Posted on 12/29/2007 3:47:31 PM PST by amordei
A Message from the Campaign Trail Posted on December 29th, 2007 By Fred in On The Road
Every once in a while I am more thankful than ever for today’s technology which allows me to talk to you directly instead of having to go through the filter of the main stream media.
Some of them are intent on making the outcome of the campaign dependent upon their pre-conceived notions. Every once in a while their incomplete and slanted coverage makes this clear.
Today I had this story written about me regarding what I said at a Town Hall event in Burlington, Iowa by a reporter who wasn’t even at the event. Incidentally, I declined to be interviewed by this particular reporter yesterday for reasons which will soon be apparent.
In referring to me, she reported “he doesn’t like modern campaigning, isn’t interested in running for President, and will not be devastated” if he doesn’t win.
The following is a transcript of what I actually said in response to a question by a local Burlington resident which was the basis of the reporter’s story:
[THIS IS A BEST-EFFORT TRANSCRIPT OF THE SPECIFIC QUESTION AND ANSWER]
Q: (Courtesy ABC News) My only problem with you and why I haven’t thrown all my support behind you is that I don’t know if you have the desire to be President. If I caucus for you next week, are you still going to be there two months from now?
That is a very good question, not because it’s difficult to answer, but I’m gonna answer it in a little different way than what you might expect.
In the first place, I got into the race about the time people normally get into get into it. The fact of the matter is people get into it a lot earlier than they used to. For some of them, they were juniors in high school.
The first place, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I wouldn’t be doing this. I grew up in very modest circumstances. I left government and I and my family have made sacrifices to be sitting here today. I haven’t had any income for a long time because I figured to be clean, you’ve got to cut everything off. I was doing speaking engagements and I had a contract to do a tv show. I had a contract with abc radio…and so forth. A man would have to be a total fool to do all those things and to be leaving his family which is not a joyful thing if he didn’’t want to do it.
I am not consumed by personal ambition. I will not be devastated if I don’t do it. I want the people to have the best president they can have.
When this talk first originated from people around the country both directly and through polls, liked the idea of me stepping up and of course, you always look better form a distance.
But most of those people are still there. I approached it from the standpoint of a deal. A kind of a marriage. If one side of a marriage really has to be talked into the marriage, it probably ain’t going to be a good deal. But if you mutually decide it’s going to be a good thing. In this case, if you think this is a good thing for the country, then we have an opportunity to do some wonderful things together.
I’m offering myself up. I’m saying that I have the background, the capability and concern to do this and do it for the right reasons. I’m not particularly interested in running for president, but I think I’d make a good president.
Nowadays, the process has become much more important than it used to be.
I don’t know that they ever asked George Washington a question like this. I don’t know that they ever asked Dwight D. Eisenhower a question like this. But nowadays, it’s all about fire in the belly. I’m not sure in the world we live in today it’s a good thing if a president has too much fire in the belly. I approach life differently than a lot of people. People, I guess, wonder how I’ve been as successful as I’ve been in everything that I’ve done. I won two races in TN by 20 point margins in a state that bill Clinton carried twice. I’ve never had an acting lesson. I guess that’s obvious by people who’ve watched me…
When I did it, I did it. Wasn’t just a lark. Anything that’s worth doing is worth doing well. But I’ve always been a little more laid back than most. I’m only consumed by very, very few things. Politics is not one of them. The welfare of our country and our kids and grandkids is one of them.
If people really want in their president super type-a personality, someone who has gotten up every morning and gone to bed every night and been thinking about for years how they win the presidency of the united states, someone who can look you straight in the eye and say they enjoy every minute of campaigning, I ain’t that guy. So I hope I’ve discussed that and didn’t talk you out of anything. I honestly want – I can’t imagine a worse set of circumstances [than] achieving the Presidency of the United States under false pretenses. I go out of my way to be myself.
----
It is clear that there are those in the media who will exact a high price for candor and from those whom they consider to be insufficiently ambitious. But it is with increasing amazement that we see that those who are willing to slant or leave out important parts of a story to make their point.
If a candidate succumbs to this he will be reduced to nothing more than a sound bite machine.
As for me I am going to continue to say exactly what is in my heart and is on my mind and give straight and honest answers to those who ask straight and honest questions.
Incidentally, the audience in Burlington broke into applause in the middle of my answer. The reporter wouldn’t know that because she wasn’t even there.
That lie of a story is here on FR. Thanks for posting.
I met Fred and like him. Let’s see a Thompson/Hunter ticket. (Not Holly Hunter)
Speaking of Holly Hunter, here is a laugh out loud interview in which the TV personality makes a fool of herself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbpUwx_YLGc
I’m only consumed by very, very few things. Politics is not one of them. The welfare of our country and our kids and grandkids is one of them.
Funny the hack "reporter" didn't use THAT for the headline < /sarcasm >
Go Fred Go!
Excellent response from Fred.
After reading this, I like him even more.
Me too.
BTTT
The reporter he refers to, has she a name? An email perhaps? She needs to be encouraged to make a correction.
I was thinking the same thing.
Over here
“...by a reporter who wasn’t even at the event.”
Now, THAT’s journalism! /sarc
ping
Thanks — I read it.
As I said somewhere earlier, I know what Fred MEANS, but he should have realized how it will come across. He also never talks about how he will beat Hillary — he needs new batteries and a wind up. The goal is not the nomination, it’s the presidency and you can’t beat Hillary with lengthy explanations of your misstatements. Since Fred got in so late, everyone was expecting him to hit the ground running, and instead, he makes dumb remarks, such as the one is under scrunity. Now he has to explain, no, I didn’t really mean that, etc.
--my dad
FWIW, I've been prating for FRed since last June when it first looked like he was serious about this.
IMHO, our country is standing before a cliff. FRed, and I, want the country to turn around and go the other way. Senator Clinton and the other RAT scumbag wannabe candidates want the country to jump off the cliff, trusting them that they'll catch us. Not likely.
If a Conservative, and I specifically did NOT type "a Republican," like FRed does not lead this country come 2009, we'll be a third world country within five-six years.
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