Posted on 12/18/2007 10:46:23 AM PST by NormsRevenge
MANCHESTER, Iowa - Republican Fred Thompson says if he can be a presidential horse for conservatives to ride in the campaign, "All I've got to say is saddle me up."
Thompson was touring Iowa by bus rather than on horseback Tuesday, saying he's got the potential to come on fast in the final days before the state's Jan. 3 caucuses.
Thompson, who has occasionally been labeled a less-than-energetic campaigner, spoke with enthusiasm to about 30 people at a town hall in Manchester while his blue campaign bus, emblazoned with a huge picture of his head and shoulders, waited outside.
"We're taking it now to where it needs to be," Thompson told his audience. "This is where it starts. This is where we are. this is where we're going to be. ... We're going to make sure we meet everybody we can possibly meet."
Thompson is spending the final two weeks of the campaign in Iowa traveling the state with his wife, Jeri.
He referred to the GOP debate last week in Iowa, where he drew praise for refusing to comply when asked for a show of hands on a question about global warming.
"I said, `Nope,'" and everybody pulled their hand down and looked around," Thompson said. "I just said to my buddies up there, `How are you going to stand up to the leaders of Iran and North Korea if you can't stand up to an overbearing moderator?'"
He made his saddle-me-up comment after saying a newspaper had said he had given conservatives "a horse to ride" in the campaign.
On Tuesday, Thompson listed some of his main issues — the role of the federal government, judges, taxes, Social Security — and took questions about trade, the value of the dollar and how he would end the Iraq war and bring troops home.
"I think we have to stabilize that place so that people can get up and go to worship without fear of being blown up," he said.
He reiterated the case he made during the Iowa debate: "When our worst enemy is sitting down at the negotiating table thinking about what they can get away with, or thinking about what they might could do to the United States of America, who do you want representing us on our side of the table looking back at them?"
Thompson is battling for a third-place showing in Iowa, where former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee recently surged ahead of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in state polls. No candidate has gone on to become the nominee without placing in the top three in Iowa.
If it were true...
You have not seen him in person have you. Hhe is quite impressive from all reports I got here.
BTW that is where the voters are...
The polls show Romney doing quite well. Today, he's within the MoE of Giuliani according to Rasmussen. When the Huckabee bubble pops (as it is in the process of doing), Romney's going to enjoy a well-timed surge.
I didn’t attack you, partner. But, if you’d like me to, the next time I’m in a foul mood, I’ll be happy to remember your name. Capisce?
No I ‘ve not seen him in person.
Neither will 9999 out of 10000 voters who will cast a ballot in the general election.
I love Fred on the issues. It pains me that such a good candidate doesn’t have the personality, energy, charisma to sell himself in reality, not on TV.
If Fred is the nominee and Obama is the Rats’ nominee the youth vs age and energy vs tired contrast will be overwhelming.
“Oh, how original. Not!” “I guess you’ve out accomplished Fred in your life?”
Asserting I am unoriginal and unaccomplished rather than addressing the point I made is an attempt to discredit the messenger, an attack.
The only thing less rational than that is when your effort is exposed you offer threats. Please try dealing with the issue or just don’t respond.
How is a tired, uninspiring, old, right on all the issues Fred going to win the hearts of the feel good, look good average American voter while competing agains the youthful, energetic, glib tongued, wrong on all the issues Obama?
The Fred platform:
Kill the Terrorists
Protect the Borders
Punch the Hippies
http://hotair.com/archives/2007/12/18/video-the-three-planks-of-freds-platform/
Fred will visit 54 counties in Iowa in the next few days.
But...but...he’s so lazy!
Yeah, two points ahead of Fred. Mitt is doing stellar.
By no stretch of the imagination was that an attack.
You came off as a pompous goof ball, attacking a Conservative candidate because of his mannerisms. You repeated the mantra of the left/MSM in doing so.
Still, I didn’t call you any names, like you did me. Nor did I attack you by asking you if you had out accomplished him.
Methinks your nose has exceeded it’s proper angle relative to the surface of the earth.
Thanks for playing, do have a nice day.
Fraud Thompson is a moderate like Dole. They have no fire in the belly.
I didn’t see anyone on this thread say that his platform is wrong or that he is lazy.
What I have seen said is that he APPEARS to be old, tired and uninspiring. These are the same qualities that Bob Dole demonstrated agains Bill Clinton.
The visual comparisons of how he appears vs how Obama appears to be so young, full of energy and inspirational will be devastating.
All that 'lazy campaigner' and 'no fire in the belly' was planted by the media, and unfortunately has taken hold, even among conservatives. Go to his website, Fred08.com and you'll see he's been quite active since he announced, meeting with voters in several states, and attending fundraisers all over.
The polls reflect who is being talked about at the time, so he was higher in the polls when he was considering running, in the summer. Right now, the "next new thing" is Huckabee, so he's higher in the polls. But the polls also only reflect about 40% of the primary voters. In Iowa, there are almost 60% undecided, so that reflects a lot of possible movement before the actual Caucus. Fred has a good shot at this especially since he's being talked about in the media for refusing to take part in the 'hand show' at the debate. It has given him some good momentum in Iowa.
“How is a tired, uninspiring, old, right on all the issues Fred going to win the hearts of the feel good, look good average American voter while competing agains the youthful, energetic, glib tongued, wrong on all the issues Obama?”
1) Not everyone is gullible enough to believe the MSM’s posturing of Fred. We have looked ourselves and have seen an energetic, inspiring and forthcoming man.
2)Youthful, energetic, and massively naive Obama will be seen for what he is by most halfway intelligent Americans.
Don’t underestimate the public. They may not be as stupid as you think are.
I was embarrassed for you.
Yup. When Fred starts surging, there’s going to be a lot of hand-wringing and ‘nashing of teeth in the MSM and among the Dems.
They think they can beat Rudy. They know they can beat Huckster. They think they can beat Romney. They think they can beat McCain.
But, they don’t know what to do with Fred.
You have and continue to attempt to turn the discussion to the discrediting of the messenger by alledging the messenger was unimaginative and unaccomplished. Then, after saying you aren’t attacking me you again engage in name calling (pompous goofball, something about my nose).
I have called you no names. I have said that the tactic of discrediting the witness instead of dealing with the issues is one employed by liberals and beneath a good conservative like you.
Let’s deal with the issue. What can Fred do to dispell the image of a tired, old, uninspiring person? If he does not repair this image he will go nowhere and your support and my hopes will be in vain.
I like Hunter, but he won’t get 1%; and i can’t vote for the hick named huck (who needs to see a dentist -btw).
Fred is the only viable guy as I see it.
The average American voter can’t identify Afganistan on the world map. They vote based on image and impression. Most Freepers are infinately more knowledgeable about the issues and candidates than average Americans. When the newspapers are written for the 6th grade educational level I don’t have a lot of confidence in the voters’ ability to see the man behind the image.
You are welcome to vote for him, but that won’t change the fact that he is a moderate. He was as a senator and would be as president.
Then I must hang around better people than you.
I also take it as my responsibility to make others around me more aware of issues including my kids.
I don’t simply bemoan a fate, nor look down upon others.
And I sure do not use what the shallow MSM has put out as criticisms to guide my judgement or thinking. I prefer to stick to the issues.
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