Posted on 08/21/2007 3:42:19 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Fred Thompson, the all-but-announced Republican presidential candidate, suggested Tuesday that the nation was in denial when it comes to the threat of terrorism.
"I don't think that yet as a nation we have come to terms with the nature and the extent of the threat facing this country," Thompson said while addressing the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Kansas City, Missouri.
Calling terrorism "a global threat" to the United States, Thompson pointed out that he thought the United States was at a crossroads and told the veterans "it's time that we had a frank discussion in this country at the highest levels with both parties as to what it's going to take and the unity we're going to need" to battle terror.
Thompson also faulted those calling for a troop withdrawal from Iraq, saying it would hurt the overall fight against terrorism.
"Some people in this country apparently think that if we can pull out of Iraq, our problems are going to be over. You and I know better than that. We know that Iraq is an important front in this war," Fred Thompson said to an audience of combat veterans on Tuesday.
Citing recent reports out of Iraq's Al Anbar province, Thompson said progress was being made on the ground.
Thompson's remarks about the war on terror echoed themes frequented by President Bush in defending the war in Iraq at a time when the Republican presidential field is trying to win over the Republican Party's conservative base.
Senators Hillary Clinton, D-New York, and John McCain, R-Arizona, spoke to the convention Monday.
Thompson is expected to formally announce that he is running for president sometime around Labor Day.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Good speech, Fred—declare already!
Truth.
Ron Paul and the Democrats sure haven't.
Simply put, this is a brilliant way to break away from the pack. Republicans are made to look like Satanists when they call for this kind of thing, but Thompson comes across as a reasonable person, not a fire-breathing Evil Conservative.
HRC is even scrambling to say she believes the surge is working. In one of the "debates" much was made of how the Republican candidates distanced themselves from Bush (one said Bush would not be welcome in the White House--Ron Paul? Hunter?).
Here, Thompson is cutting through the scramble to be ahead of the polls. He's saying "Forget all those others, I'm telling you we've got a situation here."
He's a Republican who isn't seen as being part of the gang in DC because he hasn't been there for years, and he is standing back and saying "Let's not forget the very real issue buried underneath all this back-and-forth politics. Bush isn't the enemy. The terrorists are."
they may be stuck in adolescents but...they are OLD and STALE.
He stepped on some applause to that line and Cameron tries to say it was as if Fred did not know the tempo of his own speech... and it was extremely obvious that Fred was not in search of an applause line but only of honoring an Honorable Hero. They referenced osama getting 18 applause lines, while Fred got 11... but they were hugging Fred and showing love when Fred took the podium... osama not so much!
LLS
Video of Fred Thompson’s speech
http://www.blogsforfredthompson.com/fred-thompson-speaks-vfw-convention-kansas-city-video
Fred is showing all of us what a great SandBager he is!!!...Just ahead and soon to be here “October Surprise”...!!!!!!!!............
I dunno.
If we really took our gloves off, we could wipe our enemies our pretty quick. It’s not like Osama bin Laden is the Wehrmacht or the Red Army.
You know good and well that Hunter did not say that Bush would not be welcome in the White House. It was Tancredo.
I saw it also, and agree with your comment 100%.
Had to double check to see what channel was on.
Don't tell me what I know and don't know.
I couldn't recall, which was why I wrote what I did.
I caught that. It was the lead story on Brit Hume's show today. A highly predictable hit piece. Fox made it sound like Obama was a huge hit with the vets and FredT was out of his league. If you watch Thompson`s entire speech you see it was pretty good. Folks have to realize, FredT isn't a speed talker. OTOH. FNC is fair and balanced, and for Rooty Toot! LOL
LLS
It was truly disconnected from reality.
LLS
Fred Thompson ‘08!
A man among boys (and girls).
Thompson’s speech is on CSPAN now.....8:45 CST.
What he said was good but it needed editing and rehearsal. I was disappointed.
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