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 ...
with a plastic wristband on his arm from the nervous hospital.
All we have from you so far is an 'Ain't so!' assertion. We're waiting for your first argument. For reference, please see: this argument definition.
Will you please add me to your Fred pinglist?
He did very well last night. Its what I’ve been waiting for since he announced, as I explained yesterday when you ask me about ‘hectoring Fred’.
He done good.
I’m assuming you know those weren’t my remarks...
‘Wow, maybe Fred does want to be President.’
Thats exactly what my wife said three minutes into the debate last night. I agree.
A true idiot and should never be anywhere near the White House!
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 finally makes some news by attacking, and the media covers it. I’ve been saying the lack of coverage is due to lack of newsworthiness. It’s about time, Freddy. He needs to slam McCain and Mitt just as hard, but this is a good start for Fred. Any more debates before the SC vote?
“He needs to slam McCain and Mitt just as hard, but this is a good start for Fred.”
He did slam McCain once when discussing the immigration issue and he brought up McCain’s immigration bill. However, he really needs to slam Huckabee the most because they are going after the same voters in SC and these voters need to know that other than pro life, pro gun and moral family values, Huckabee does not have anything in common with them beyond these issues. Fred pointed this out succinctly last night.
It’s a good start, but he needs to hammer McCain and Romney as well. Fred’s in 4th place. He needs to hammer them all, just like he hammered Huckabee. I don’t think he’s got it in him to hammer McCain (who he supported in 2000), but he ought to. And look at the publicity it generates. He should have been doing this back in IA, and in New Hampshire. A lot of time got lost while he got defined by others.
I think Fred hit his stride last night. Everyone has had to acknowledge that he was the clear winner in last night’s debate. He has momentum from this now. Iowa & New Hampshire were flukes.
Thompson & Romney need to knock McCain & Huckabee out, so they can then concentrate on taking Rudy out.
No, it's a conservative forum. Since only one conservative was invited to last night's debate... well, you do the math.
Good idea. Yes.
Don't do it again.
I'm all for reason, and maturity....but only when its my idea.
In a debate with Hillary he would wipe the floor with her. Just which of these guys do YOU think is most "electable?"
I would like to be added to the ping list.
Thank you!
BUMP for Fabulous Fred
I'd rather have a true conservative in the mold of Hunter or Thompson as the Republican standard-bearer than try to run our liberal against their liberal. Elections are about contrasts and giving the public real choices. Picking between two liberals is not a valid option. There can be no excitement generated to encourage people to get out and vote if there's not a dime's worth of difference between the candidates.
I'd rather vote for the true conservative and take my chances on the rest of the general public agreeing with me. It worked for Reagan. The parallel you're advocating would compare to the Carter/Ford election. If you have two liberals, why not vote for the Democrat one because at least they support their party platform.
Thompson bump. Thanks for the ping ND.
Giuliani vs. Democrat: by the time his past is laid out in all its glory, who can tell the difference? He cannot go after the Democrat on social policy, his is the same. He might win a few points on foreign policy, but not enough. States across the South would be in play with him as our nominee.
Romney: As much as it should not, his religion hurts him where he should be strong. He cannot take on the Democrat on much of anything with out them being able to play a sound bite showing he supported the same thing fairly recently. He has more net negatives in polling than even Hillary.
McCain: As soon as the media turns on him and his true record of opposing the tax cuts, the Gang of 14, Keating 5, and others is brought up, he would be lucky to win Alabama.
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