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.
Sad, but true.
That’s a perfect example of turing the issue around. Plus Reagan had far more natural charisma than Fred. But that’s the kind of thing Fred needs to do. Knowing Reagan did it doesn’t help Fred.
He needs to DO something to change the his image or at least negate the criticism.
I’m not a “supporter”.
I think he is more conservative than Fred, that’s all. I’m in favor of the most conservative ocupant of the White House I can get. I’m also realistic enough to understand that Hunter hasn’t got a chance.
Not really. Some of us ...and I include myself, refuse to parrot what the MSM has been promoting and obviously some are buying into. I merely refute it and point out the good and positive things. So far in your posts you have reflected on the negative. The MSM does a good enough job of that. A good candidate does not need his so called supporters to do the same by pointing it out again and again. It would be more constructive and effective if a supporter supports and continues to point out the why should one consider voting for the man.
Ill bet you see the glass half empty too.
And by the way...I am not in denial...I see him differently than you do. And I have watched alot of his videos and campaign stumps. This whole he is lazy came directly from the MSM. I am afraid that people like yourself just perpetrate it by repeating it instead of refuting it.
no apology necessary...I just did not want to be associated with a gloom and doom quote as that.
And repeatedly saying lazy blah blah fire in the belly blah blah in an attempt to explain the liberal MSM's accusation is the same as Clinton's campaign people "apologizing" for "cocaine" "drug dealer" "Hussein" "Muslim" against Obama by continuing to say cocaine, drug dealer, Hussein, and Muslim in their apology.
It is perpetuating falsehoods about FDT.
GO FRED GO!!!
as long as he didn’t say, “eeeeeeeeeeyaaahaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!”
I have seen him and Jeri in person. The confidence, energy, and underlying determination are there. This is a real man who we all saw defying the moderator in Iowa.
I have a middle-aged friend who likes Fred but says he can't win because of the pop culture 'look young= most energy' canard.
She thinks the the voters are looking for style over substance. If her prediction holds true regarding Republicans in 2007, then I fear our Republic is on its deathbed.
'We have given you a Republic -- if you can keep it.' Ben Franklin
Refuting as in:
Just a couple of examples...
Fred at the Iowa debate...
1)no hand show- clearly showed leadership and made the rest of the podium look like followers to the extent that Romney said, “Im with him”...LOL thats a Fred stump motto....Im with Fred..even Romney is with Fred.
2)Quick witted responses...again with Romney
I inspire to be like Romney and not worry about taxes.
Romney: I inspire to be like you.
Fred: You are getting to be a pretty good actor.
Romney: Takes one to know one.
3)Freds responses to a stupid AP candidates questions:
What is your most prized possession? Trophy wife.
What is your lazy day activity? Campaigning.
When these things are pointed out ...the image changes.
Perspective changes.
I might ask who is in denial?
I just wish Fred wouldn’t say stuff like “Saddle me up.” It’s not what you think—I’ve been a widow now for six months, and trust me, if he weren’t married, I’d be baking some fresh homemade rolls for him.
This from a die-hard Hunter supporter?
You have NO credibility here, sir.
#73 was meant for you...
Time for me to step away LOL
Huckabee has peaked, and Mitt already blew his trump card with the "look at me, I'm a victim" religion speech.
Actually, Spiff left himself a bit of wiggle room there. His post was that Thompson was at the bottom of the *leaders*, or some such. I don't recall the exact language and don't care to scroll back upthread, but I noticed the careful choice of words. Tied for third place is arguably the bottom of the 1st tier.
This is just beginning to get interesting.
Perhaps you haven’t had the time to read all of the posts.
Declaring me to be a Hunter “supporter” is to establish a strawman so you can ridicule me for something I’m not.
#63 clearly says:
I’m not a “supporter”.
I think he is more conservative than Fred, that’s all. I’m in favor of the most conservative ocupant of the White House I can get. I’m also realistic enough to understand that Hunter hasn’t got a chance.
I might add, blindly denying that Fred has an image problem with the average voter renders his chances smaller not larger.
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