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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: americanophile

So you believe Giuliani, Romney and McCain have the best chance? Why so they can appeal to liberal Democrats? The Reagan coalition can win another for the gipper. The GWB election strategy is headed for the dustbin of history. There is a reason people cheered Zell Miller, there is a reason people cheered Thompson tonight. Speaking the truth is powerful. Save those candidates with liberal envy for last. We will worry about winning the general when it comes to that.

Obama and Hillary(do I need to mention Edwards?) are both deeply flawed candidates. We can take them apart like John Kerry. Obama has his albatross in Kerry now as does Hillary with Bill. There liberalism is on display and what we need more than anything is a GOP candidate who highlights the differences not the common ground with these radical liberals.


61 posted on 01/11/2008 1:03:34 AM PST by Maelstorm (Better Fred than Red.)
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To: americanophile

You have it ass-backward, my friend.


62 posted on 01/11/2008 1:05:08 AM PST by Defiant (Huckabee puts the goober back in gubernatorial.)
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To: americanophile

“He has no chance in the general”....

If you say so....It’s surely true! Hu hum

Looks like you know very well what the NYT would love...
Personnally i don’t care at all and the NYT in its old lib juice .


63 posted on 01/11/2008 1:05:45 AM PST by Ulysse (a)
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To: americanophile

Alternative viewpoints?

Why the need for alternative viewpoints. Do you provide alternative viewpoints on Hillary/Obama?

Fred is my choice. I’ve had enough of “alternative viewpoints” especially when they include those that we know will turn on us when they get in office - McCain, Romney, Huckabee, Rudy.

Why would they turn on us? Because they are not confirmed true conservatives. They each have caved to the left in one way or another. Thompson is the only one who has the conservative credentials.


64 posted on 01/11/2008 1:08:10 AM PST by ClancyJ
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To: My Favorite Headache

I don’t attack Hunter because Hunter is a good conservative. There is no need for animosity between Hunter and Thompson.
What I don’t understand is how Brownback and Tancredo could not support Thompson. Thompson is starting to pull out his big gun supporters. We raised more than a half a million for him and by Primary day we may very well have raised a full million. That is grass roots. That is unwavering support.

The latest Rasmussen poll as of yesterday showed that Thompson has a very good chance at an upset:

“Rudy Giuliani is currently at 6% in South Carolina, down four points from the previous survey. Ron Paul picks up 5% support while 3% would vote for some other candidate and 6% are not sure.

The race remains potentially very fluid as just 57% are certain that they will end up voting for the candidate they currently support.

Fred Thompson’s support is the most solid of all the candidates. Sixty-six percent (66%) of his supporters are “certain” they will vote for him. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Huckabee supporters are that “certain” along with 49% of McCain backers and 48% of those who currently favor Romney.

Thompson is viewed favorably by 72% of Likely Primary voters in the Palmetto State, McCain by 71% and Huckabee by 69%. Romney’s favorables are at 68%, Giuliani is at 60%, and Ron Paul at 36%. “

This means that we need to keep the momentum growing and Fred needs to build and build.


65 posted on 01/11/2008 1:11:03 AM PST by Maelstorm (Better Fred than Red.)
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To: americanophile

I heard your opinion and i found it poor unargumented...
And i wonder where and for what you roll...
You know libs are so pathetic AND LOVE TO HEAR THEIR EMPTYNESS.
So what was your point?


66 posted on 01/11/2008 1:18:26 AM PST by Ulysse (a)
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To: americanophile
We want to hear your opinions, but they should be based on something.

Frankly, at this point I am not interested in presumed electability. it is 1) a subjective feeling, 2) based on insufficient data - we do not even know the Dem nominee yet.

Let's concentrate on the best nominee for the needs of the country based on principles, positions, past actions, and substantive proposals (not a beauty contest).

When that is done, then we will be in position to defeat the opposition. If we do not, we at least did what was best for the country, and can sleep at night about it.

Electability puts the discussion on a beauty contest - American idol footing. It is the wrong basis. The way conservatives and republicans really win is ideas. Electing a liberal - closet Dem as president whether he has an R or a D behind his name is a meaningless success.

67 posted on 01/11/2008 1:21:30 AM PST by verklaring (Pyrite is not gold)
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To: leadhead

McCain...last in his class at USNA

Hey it is an honor to be the anchor at USNA. They get a certificate and all.


68 posted on 01/11/2008 1:31:27 AM PST by napscoordinator
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To: ClancyJ

Doesn’t matter Americanophile has obviously no “alternative viewpoints” but is only throwing rough unfounded opinions...

Just wondering why?
It’s rather pathetic but shows that Fred is seen as a threat for some people...Good!
GO ON FRED


69 posted on 01/11/2008 1:33:36 AM PST by Ulysse (a)
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To: neverdem
I thought Fred was FABULOUS tonight.

Specifically- where he mentioned that the Iranian's are "rattling sabers"- he recalled that they earlier had kidnapped British soldiers, with the same intent. He said "they are testing us", and that the most recent event with Iran, might give evidence that the radical factions are now running the military.

IMO- these are the answers of someone who is "engaged" in world events. It shows that Fred has the ability to "think on his feet".

The others gave good responses, but none had the depth of Fred's answer. The word is "Gravitas".

I thought McCain , Gulliani , and Romney, did ok too.

People need to stop "Looking" at all the surface BS, and start "Listening" to what the candidates are saying.

Ask yourselves America:

You wake up in the morning, turn on your TV, and find out there's been another attack on an American city-maybe worse than 9/11:

Who do you want in charge? Who has the best leadership qualities? Who has the best policies to keep the country safe, and prevent another attack? Who has the best ability to deal with the volatile ME situations?

These are some of the questions I'm asking myself.

I keep coming back with the same answer: Fred.

My problem with Mc Cain is that he took away my free speech, not to mention his immigration bill. Lately- he's been saying "the right things". But, who knows what he'd do?. He's demonstrated too many contradictory tendencies IMO.

Rudy is, who Rudy is. He's a moderate who would be strong in the WOT. He doesn't try to hide that he's a moderate. I can respect that- not my first choice though.

I like the Pro-life, religious stand of Huckabee, but, like Mc Cain he's unpredictable, and has shown too many contradictory tendencies.

Romney is more in agreement with my views-my second choice after Fred, (Assuming that Hunter can't get in).

I don't have a problem with his religion, but, I see there are quite a few Christian's who do.

I go back to my WOT questions- Seems that Romney could handle the WOT.

I understand the shallow stuff, but, we have to start focusing on the serious issues, and who would make the best president/leader of the free world.

70 posted on 01/11/2008 1:36:28 AM PST by Pajamajan (Pray for president Bush. Pray for our troops. Pray for congress, Pray for our nation.)
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To: americanophile
Yeah Right.... “If we would only nominate someone who has more in common with liberal Democrats, like Romney, Rudy, Huckabee or McCain. I’m sure the conservatives would turn out to vote in droves. (Heavy Sarc.)

The fact is, Thompson is the only candidate who does not alienate at least one third of the Reagan coalition.

71 posted on 01/11/2008 1:49:52 AM PST by NavVet (If you don't defend Conservatism in the Primary, you won't have it to defend in the General Election)
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To: americanophile

I think the reason your post generated the response it did, is that you didn’t provide any thoughtful rational for your assertion. Many have explained in detail how the RINO’s in the field would fracture the coalition and bring about a DEM Landslide victory, but you just dropped a bomb without any explanation.


72 posted on 01/11/2008 1:54:47 AM PST by NavVet (If you don't defend Conservatism in the Primary, you won't have it to defend in the General Election)
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To: Ulysse

yep, Fred would pull in the Reagan Democrats against any of the commie libs he would face in the general


73 posted on 01/11/2008 2:04:50 AM PST by Lib-Lickers 2 (Thompson/ 08)
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To: neverdem
I've been gunning for Fred since there was a rumor he might run, and I think that he (or anyone except maybe Guiliani) stands a sound game against Miss Clinton... but I still find the general reaction to americanophile ridiculous.

You guys act like he punched one of your kids.

Do you want to end up like DU and spazz out about every possible threat to your sense of political ideal?

As near as I can tell, he didn't insult anybody by his comment, and he is evidently not a leftist, so there is no excuse to do anything besides (a) ignore him (b) make a polite, constructive riposte.

If you can't bring yourself to do that out of a sense of personal dignity, then do it to make a clear presentation to any moderates that might chance to read FR that we conservatives are infinitely nicer than those mean-spirited libs found elsewhere.

Good idea, yes?

74 posted on 01/11/2008 2:33:19 AM PST by explodingspleen
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To: SunkenCiv
“I think one more step and they would have been introduced to those virgins that they’re looking forward to seeing.”

Bravo! I'm going to donate to Fred's campaign even though I'm an aussie and can't vote him. I want to see him POTUS.

75 posted on 01/11/2008 2:50:40 AM PST by Fred Nerks
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To: Rick_Michael

Yep, FR has had it’s share of disruptors/non-paid shills from both sides plus Newbies but I think just ignoring this bunch may be a better strategy than the constantly going toe to toe and disrupting the threads.


76 posted on 01/11/2008 2:55:10 AM PST by iopscusa (El Vaquero. (SC Lowcountry Cowboy))
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To: SunkenCiv

Yeah...I guess he’s off the decaf now. About time he woke up.

I’m still doubtful he’s in it for the long haul. I like him though. Maybe with Hunter as a VP.


77 posted on 01/11/2008 2:57:57 AM PST by Tainan (Talk is cheap. Silence is golden. All I got is brass...lotsa brass.)
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To: americanophile

Who are you?


78 posted on 01/11/2008 2:57:58 AM PST by nygoose
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To: neverdem

Freddie looked good.
I think he can win. I voted by absentee ballot already.


79 posted on 01/11/2008 3:18:27 AM PST by truemiester (If the U.S. should fail, a veil of darkness will come over the Earth for a thousand years)
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To: americanophile
One thing that you probably have noticed about a lot of Freepers, is the crowd control aspect. No peripheral vision.
80 posted on 01/11/2008 3:18:51 AM PST by Coldwater Creek
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