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Exchanges in Latest Debate Highlight a New Dynamic in the Republican Field (Fred Thompson)
NY Times ^ | January 11, 2008 | MICHAEL COOPER and MICHAEL LUO

Posted on 01/10/2008 11:51:32 PM PST by neverdem

Fred D. Thompson tried...

--snip--

But it was Mr. Thompson’s performance, in which he shook off the laid-back style that has defined his candidacy, that provided...

“This is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party and its future,” said Mr. Thompson, who has staked his run on a strong showing in South Carolina. The primary there is Jan. 19.

“On the one hand,” he said, “you have the Reagan revolution, you have the Reagan coalition of limited government and strong national security. And the other hand, you have the direction that Governor Huckabee would take us in. He would be a Christian leader, but he would also bring about liberal economic policies, liberal foreign policies.”

Mr. Thompson then lit into Mr. Huckabee, the former Baptist preacher and Arkansas governor who won the Iowa caucus, for wanting to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay, for supporting what he called “taxpayer-funded programs for illegals” and for wanting to sign a law restricting smoking.

“That’s not the model of the Reagan coalition, that’s the model of the Democratic Party,” he said.

--snip--

Mr. Thompson leavened his responses with the kind of one-liners that many supporters had hoped he would use sooner.

Asked about the United States response in a confrontation with Iranian speedboats, Mr. Thompson said, “I think one more step and they would have been introduced to those virgins that they’re looking forward to seeing.” At another point, he offered that “you can tell that the news is good coming out of Iraq because you read so little about it in The New York Times.”

He also went after Mr. McCain on immigration.

“I disagree with my friend John McCain on the bill that they proposed last year,” Mr. Thompson said. “I disagree with my friend Governor Huckabee...”

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; election; elections; fred; fredthompson; gop; sc2008; thompson
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To: neverdem

Perhaps the most salient thing that Fred advanced last night was the fact that, while the other candidates have been falling all over themselves to reform themselves, particularly on the illegal aliens issue, he hasn’t changed at all.
What you see is what you get: a conservative.

McCain’s assertion that he will be strong on securing our borders: $100
Mike’s position that he will reduce spending: $150.00
Romney’s opposition to higher taxes: $200
The rhinosaurus in the commercial for the medicine to fight rhino-virus, just after Hannity interviewed Giuliana: Priceless!


141 posted on 01/11/2008 6:39:05 AM PST by tumblindice (Following Paul's debate antics, ReynoldsAlcoa stock drops 5 points)
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To: americanophile

“But...it’s a discussion forum right? Don’t you want to hear other opinions, or should we all just write laudatory comments about Fred Thompson ad infinitum?”

Certainly, so don’t shut up. But do indeed think.

Thompson has about as good a chance as anyone. As do all the Dem candidates against each other, though I think they are being the most cannabalistic of the two parties.


142 posted on 01/11/2008 6:45:36 AM PST by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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To: Rick_Michael
We’ve had some weird newbies lately, don’t you think?


143 posted on 01/11/2008 6:46:37 AM PST by Pistolshot (Those with a lively sense of curiosity learn something new every day of their lives.)
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To: americanophile

I think that if you want to discuss, providing an explanation of what facts inform your opinion about Thompson in the general election would provide a better chance for us to discuss those facts.

We could first debate whether the facts are actually true, and then we could debate whether those facts can rationally lead to your conclusion.

Simple statements of opinion are mostly useless for a discussion, because others simply express their opinion back, and there’s nothing to actually debate over.

Usually debates that start that way quickly become personal attacks, because the only thing to “debate” is whether the person giving the opinion has any credibility, and to win THAT argument you have to attack the other’s credibility.

Anyway, that’s my two cents, not just for you but really for everybody who posts. Provide facts, give your rational argument supporting your conclusions, and let’s discuss them.


144 posted on 01/11/2008 7:00:35 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
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To: americanophile
With all due respect, I think FR is a ceaselessly pro-Thompson campaign machine....

FR is a pro Reagan Coalition "machine".

And that coalition has a proven track record.

145 posted on 01/11/2008 7:01:42 AM PST by Donald Rumsfeld Fan ("Sincerity is everything. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made." Groucho Marx)
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To: tumblindice
Perhaps the most salient thing that Fred advanced last night was the fact that, while the other candidates have been falling all over themselves to reform themselves, particularly on the illegal aliens issue, he hasn’t changed at all.

But he has!

His passionate demeanor is the welcome needed change.
We need more FRED! He lit up the whole campaign!

146 posted on 01/11/2008 7:03:19 AM PST by b9 (~ simply Fred ~)
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To: Yaelle

Coming in late here but I agree with your statement 100%!!!
Thompson/Hunter 08????????


147 posted on 01/11/2008 7:03:41 AM PST by FlashBack (www.proudpatriots.org/www.woundedwarriorproject.org/www.moveamericaforward.org)
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To: JennysCool

Hey, let’s get in a pissin’ match about who’s been here the longest!
/sarc


148 posted on 01/11/2008 7:05:13 AM PST by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: americanophile
This despite the fact that he run a terrible, lazy-man's campaign, he's losing in the primaries to people like Ron Paul, he has no money, and South Carolina is widely regarded as his last stand before dropping out (and endorsing McCain).

You're merely regurgitating the MSM's talking points. And the MSM Fears The Fred!

149 posted on 01/11/2008 7:17:39 AM PST by Donald Rumsfeld Fan ("Sincerity is everything. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made." Groucho Marx)
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To: neverdem; SierraWasp; Ernest_at_the_Beach; PhilDragoo; Jim Robinson

Freddie’s back!

Sounds like a classic Freddie nightmare for the Rinos last night.


150 posted on 01/11/2008 7:18:10 AM PST by Grampa Dave ("Ron Paul and his flaming antiwar spam monkeys can Kiss my Ass!!"- Jim Robinson, Sept, 30, 2007)
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To: americanophile

Don’t count out FRED!

He won the debate. Stay tuned as the REAL conservative starts to speak out!


151 posted on 01/11/2008 7:20:14 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Tainan; Fred Nerks

:’) I like Fred, but the mantra for the 2008 campaign is going to be “experience”. He’ll probably seem too old to run in 2012 (unless he winds up with toddlers by then). He might make a good running mate, but in my view Romney is going to wind up somewhere on the ticket, if not prez, then VP. Fred would make an excellent “elder statesman” VP; for one thing, an important role of the VP in a campaign is to say the rough and tumble stuff that the Prez candidate can’t always say, and Fred has a gravitas to make it sound just right.


152 posted on 01/11/2008 7:21:42 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________Profile updated Sunday, December 30, 2007)
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To: SunkenCiv

Fred as PRESIDENT and Jeri as First Lady.
What better representation for America?


153 posted on 01/11/2008 7:26:25 AM PST by b9 (~ simply Fred ~)
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To: grey_whiskers
However, she added, he isn't a very good actor, and occasionally the mask slips off and you see the 'real' Huckleberry underneath.

.....“Sincerity is everything. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”

154 posted on 01/11/2008 7:27:18 AM PST by Donald Rumsfeld Fan ("Sincerity is everything. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made." Groucho Marx)
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To: Donald Rumsfeld Fan
Has anyone noticed that the Huckster's rebuttal to anyone who brings up his record of raising taxes while governor is "that's what Reagan did when he was governor".

It's a very clever rebuttal. It depends on folks not knowing Reagan's record on taxes while governor of California.

Yes he did raise taxes. He was a budget balancer in those days. But he later said that it was a mistake. He said "everytime I raised taxes to cut the deficit the Dems would use it as an excuse to increase spending".

That was before Arthur Laffer and 'supply side' economics came onto the scene.

Reagan then became a 'supply sider' and embreaced tax rate cuts. Which is were Thompson stands.

155 posted on 01/11/2008 7:43:24 AM PST by Donald Rumsfeld Fan ("Sincerity is everything. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made." Groucho Marx)
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To: dangus
That has to be one of the most disingenuous editing jobs I’ve ever seen. I’m a HUGE fan of Thompson. But starting out with “Fred Thompson tried...”, leaving off that the sentence was about how his campaign is (supposedly) dead... that’s beyond the pale.

Fred went from third in IA to last in NH. Regardless of NY Times' choice of words, I had two limiting factors: excerpts limited to 300 words and folks who refuse to access the NY Times.

156 posted on 01/11/2008 7:44:32 AM PST by neverdem (Call talk radio. We need a Constitutional Amendment for Congressional term limits. Let's Roll!)
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To: neverdem; NeoCaveman

Good post.


157 posted on 01/11/2008 7:44:51 AM PST by tioga
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To: BonneBlue; jellybean

Welcome aboard!!


158 posted on 01/11/2008 7:45:11 AM PST by Politicalmom (Huckabee’s foreign policy experience consists of eating at the International House of Pancakes.)
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To: EarthBound; jellybean

Welcome aboard!!


159 posted on 01/11/2008 7:46:33 AM PST by Politicalmom (Huckabee’s foreign policy experience consists of eating at the International House of Pancakes.)
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To: americanophile

OK, discuss this........can true conservative principals win in the general election?


160 posted on 01/11/2008 7:47:11 AM PST by tioga
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