news that Fred Thompson may be considering a challenge for the RNC chair:

“I’m extremely excited that he’s considering it,” said Scooter Clippard, a Middle Tennessee businessman who spearheaded national fundraising for the Thompson and McCain campaigns. “It’s time for a change. Fred Thompson would be the absolute best person to articulate that message for the party.”

Thompson’s appeal, his supporters say, is that he has no future presidential ambitions for himself — only for his party. The former actor is also an able communicator — once famously described as a “southern-fried Reagan” — in a party sorely in need of a new message and a new direction.

“The party’s going to be looking for a messenger. Here’s a guy who’s looking toward the future of the country, not looking to pad his resume,” former Thompson campaign staffer Bob Davis of Nashville said…

Thompson has not said anything about the RNC chairmanship publicly, but the prospect has his supporters intrigued. Even former Republican presidential nominee John McCain is in on the speculation.

Wow! Michael Steele or Fred Thompson…..now that is going to be one difficult choice to make.

While I love Steele, I would have to side with Fred on this one. To see him on TV and radio as the voice of the Republican party would be fantastic.

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i liked fred until he put out that 15 min video during the election declaring his support of McCain. It wasn’t that i thought that was a bad thing but it was so corny and full of crap. I thought i was a horrible video, i was disappointed in fred for sure. I agreed with some of what he was saying about the liberal illuminati but the way he went about it was pretty lame. Not sure i would support him.

From The HILL. A co Chair for the GOP ?

Some GOP activists suggested that Maria Cino, who headed the successful 2008 Republican National Convention, could be named RNC co-chairwoman along with Steele to do the real heavy lifting the job entails. She would also do well as a balance candidate to someone like former Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.), who is known more for his star power than his willingness to roll up his sleeves and spend his time crisscrossing the country fundraising and developing innovative grassroots solutions.

Curt I have to disagree with you on this one 😉

Fred’s performance during the primaries leads me to believe that he is just a little too laid back for the RNC Chair, but there are lots of ways his skills are important.

Personally I could live with either Newt or Michael as Chair…both bring a dynamism to the job that is sorely lacking. And most important, NEITHER is a RINO!

Steele all the way.

I guess Newt has said he doesn’t want to do it.

I’ve liked Fred even before I met him down here in SC last October. But I have to say I would prefer Steele in the job. I really think we need to elevate the younger GOP leaders who we will need to run for high office in the next ten years.

Giving Fred all that visibility won’t help us build the public image of future leaders.

@Mike’s America:

But I have to say I would prefer Steele in the job. I really think we need to elevate the younger GOP leaders who we will need to run for high office in the next ten years.

I agree. While I am a total Fredhead, it is time to let the young guard of the party to get the face time and recognition they deserve.

Why not Sarah Palin?

>>Why not Sarah Palin?>>

While I enthusiastically echo your feeling, Sarah should stay where she is for now. First let’s let things settle down. She has a job, and another couple of years won’t hurt her. She can stay where she is and keep doing what she’s doing. Head of the RNC isn’t a time limited job, I don’t think – if it looks like she needs more contact with more RNC bigwigs in the lower 48 to gain support, there’s time enough to switch later. To be honest, it seems to me that she doesn’t cut much ice with the entrenched RNC leaders – it’s the RNC _people_ she connects with. She doesn’t need to be dancing with the current leaders to make that connection in another 4 years. They won’t forget her.
If it looks like 2012 is a good year, she might be right. If it looks like Obama is going to be in for 8 years, you don’t want to run someone who might be tainted by a loss. Like this year. I’m not entirely sure McCain wasn’t “let” win the primaries because some people decided a Republican couldn’t win this time, and he became a “sacrifice” candidate. Maybe they thought she was as well – and didn’t bargain for the response. That’s just a speculation kind of thing…just a thought.

PS. _IF_ Obama gets elected by the College of Electoral Voters. The eligibility issue is still out there. I’m not holding my breath, but it isn’t over till it’s over.

Sue I couldn’t agree with the points you’ve made more. You hit the nail on the head.

Some of the criticism of Sarah had merit, so these next 2 years need to be built broadening her base outside of AK, letting the rest of the people here know who she is and what she stands for. Let her build on her already impressive accomplishments – and get them PUBLICIZED! (That is partially up to us folks). She needs to build her visibility and her “street cred” and continue to be herself.

I know she’s on the agenda for CPAC this year, that’s a start in the right direction.

I agree that Palin as RNC Chief wouldn’t be the best fit. It’s a good job, but not the best one to use if your goal is to run in 2012. For that you need to be Independent of the party and form your own statewide organization. The two roles would clash.

USMC: What criticisms of Palin had merit? Some people say that her folksy manner isn’t “presidential.” Is that what you mean? Certainly none of the stuff leaked by anonymous sources in the McCain campaign or the smears that the lefties dragged up after she was nominated had any merit.

intersting theory suek, i had a brief thought about that and decided i was being paranoid. glad you have had the same thought. i really like palin, but i don’t see her in that position anytime soon. i also really like fred thompson, i really do, but i agree that we need to bring the freshness of youth into the mix. most people voiew the rnc as being a whole bunch of old people who have old ways of doing things. i really think if we had run an internet campaign the way obama did we would have had more votes going our way.

I’m with SueK here. As I said on another thread, Sarah will continue being a governor… and should.

By 2012 her accomplishments in that position will speak for itself. Frankly, I’m happy that the DNC thinks so much of Sarah as to spend post election time tearing her down with petty untruths. Why would they do that if she is as inconsequential as they portray her?

Simple. It means that we have, again, latched on to the foundation of the conservative principles in leadership. And it makes the opposition nervous…. They are busy discrediting Obama’s possible competition way in advance.

Although her folksiness is one of the things that endeared her to me right from the start, I think it made others uncomfortable 😉 She could be my younger sister if I had one, plain spoken and forth right. None of those stupid smears have anything to do with what the reality is as far as our Vice Presidential candidate was concerned. She is and has always been a young woman with no fear of jumping in with both feet and doing her part to make her country great. She’s accomplished an enormous amount in a short time. In another time she would be acknowledged as a brave and patriotic American.

I’m stepping back from my personal bias towards her and looking to see where she can take the opportunity to continue to build her resume and expertise. While personally I believe that if called upon, she would have risen to the task of running this country, her years of experience were limited, that was to me a legitimate source of concern. Once again, while her down to earth direct speak appealed to me personally, politics is a business that notices when you lack the sophistication that the public thinks a nationally ranked politician should have. In Alaska, that’s ok but on the national stage, not so easily accepted. I think it limited her appeal and her ability to reach some of the undecideds.

My point to this is that whatever rough edges the American public might have thought she had during this cycle can be polished and smoothed without tainting her message and value structure. Her public speaking could use to come up a notch or two and all her resume can do is grow given more time. And, she’ll be ready for the press jackals next time around.

Actually it’s a pretty easy choice; Steele all the way.

We lost the 18-29 vote big time on Nov 4; Obama got about 68% of it. If we don’t get it back fast it will be gone for good.

We need new, young, fresh, articulate spokesmen and women. Yes I like Fred, but he’s absolutely the wrong face for the party. He won’t get anyone anymore excited than…. constantly bringing up Ronald Reagan.

Which is another thing; Reagan means nothing to those under maybe 35. No, it’s not a matter of poor public education, we on the right have to face up to the fact that we’re not going to win votes with old guys, whether dead or alive.

“No, it’s not a matter of poor public education, we on the right have to face up to the fact that we’re not going to win votes with old guys, whether dead or alive.” (Tom the Redhunter)

What do you have against experience and wisdom? The young ones like Obama has nothing to show and no life experience. Sarah was a brilliant exception. But still… an exception.

I’m a Fred Thompson fan but you have to wonder if his heart is still in politics. His run in the primary raised some questions but they probably would have no relevance for running the RNC. And the GOP has more to fix than filling one vacancy. There appears to be little hint at how that process will go from this point.