TheIrishman
12-31-2007, 10:23 AM
Sunday, December 30, 2007
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Thompson Makes His Move [Peter Robinson (robinsononthecorner@mac.com)]
On the Internet as of sometime this afternoon, Fred Thompson’s closing argument to the people of Iowa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VblJq4j0_SE).
Whereas Romney is saturating the airwaves with attack ads, Thompson pays the voters the courtesy of speaking calmly, and in detail—the video runs to just over 15 minutes. Why should the good Republicans of Iowa support Thompson? Because, the candidate argues, he can win.
I believe I am the only candidate in this race who can bring our party to victory in the fall. First, because of the firmness of my principles and the trust that that engenders. Secondly, because of the detailed program I’ve put before the people. Third, because I've been tried and tested — and I’m a known quantity in public life.
But, most of all, I think I know how to talk to the American people about the opposition and the danger their victory would pose to the principles we hold dear.
In the passage I found the most striking, Thompson does something no other Republican contender has attempted: appeal to Democrats.
You know, when I'm asked which of the current group of Democratic candidates I prefer to run against, I always say it really doesn't matter…These days all those candidates, all the Democratic leaders, are one and the same. They’re all NEA-MoveOn.org-ACLU-Michael Moore Democrats. They’ve allowed these radicals to take control of their party and dictate their course.
So this election is important not just to enact our conservative principles. This election is important to salvage a once-great political party from the grip of extremism and shake it back to its senses. It's time to give not just Republicans but independents, and, yes, good Democrats a chance to call a halt to the leftward lurch of the once-proud party of working people.
So in seeking the nomination of my own party, I want to say something a little unusual. I am asking my fellow Republicans to vote for me not only for what I have to say to them, but for what I have to say to the members of the other party—the millions of Democrats who haven't left the Democratic party so much as their party's national leadership has left them.
This is reminiscent of Reagan’s talk to the people of North Carolina in 1976. Simple, straightforward, modest production values—just the candidate in front of an American flag and an Iowa flag—but (to use the word again) compelling. Reagan’s 1976 talk enabled him to recover after a string of primary defeats, winning in North Carolina, then going on to come within a handful of delegates of wresting the nomination from Ford. Will Thompson’s talk move voters in Iowa? Does his campaign have the money to get it on the air? Throughout the state? Or even in a few of the most important markets? Beats me. But we have here a serious man, making a serious case—and doing so in the context of a campaign that has otherwise descended into mere caterwauling.
Even at this late hour, I wouldn’t count Fred out.
12/30 09:23 PM (http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YmUzZjIyNTBhOGE4ZGRkNzhmYzU3NTcyZjZhN2ZiOTE=)
Everything You Need To Know About The Top Tier GOP Candidates In A Single Column
By John Hawkins
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Fred Thompson: "The Fred" is a peculiar case. He is a consistent, movement conservative whose views match up better with those of the base than any of the other top tier candidates. He's a fiscal conservative, a federalist, a man with a perfect pro-life voting record, and all the right positions on illegal immigration. He is also, by far, the most popular candidate with conservatives online, quick on his feet, has a good sense of humor, comes across as presidential, and more than any other Republican running, he has put out serious, detailed policy plans. Judging by that, you'd think he'd be dominating the field. So, why isn't he?
Simple: Because he got in the race too late.
Initially, it may have seemed like a smart move to wait to jump in because Fred's poll numbers kept going up. But eventually, expectations became so sky high that no one could have lived up to them. So, when Fred got in the race, he was almost destined to disappoint people -- and he did. Fred and his campaign took about a month to get their sea legs, but unlike the other campaigns that had their growing pains at the start of the year when no one was paying attention, the Thompson campaign was under the microscope and being examined by people who were practically expecting him to be Reagan reincarnated. Meanwhile, many of the people in the conservative press savaged Fred mercilessly because they had already picked out a candidate to back before he ever got in the race and so they never saw him as anything other than an impediment to "their guy's" chances of winning. Today, Thompson's campaign is well run, he's working as hard as the other top tier candidates, he has proven to be an excellent debater, and he's still probably the only top tier candidate who has the potential to give the majority of Republicans someone they'd like to vote for, as opposed to someone they'd only vote for out of fear of a Hillary Clinton presidency. However, despite all that, he still has yet to get out from under the shadow of the negative first impression that was left with people when he first entered the race.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/JohnHawkins/2007/12/13/everything_you_need_to_know_about_the_top_tier_gop _candidates_in_a_single_column
Walk softly and carry a big stick!
http://beta.nationalreview.com/images/blog_dotted_divider.gif
Thompson Makes His Move [Peter Robinson (robinsononthecorner@mac.com)]
On the Internet as of sometime this afternoon, Fred Thompson’s closing argument to the people of Iowa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VblJq4j0_SE).
Whereas Romney is saturating the airwaves with attack ads, Thompson pays the voters the courtesy of speaking calmly, and in detail—the video runs to just over 15 minutes. Why should the good Republicans of Iowa support Thompson? Because, the candidate argues, he can win.
I believe I am the only candidate in this race who can bring our party to victory in the fall. First, because of the firmness of my principles and the trust that that engenders. Secondly, because of the detailed program I’ve put before the people. Third, because I've been tried and tested — and I’m a known quantity in public life.
But, most of all, I think I know how to talk to the American people about the opposition and the danger their victory would pose to the principles we hold dear.
In the passage I found the most striking, Thompson does something no other Republican contender has attempted: appeal to Democrats.
You know, when I'm asked which of the current group of Democratic candidates I prefer to run against, I always say it really doesn't matter…These days all those candidates, all the Democratic leaders, are one and the same. They’re all NEA-MoveOn.org-ACLU-Michael Moore Democrats. They’ve allowed these radicals to take control of their party and dictate their course.
So this election is important not just to enact our conservative principles. This election is important to salvage a once-great political party from the grip of extremism and shake it back to its senses. It's time to give not just Republicans but independents, and, yes, good Democrats a chance to call a halt to the leftward lurch of the once-proud party of working people.
So in seeking the nomination of my own party, I want to say something a little unusual. I am asking my fellow Republicans to vote for me not only for what I have to say to them, but for what I have to say to the members of the other party—the millions of Democrats who haven't left the Democratic party so much as their party's national leadership has left them.
This is reminiscent of Reagan’s talk to the people of North Carolina in 1976. Simple, straightforward, modest production values—just the candidate in front of an American flag and an Iowa flag—but (to use the word again) compelling. Reagan’s 1976 talk enabled him to recover after a string of primary defeats, winning in North Carolina, then going on to come within a handful of delegates of wresting the nomination from Ford. Will Thompson’s talk move voters in Iowa? Does his campaign have the money to get it on the air? Throughout the state? Or even in a few of the most important markets? Beats me. But we have here a serious man, making a serious case—and doing so in the context of a campaign that has otherwise descended into mere caterwauling.
Even at this late hour, I wouldn’t count Fred out.
12/30 09:23 PM (http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YmUzZjIyNTBhOGE4ZGRkNzhmYzU3NTcyZjZhN2ZiOTE=)
Everything You Need To Know About The Top Tier GOP Candidates In A Single Column
By John Hawkins
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Fred Thompson: "The Fred" is a peculiar case. He is a consistent, movement conservative whose views match up better with those of the base than any of the other top tier candidates. He's a fiscal conservative, a federalist, a man with a perfect pro-life voting record, and all the right positions on illegal immigration. He is also, by far, the most popular candidate with conservatives online, quick on his feet, has a good sense of humor, comes across as presidential, and more than any other Republican running, he has put out serious, detailed policy plans. Judging by that, you'd think he'd be dominating the field. So, why isn't he?
Simple: Because he got in the race too late.
Initially, it may have seemed like a smart move to wait to jump in because Fred's poll numbers kept going up. But eventually, expectations became so sky high that no one could have lived up to them. So, when Fred got in the race, he was almost destined to disappoint people -- and he did. Fred and his campaign took about a month to get their sea legs, but unlike the other campaigns that had their growing pains at the start of the year when no one was paying attention, the Thompson campaign was under the microscope and being examined by people who were practically expecting him to be Reagan reincarnated. Meanwhile, many of the people in the conservative press savaged Fred mercilessly because they had already picked out a candidate to back before he ever got in the race and so they never saw him as anything other than an impediment to "their guy's" chances of winning. Today, Thompson's campaign is well run, he's working as hard as the other top tier candidates, he has proven to be an excellent debater, and he's still probably the only top tier candidate who has the potential to give the majority of Republicans someone they'd like to vote for, as opposed to someone they'd only vote for out of fear of a Hillary Clinton presidency. However, despite all that, he still has yet to get out from under the shadow of the negative first impression that was left with people when he first entered the race.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/JohnHawkins/2007/12/13/everything_you_need_to_know_about_the_top_tier_gop _candidates_in_a_single_column
Walk softly and carry a big stick!