Posted on 12/30/2007 12:53:58 PM PST by sonsofliberty2000
Fred Thompson acknowledged Saturday he's not especially fond of running for president, but he thinks he'd be a good choice for the White House.
Asked at a town hall meeting in Burlington whether he had the desire to be president, Thompson said it wasn't his idea to seek the office, and he wasn't enamored with campaigning.
"I am not consumed by personal ambition. I will not be devastated if I don't do it," he said. "I'm not particularly interested in running for president."
But he said others convinced him to run.
"I approached it from a standpoint ... of kind of a marriage. You know if one side of the marriage has to be really talked into the marriage, you know it probably ain't going to be a good deal for either one of them. But if you mutually think that this is a good thing -- in this case you think it's a good thing for the country -- then you have an opportunity to do some wonderful things together," he said.
"I'm offering myself up. I'm saying that I have the background and capability and the concern to do this."
People who question his commitment should note that he's dropped lucrative television and radio contracts and no longer accepts paid speaking tours.
"I and my family have made sacrifices for me to be sitting here today. I haven't had any income for a long time because I'm doing this," he said. "I guess 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 at all, if he didn't want to do it."
Thompson said candidates have become too absorbed by the process and have lost sight of the ultimate need to serve the country.
"Nowadays, it's all about fire in the belly. I'm not sure in the world we live in today it's a terribly good thing that a president has too much fire in his belly," he said.
Thompson said that unlike his opponents, he's honest about why he's running.
"I like to say that I'm only consumed by very, very few things and politics is not one of them. The welfare of my country and my kids and grandkids are one of them," he said. "But if people really want in their president a super type-A personality, someone who has gotten up every morning and gone to bed every night thinking about for years how they could achieve presidency of the United States, someone who could look you straight in the eye and say they enjoy every minute of campaigning -- I ain't that guy."
Thompson said voters know what to expect from him.
"I go out of my way to be myself cause I don't want anybody to think they're getting something they're not getting. I'm not consumed by this process. I'm not consumed with the notion of being president. I'm simply saying I'm willing to do what's necessary to achieve it if I'm in synch with the people and if the people want me or somebody like me," he said.
The man who asked the question, Burlington attorney Todd Chelf, said he appreciated Thompson's reply.
"It's almost refreshing to see that kind of response as opposed to what we get normally," he said. "I think there's a passion there. I think that it's an old-fashioned passion."
Later at a stop in the community of Washington, Thompson joked about Democrat John Edwards, who had an event at the same time just a few blocks away.
"I understand my friend John Edwards is in town. He's over at the library. I hope he learns something while he's over there," Thompson said. "I like our bus better. Go out and check them out."
On Saturday, Thompson was accompanied by Iowa Rep. Steve King.
Pretty good...
Worthy of a repeat irregardless of who stated it.
100 percent agree. How many past presidents could walk this walk ?
The best person for the job is the person who doesn’t want it, but feels an obligation to take it. That’s Fred. Everybody else, especially McCain, really wants it.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy had a theme like this, where anyone who actually wanted to be president was immediately considered unqualified for the job. I agree with the sentiment.
I like Fred and want him to surprise people with his finish in Iowa. That said, I have to laugh at all the Huckabee haters/Fred Heads. The republican establishment hates Thompson as much as they do Huckabee. The only reason Huckabee has been trashed more is because he is doing better and has proven harder to kill. This is the kind of trash they both have to face from OUR(Drudge, Fox..) side.
FRED SAWYER AND HUCKABEE FINN all the way!!
Ooookkk I just saw the other article, ignore my comment. I thought it was a double post on the topic, and that the poster was giving a link to the other article. My bad.
With a juvenile sounding post such as yours, I’m tempted to do a search to see if you have also defended Apple and the Mac as jealously!
yeah, he would make the best President, but he’s a lousy candidate. I fear he was our only hope. Who knows, maybe a miracle can take place and he’s chosen, but it doesn’t look good with comments like this.
It reminds me of ancient Israel, sometimes God would judge her by giving her lousy kings. We are getting set up to have a REAL lousy king. (or queen)
Who was it that said:”The presidency is a job no honest man would want and no dishonest man should have.”
I've had this quote on my freeper profile page for years...
The major problem - one of the major problems, for there are several - one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather or who manages to get people to let them do it to them To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must WANT to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem.
Ok, that is the best post I’ve seen in a LONG time on here. Takes me back to the days of doing live threads when the war started, Akmed, the dang car alarms, and the barking dogs. ;)
Um, no.
These are half-quotes, so innaccurate and out of context, the National Review did an article on the dishonesty of the reporting.
HamiltonJay, after reading this thread, I’ve determined that you “stepped in it” without first donning your asbestos suit.
It shows, Fred.
I saw Fred today. I was impressed. I’ve been (one of the few, sadly) supporters of Duncan Hunter, but in Fred Thompson, I see someone I think I could easily vote for. He also addressed this out of context quote in the media. Just because he hasn’t obsessed over becoming president since junior high (Al Gore, anyone), doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel called to serve his country. Better than a lot of the plasticity found on both sides of the aisle, IMO.
Which pretty much explains the verve he's shown in doing it...
He needs to phrase his thoughts a little better than this. He makes it sound like he doesn't care about being president either.
He should have said simply, "I didn't particularly want to run for president but I felt I had to."
You gotta keep it simple for the media clowns.
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