Thompson shows conservatism

The Miami Herald ^ | September 14, 2007 | Marc Caputo

[2ndDivisionVet]

THE VILLAGES -- Fred Thompson began the presidential campaign's first Florida-wide multicity bus tour Thursday, standing on a platform of classic conservatism while offering few specifics that would set him apart from the other Republican candidates.

But there was one politician he distinguished himself from frequently during his campaign swing: President Bush, whom he never mentioned by name.

Though Thompson supports the Iraq War and bashed Congress the most, he repeatedly criticized the failed immigration plan the White House backed last year, brought up the need to veto spending that has bloated the federal budget and even swiped at the president's No Child Left Behind Act, which Thompson voted for when he was in the Senate in 2001.

Thompson said education is more of a state and local government responsibility, and that the policy of more federal mandates and spending is creating more bureaucracy.

''It's not working. No Child Left Behind. Good concept,'' he said in Jacksonville. ``I'm all for testing. But it seems like now that some of these states are teaching to the test.''

Later, at The Villages retirement community in Central Florida, where hundreds greeted him in the sweltering afternoon, Thompson didn't mention No Child Left Behind by name, but repeated his position that schools should be largely left to the locals. Thompson said he didn't see a contradiction in supporting the act years ago and sees a need for federal action and money because education is a national priority.

At each stop in the rock-ribbed Republican areas, Thompson won the biggest cheers when he stressed the need for tighter spending and better border security, and for supporting the Iraq War.

''Our people have shed more blood for the liberty of other people than any other nation. I see no reason to apologize for the United States of America,'' he said, applause drowning out his deep drawl at both stops.

STAGE PRESENCE

While most Republican candidates share his views, some party members who turned out Thursday said Thompson's platform was special because of the way the former Law & Order actor carried himself and spoke. Many feel he's more conservative than his rivals who have changed their positions on abortion and guns.

Speaking without notes and smoothly moving from one topic to the next, Thompson, 65, talked of how laws come from God and not the government, mentioned his humble Tennessee roots and portrayed himself as a man who has nothing to lose because he's beholden only to the truth.

His decision to tour Florida from Jacksonville to Sumter County to Miami to Pasco County shows Thompson is banking on the new early Jan. 29 primary, which could help catapult him to the front of the field nationally, and counteract Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's potential wins in Iowa and New Hampshire. Thompson's speeches steered clear of directly attacking his Republican rivals, such as front-runner Rudy Giuliani, and even the Democratic opposition.

Like the other Republicans, Thompson said he would ''bite the bullet'' and veto the ''pork-barreling'' federal budgets that have increased spending to historic heights when Republicans controlled the Capitol.

''We will send a message on Election Day when we elect a president who will blow the whistle on this irresponsibility,'' Thompson said at both stops.

His harshest criticisms were reserved for the institution Americans love to hate: Congress, now under the control of Democrats who want to pull out of Iraq.

''The average 20-year-old serving us in Iraq knows more about their country's national security than the average 20-year political veteran serving in the Congress today,'' Thompson said.

IMMIGRATION

In The Villages, Thompson won thunderous applause for saying the Senate plan to grant a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants was not only wrong, it ''welshed'' on an understanding that Congress left with Americans in 1986, when it passed a plan to legalize the status of many immigrants who were here without permission. In the Disney-built town of Celebration, Thompson said immigration law should be changed to prevent illegal immigrants from gaining U.S. residency simply because their children were born here.

But as with his opposition to what he called ''this same-sex marriage business'' and his desire to lower taxes while prosecuting an expensive war, Thompson didn't elaborate on how he would accomplish his goals. He also ducked a question on whether Congress should have intervened in the 2005 controversy over whether to insert a feeding tube into a comatose Florida woman, Terri Schiavo, and said he didn't know enough about the widely publicized case.

Though Thompson touched on virtually every major theme, it wasn't enough for 54-year-old Linda Ostroski, a volunteer with the AARP-run ''Divided We Fall'' effort who was unable to ask the candidate what his plan was for lowering healthcare costs and helping more people get health insurance.

''It would have been helpful for him to address the one issue that plagues everyone in this country,'' she said after his Jacksonville speech.

`FREDDIE THE SHARK'

A bigger critic: a man standing -- and profusely sweating -- in a shark costume with a sign that read, ''Florida welcomes lawyer-lobbyist Freddie the Shark,'' a reference to Thompson's lobbying career. The man wouldn't give his name, motioning with his hands that he was mute or couldn't speak.

Michael Lethbridge, a 73-year-old resident of The Villages, said he appreciated Thompson because he felt he could trust him, though he wanted to hear more about abortion, which he opposes.

''Thompson is right on illegal immigration,'' he said. ``He's right about federal spending.''

[dougd]

talked of how laws come from God and not the government

Seems like a case of the reporter completely unequipped to understand what was being said that he got it wrong. Fred uses the line of rights coming from God, not government frequently on these stump speeches.

Apparently the idea is so foreign to the reporter that he got all confused.

[jshermn]

I don’t remeber how he phrased it, but it got resounding approval from the crowd.

[asparagus]

If there’s a dolphin for Mitt and a shark for Fred, then someone needs to wear a crab suit for McCain and a shrimp suit for Guiliani.

[VRWCtaz]

I don’t know anything about the reporter, Marc Caputo, but this is typical of the word usage I’ve come to expect from the press. Rights - laws, what’s the difference?

[kevkrom]

This story says Thompson "talked of how laws come from God and not the government." Now I can see him talking about rights coming from God - but not laws.

It's possible that it's an accurate quote, and that Thompson muffed the line. Even so, it's true, the most basic of laws -- don't murder, don't steal, don't defraud -- all have Ten Commandments roots.

[Spiff]

December 18, 2001

Thompson Praises Final Passage of Education Bill

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) today voted for final passage of The Leave No Child Behind Act, legislation based on President Bush's education reform proposal.

"The Leave No Child Behind Act sets an important new direction for federal education policy," Thompson said. "The combination of flexibility, accountability, and choice provided by the Act is a significant step towards ensuring that all of our students receive a quality education.

"The legislation enhances local control by providing unprecedented flexibility in the ways that states and local communities can spend federal education dollars," Thompson said. "It increases parental involvement by providing new choices to parents of children in failing schools and in bilingual education programs, and it strives to ensure results by requiring testing to determine how our schools are doing and corrective actions when those tests show that our schools are not serving our children. This bipartisan bill is an important accomplishment for the President and will make a real difference in the lives of our schoolchildren."

[Reagan Man]

Go Fred go!

[VRWCtaz]

Based solely on my reading of Thompson's essays, I don't think this is a mistake he would make. I could be wrong.

And while I would never take a position arguing that "the most basic of laws -- don't murder, don't steal, don't defraud -- all have Ten Commandments roots," is anything but fact, I don't see a viable candidate for the office of POTUS trying to make that point on the campaign trail.

[FlashBack]

Nice sized crowd...GO FRed!!

[rogue yam]

If there’s a dolphin for Mitt and a shark for Fred, then someone needs to wear a crab suit for McCain and a shrimp suit for Guiliani.

And a jellyfish suit for Ron Paul.

[hoosierpearl]

I would have thought the shrimp suit would fit Ron Paul better.