Meet Tommy Thompson in Iowa! (Coming to a town near YOU)

Thompson for President MySpace Blog ^ | July 5, 2007 | Governor Thompson's Scheduler

[BillyBoy]

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had an enjoyable Fourth of July. If you are in the area, please join Tommy Thompson at one of these events open to the public. Invite your friends and families to come meet Gov. Thompson and learn about the campaign.

7/7/07 8:30 AM
Coffee & Rolls with Tommy Thompson
2nd St. Emporium
615 - 2nd St.
Webster City, Iowa

7/7/07 10:00 AM
Coffee & Rolls with Tommy Thompson
Webster Co. GOP Headquarters
900 Central Ave.
Fort Dodge, Iowa

7/7/07 12:00 PM
Presidential Party at the Pizza Ranch
Pizza Ranch
211 N. Main St.
Pocahontas, Iowa

7/7/07 4:00 PM
Ice Cream Social with Tommy Thompson
Twin Lakes Golf Club
2131 Twin Lakes Rd.
Rockwell City, Iowa

7/7/07 5:30 PM
An Afternoon with Tommy Thompson
Carrollton Centre
1730 Hwy 71 N
Carroll, Iowa

7/7/07 7:00 PM
Grillin' with the Gov
Spring Lake Park East Shelter Bldg.
1847 - 195th St.
Jefferson, Iowa

7/8/07 4:30 PM
Ice Cream Social with Tommy Thompson
Estes Park
Iowa Falls, Iowa

7/8/07 7:00 PM
Presidential Picnic at the Pavillion Herman Park
Pavillion
Boone, Iowa

7/9/07 10:00 AM
Coffee with Tommy Thompson
JCoffee Cup Café
616 - 4th Ave. #113
Sully, Iowa

7/9/07 12:30 PM
Lunch with Tommy Thompson
Vermeer Global Pavillion
2110 Vermeer Rd. E.
Pella, Iowa

7/9/07 2:30 PM
Meet & Greet with Tommy Thompson
Signatures Bar & Grill
107 N. Buxton St.
Indianola, Iowa

7/9/07 5:00 PM
Ice Cream & Pie with Tommy Thompson
Rudy's Restaurant
419 S. John Wayne Dr.
Winterset, Iowa

7/9/07 7:30 PM
Town Hall Meeting with Tommy Thompson
River Valley Golf Course Club House
Hwy 169 N
Adel, Iowa

7/10/07 8:00 AM
Coffee & Rolls with Tommy Thompson
Depot Crossing Restaurant
1014 - 3rd Ave.
Grinnell, Iowa

7/10/07 9:30 AM
Coffee & Rolls with Tommy Thompson
Doose Café
1106 Marengo Ave.
Marengo, Iowa

7/10/07 11:30 AM
House Party with Governor Tommy Thompson
Home of Gary & Mary Leopold
1440 - 8th St. SW
Mount Vernon, Iowa

7/10/07 1:30 PM
Hot Dogs & Brats with Tommy Thompson
Benton Wildcat Golf Course
100 Wildcat Trail
Shellsburg, Iowa

7/10/07 5:30 PM
Town Hall Meeting with Tommy Thompson
Uptown Lounge & Supper Club
422 W. 2nd St.
Gladbrook, Iowa

7/10/07 7:00 PM
Ice Cream Social with Tommy Thompson
Kiwanis Park @ Hoglan Elementary School
2306 S. 3rd Ave.
Marshalltown, Iowa

7/11/07 8:00AM
Coffee & Donunts with Tommy Thompson
Town & Country Golf Club
1501 12th St.
Grundy Center, Iowa

7/11/07 9:30AM
Coffee & Rolls with Tommy Thompson
Main Street Café
271 S. Main
Allison, Iowa

7/11/07 11:00AM
Lunch with Tommy Thompson
Hampton Country Club
1620 Country Club Ln.
Hampton, Iowa

7/11/07 1:00PM
Lunch with Tommy Thompson
Chicago Dawg
687 Taft Ave.
Mason City, Iowa

7/11/07 5:00PM
Ice Cream Social with Tommy Thompson
Home of Jon & Paula Nicholaisen
2000 Parker St.
New Hampton, Iowa

7/11/07 7:00PM
Town Hall Meeting with Tommy Thompson
Beck's
3295 University Ave.
Waterloo, Iowa

7/12/07 8:00AM
Breakfast with Tommy Thompson the Sportsman
The Sportsmen
1042 Jackson Ave.
Oelwein, Iowa

7/12/07 9:00AM
Coffee with Tommy Thompson
Arieanna's Café
1008 1st St. W.
Independence, Iowa

7/12/07 11:00AM
Presidential Picnic with Tommy Thompson
Home of Chuck & Jane Northrup
409 S. Grandview Ave.
Dubuque, Iowa

7/12/07 1:00PM
Lunch with Tommy Thompson
Flapjacks Family Restaurant
101 McKinsey (Int. Hwy 61 & 64)
Maquoketa, Iowa

7/12/07 5:00PM
Town Hall Meeting with Tommy Thompson
Best Western Frontier (Georgian Room)
2300 Lincolnway
Clinton, Iowa

7/12/07 6:00PM
House Party with Governor Tommy Thompson
Home of Steve Grubbs
Davenport, Iowa

7/13/07 8:00AM
Coffee & Rolls with Tommy Thompson
Betty's Café
103 S Lafeyette St.
Corydon, Iowa

7/13/07 9:30AM
Coffee & Muffins with Tommy Thompson
Continental
217 N 13th St
Centerville, Iowa

7/13/07 11:30AM
Roundtable Discussion with Tommy Thompson
Hotel Manning
100 Van Buren St.
Keosaqua, Iowa

7/13/07 1:00PM
Cobbler & Coffee with Tommy Thompson
Kokomo's Café
2200 W Burlington
Fairfield, Iowa

7/13/07 5:30PM
Town Hall Meeting with Tommy Thompson
Henry Sirloin Stockade
900 N Grand Ave.
Mt Pleasant, Iowa

7/13/07 7:00PM
Town Hall Meeting with Tommy Thompson
The Drake Restaurant
106 Washington St.
Burlington, Iowa

7/14/07 9:00AM
Breakfast with Tommy Thompson
Papa Leo's
126 N Grand
Chariton, Iowa

7/14/07 10:30AM
Breakfast with Tommy Thompson
Redman's Pizza & Steak House
123 S Main Street
Osceola, Iowa

7/14/07 12:00PM
Lunch with Tommy Thompson
The Windrow
102 W Taylor St
Creston, Iowa

7/14/07 2:00PM
Lunch with Tommy Thompson
The Brick Coffee House
362 Public Square
Greenfield, Iowa

7/14/07 4:00PM
Town Hall Meeting with Tommy Thompson
The Pines
1500 E 7th St
Atlantic, Iowa

7/14/07 6:00PM
Town Hall Meeting with Tommy Thompson
Mosquito Creek Restaurant
1840 Madison Ave
Council Bluffs, Iowa

[BillyBoy]

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Senators? NO!

Governors? YES!

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Senators? NO!

Governors? YES!

[BillyBoy]

TOMMY Thompson for POTUS ping!

Welcome to the Official Tommy Thompson ping list! -- The ONLY candidate for President elected statewide in a swing state as a proven conservative!

Please Freepmail me if you want ON or OFF this list. Remember, despite what some freepers may think, Tommy Thompson is the ONLY Thompson out there actually RUNNING for President.

Tommy Thompson: The Reliable Conservative

Tommy Thompson wins Iowa's 2nd Largest County!

TOMMY Thompson for POTUS ping!

Welcome to the Official Tommy Thompson ping list! -- The ONLY candidate for President elected statewide in a swing state as a proven conservative!

Please Freepmail me if you want ON or OFF this list. Remember, despite what some freepers may think, Tommy Thompson is the ONLY Thompson out there actually RUNNING for President.

Tommy Thompson: The Reliable Conservative

Tommy Thompson wins Iowa's 2nd Largest County!

[Clintonfatigued]

I think that a Thompson/Thompson ticket would have great appeal.

[Catholic Iowan]

My wife and I saw Gov. Thompson this morning. Although we haven’t decided who we will support, although leaning towards Duncan Hunter, we really liked what he had to say. Definately one we will keep an I out for, with the Ames straw poll coming up next month.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

“NEXT WE’RE GOING TO AMES TO VISIT A ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE, THEN IT’S ON TO DAVENPORT FOR A RALLY AT A DIVE BAR, THEN DUBUQUE TO MEET WITH A FARMER YEEEAAARARRRRGGGHHH!”

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Tommy doesn’t want the VP slot, and he has no love lost for Fred Thompson.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Um, TR and Coolidge didn’t go from Governorships to the Presidency, dude.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Tommy’s gonna weigh 300 lbs after he’s done with all those lunches.

[BillyBoy]

Iowa Freeper ping!

Since Tommy Thompson might be visiting your hometown, I thought this thread might be of interest to conservatives. And if you’re thinking of voting for the OTHER Thompson, consider the facts below.

THOMPSON VS. THOMPSON - HEAD TO HEAD
On the Fair Tax

TOMMY THOMPSON: I will sign it as soon as it reaches my desk. I believe very much in that fair tax. I think the fair tax is the right thing. (But) I absolutely believe the way the Congress is set up right now, we can’t get it passed.
6/30/2007 REPORT: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1859026/posts?page=1,100

FRED THOMPSON: Ambushed Wednesday by advocates of the ''Fair Tax'' plan to repeal the federal income tax and replace it with a national sales tax. The former senator addressed a Republican state fund-raising luncheon in the state capital of Columbia . He appeared surprised to see more people wearing ''Fair Tax'' stickers than ''Thompson for President'' badges. He did not seem prepared to answer questions about the sweeping tax reform.
7/02/2007 REPORT: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1859485/posts#1

THOMPSON VS. THOMPSON - HEAD TO HEAD
On a “Path to Citizenship” for ILLEGAL Aliens

TOMMY THOMPSON : ANY legislation that provides amnesty to the estimated 12 million illegal aliens currently living in the United States is the WRONG path for our country... The Senate should start by recognizing that there will be NO amnesty or benefit to ANYONE who broke our laws to enter this country. People who are found to be in the country illegally should be returned to their home countries.
REPORT: http://www.theamericanmind.com/2007/05/19/tommy-thompson-opposes-senate-immigration-deal/

FRED THOMPSON: I think that you have to realize that you're either going to drive 12 million people underground permanently, which is not a good solution. You're going to get them all together and get them out of the country, which is not going to happen. Or you're going to have to, in some way, work out a deal where they can have some aspirations of citizenship”
REPORT: http://www.latestpolitics.com/blog/2007/05/fred-thompson-no-restrictionist.html

THOMPSON VS. THOMPSON - HEAD TO HEAD
On Republican Leadership in Washington

TOMMY THOMPSON: “ We went to Washington to change Washington, [but] Washington changed us. We didn't come up with new ideas. We got to transform health care. We got to win the war in Iraq. We got to make sure that we really are conservatives. If we're going to spend money like as foolishly and as stupidly as the Democrats, the voters are going to vote for the professional spender, the Democrat , not the amateur spender, the Republican.
REPORT: http://www.speculativebubble.com/politics/tommy-thompson.php

FRED THOMPSON: “When it comes to personal courage and integrity and the courage to do what he thinks is right, regardless of whether or not it's particularly popular at the moment, John McCain has shown characteristics of leadership like no one else I've ever seen. When it comes to reform of the way Washington does business, John McCain is the leader”
REPORT: http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/08/18/president.2000/thompson.mccain/

Iowa Freeper ping!

Since Tommy Thompson might be visiting your hometown, I thought this thread might be of interest to conservatives. And if you’re thinking of voting for the OTHER Thompson, consider the facts below.

THOMPSON VS. THOMPSON - HEAD TO HEAD
On the Fair Tax

TOMMY THOMPSON: I will sign it as soon as it reaches my desk. I believe very much in that fair tax. I think the fair tax is the right thing. (But) I absolutely believe the way the Congress is set up right now, we can’t get it passed.
6/30/2007 REPORT: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1859026/posts?page=1,100

FRED THOMPSON: Ambushed Wednesday by advocates of the ''Fair Tax'' plan to repeal the federal income tax and replace it with a national sales tax. The former senator addressed a Republican state fund-raising luncheon in the state capital of Columbia . He appeared surprised to see more people wearing ''Fair Tax'' stickers than ''Thompson for President'' badges. He did not seem prepared to answer questions about the sweeping tax reform.
7/02/2007 REPORT: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1859485/posts#1

THOMPSON VS. THOMPSON - HEAD TO HEAD
On a “Path to Citizenship” for ILLEGAL Aliens

TOMMY THOMPSON : ANY legislation that provides amnesty to the estimated 12 million illegal aliens currently living in the United States is the WRONG path for our country... The Senate should start by recognizing that there will be NO amnesty or benefit to ANYONE who broke our laws to enter this country. People who are found to be in the country illegally should be returned to their home countries.
REPORT: http://www.theamericanmind.com/2007/05/19/tommy-thompson-opposes-senate-immigration-deal/

FRED THOMPSON: I think that you have to realize that you're either going to drive 12 million people underground permanently, which is not a good solution. You're going to get them all together and get them out of the country, which is not going to happen. Or you're going to have to, in some way, work out a deal where they can have some aspirations of citizenship”
REPORT: http://www.latestpolitics.com/blog/2007/05/fred-thompson-no-restrictionist.html

Iowa Freeper ping!

Since Tommy Thompson might be visiting your hometown, I thought this thread might be of interest to conservatives. And if you’re thinking of voting for the OTHER Thompson, consider the facts below.

THOMPSON VS. THOMPSON - HEAD TO HEAD
On the Fair Tax

TOMMY THOMPSON: I will sign it as soon as it reaches my desk. I believe very much in that fair tax. I think the fair tax is the right thing. (But) I absolutely believe the way the Congress is set up right now, we can’t get it passed.
6/30/2007 REPORT: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1859026/posts?page=1,100

FRED THOMPSON: Ambushed Wednesday by advocates of the ''Fair Tax'' plan to repeal the federal income tax and replace it with a national sales tax. The former senator addressed a Republican state fund-raising luncheon in the state capital of Columbia . He appeared surprised to see more people wearing ''Fair Tax'' stickers than ''Thompson for President'' badges. He did not seem prepared to answer questions about the sweeping tax reform.
7/02/2007 REPORT: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1859485/posts#1

THOMPSON VS. THOMPSON - HEAD TO HEAD
On the Fair Tax

THOMPSON VS. THOMPSON - HEAD TO HEAD
On a “Path to Citizenship” for ILLEGAL Aliens

THOMPSON VS. THOMPSON - HEAD TO HEAD
On Republican Leadership in Washington

[BillyBoy]

>> Um, TR and Coolidge didn’t go from Governorships to the Presidency, dude. <<

Ummm, neither would Tommy. His most recently held post was Secretary of Health. I must have missed the part where I said only incumbent Governors get elected President. What I do believe is that having executive experience helps in a presidential race, whereas being a U.S. Senator is a one-way ticket to nowhere (unless you're Joe Kennedy and saavy enough to buy the election for your son)

[bilhosty]

A very good man but I do not think he has a chance. That said I think he would make a good running mate and would give the ticket gravitas.

[BillyBoy]

Oh and post #9 might be of interest of you. Intersting how you demand all sitting Senators, even they are agree with you 99% of the time, be tarred and feathed for treason unlses they agree with you on EVERY single bill (:: cough:: Jon Kyl ::cough::) but when a certain FORMER Senator voted the "wrong" way on immigration, McCain-Feingold, etc., and only agrees with you 80% of the time, you want to give him a promotion to leader of the free world.

Yessir, it's ONLY bad when current Senators vote the WRONG way on those issues. Good thing Fred's name isn't "Jon Kyl", or it would be treasonous for him to cave on illegal immigration while in the Senate.

If the hypocrisy was any more blantant you'd be Michael Moore.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Your picture gallery was of Senators vs. Governors. As I said to someone in another thread, if being a Governor was a base prerequisite for President, George Washington, John Adams & JQ Adams, Eisenhower and Abe Lincoln would be amongst the “giants” who never were Governors.

BTW, I’m not saying Tommy is a bad man, but he’s just not the right man.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I read it, and it was designed to promote Tommy and make Fred look bad. An EIGHT year old sound byte from Fred on McCain is petty and irrelevent. 8 years ago, you'd have found me praising Mitt Romney... and Lindsey Graham. We now know EXACTLY what kind of leaders they are, don't we ? Well, at least 99% of FReepers know about the Democrat Senator from South Carolina.

[BillyBoy]

>> “NEXT WE’RE GOING TO AMES TO VISIT A ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE, THEN IT’S ON TO DAVENPORT FOR A RALLY AT A DIVE BAR, THEN DUBUQUE TO MEET WITH A FARMER YEEEAAARARRRRGGGHHH!” <<

Now hang on, in the last Thompson thread, his detractors all compared Tommy to having a dull, lifeless, uninspirational feel of Bob Dole. Now you're comparing him to having the wild, zany, madcap feel of Howard Dean's campaign. Which is it? Is Tommy drab or overexcited? Those are polar opposites.

You guys need to pick a smear and stick to it.

(and the FDT supporters on FR need to make up their mind whether being McCain's buddy and weak on immigration is "unforgiveable and treasonous" or not)

[BillyBoy]

>> An EIGHT year old sound byte from Fred on McCain is petty and irrelevent. 8 years ago, you'd have found me praising Mitt Romney... and Lindsey Graham. <<

Funny, last time I checked, Fred's soundbite on giving illegal aliens "aspirations of citizenship" was given on Hannity and Colmes within the last year.

Is your official position now that being pro-amnesty was okay in 2006, but treasonous in 2007?

Oh, and by the way, you seem to have no problem bashing Romney for comments he made "eight years" ago, rather than his "current" positions.

[gorush]

My sense of Tommy is that he is just another pol making a living as opposed to passionately promoting his vision for a better America. His reign in Wisconsin was more moderate than conservative IMHO, not to mention his clintonesque womanizing tendencies.

[BillyBoy]

>> Your picture gallery was of Senators vs. Governors. As I said to someone in another thread, if being a Governor was a base prerequisite for President, George Washington, John Adams & JQ Adams, Eisenhower and Abe Lincoln would be amongst the “giants” who never were Governors. <<

With only a few exceptions, the fact remains: Governors win, Senators don't.

Washington, Adams, JQ Adams, Ike, and Lincoln, all the "winners" you mentioned, may have not been Governors, but they also never served a single day in the U.S. Senate.

The U.S. Senator is a one-way ticket to nowhere. There are a handful of exceptions in history, but the overwheming data shows that people with executive experience get elected President. Sometimes they are Governors, sometimes Vice-Presidents, and sometiems even cabinent members. Often they've held more than one of the above posts.

But Senators tend to crash and burn, and a quick look at the approval rating of our "leaders" in Washington will give you a good idea why.

[BillyBoy]

>> Well, at least 99% of FReepers know about the Democrat Senator from South Carolina. <<

Fritz Hollings? Nope, sorry, he's retired.

If either of the current Senators from South Carolina is a Democrat, that would certainly be news to me. Given that the Democrats won't even tolerant Joe Lieberman, I was not aware the Democratic Party was now accepting members who are 100% pro-life, pro-gun, pro-family, pro-Clinton impeachment, pro-tax cuts, pro-spending cuts, pro-ANWR drilling, and pro-WOT and victory in Iraq. Where can I find these Democrats? I've only voted for one major Democrat in my life, Glenn Poshard, and he was nowhere near that conservative. Zell "hate crimes" Miller wasn't even that right-wing on his best days, and yet freepers loyally kissed his flip-flopping butt all day.

I know some of your fellow "conservatives" on FR openly "regret" that the abortion-loving DEMOCRAT Alex Sanders was defeated last time by a Republican whose initials are L.G., but that's too bad. Personally I'm surprised JimRob hasn't gotten to banning any conservative who "regrets" that the pro-life, pro-WOT candidate won that race.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Funny, last time I checked, Fred's soundbite on giving illegal aliens "aspirations of citizenship" was given on Hannity and Colmes within the last year."

Which could mean a lot of things, including requiring they go home and coming in the right way, like all legal naturalized citizens have. He doesn't support shamnesty.

"Oh, and by the way, you seem to have no problem bashing Romney for comments he made "eight years" ago, rather than his "current" positions."

Actually, I criticize Romney for his appalling cut and run schtick he employed while in office. He'll tell the crowd whatever it wants to hear to get elected. I know what Fred's core values are.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Fred’s about to bust the stereotype. ;-)

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Fritz Hollings? Nope, sorry, he's retired."

Try again. Cut the creep loose, your conscience will feel a WHOLE lot better.

[buccaneer81]

There’s only one Thompson in this race, and he ain’t it.

[RedOhioan]

Tommy Thompson Announces 90-Day White House Run

by Scott Ott

(2007-04-02) — Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson yesterday declared his intention to leverage his fame as former secretary of health and human services into a 90-day run for the U.S. presidency.

Mr. Thompson also hopes to garner an initial flurry of campaign dollars until donors figure out that he’s not former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, the actor who stars in NBC’s Law & Order, who has not yet indicated his presidential intentions.

By announcing on April 1, Mr. Thompson takes advantage of the full 2nd-quarter fundraising cycle before his planned news conference in early July 2007, at which he’ll withdraw from the race because “the political process is too focused on big money donors and special interest groups and not enough on the people,” according to a leaked draft of his scheduled July remarks.

Mr. Thompson’s many trips to Iowa have paid off, with polls showing that he’s running a strong 5th-place in a hypothetical race for President of Iowa, in the event the state should secede from the Union.

Campaign insiders said that if the White House bid goes well, Mr. Thompson has “a decent shot at getting a seat in the next Republican presidential cabinet, perhaps as secretary of health and human services.”

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I love Tommy. He was a great Governor for us...longest running Governor ever, I think.

If he gains some traction, we’ll see...but I don’t see it happening. He has less thank 500K in the bank at this point, and I don’t see big donors lining up around the block.

Helluva nice guy. Flawed and normal like the rest of us. And with his brother Ed, we’d end up with another Billy Carter for comic relief. ;)

[Taichi]

No NO you’ve got it wrong. His name is Fred not Tommy.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Now you're comparing him to having the wild, zany, madcap feel of Howard Dean's campaign. Which is it? Is Tommy drab or overexcited? Those are polar opposites.

Just a little humor, not related to Thompson's personality.

You're simply backing the wrong horse. Tommy should have ran in 2000, when he had 3 terms as Governor under his belt.

And yes, him being on the board of Verichip scares me.

[Artemis Webb]

"I think that a Thompson/Thompson ticket would have great appeal."

Well...at least the GOP would corner the market on facial crags.

[FlashBack]

If TT is the last man standing on our side I’d pull the lever for him...that being said I don’t see his numbers translating into that fact bearing out. I could be wrong, so I keep my options open.

[BillyBoy]

>> You're simply backing the wrong horse. Tommy should have ran in 2000, when he had 3 terms as Governor under his belt. And yes, him being on the board of Verichip scares me. <<

Of course whenever someone question's Fred's background, his supporters blow it off and say it's a "smear" attempt because we "fear" him... so I guess you "fear" Tommy's great campaign ;-) (Kidding)

I agree with you that TT would have probably been a better candidate in 2000. However, he is 65, about the same age as Fred, and he's not over the hill yet. McCain's pushing 72 here, it's pretty obvious 2000 was his last chance. Actually McCain probably should have opted to run in '96, and maybe Fred too (he would have had made a better favorite son for Tennessee that year than "Lamar!") Tommy Thompson's odds of winning the nomination are pretty slim. But the primary election is the time to vote your conscious, and my conscious says Tommy has the best resume and the best overall position on the issues, and would subsequently make the best President. I'd vote for him if he was polling 0.0000000000000001%.

Look at alot of the freepers here who are hitching their ride to Fred, proclaiming him the savior of the GOP, and you'll discover they we were on this same threads a few years ago singing the praises of guys like Mel Martinez, George Allen, Tom Ravenel (the cokehead Rudybot was proclaimed the "true Conservative" in South Carolina), J.D. Hayworth (he was going to "Take out McCain", even though he endorsed McCain for POTUS, they overlooked that little fact)... not a good track record. Basically they go for the flavor of the week.

It's no different than the Arnoldbots, except the Arnoldbots go for anyone with any media-approved "R" next to his name that can "win", and the George Allen/Fred Thompson types go for any smooth talking "R" who tells them what they want to hear and can "win", regardless of that candidate's actual record. That's why they're out whining about how Bush and Martinez "betrayed" them. Bush said he was against McCain-Feingold in 2000, and by golly, if Bush says it, then we can't doubt him or it's a "smear". Martinez insisted he was "against amnesty" in 2004, so by golly, it must be true and anyone who thinks otherwise is just anti-hispanic.

You've tried to tout the virtues of Ron Paul here a few times, so I have to hand it to you, at least you don't follow the herd here on FR. I've been on this forum for 8 years and every time they go gah-gah over someone, whether it's Alan Keyes, George Allen, or Fred Thompson, the candidate turns out to be underwhelming. It's like Star Wars Episode I, no candidate can live up to all the hype. The GOP grassroots treats Fred Thompson as the Dem grassroots treats Obama.

Conservatives really need to try voting their conscience for a change. These guys have it backwards -- they vote for the star candidate in an open race, wait til he's an incumbent, then try to slit his throat if he "betrays" them. 90% of incumbents get re-elected. In an open primary race, you should vote for the most qualified person who agrees with you on the issues, and then in the general election or incumbents re-election you should vote for the conservative most likely to "win" and beat the Dem.

Honestly, if he these guys had tried back in 2004, we might have a real Senator from Florida. I seriously doubt Amnesty Mel was the only person who could "win" that state.

[SJackson]

Thanks, please keep me on the list. While he has little chance, he’s the only blackpowder hunter running, which is more than some candidates have to their credit

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

So Fred's conservative 8 year Senate record means nothing to you.

People are attracted to Fred because of his clear, no-nonsense stand on the issues. The fact that he was a Senator is irrelevant. Being a Senator is still important, you don't exactly sit on your rear and just vote on bills. Fred did a lot of behind-the-scenes work on committees and such that rivals that of being an executive of a small company or perhaps county executive.

Tommy was elected to four terms as WI Governor. To me, his decision to run for Governor a 4th time rather than doing the smart thing and stepping down in 1998 and easily be the GOP front runner in 2000, in addition to his mediocre job as HHS Secretary, showed me that he isn't capable of leading nationally.

[BillyBoy]

>> So Fred's conservative 8 year Senate record means nothing to you. <<

I have gone over Fred's "conservative 8 year Senate record" numerous times on this board. It is EXACTLY like Lindsey's Graham's Senate record, except Graham is slightly to the RIGHT of Fred (91% lifetime conservative rating for Lindsey, 84% for Fred). BOTH voted solidly pro-life, pro-family, pro-gun, pro-ANWR, pro-tax cuts, pro-spending cuts, pro-WOT, pro-victory in Iraq... but on the negative side they buddied up with McCain numerous times and passed awful "bipartisan" compromises, and looked the other way when illegal aliens invaded this nation. I have documented this on issue after issue. If the Fredheads loved Fred's "record" as much as they say they do, they'd be begging Lindsey to be his running mate, not demanding Lindsey be run out of town on a rail.

The Fredheads simply want us to believe that being McCain's buddy and rewarding illegals is "treason" -- UNLESS Fred does it, in which case it becomes "well, nobody's perfect", and he deserves a promotion. And that premise that we are supposed to hold candidates to different standards is simply laughable.

>> People are attracted to Fred because of his clear, no-nonsense stand on the issues. <<

Really? I'm not "clear" about Fred's position on cracking down on employers that hire illegals. He current claims to be of the minutemen mindset on the issue and very concerned that Washington hasn't acted. But when he was actually voted on the stuff, Fred was the key vote on the Senate Judiciary committee amendment (S.1664, passed out of committee by an 10-8 majority) to REMOVE the higher fines for businesses caught hiring illegal aliens. Various study commissions have found that the willingness of U.S. businesses to hire illegal aliens is the No. 1 incentive for foreign workers. He earned a "D" rating on his lifetime scorecard for "preventing incentives for illegal alien amnesties"

So I'm not "clear" where Fred stands on this one. Should I believe Fred's position from 1994-2006, or what Fred says in 2007?

>> The fact that he was a Senator is irrelevant. <<

The last time the GOP sent a Senator directly to the White House was 1920. 88 years ago. Ignore history at your own peril. You guys did when you nominated Katherine Harris, alot of good that did us.

>> Being a Senator is still important, you don't exactly sit on your rear and just vote on bills. Fred did a lot of behind-the-scenes work on committees <<

Yep, and I'm still waiting for Fred's fan club here to tell us what were all the great bills he authored behind the scenes and reforms he accomplished in U.S. Senate. (Instead they talk Nixon impeachment hearings and helping confirm Roberts after he LEFT the Senate) I'll be happy to discuss Tommy's record on the same in Wisconsin. He did more than just sit in the governor's mansion and sign bills.

>> such that rivals that of being an executive of a small company or perhaps county executive. <<

I'm sorry, a governor or even a county executive has far more authority than a junior Senator not in the leadership. Fred was one of 100. The Senator picked to run things was the OTHER guy from Tennessee, Bill Frist.

>> Tommy was elected to four terms as WI Governor. To me, his decision to run for Governor a 4th time rather than doing the smart thing and stepping down in 1998 and easily be the GOP front runner in 2000, in addition to his mediocre job as HHS Secretary, showed me that he isn't capable of leading nationally. <<

The fact Tommy Thompson opted for the Presidency, rather than end up a 67 year old junior Senator in the minority party, shows intelligence to me. There was nothing left to prove by winning another election in Wiscosin. And he also earns bonus points for not opting to stay on as Secrety of HHS during Dubya's 2nd term, seeing how that turned out to be.

You're right that 2000 might have been his time. But I'm thankful we have him in the race now to make up for the poor selection of other statewide officials in the mix. And perhaps Fred would have been better off running for Governor of Tennessee in 2002, where the nomination was his for the asking and he might have done some good.

We'll see.