Posted on 11/06/2007 7:05:11 AM PST by Calpernia
U. S. Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, has spent the better part of the last decade running for president. He actively sought the office in 2000 and lost handily to George W. Bush. Since that time, he has done everything he could think of to antagonize the base of his own party.
Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-TN, acts as if the thought of running for president just occurred to him five minutes ago. Some days he acts as though it still hasn't occurred to him.
For very different reasons, these two men, with their totally different approaches to politics, have probably slammed the door on their chances for winning the Republican presidential nomination.
In 2000, McCain was the darling of the mainstream media. Back in those days, he was the anti-Bush, which appealed to them. This year his worldview is anathema to theirs because he has unapologetically defended "Bush's war."
But McCain's unpopularity within his party stems from two other issues: illegal immigration and campaign finance reform.
On immigration, McCain seems to have learned his lesson. In what radio host and bestselling author Laura Ingraham would call a "Power to the People moment," McCain (along with a lot of other members of Congress), has gotten the message loud and clear: border enforcement first.
"I understand why you would call it a, quote, shift," McCain said to reporters after being grilled by voters in South Carolina. "I say it is a lesson learned about what the American people's priorities are. And their priority is to secure the borders."
Too bad it took a meltdown of the congressional phone lines last June to convince the senator of the common sense of the American people. Until he saw his poll numbers sink to single digits, McCain seemed absolutely oblivious to - nay, defiant of - the people's will. Nevertheless, those of us who have been incredulous to the deafness of the president and far too many members of Congress on this issue welcome Sen. McCain into the bright light of reason on this issue.
While "comprehensive immigration reform" (better known as "amnesty"), is dead, the legislation for which John McCain is best known is still alive and festering within our political system. The McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill passed by Congress and signed into law by the president will be haunting us for years, despite the fact that the Supreme Court has struck down certain provisions of the law. For that reason, it has left the base of the Republican Party with a permanent bad taste for McCain's brand of politics.
Fred Thompson's alienation from the GOP activists who comprise the nominating block of the party is much more recent. In fact, it unfolds like a wet blanket of sad disappointment day by day. Desperately seeking a candidate to rally around, social conservatives keep waiting for Fred Thompson to show them p something.
His recent underwhelming performance on "Meet the Press" did not help. Asked about his positions on abortion and same-sex marriage, Thompson, who has a respectable record on both issues, managed to flub his answer. He told host Tim Russert he opposes to an amendment to the U.S. Constitution on either issue, preferring to leave these two crucial social issues to the individual states. As Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family has pointed out, Thompson endorses the idea of fifty different definitions of marriage. The same is true, it seems, on the definition of life, since Thompson simply wants to see Roe v. Wade overturned and the issue returned to the states.
In addition, Thompson seemed muddled and indecisive about his opinion on water boarding as a technique for dealing with terrorist detainees.
With less than two months remaining until the Iowa caucuses, it is likely that Fred Thompson and John McCain will both continue to decline in the polls, while former Governors Mitt Romney (Massachusetts) and Mike Huckabee (Arkansas) will continue to gain on the current frontrunner, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. So be it.
---------
Doug Patton is a freelance columnist who has served as a political speechwriter and public policy advisor. His weekly columns are published in newspapers across the country and on selected Internet web sites, including Human Events Online, TheConservativeVoice.com and GOPUSA.com, where he is a senior writer and state editor.
Read his archives. He’s a man with an opinion. It’s worth reading. I posted the link around #41 or so.
>>>Who is Doug Patton
The editorial is sourced. You can go review his profile.
“In the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination, Rudy Giuliani remains on top. Among likely Republican Primary voters nationwide, Giuliani is preferred by 23% while Fred Thompson is the first choice for 18%. John McCain is third at 15% trailed by Mike Huckabee at 12% and Mitt Romney at 11%. No other Republican attracts more than 3% support (see recent daily numbers). There remains no clear frontrunner in this race, but 20% think Giuliani is Very Likely to win the nomination.”
WAY before Fred announced he was running I was ever so hopeful he’d “be the man”. I don’t think I could be more disappointed in him.
Bottom line, as it appears TODAY (and we all know things can change and change and change in the next year) Romney IS the one that is carrying most of the conservative points, with a boatload of energy and vigor.
I saw a picture of him once, wearing a white sport suit BEFORE Easter!
SHOCKING, I tell you!
You might want to look up the word “irony” in the dictionary FRiend.
Everyones gone loco! LOL
My wife signed up for GOPUSA, and I rarely read it. Sorry, but the RNC and the Beltway GOP establishment are doing all they can to coronate Rudy. These are the same folks that have missed the boat regarding runaway spending and illegal immigration.
Fred's strategy has been fine with me, and I really dislike the way this Presidential campaign started a year ago. Out here in flyover country, we expect at the very least a small breather from political campaigning. One thing I love about Texas is that the legislature meets every other year.
Fred is a known quantity with me, and I love his courageous stands regarding federalism. He is one of the few candidates who is willing to stick with his principles, even if you disagree with him.
I'm as pro-life as any Catholic can be, but I agree with Fred that states should be allowed to decide this issue, along with many other issues. I'm through with nanny-statists like Huckabee, who is in favor of a national law banning smoking in public places.
So those of us who express an interest in Fred, or try to correct false impressions of him, are members of a ‘goon squad’? If so, count me in! I’m not attacking any Freepers who post articles critical of Fred, but I will challenge any who put him down for specious reasons because of their support for their own candidate. Just because I think Doug Patton is wrong about Fred, I’m not gonna excoriate Calpernia about it. She’s not supporting Fred, so she’s looking for ways to boost her own guy. So be it. But if I think the AUTHOR of the piece is wrong, I WILL comment on it.
It’s all in the eye of the beholder!
You seem to be the only one on this thread throwing around the ad hominem attacks , all the while accusing others of doing it . You are definately baiting ....
>>>she’s looking for ways to boost her own guy.
Sweetie, if you think I’m posting an editorial from a GOP mailing that I’m on to ‘boost’ my guy, you are sadly, sadly mistaken.
I watched Thompson during his senate service. I kept hoping and waiting for him to DO something. When he was pushing McCain, was when he lost me. How do you do that and not be for amnesty?
GOP activists never needed to be alienated from Fred. They'd chosen their candidates long ago, so he's just another opponent to them.
As far as 'social conservatives' are concerned, there are many of us who are supportive of Fred. Some are supportive of Mitt, some, of Duncan, and some, of Huckabee. We'll see how it all shakes out come Primary time, but the 'social conservatives' don't seem to be lining up with the 'GOP activists', who seem to have moved to Giuliani's camp early on.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.