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[Fred]Thompson says he likes his position (Good article!)
Yahoo! News ^ | August 25, 2007 | Mike Smith

Posted on 08/25/2007 6:46:50 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

All-but-declared GOP candidate Fred Thompson said Saturday he is in a sound position to make a run for the nomination even though others announced their candidacies months ago.

"We have done within a few months what other people have spent much longer periods of time doing," Thompson told reporters before delivering a keynote speech to the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference, which has drawn party activists from 12 states.

Thompson has had a less-than-stellar summer that included a campaign staff shake-up and fundraising that failed to meet expectations. But he has polled well in national surveys despite his unofficial status.

"We've made some changes along the way and are better for it, and I think we are where we need to be right now," he said.

Thompson, a former Tennessee senator and an actor known for his role as a district attorney on NBC's "Law & Order," was the third and final GOP hopeful to speak at the conference. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee spoke Friday.

He received a more rousing reception when he was introduced to speak than Romney and Huckabee got, with many in the crowd of 500 or so whooping and hollering and shouting, "Fred, Fred, Fred."

Unlike the stiff character he plays on TV, Thompson was casual as he spoke. He warmed up the crowd with a few jokes, saying that while he was a senator he could recall that every once and awhile, a member of Congress would slip up by "actually spending their own money."

He spoke mostly in general terms on serious matters, saying that one of the most pressing challenges facing America was national security and the terrorist threat from Islamic radicals. Not enough people take the threat seriously, he said.

"Our country is in danger and it's going to be in danger for a long time to come," he said. "We have got to be more united and more committed than ever before."

He said government spending was out of control, and people had little faith in government solving problems in areas such as energy, education and health care.

"We probably have more cynicism toward our leadership than in a long time," he said. "How do people follow when people don't have any confidence in what is said and who is saying it?"

Jean Reed of Greensburg said she has been unsure who she would support, but that Thompson's appearance and speech probably won her over.

"I think he would make a great candidate," she said. "He seemed to be very personable, he seemed to be caring, he seemed to know what he believed."

Murray Winn of Mishawaka said he was still undecided, but hoped Thompson would get into the race soon. "I think it will energize the party if he does," he said.

Thompson is expected to announce his bid early next month, saying Saturday that he will "certainly be making a statement within short order."


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Politics/Elections; US: Indiana; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: 2008; election2008; electionpresident; elections; fred; fredthompson; gop; in2008; republicans; runfredrun; thompson
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The crowd at the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference in Indianapolis shows the pent-up excitement that will boil over once Fred declares early next month! I expect him to raise millions the first two weeks. I attended a Midwest Republican Leadership Conference in 1987 as an advance man for General Al Haig. Got to "pal around" with journalist Robert Novak all day that day...
1 posted on 08/25/2007 6:46:53 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
How do you guys find these stories before anyone else? :)

America. Together. Again
Fred Thompson/JC Watts in '08

2 posted on 08/25/2007 7:06:52 PM PDT by papasmurf (<<<<< Click there to see my dogs! Oh, and I have FRed one liners, too.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Weren’t you lucky to get to pal around with Novak? I don’t know whether I like him or not. Hope he is better in person than he seems on TV.

Thank you for the optimistic outlook on Fred, encouragement is needed....


3 posted on 08/25/2007 7:07:41 PM PDT by hoosierpearl (To God be the glory.)
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To: papasmurf

I’m just that damn good! LOL


4 posted on 08/25/2007 7:07:45 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Was watching FRED on C-SPAN and by pure coincidence they had “technical difficulties” and had to interrupt the live feed of his speech.

The Rootie News Channel (FNC) didn’t carry it either.

5 posted on 08/25/2007 7:09:14 PM PDT by dusttoyou (FredHead from the git go)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Fred and Newt in 08!!!!!


6 posted on 08/25/2007 7:09:32 PM PDT by fightu4it (conquest by immigration and subversion spells the end of US.)
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To: hoosierpearl
He is cynical as hell, but a good investigative political journalist needs to be, yet he is a friendly curmudgeon. For a democrat, he is very conservative, which is why the nutroots hates his guts. He is an “old school” democrat like Truman, LBJ, Hubert Humphrey or Sam Nunn.
7 posted on 08/25/2007 7:13:00 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"He received a more rousing reception when he was introduced to speak than Romney and Huckabee got, with many in the crowd of 500 or so whooping and hollering and shouting, 'Fred, Fred, Fred.'"



Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Quick Reference

Fred Thompson FAQ: THE Fred Thompson Web Resource
8 posted on 08/25/2007 7:14:38 PM PDT by Josh Painter ( "This is our home and we get to decide who gets to come into our home." - Fred)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I like Robert Novak.


9 posted on 08/25/2007 7:15:57 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!!!)
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To: dusttoyou

C-Span will run it again at 11:20 p.m. Eastern time tonight.


10 posted on 08/25/2007 7:16:35 PM PDT by Josh Painter ( "This is our home and we get to decide who gets to come into our home." - Fred)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

...zzzzzzzzzz....


11 posted on 08/25/2007 7:17:51 PM PDT by onedoug
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To: onedoug

Tell me, doug, will you vote for Fred in the general election or sit this one out? Notice I didn’t ask if you’d vote for Hillary—I wouldn’t insult you that way.


12 posted on 08/25/2007 7:19:59 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Doug’s a Mittite.


13 posted on 08/25/2007 7:27:13 PM PDT by Josh Painter ( "This is our home and we get to decide who gets to come into our home." - Fred)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Oh, I'll vote for Fred if he wins the nomination. And I like many of his ideas. I just wonder if he's got the staying power over the long term, first for the nomination and then for the arduously difficult presidential years to follow.

Thus far, I just haven't seen to much evidence of ganas in him to this effect, whereas I think Rudy and Romney in particular are showing us - love or hate them - they have it in large measure.

14 posted on 08/25/2007 7:30:54 PM PDT by onedoug
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To: Sturm Ruger
Doug’s a Mittite.

I'll take that as a compliment. Thanks.

15 posted on 08/25/2007 7:33:27 PM PDT by onedoug
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To: onedoug
What was it?

Oh yeah...

...zzzzzzzzzz....

BTW, Fred has the same staying power as Mitt’s hair...

16 posted on 08/25/2007 7:42:26 PM PDT by ejonesie22 (I don't use a sarcasm tag, it kills the effect...)
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To: onedoug
"Thus far, I just haven't seen to much evidence of ganas in him..."

Hunger? Ferociousness?

Wait, grasshopper, until after he announces. Or, don't see it even then, and vote for Romney. You are, of course, free to choose your candidate.

17 posted on 08/25/2007 7:43:16 PM PDT by Theresawithanh (FRED!)
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To: Theresawithanh
You are, of course, free to choose your candidate.

Very gracious. Thanks to you too.

18 posted on 08/25/2007 7:45:50 PM PDT by onedoug
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To: onedoug
I just wonder if he's got the staying power over the long term, first for the nomination and then for the arduously difficult presidential years to follow.
Fred Thompson has had the career of three men, and he's been far more active and successful in each than most full-time actors, politicians, and lawyers combined.
So all this talk about Fred being too lazy or not having “the fire in the belly” for it seems pretty ridiculous.
True, he's not a divisive, ranting demagogue like so many oft-cited politicians out there are, but I think most Americans see that as a plus.

 
19 posted on 08/25/2007 8:02:33 PM PDT by counterpunch ("The Democrats are the party of slavery." - Cindy Sheehan)
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To: counterpunch

I have read he got out of politics in 2002 because a family tragedy had depressed him. It can do that to a man. Calvin Coolidge was nver the same after the death of his son. Collidge, bTW, was far more substantive that the conventional wison has it. He owuld never have reacted to the depression the way that Hoover did, with frenetic action at a time when no one knew what to do.


20 posted on 08/25/2007 8:09:43 PM PDT by RobbyS ( CHIRHO)
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