Fred, Did We Really Know You? (Is Fred The Insiders, Insider?)

Washington Post ^ | 8 September 2007 | Colbert I king

[shrinkermd]

Far be it from me to start trouble, but former Tennessee Republican senator Fred Thompson, the presidential candidate who portrays himself as a conservative outsider capable of reforming Washington, is playing down his kinship with this town. Thompson may campaign as a steadfast son of the South, but he is really one of us.

In fact, no other White House hopeful, Republican or Democrat, can come close to matching Thompson's insider credentials. He alone among the contenders has managed to reach the pinnacle of Washington influence: the presidency of the Federal City Council, a powerful, behind-the-scenes group comprising a who's who of this city's top business, professional and civic leaders. The Federal City Council is synonymous with the Washington establishment, and Thompson was its chosen leader from 2003 to 2005.

The list of former council presidents reads like a roster of the city's famous heavy hitters. Thompson succeeded former Senate majority leader Bob Dole. Former House speaker Tom Foley preceded Dole...

...Which gets us to Thompson's lasting, and most tangible, contribution to our nation's capital: the Department of Homeland Security.

Thompson should raise his hand if that mammoth federal institution, home to more than 200,000 workers and 22 agencies -- the largest bureaucratic merger since the creation of Defense Department in 1947 -- is ever asked, "Who's your daddy?" Or at least he should admit to having had something to do with its birth.

[shrinkermd]

I guess he is a conservative with a small "c." I remain puzzled as to why he has so much trouble raising money. He has all the insider connections and a proven track record of enlarging government. One would think the "somebodies" would cough up the cash.

[W04Man]

FRED IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN BEAT HILLARY, PERIOD!

FRED VETS, SIGN UP TODAY AT:

[b4its2late]

Just one of the numerous hit pieces on the way from the lame stream media.

[craig_eddy]

In fact, no other White House hopeful, Republican or Democrat, can come close to matching Thompson's insider credentials.

Are you sure this wasn't from The Onion or Scrapleface? Oh wait, the WaPo...just as credible.

[W04Man]

Oh, I forgot to add:
Grassfire.org; "Fred Thompson Increases Lead Among Conservatives"

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1892995/posts

[tsmith130]

In fact, no other White House hopeful, Republican or Democrat, can come close to matching Thompson's insider credentials.

I must not understand what 'insider credentials' means because if Fred Thompson has more than Hillary Clinton, then I'm Catherine Zeta Jones. As if....

[Thermalseeker]

One would think the "somebodies" would cough up the cash.

He just announced two days ago. Just another hit piece by the laimstreamers.......

[SW6906]

Fear of Fred there is out there, yes.
Fear is the path to the dark side.
Fear leads to anger.
Anger leads to hate.
Hate leads to suffering.

[Poser]

Fred is muy manly!

[TomGuy]

a conservative with a small "c."

Compassionate conservatism advocated by a certain candidate in 2000 turned out to bite many capital-C Conservatives in the rear especially during that certain candidate's second term.

Every candidate, this time, needs to be scrutinized to the fullest to separate the wheat from the chafe.

[Poser]

Let me get this right.

?Quien es mas macho?
Es cierto. Fred Thompson es mas macho.

[Clara Lou]

WaPO—spawner of Politico. Dreck, both.

[Gritty]

When do the media “revelations” start that somebody looking just like Fred has been cruising gay bars in South Beach?

[SauronOfMordor]

If the Washington Post has its blades out for Fred, that’s an indication that they’re worries

[popdonnelly]

There are dark forces at work in the Thompson campaign.

None in the Hillary campaign, of course.

[Jack Black]

Actually, if Rudy can win the nomination, I think he has a much better chance of beating Hillary than Fred.

[Politicalmom]

Oh, no, Fred supported one of the actual Constitutional duties of government, protecting the country.

[chaos_5]

There is only one reason why you think he has trouble raising money, and that is because the MSM told you his fund raising was “lackluster”. The only reason they told you that is because they fell slightly short of 5 million dollars in the few months of the “testing the waters” fund raising.

The money he did raise was hardly small potatoes. In fact he also pulled 300K on the day he announced. Fred is not having the money trouble you think he is having.

[shrinkermd]

Nope, I divided 300,000 by 2000 and came up with 150. Assuming a little less than the maximum for a married couple one comes up with this figure. Not many people for someone claiming to be wanted and needed by the party.

Of course, it could have been only $10. That would be 30,000. Again, even not many small donors after months of waiting for him to finally declare.

I hope he does better, but there is something wrong.