Posted on 11/29/2007 8:29:43 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Like a fickle Hollywood actor who maddeningly keeps his own schedule, Fred Thompson finally walked on the set here last night and turned in the performance his long-suffering supporters have yearned for all these months.
The "Law and Order" star's positions were more polished than ever. He attacked Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney sharply and effectively.
And he stayed above the fray when the fights around him got downright nasty.
Giuliani, meanwhile, gave the performance his supporters have always feared, showing his most liberal feathers to date.
He had to defend his past coddling statements about illegal immigration, said constitutional gun rights are open to modification, and faced a question about using New York cops to protect him while snuggling in the Hamptons with a woman not then his wife.
The former mayor's position drew boos from the conservative audience on more than one occasion. Where Giuliani stumbled, Thompson soared.
"Cut taxes for eight years when I was in the United States Senate. Never met a tax I liked," he said simply when asked if he would ever sign a bill to raise taxes.
After Giuliani attacked Romney for having illegal aliens do his yard work, Thompson said he was surprised to hear the mayor scolding anyone about bad hires.
It was a clear and devastating reference to Giuliani's former police commissioner, Bernard Kerik, who now faces federal corruption charges.
And he took a stick to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is now surging in polls.
A video clip produced by the Thompson campaign showed a corpulent Huckabee begging his legislature for a tax hike - any tax hike - so he could sign it.
It was a sight so ugly only someone in the movie business could have come up with it.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Wow. Especially surprising to read this coming from the NY Post, which has been divided between supporting Hillary and Rudy, and has given nothing but the back of their hand to Fred.
mark
Even though Frank Luntz said Fred (or Romney) won the debate, I have doubts that Fred is about to soar. I think he’s great and would be a fine president, but I’m afraid in this image conscious age he comes across as too old. I hope I’m wrong.

Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
WARNING: If you wish to join, be aware that this ping list is EXTREMELY active.
I agree. We have to have patience. I believe Fred will start to outshine the other front runners. The other top tier candidates seem to have to intellectualize the conservative positions. With Fred, he provides strong conservative answers so easily because he truly understands Federalism in the way our Founders did. Fred understands the beast that is government. He reveres our beloved Constitution and understands the evil of big government.
That's what is hard to fathom. Some of us already know this, what is so hard to see about their being RINOS? Why are the supporters of Rudy McRomney so blind? Is it the media? Is it their loyalty to them somehow? It's not like we have a crystal ball or anything, but seeing Fred now isn't like some new revelation, he was hitting just as hard for a few months now. I'm not complaining, if they jump on the Fred bandwagon, it's better late than never, but come on already, what are they slow?
If I heard right today, Frank luntz said that his work with his groups revealed Fred as the big benefactor of last nights debate.
The debate, if I heard correctly attracted over 5 million people making it the most watched debate yet.
One thing that I am sure of (because we have the transcript) is that on top of that blow out night, Rush made an unofficial endorsement of Fred Thompson as the only true conservative among the front runners.
Wow!!!
The “big surge” you refer to would do better to back Dr Ron Paul than wishy-washy Fred Flintstone!
More good news!
I have to respectfully disagree. I find that Fred comes across as serious, thoughtful, confident and steady. In this day and age, 65 is still young.
I can't think of ANY 18th, 19th or early-to-mid 20th Century president that could get elected today. Abraham Lincoln and Grover Cleveland wouldn't have a prayer! Ike and FDR would seem too old (disabled?) and Calvin Coolidge didn't "have the fire in his belly" and all that. Herbert Hoover or Woodrow Wilson would be seen as "policy wonks" or eggheads. No wonder a Ken doll, a metrosexual, a Denzell Washington look-alike, and Gomer Pyle are most of the frontrunners!
Go spam a blog or a poll or sumthin’, okay?
All things considered, this election cycle business is too stretched out. If this was 30 years ago, things would just be beginning. With the Christmas season upon us and being so far our from the actual election, people don't want to be bothered by politics. People commenting on political forums are naturally more politically attuned to matters. We are just ahead of the curve and have to wait for other's to catch up. I think the ones following the RINO's just are not deep into politics.
Yep! The dog fight between Rudy and Mitt really made Freddie look great. :)
marked
There is your key statement right there...
Fred will win the day because after everything is said and done, he will be the only Conservative adult in the room.
But don't spread that around too much.
HEY EVERYONE, FRED IS LAZY AND IS SINKING IN THE POLLS!!!
(got keep up appearances...)
An awful lot of ignorant voters read People Magazine from cover to cover for their intellectual activity. It shows. They would probably vote for Paris Hilton, given the chance.
Fred needs to run as Romney’s VP. It’s the only sensible pairing that can snuff out Huckabee’s incipient surge and cripple Giuliani.
Tell it to one of your Ron Paul meet-up organizers, like the Insane, Psychotic, Delusional Taskmistress Liz Michael.
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Arena/9007/bio.htm
That’s who you have on your side.
thanks for the wonderful analogy. lol quite on the money. It does get disheartening at times. Our Republic is in danger of being destroyed by nanny state Socialists. We have to wait out the RINOs and their false supporters in the MSM.
Someone should tell him that too much makeup makes a girl look cheap....and he has something on his teeth.
I thought Fred was on his game last night. Dick Morris on Bill O’Reilly’s “Factor” tonight excoriated Fred saying he looked old, tired, did not know what to do not being scripted, etc.
But, who listens to anything the toe-sucker says?
McCain did a real hard smackdown of Ron Paul last night. And it should be repeated until he does the 3rd ex-wife screech of Mrs. Clinton.
Ping
“Wow. Especially surprising to read this coming from the NY Post, which has been divided between supporting Hillary and Rudy, and has given nothing but the back of their hand to Fred.”
Interesting. Everytime a part of the MSM has said something good about someone like Huckabee, it has been repeatedly said by FR Thompson devotees that it is a conspiracy by the MSM to promote a GOP contender that will lose to Clinton. Is Senator Thompson the MSM’s new nominee as the GOP “loser” to face Clinton? Is the MSM still conspiring? Or do they only tell the truth when they support someone you support?
Inquiring minds want to know.
I don’t want to denigrate Thompson as I would be happy to have him as the GOP nominee, although I have finally decided to support Huckabee until, if or when he pulls out (as it stands today, he will take Iowa which may or may not lead to more wins). I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to needle some folks I think have been rabid zelots in their promotion of Thompson. I don’t hold Senator Thompson responsible for the antics of his supporters on FR. If Huckabee drops out later, and if Thompson is still running, he will then be my fallback position (not because of, but in spite of what his “supporters” here on FR have done and said).
If Mitt was smart and really wanted to make a play as a Conservative one day, he'd be taking notes from Fred.
Hey, I can ask you!
How about that bit where Ron Paul was asked about Dennis Kucinich as a possible running mate. Heard he thought it was too soon, but in 3-4 months maybe.
Great Republican your guy (and yes I will use an /S tag.)
Come on,we are trying to be serious and you cutting jokes is getting in the way.
All pigs fed and ready to fly.
Fred is a big man and a big person, and women like men who are big. Reagan was big.
I believe it’s going to be Fred. If it’s Fred against Hillary, it’s a joke. If it’s Fred against Obama, it’s a fight that turns into a joke. If it’s Fred against Edwards, it’s a trial, where the defense is Edwards and the prosecutor and the judge are the same person, and that’s Fred.
“Fred needs to run as Romneys VP. “
Romney is a political dead man walking. The flip flops and weakness are starting to be impossible to ignore (calling a lawyer before going to war, supporting gays in the military, the coming collapse of Romneycare, etc.). I am more worried about Huckleberry.
Here’s my two cents.
I’m sick and tired of the liberal and “moderate” media (including beltway Republicans and faux conservatives like Fred Barnes et al) whining about Fred not doing what they think he should. Have they ever ran a campaign? No. I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought Reagan was going to lose in 1980.
I’m also getting tired of hearing people say they are tired of TV personalities and candidates that care more about what they look like on camera and want some substance. And then Fred puts out policy statements and no one cares. All of a sudden it’s “well, he’s not looking good on TV...he’s old, he look tired, where’s the fire in the belly?” etc. Make up your minds. Do you want a real candidate or a media candidate, like Huckabee, that only surges because people, in stupid and meaningless polls, like his one liners.
I don’t get it. The same people that want a real person that doesn’t cater to the conventional wisdom on how CNN, NBC, CBS, etc. want you to run your campaign comes along and they whine about him not catering to them?
And, as usual, all this is moot since not ONE VOTE has been cast. In 1984 it was Gary Hart that was the media darling. In 1988 it was probably some kook. In 1992 Paul Tsongas led the polls while Jerry Moonbat Brown attacked Clinton. Then Ross Perot got favorable treatment simply because he had charts and graphs. I kid you not, I knew people the liked Perot for his “message” while those same people ignored Reagan who had the same message.
Individuals are smart, people are idiots as we know from K in “Men in Black”.
In 2004 we got Howard Dean. He was, according to the conventional wisdom again, the front runner and the favorite until people actually VOTED! He then went “poof”.
Now these same pundits, who get paid for punditry so they have to provide their worthless opinions to make a living, say Fred is dead. Funny, no one has voted yet. They say he’s not doing well in Iowa or New Hampshire. DUH! He’s NOT TRYING TO. Who cares? Why are IA and NH still considered important? Iowa is full of fat cat farmers living on subsidies for worthless ethanol and NH has been diluted by Mass refugees and Vermont lesbians moving over to avoid the high taxes they love.
Fred Thompson doesn’t give a crap about Iowa or NH and he shouldn’t spend a dime in either state. When the feces hits the oscillating blade he’ll move with real voters when we get to SC, Florida and then on Feb 5.
He’s the most conservative running that isn’t a kook like Ron Paul and Huckleberry Hound. Paul is and ostrich and Huckabee is a “born again” like Bush and they are worse than true believers because, like ex-smokers, they all of a sudden believe they can FORCE others to their cause. I’m happy Mikey lost 100 pounds and feels better. Force me to do the same and I’ll shoot him. I like my butter, salt, beer, steak, fat, etc. Hell, I’m going to take up smoking at 48 (I hated it when I tried it at 16) just because the Repulicrats and Demicans want to tax it “for the children.”
Oh, I forgot. I don’t give a crap about the children. I don’t have any. Those that do should raise them themselves and quit asking me to help. I personally don’t care about their well being.
It must suck to be you guys right now...
Luntz said fred AND mitt won. He said fred and mitt both left with more supporters than they arrived with. McCain went in with 7 and lost them all. guliani lost supporters.
He also said illegal immigration is THE red hot issue.
One guy putting down mccain said “I have no problem with pouring water on the face of someone who killed 3000 Americans”. Another said McCain was acting sanctimonious,looking down at candidates who disagreed with him. A lady said Mitt impressed her with the waterboarding and something else, he looked presidential and she had changed her mind to go with him.
it was romney and thompson up, guliani and mccain down and out.
haha, you’re banned.
However I will agree Mitt did very well for a moderate.
“Luntz said fred AND mitt won”
I saw that part but I thought he opened with the Fred statement, I just tried to watch it again but I missed the opening and only caught the Fred and Mitt portion.
LOL. Don’t look now but it appears our good friend the Paulbot has been ZOTTED!
Personally, I’d like to see a Thompson/Hunter ticket.
I have read all the stuff about romney, and I do not look at it like the rest of you guys. I researched him a year ago, found his anti amnesty position, he was okay with me. I like Duncan Hunter and Tancredo, Fred might do, Mitt is the one for me. And again, I have read lots and lots and lots of junk posted about him here. Some of it looks petty, like nothing someone would do would never make them happy no matter what. I read about him a year ago and I believe him. So call me any kind of sucker you want,but your friend is right,we’ve heard the crap,and don’t look at it like you do. I think he would be an awesome president. There is an excellent chance he will be our next Prez. I thought he did well last night, was glad to see Bill Bennett and Charles K thought so too,along with those 34 pubbies with Luntz.
I think Rudy and McCain absolutely killed themselves. Romney didn’t do himself any favors, but came out of it better than Rudy.
Fred, Hunter, Tancredo and Paul all did well, especially on immigration. Hunter absolutely pwn3d the gay General, it was awesome.
Huckabee did well on style, but was sorely lacking on substance.
DUNKEN HUNTER.....
Holy sh!t! You, sir, should consider a career in talk radio.
What a terrific post. Said everything I’ve been thinking since Fred decided to run. Your words should be published in a conservative paper.
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.