Fred Thompson gets tough in Iowa

Thompson steps up rhetoric, visibility in Iowa
WBIR-TV | Bill Theobald

OSKALOOSA, Iowa - Fred Thompson has shied from directly criticizing his Republican rivals seeking the presidential nomination. He's also not been part of the daily lineup of television ads jamming Iowa's airwaves.

Both changed Friday.

Thompson called on Mike Huckabee to explain why he wants the United States to apologize for Thursday's killing of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

The former Tennessee senator said he was concerned what people around the world "will think when they see a presidential candidate was apologizing" for the assassination. "That's hard to understand," he said.

Fred Thompson Comments on Benazir Bhutto assassination

Fred Thompson on Benazir Bhutto assassination (Fox Interview)
Fred08 | December 27, 2007

HARRIS FAULKNER : Senator, your reaction, first, to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

FRED THOMPSON : It is a tragedy, of course. It reminds us that things can happen in faraway places of the world that can affect the United States. I think this should be of great concern to us. It is almost a perfect storm in a very bad sense because two forces are operating against each other that are both desirable. One is democracy: they were making progress in that regard in that country. Former prime minister Bhutto was an important part of that process. But the other is stability. Pakistan is a nuclear country, and we cannot afford to let nukes fall into the hands of dangerous Muslim radicals. We are hoping those two things can be balanced out. We can see the continued progress toward a democratic society but also maintain stability in the country, which seems to be very much in doubt right now.

A Holiday Messge from Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson, conservative man of the people

Thompson is running low on options
Politico | Jonathan Martin

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Fred Thompson’s plan is simple: Get on a bus and haul around to some 50 Iowa towns and cities between now and Jan. 3.

It’s the only option he has.

Thompson has little money left in bank and has had to slash his television presence here to a level well below that of Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. His cash crunch is so severe that he’s even had to freeze his direct mail plan.

So now, for the next two weeks before the caucuses, he'll be largely living off the land.

The Impending Thompson Surge

The Impending Thompson Surge
By JB Williams on (Dec 20, 07)

Shake-Up Coming Soon
Seven major pollsters issued new national numbers for mid-December, after the last Republican debate in Iowa, which was hosted by the hostile Des Moines Register which is for the record, endorsing the Hillary Clinton campaign…


read::: Capitol Hill Coffee House blog

North Carolina Pro-Life Organization Endorses Fred Thompson

North Carolina Pro-Life Organization Jumps on Fred Thompson Bandwagon
The Life News | Steven Ertelt

Charlotte, NC (LifeNews.com) -- Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson continues to accumulate the support of pro-life groups as he tries to rebuild his campaign in Iowa and capture the GOP nod for 2008. North Carolina Right to Life is the latest pro-life group to hop aboard the Thompson bandwagon and says the former senator is strongly pro-life.

The organization joins its sister group in South Carolina, site of one of the early presidential battlegrounds, in backing the former actor and attorney.

“By endorsing Fred Thompson for President, North Carolina Right to Life PAC wants all North Carolinians to know Senator Thompson’s long-standing pro-life record," Barbara Holt, the president of the group, told LifeNews.com.

Tom Puzzo: Fred Thompson is the best conservative and best candidate

FRED THOMPSON is the best person to lead this country. He is a true conservative and has been his entire life. All one has to do is check his record to see this.

Throughout my 30-year Air Force career, I served under eight Presidents (as my commanders in chief). Without argument, President Reagan was the best commander-in-chief a military person could ever have served under. Fred Thompson possesses the same qualities and vision as President Reagan in that he is strong on national defense and sees a dire need to secure our borders and control immigration.

read::: Union Leader

'The Clear Conservative Choice: Hands Down!' bus tour with Fred Thompson

The Fred Thompson Surge in Iowa

Yepsen: Don't Rule Out Surges by Edwards, Thompson
ABC News | David Yepsen, Des Moines Register

Edwards and Thompson Showing Real Potential to Come Up Fast in Iowa

There's a lot of buzz about the battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for Democratic caucus votes in Iowa. And there's also a lot of talk about the fight between Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee on the Republican side.

All that tends to overlook two other candidates: Democrat John Edwards and Republican Fred Thompson. They're both showing real potential to come up fast here at the end.

State's National Right to Life Affiliate Supporting Thompson for President

Fred Thompson Receives Endorsement of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life
standardnewswire.com | December 18, 2007

State's National Right to Life Affiliate Supporting Thompson for President

MCLEAN, Virginia, Dec. 18 /Standard Newswire/ -- Today Fred Thompson received the endorsement of the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, the Minnesota affiliate of the National Right to Life Council.

Fred Thompson: I will fight against a "left-wing, big government, high taxing, weak-on-national security Democratic Party"

Thompson: More Surprises in Store
ABCNews | Christine Byun

About three months after his initial campaign kick-off, Republican candidate Fred Thompson returned to Iowa with a re-invigorated pitch in his final appeal to the early voting state.

Thompson -- who will spend 15 days in Iowa leading up to the Jan. 3 caucuses -- warned the country is "one successful terrorist plan away from nuclear attack."

Barely pausing to clear his throat, the former Tennessee Senator boomed, "it's not time for on-the-job training," a familiar jab on this year's campaign trail. Thompson believes he has the leadership skills to lead the country in national security issues.

"When the time comes where our worst enemy in the world is sitting across the table thinking about what he can do to the United States of America ... Who do you want sitting across the table representing us?" Thompson asked, a question which staffers say will be one of the campaign's driving themes during his statewide tour.

The Fred Thompson Iowa Bus Tour

Thompson says he will not "mold...to circumstances"
Radio Iowa | O.Kay Henderson

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson says he's not content to finish third in Iowa's Caucuses and he's embarking a bus tour of the state that is set to begin tonight in Dubuque.

During an interview with Radio Iowa, Thompson laughed when he was asked whether the bus tour was a "getting to know you" exercise for himself and potential Iowa Caucus-goers. "That doesn't make much of a campaign theme song, I tell you," Thompson said, then laughed.

Iowa GOP Rep. Steve King endorses Fred Thompson

Iowa GOP Rep. Steve King announced his endorsement of Fred
Michelle Malkin

Iowa GOP Rep. Steve King announced his endorsement for president this morning. He’s going with Fred Thompson.


read::: Michelle Malkin

Thompson Rallies Conservative Christians

Thompson Rallies Conservative Christians
ABCNews/PoliticalRadar | Christine Byun

Standing inside the Mississippi State Capitol Rotunda, a cluster of conservative Christian leaders voiced their support for Republican candidate Fred Thompson, praising his “fortitude” of character.

“[Former] Senator Thompson’s pursuit of the presidency is not ego-driven … and [he] does not attempt to re-invent himself or change his language depending on his audience,” Reverend Phillip Knight said, adding, “It appears to me, the only candidate that can act, isn’t.”

Knight and Dr. Benny Tate, founders of the Wesleyan Center for Strategic Studies, promise the endorsements of 100 conservative Methodist pastors in the coming days. They also say they have been calling Iowa-area church leaders, rallying support for the former Tennessee Senator, who has been overshadowed by fellow Southerner-in-the-running, Mike Huckabee.

Fred Thompson's Defining Moment: Des Moines 2007; Nashua 1980

For all of you who were impressed, as I was, with Fred Thompson's handling of the Des Moines Register's debate moderator's almost successful(4 out of 5)effort to convert the entire top tier of GOP presidential candidates into trained seals, this little video compares Fred's smackdown of Carolyn Washburn with Ronald Reagan's woodshedding of the Nashua Telegraph's Jon Breen in 1980. It is a classic and reminds so many of us who have not seen a conservative since the Gipper why we like Fred so much. Reagan credited this colloquy with having propelled him to the White House.


read::: RightWing News blog

Fred Thompson was "hands down" the most impressive candidate in Iowa yesterday

AP Video Highlights are Almost All Fred

Read::: Fred08

Wall Street Journal Likes Fred

WSJ Likes Fred

From the Washington Wire/WSJ:

Fred Thompson provided most of the lighter, and funnier, moments, including his exchange with Mitt Romney over who shoulders the biggest tax burden in the country.

“I don’t stay awake at night worrying about the taxes that rich people are paying, to tell you the truth,” the multimillionaire Romney said. Thompson responded that his goal “is to get into Mitt Romney’s situation, where I don’t have to worry about taxes anymore.” Romney shot back that he wouldn’t mind being in Thompson’s shoes either. “You’re getting to be a pretty good actor actually,” Thompson joked. “Takes one to know one,” Romney said.

Dad29 blog

Fred Thompson Speaks at Miami Church

On Sunday, Fred received a warm welcome in front of the Iglesia El Rey Jesus congregation. He talked about the importance of faith, our shared common values, and the story of Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow.

Thompson & Iowa

Thompson campaigns in QCA (Quad Cities Area)
WQAD-TV | Pam Cunningham

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- With 27 days left until the caucuses, presidential candidates are hitting the campaign trail in Iowa and promise to be here from now through the holidays.

This afternoon Republican Fred Thompson was at Thunderbay Grill in Davenport reaching out to conservative voters and dismissing the importance of polls that show him trailing behind both Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee.


related-

Thompson Flier in Iowa Attacks Huckabee

Fred Thompson Receives Endorsement of Judge Paul Pressler

Fred Thompson Receives Endorsement of Judge Paul Pressler
Standard Newswire

Today former Texas Court of Appeals Judge Paul Pressler endorsed Fred Thompson for President.

"Fred Thompson has the experience, convictions and dedication to make him a great candidate and a great President," said Judge Pressler. "He knows Washington but is not part of the Washington system. Fred is the consistent conservative in the presidential race and is the most electable."

Fred Thompson says - Tapping arctic refuge oil will help reduce gas prices

Thompson: Tapping arctic refuge oil will help reduce gas prices

AP | Meg Kinnard

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson said Wednesday that tapping oil reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would help lower gas prices.

"We've got this silly battle going on about ANWR," said Thompson, who voted in favor of drilling the refuge as a former Tennessee senator.

"We've got the reserves up there that can be tapped," he told a crowd of about 50 people packed into a small cafe in this early voting state. "They're not going to solve our problem, but it's one step we can take."

(CNN) Thompson: 'I'm OK with the Lord, and the Lord is OK with me'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson Monday said he didn't need to apologize for his faith, despite concerns from Christian conservatives that he does not express his religious beliefs enough on the campaign trail.

"As far as faith is concerned, I have not made any secret as to where I am. I am a Christian," Thompson said, noting that, while he does not attend church while at home in McLean, Virginia, he does attend church with his mother when he visits in Tennessee. "I have no apologies to make about my religion or my relationship to Jesus Christ or God."


Read::: CNN story

New U.S. Citizens Register as Republicans

Republicans winning new citizens for 2008 vote
The London Telegraph | Toby Harnden

Minutes after taking the Pledge of Allegiance, new American citizens are urged to register as voters by Democratic activists who see them as natural party supporters who could hold the key to the 2008 election.

But with increasing illegal immigration threatening the economy and security of the United States, many legal immigrants anxious to uphold the laws of their adopted country are moving towards the more hard-line immigration stance of Republicans.

National Council for the Social Studies: Thompson, Clinton Win First Presidential 'Primary'

Clinton, Thompson Win First Presidential 'Primary'
PR Newswire

U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee are the top choices for the 2008 Democratic and Republican nominations for President of the United States, according to the nation's first Presidential "Primary" of voters at the National Council for the Social Studies annual conference in San Diego.

Sponsored by Pearson, more than 700 of the nation's social studies teachers flexed their voting muscles and put the principles they teach about every day into action by casting their votes.

Senator Clinton won her party's nod with 41.9% of the vote. Senator Thompson was the Republicans' top choice with 23.2% of the vote.

Fred Thompson: The Only True Conservative

CA: Thompson touts bedrock conservatism in Southland visit
LA Times | Phil Willon

Campaigning as the only true conservative running for president, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson came to one of the most Republican towns in Republican-dominated Orange County on Saturday to deliver crowd-pleasing talk of slashing taxes and securing U.S. borders.

read>>> LA Times

Fred Thompson visits Southern California

Flopping Aces provides us with a great report: A Visit From Fred Thompson.

Jeri Thompson discusses the campaign on The O'Reilly Factor

Jeri Thompson, wife of presidential candidate Fred Thompson talks politics with Laura Ingraham.

WSJ Editorial: Flat Tax Fred

Flat Tax Fred: Thompson's reform leads the GOP field
The Wall Street Journal | Editorial


Fred Thompson's Presidential campaign has been struggling, in part because of a sense that he lacks passion and an agenda. But late last week he unveiled a tax reform that is more ambitious than anything we've seen so far from the rest of the GOP field.

Mr. Thompson wants to abolish the death tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax and cut the corporate income tax rate to 27% from 35%. But his really big idea is a voluntary flat tax that would give every American the option of ditching the current code in favor of filing a simple tax return with two tax rates of 10% and 25%.

Fred Thompson: Tell the truth Fox News!

Thompson Unloads on Fox News for 'Bias'
American Thinker | Rick Moran

Former Tennessee Senator and presidential candidate Fred Thompson has been accused of lacking fire to run for the presidency.

Seeking to alter that image, Thompson fired away at Chris Wallace of Fox News this morning, accusing the network of being biased against his campaign:

Thompson said, "This has been a constant mantra of Fox, to tell you the truth." He noted that other conservatives have praised his bid for the GOP nomination and took issue with a Fox promo that focused on polling in New Hampshire, where Thompson is registering in the single digits.

He said he is running second in national polls and has been leading or tied for the lead in South Carolina for "a long, long time." Thompson, in a firm, but measured tone, scolded Wallace: "...for you to highlight nothing but the negatives in terms of the polls and then put on your own guys who have been predicting for four months, really, that I couldn't do it, kind of skew things a little bit. There's a lot of other opinion out there."

Thompson has a point. While his campaign has been universally criticized for gaffes and missteps early on, it is equally clear Thompson has righted the ship in recent weeks and is starting to generate some momentum.

Larry Kudlow: Good for Fred Thompson

Good for Fred Thompson
National Review Online (The Corner) | Larry Kudlow

Good for Fred. Good for his excellent, broad based, tax-cut plan — including a flat-tax option and a corporate tax cut.

Good for him for snapping back at Fox’s Chris Wallace when he tried to pull a fast one by citing Fred Barnes and Charles Krauthammer as proof-pudding that Fred can’t win. Good for Fred for mentioning National Review and Investor’s Business Daily for speaking positively about his candidacy. (So, is it true that Fox is dedicating itself to Rudy?)

Good for Fred for showing fire, energy, and animation throughout the interview. It’s the same fire in the belly that I witnessed in our CNBC interview earlier this month.

Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney Tied for Republican Lead in South Carolina

Poll: Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson Tied for Republican Lead in South Carolina
AP | By Regina Sass

The latest word on the Republican Primary race in South Carolina is that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson are tied for first place at 21%. Two months ago, Thompson had the lead all to himself at 24% while Romney was in second with 15%.

Fred Thompson surging in Iowa

Washington Post-ABC News Poll -- Fred Thompson surging in Iowa

The Washington Post


This Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted by telephone November 14-18, 2007.

Fred Thompson says Mike Huckabee is a "Pro-Life Liberal"

Fred Thompson stops by Steve Gill’s radio show and reacts to the Pat Robertson endorsement of Rudy Giuliani, talks immigration reform and shares his impression of Governor Mike Huckabee as a “pro-life liberal.”

“When you’re very, very low and you come in for a while just very low then that’s considered to be a surge in politics. He’s doing better."

He’s a good man but he’s a pro-life liberal. He’s right on the pro-life part, but he’s a liberal. You look at his taxes in the state you look at what he said about immigration. You know he worked against any attempt to control immigration coming in through his home state…”

>> Fred Thompson on Mike Huckabee on the Steve Gill Show

read more on - WKRN

Country Music Star John Rich Hosts Second Fred Thompson Fundraiser

John Rich, one half of the hit duo Big & Rich, is co-hosting a fundraiser and concert for Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson on Thursday Nov. 8. Tickets start at $100 to attend the concert, $500 for a reception with Sen. Thompson and $2,300 per person for a photo with the candidate.


read:: Country Hound

related:: The Eighth of November - Big and Rich

Fred Thompson Keeps it Simple

When word began circulating in Republican circles last spring that former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson was considering a run for the presidency, the reaction ranged from relief the party had finally found a suitable standard - bearer to squeals of delight about the actor/politician and his resemblance to former President Ronald Reagan.

read:: Las Vegas Sun

Mitt Romney's Real Record on Immigration

from campaign manager Bill Lacy on "Mitt Romney's Real Record on Immigration:"

"Once again today, Mitt Romney is proving he will do anything and say anything for political gain. The fact is, Mitt Romney called the McCain-Kennedy amnesty bill 'reasonable' while the vast majority of conservative Republicans called it 'unacceptable.' No matter how many millions he spends trying to cover up his previous positions, Romney's record is to the left of the GOP base on immigration, just as it is on matters of life, gay rights and fiscal responsibility."

The rest of the release is after the jump.

ROMNEY'S RECORD ON IMMIGRATION

In 2005, Romney said he would be "delighted" to provide support to illegal immigrants who wish to seek permanent legal status in the U.S.

· YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpUNVRNVk-E

In 2005, Romney called the McCain-Kennedy-Bush comprehensive immigration reform bill "reasonable" and defended the Senate bill. "I think that an amnesty program is one which all of the illegal immigrants who are here are now citizens and walk in and get your citizenship. What the President has proposed and what Senator McCain and Cornyn have proposed are quite different from that...those are the things that are being considered, and I think that those are reasonable proposals." (Mitt Romney Interview, The Boston Globe, 11/30/05; Liste n: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/03/16/romneys_words_grow_hard_on_immigration/)

In 2006, Romney vocally criticized fellow Republicans who stood up against the McCain-Kennedy-Bush amnesty bill and said they made "a big mistake." "...one of McCain's potential rivals for the GOP nomination, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, has made it known that he supports the President's immigration position, saying that Republicans who have broken rank with Bush 'made a big mistake.'" (Liz Sidoti, "McCain May Alienate Some Conservatives," The Associated Press, 9/20/06)

In 2006, Romney said that some illegal immigrants in the U.S. "should begin a process towards application for citizenship." "Gov. Mitt Romney expressed support...for an immigration program that places large numbers of illegal residents on the path toward citizenship...Romney said illegal immigrants should have a chance to obtain citizenship. '...those that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process towards application for citizenship, as they would from their home country.'" (Evan Lehman, "Romney Supports Immigration Program, But Not Granting 'Amnesty,'" The Lowell Sun, 3/30/06)

As Governor, Romney allowed three sanctuary cities to operate in Massachusetts: Cambridge, Orleans, and Brewster. (Yvonne Abraham, "City's Sanctuary Status Mocked," Boston Globe, 7/5/06; Lisa M. Seghetti et.al., "Enforcing Immigration Law: The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement," Congressional Research Service, RL32270, 11/14/06; Town Resolution, http://www.bordc.org/detail.php?id=197, accessed 10/1/07)

FRED THOMPSON'S RECORD: Consistently Voted To Secure Our Border

ü Supported The "Illegal Immigration Reform And Immigrant Responsibility Act Of 1996."

o Improved border control, facilitation of legal entry and interior enforcement

o Enhanced enforcement and penalties against alien smuggling and document fraud;

o Inspection, apprehension, detention, adjudication, and removal provisions for inadmissible and deportable aliens;

o Enforcement of restrictions against employment;

o Restrictions on benefits for aliens.

(H.R. 3610, Roll Call Vote #200, Bill Passed 72-27: R 50-3; D 22-24, 7/18/96, Thompson Voted Yea)

ü Voted For "The Immigration Control And Financial Responsibility Act Of 1996" As Part Of The Senate Judiciary Committee And On The Senate Floor.

o The legislation increased enforcement of laws against illegal immigration and eliminated incentives for legal immigrants to come to the United States and obtain welfare benefits.

o Increased authorization of funding for enforcement personnel and facilities

o Development of a system to verify eligibility to work and receive public assistance

o Strengthened existing employment-verification procedures, including (1) social security account information; (2) types of acceptable documents; (3) birth certificates; and (4) driver's licenses.

o Authorized INS wiretaps for alien smuggling investigations

(S. 1664, Roll Call Vote #107, Cloture Motion Passed 100-0, 5/2/96, Thompson Voted Yea).

ü Voted To End Chain Migration And The Visa Lottery In Senate Judiciary Committee, And For The Construction Of A Border Fence Near San Diego. (S. 1664, Judiciary Committee, Committee Report, 4/10/96 )

ü Was One Of Only 20 Senators To Vote To Repeal The Ban On The Search Of Open Fields By INS Officials. (S. 1664, Roll Call Vote #80, Amendment Rejected 20-79: R 9-44; D 11-35, 4/24/96, Thompson Voted Yea)

ü Voted For "The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001."

o Authorized 400 additional inspectors, investigators, and other staff on the INS over the next five years

o Strengthened the requirements that all commercial passenger ships and airplanes entering the United States provide a list of passengers and crew before arrival

o Provided for an entry-exit system in which visa holders are checked with a biometric identifier when he/she enters and leaves the country

(H.R. 3525, Roll Call Vote #75, Agreed To 97-0, 4/18/02, Thompson Voted Yea).

Fred Thompson asks who are Congressional Democrats supporting?

Fred Thompson on Harry Reid’s attacks on Rush Limbaugh

"Congressional Democrats are trying to divert attention from insulting our military leader in Iraq and pandering to the loony left by attacking Rush Limbaugh. He is one of the strongest supporters of our troops, yet Democrats claim he is not being strong enough. I wonder who General Petraeus and his troops think is most supportive?"

Fred Thompson: "No!" to the Ahmadinejad visit to the United States

Thompson Blasts Columbia University
ABC NEWS | ABC News


Republican candidate Fred Thompson maintains that, if he were running the country, he would deny Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad entry into the United States.

According to UN Headquarters Agreement of 1947, the US "shall not impose any impediments to transit," obligating the US to allow representatives of UN members, or those invited on "official business," to visit the UN. However, the government may bar entry based on national security grounds, but would have to provide specific allegations for banning Ahmadinejad.

"There are exceptions to every rule. This is our home soil," Thompson asserted on Bill Bennett's "Morning in America" talk radio show Monday morning, adding, "I wouldn't mind a little controversy at the United Nations."

Fred Thompson: My wife would make a better First Lady than Bill Clinton

Fred clinton
Uploaded by dollarsandsense123

Cartoon: Actors and Fred Thompson

George Will's Target: Fred Thompson

George F. Will is full of "Red Bull"

FredStates.com | Fred States


With respect to George F. Will’s column Is a Fred Thompson Campaign Necessary? (9/13/07), it's important to note that Mr. Will is a huge Rudy Giuliani Fan. Rather than say nice things about the former Mayor of New York City, Will chooses to say nasty things about Mayor Giuliani's rivals. And after a look at the latest polls (Rasmussen has Fred over Rudy by 8 points now) it's easy to see why Mr. Will is taking aim at Fred Thompson.

Kentucky: Majority of House GOP Endorse Thompson for President

Majority of House GOP Endorse Thompson for President
Lexington Herald-Leader | Ryan Alessi


Majority of House GOP endorse Thompson for president Twenty of the 37 state House Republicans today will announce they are endorsing former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson in the GOP presidential primary.

"I am proud to lend my support to Senator Thompson in this campaign," said Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover of Jamestown. "Kentuckians can rest assured that this is a man who shares our Kentucky values and will take them to Washington as he leads our nation in these turbulent times."

Fred Thompson: "HillaryCare" punishes people

Robert Novak, George Will and the rest of Washington remain off the Fred Thompson bandwagaon

TIME: Washington's Trouble With Thompson


Fred Thompson was mugged last week. Worse still, the perpetrators were folks he knew, the kind of people he had reason to believe might actually love him. The lawyer-lobbyist-actor-politician from Tennessee, who played Hamlet on the Potomac all summer before finally joining the race for the Republican Party presidential nomination on Sept. 5, had imagined his arrival would be greeted with hallelujahs from both the rank and file in the party and its tastemakers in Washington. After all, with the incumbent second-term GOP president wildly unpopular, and with Republicans across the country ambivalent at best about the field of would-be successors who had been campaigning all year for their affections, Thompson supposed that he would be greeted as a savior once he made his candidacy official.

read::: Time magazine article

Fred Thompson: The presidential web traffic leader

Thompson Leads GOP in Web Traffic

Ad Week

Fred Thompson was the leading Republican contender for the presidency among Web visitors, even before he officially announced his candidacy, according to a new survey by Nielsen//NetRatings.

The survey, released Sept. 6, analyzed visitor traffic to the official Web sites of presidential candidates in July.

Fred Thompson: continue with the Cuban embargo

Fred Thompson Vows to Continue Cuban Embargo; Would look into Indicting Castro's Brother
Blogs For Fred Thompson


Campaiging in Florida today, Fred Thompson vowed to continue the embargo on Cuba as President, and even said he would have his Attorney General look into a possible indictment of Castro's brother Raul for the shooting down of two "Brothers to the Rescue" planes in 1996:

Thompson: Don't blame guns for cop killing

While South Florida mourned the death Friday of a police officer gunned down in South Miami-Dade County, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson appeared at the Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana and said it was a mistake to blame guns and the lack of certain gun controls on the crime committed by the killer.

''I have voted consistently in support of people's Second Amendment rights. I think the problem with crime in this country is criminals,'' Thompson said. ``I think that to disarm law-abiding people and to allow criminals to steal, to get their hands on armaments of all kinds, which would be the case, would be an absolutely wrong thing to do.


read::: The Miami Herald

Fred Thompson: Clinton "trying to capitalize on something"

Thompson: Clinton made issue of remark
Associated Press | BRENDAN FARRINGTON

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson blamed Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday for the publicity surrounding his remark suggesting Cuban immigrants are bringing suitcase bombs to the United States.

When asked by Florida's WTVJ about the perception in the Cuban-American community about his comments, Thompson replied, "I think that was a Hillary Clinton news release that she put out or a statement that she made trying to capitalize on something when she knew better."

Fred Thompson: On The Road in Florida

On The Road in Florida
Posted on September 13th, 2007
By Rich Galen in On The Road, Updates

It is Thursday morning and we are back on the road with Fred Thompson.

We are rolling south through central Florida. We had a great event in downtown Jacksonville this morning and will be in The Villages, Florida which is, as I’m certain you know, about midway between Oldawaha and Fruitland Park.

The day had started about two hours before the 9:30 outdoor event in Jacksonville with Fred doing two live radio interviews and a taped TV interview prior to heading over to the plaza.


read::: Fred08

Cartoon: Team America for Fred Thompson

2008 and counting: Leaked poll shows a bump for newest GOP contender

TheHill.com | By Sam Youngman

Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) appears to be enjoying a bump in both national and state polls following his announcement tour, despite some comments that could cost him with conservative voters in the long run.

Following a tour of the early-voting states, the Thompson campaign “leaked” what looked like an internal memo from campaign pollsters McLaughlin and Associates showing the former senator making gains on front-runner and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R).

read::: TheHill.com

Fred Thompson widens lead to nine points in latest Rasmussen Tracking Poll

Fred Thompson has widened his lead over Rudy Giuliani to nine points in the latest Rasmussen Daily Tracking Poll. Fred leads Rudy 28%-19%, the first time Giuliani has dropped below 20% support all year.

Fred Thompson by Four Points in the new Rasmussen National Poll

Fred Thompson has vaulted ahead by four points over Rudy Giuliani in the latest Rasmussen National Poll!


read::: blogsforthompson.com

"Smoking Ban" statement by Fred Thompson Demonstrates Keen Grasp of Conditions in Iraq

Several days ago, the New York Daily News attacked Fred Thompson for what they cast as an odd statement by Fred during one of his appearances in Iowa, namely that an Al-Qaeda attempt to ban smoking in Anbar Province in Iraq had contributed to the willingness of locals there to now work with U.S. Forces in the province. The article reported:

Thompson said the smoking ban and terror tactics Al Qaeda used to oppress women and intimidate local leaders pushed tribes in western Anbar Province to support U.S. troops.

But Thompson's tale of a smokers' revolt baffled some in the audience of about 150 who came to decide whether the former Tennessee senator is ready for prime time.

"I don't know what that was about," said Jim Moran, 72, who had driven from nearby McCook Lake, S.D.

This article and others written by the media set off a barrage of postings on liberal blogs that also wrote as if Fred's statement was completely off the mark. But now, they all must "eat crow" if they care at all about facts.

The truth is Fred Thompson displayed in this statement an incredible insight into the reality of the situation on the ground in Iraq. What he said is absolutely true.


read::: blogsforthompson.com

Fred Thompson is the new 'must see TV'

Fred Thompson draws more viewers than GOP debate

The Kansas City Star | Keith Chrostowski

Showing ’em up

This week’s GOP debate in New Hampshire drew 3.1 million viewers — the largest debate audience so far of the 2008 race. But Fred Thompson’s announcement the same night on Jay Leno’s show drew 6 million, up 15 percent from Leno’s typical Wednesday audience.

Dive! Dive!

Thompson’s campaign has unveiled a slick new movie titled “The Hunt for Red November.”

Fred Thompson Says He's Got Time To Spread Message

Candidate Says U.S. Must Return To Basics. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson said Thursday that he's ready to work hard in Iowa to make up for lost time.

Thompson was in Des Moines a day after announcing his White House run.

He said he still has enough time to get out his message.

"The preliminaries are over, the game is beginning as far as I'm concerned and I'm looking forward to it," he said.

He said he skipped the debates in an effort to reach more people.

KCCI-TV8

Fred Thompson: prevent state judges from altering the definition of marriage

Fred Thompson Proposes Marriage Amendment to Restrain Judges

The New York Sun | Ryan Sager

Speaking in Sioux City, Iowa, moments ago, Fred Thompson endorsed an amendment to the Constitution that would prevent state judges from altering the definition of marriage without the direction of their states' legislatures.

In Iowa: Fred Thompson, a common-sense country lawyer

Presidential hopeful Thompson hits campaign trail

BY CRAIG GORDON.craig.gordon@newsday.com


DES MOINES - Fred Thompson pitched himself yesterday as a common-sense country lawyer running for president to keep the nation safe and preserve its down-home values, a one-two punch aimed at knocking Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney from atop the polls.

read::: Newsday article

The Fred Thompson Bus is Ready

Former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe: nervous about Fred Thompson

The money quote from the ABC News article:

"I am certainly not disrespecting them," Thompson said of his '08 rivals while appearing on Jay Leno's show, "but it's a lot more difficult to get on the 'Tonight Show' than it is to get into a presidential debate."

NRO: A look at Fred Thompson on Jay Leno

Bill Buckley's, The National Review, comments on Fred Thompson's appearance on Jay Leno last night and ends up saying essentially nothing. Consider reading if you must.

Reacting to Fred on Jay Leno
The National Review | Jim Geraghty

I held off on assessing the transcript, I wanted to see how Fred Thompson came across to a viewing audience.

Fred Thompson in Iowa [Video]

Fred Thompson speaks to supporters in Des Moines on the first official day of his campaign.

Fred Thompson's economic record

The Club for Growth details Fred Thompson's economic record here.

The Fred Thompson Factbox

Read this Reuters article to get a more complete understanding of Fred Thompson's background.

Fred Thompon's Announces his Candidacy for President

Fred Thompson, Republican for President

It's a Thursday Kickoff for the Fred Thompson Campaign

Thompson Unveils Ad Ahead of Thursday Kickoff

Fred Thompson's image will begin appearing on the small screen today, not as District Attorney Arthur Branch, but as an official candidate for president.

In a 30-second campaign commercial sent to networks for broadcast at midnight, Thompson warns that "On the next President's watch, our country will make decisions that will affect our lives and our families far into the future. We can't allow ourselves to become a weaker, less prosperous and more divided nation."


Washington Post

Hardball: Fred Thompson Scores "Direct Hit on Romney"

South Dakota: Thompson wins SD Straw Poll - 25%

Thompson wins SD Straw Poll

HURON – Fred Thompson won the first-ever South Dakota Republican Party Presidential Straw Poll at the South Dakota State Fair Aug. 30 through Sept. 3, 2007.

Thompson bested the field of nine garnering 25 percent of the vote. He was followed by Rudy Giuliani who received 19 percent; John McCain received 14 percent, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney each received 13 percent; Ron Paul received 8 percent; Duncan Hunter received 4 percent; Sam Brownback received 3 percent; and Tom Tancredo received 1 percent of the vote.

South Dakota Republican Party

Fred Thompson to appear on Leno tonight

The Los Angeles Daily News


BURBANK - Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson is scheduled to be a guest on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" tomorrow, a day before officially declaring his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. Thompson's appearance -- he last appeared on the show June 12 -- will come on the same day as the eight announced Republican candidates debate in New Hampshire. The Thompson campaign announced last week that he would declare his candidacy Thursday, with a Webcast on his campaign's Web site, www.imwithfred.com, then conduct a five-day campaign tour through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Super Fred is Superfit!

‘Superfit’ Fred [Thompson] hits campaign trail running
The London Times | Sarah Baxter

HE IS running for president – literally. Every day Fred Thompson rises at dawn and hits the gym to get himself into shape for the White House race, according to a close confidant.

“He’s really prepping himself physically and mentally for the campaign. It’s like Bruce Spring-steen getting ready for the big tour,” the source added.

The fitness drive is part of Thompson’s attempt to inject energy into his 2008 presidential bid, which he will launch formally on Thursday.

A September Fred Thompson Presidential Announcement

As noted across many news outlets today, Fred Thompson will be on Jay Leno's Tonight Show on September 5th.

On September 6th, Fred Thompson will officially announce his intentions to run for the office of the President of the United States.

Fred Thompson: "US Should Remain In Iraq"

Thompson Tells Veterans: US Should Remain In Iraq, Must Rebuild Military for Global Fight

The U.S. must rebuild its military to fight global terrorism because the country's leaders "took a holiday" in the 1990s after the end of the Cold War, undeclared presidential candidate Fred Thompson told war veterans Tuesday.

"Some people in this country think if we can pull out of Iraq, our problems will be over," Thompson told the Veterans of Foreign Wars. "You and I know better than that."

"Now we're stretched too thin, and our equipment is wearing out," said Thompson, an actor and former Tennessee senator who is expected to announce a decision soon on whether to seek the Republican presidential nomination.

Read::: International Herald Tribune

A Fred Thompson Essay: A New York State of Mind

When I was working in television, I spent quite a bit of time in New York City. There are lots of things about the place I like, but New York gun laws don’t fall in that category.

Anybody who knows me knows I’ve always cared deeply about the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. So I’ve always felt sort of relieved when I flew back home to where that particular civil liberty gets as much respect as the rest of the Bill of Rights.

Unfortunately, New York is trying, again, to force its ways on the rest of us, this time through the courts. First, they went after U.S. gun manufacturers, seeking through a lawsuit not only money but injunctive control over the entire industry. An act of congress in 2005 blocked, but did not end, that effort.

Read::: I'm with Fred

No Guts, No Glory

Thompson is getting all the glory. And this Washington Post article crystallized it for me. Listen to what Fred is saying:

But he says he thinks the public is looking for a different kind of leadership. "I think a president could go to the American people and say, 'Here's what we need to be doing. And I'm willing to go halfway. Now you have to make them [the opposition] go halfway.' "

The approach Thompson says he's contemplating is one that will step on many sensitive political toes. When he says "we're getting a free ride" fighting a necessary war in Iraq with an undersized military establishment, "wearing out our people and equipment," it sounds like a criticism of the president and the Pentagon.

Read::: AOL News-The Stump

Senator Inhofe: Fred Thompson can defeat Hillary Clinton

Inhofe Throws Support to Fred Thompson


U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe threw his political support to unannounced presidential candidate Fred Thompson today.

Speaking to the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce Tuesday morning, Inhofe said he expects the former actor and Tennessee senator to announce a bid for the presidency soon.

Inhofe said he will support Thompson, when he announces.

Thompson is the only Republican who has a chance to defeat Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., in the general election, Inhofe said.


Read::: Tulsa World article

Senator James Inhofe

Fred Thompson: destination Iowa

TV star Thompson set for 2008 Iowa test-run

Breitbart/AFP


Billed as a savior of conservatives left cold by 2008 Republican White House hopefuls, screen star Fred Thompson Friday dips a toe into the race in Iowa. But has his rescue mission come too late? The craggy former senator's visit to supporters in the strategic state is the latest signal that an official campaign launch is imminent.

Thompson, star of internationally syndicated crime drama "Law Order," had been expected to take the plunge a few months ago. Now the smart money is on an early September debut -- four months before first nominating contests.

Fred Thompson Hailed As 'Fair Tax' Supporter

CNSNews | Susan Jones

Former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee -- the not-quite-yet Republican presidential candidate -- says the next president "should enact a fundamental overhaul of the tax code that makes it fairer, simpler, and more pro-growth."

Thompson mentioned that there are a "number of ways to do that," and he said the "principles and ideas found in the Fair Tax are a good place to start."

The pent-up demand (frustration?) for the Fred Thompson announcement continues

Fred Thompson's Gamble

WashingtonPost.com | David S. Broder


When Fred Thompson makes his long-delayed entrance into the Republican presidential race, he will not tiptoe quietly. Instead, he will try to shake up the establishment candidates of both parties by depicting a nation in peril from fiscal and security threats -- and prescribing tough cures that he says others shrink from offering.

In a two-hour conversation over coffee at a restaurant near his Virginia headquarters, the former senator from Tennessee said that when he joins the battle next month, he "will take some risks that others are not willing to take, in terms of forcing a dialogue on our entitlement situation, our military situation and what it's going to cost" to ensure the nation's future.

Fred Thompson Essay: Sanctuary Cities

If you listen to folks who oppose immigration and border enforcement, you get the feeling they think we put locks on our doors to keep everybody out. The truth is we have locks so we can choose who comes in.

An example of what happens when we don’t make the choice took place August 4th when three Newark, New Jersey, college students with great promise were executed, gangland style. The killers’ ringleader was apparently an illegal alien indicted twice in 2007 for felonies, including the rape of a kindergarten-aged girl.

read::: I'm with Fred blog

Article: If Thompson Runs for President, Don’t Look for Him in Reruns

Former Senator Fred D. Thompson of Tennessee segued neatly from Congress back to an acting career in 2002, when he joined the cast of NBC’s long-running crime series “Law & Order.”

Now that Mr. Thompson seems poised to re-enter politics as a Republican presidential candidate, his career will take another twist. In May, he asked NBC to release him from further “Law & Order” commitments; more recently, NBC said it was ready to stop showing reruns of the episodes he appears in because of federal equal time regulations for presidential candidates.

read::: NY Times

Fred Thompson discusses federalism

Thompson Taps Former Campaign Manager

Fred Thompson on Wednesday tapped the man he credits with saving his 1994 Senate campaign to take over his likely presidential bid.

Bill Lacy, a former strategist for Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole and Republican National Committee, will run day-to-day operations of Thompson's committee to "test the waters" for a presidential run.

"He turned around my campaign for Senate in 1994 and, as I move toward a decision on whether to run for president, I am confident he will take our operations to the next level," Thompson, the former Tennessee senator and "Law & Order" actor, said in a statement.

article

redstate blog

Peyton Manning, Trace Adkins and others contribute to Fred Thompson

As we now know, the Fred Thompson "Testing the Waters" committee collected, over $3 million in June in campaign contributions.

Among the notable names that added to the Fred Thompson presidential campaign pot are:

Georgette Mosbacher, (GOP fundraiser, once dated Thompson), contributed $2,300.

Former Sen. Howard H. Baker, gave $2,300.

Peyton W. Manning, (QB for the Super Bowl winning Indianapolis Colts), gave $2,300.

Katuria D'Amato, former New York Sen. Al D'Amato's wife, gave $2,300.

Trace Adkins, a country music singer, and his wife Rhonda, each contributed $2,300 maximum.

Richard A. Wolf, the producer of NBC's "Law and Order," contributed $2,300.

CNN: Thompson's 'virtual' campaign experiencing real bumps

CNN | Bill Schneider

[comment: a concerned CNN journalist and Clinton supporting writes about the emerging Fred Thompson campaign]

Have we been hearing good news or bad news about Fred Thompson's campaign? The answer is yes.

Or make that the "virtual campaign." Fred Thompson is not in the Republican race yet. He's still building an organization and raising money -- and hitting some bumps.

He keeps delaying his official announcement, now expected in September. Some staff members have quit.

Controversy has already arisen over the fact that Thompson once accepted a lobbying assignment for an abortion rights group. But his views and his Senate record are strongly anti-abortion, and has come out strongly against the "activist" judges that social conservatives rile against.

In June, Thompson called for "federal courts doing what they are suppose to do, not somebody else's job; not as social arbitrators of this nation."

The Politico is reporting that Thompson raised a little over $3 million in June, a figure that will disappoint his supporters.

Could Thompson be losing momentum before he even gets into the race? Maybe it's not him. Maybe it's us.

"We're paying so much more attention to these campaigns, so much earlier; to some degree, we may just never [have] really have followed [it like] this in prior years," said Republican strategist David Winston.

Fred Thompson on the "Fair Tax" Pledge: Yes!

By TEDDY DAVIS

July 30, 2007

He is not yet an official presidential candidate but former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson has already promised voters he'd sign a major overhaul of the American tax system if passed by Congress.

Asked last week on camera if he would sign the "Fair Tax" bill if it were passed by the House and Senate, the "Law & Order" actor said, "Yeah, absolutely."

Watch the video HERE.

Thompson's July 24 pledge in Houston makes him the sixth Republican presidential candidate committed to signing legislation that would replace all current federal taxes with a 23 percent retail sales tax. The federal taxes swept away include all federal personal and corporate income taxes, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, and self-employment taxes.

In order to offset the impact this new tax would have on American households languishing in poverty, the legislation offers a monthly "prebate."

The size of a household's "prebate" is calculated by multiplying 23 percent -- the size of the new tax -- against the government-established poverty level for a household of that size.

Based on the 2007 federal poverty level, an adult with no children would receive an annual prebate of $2,348 (which would come in monthly checks of $196). A married couple with two children would receive an annual prebate of $6,297 which would come in monthly checks of $525.

Six Republican '08ers Have Agreed to Sign 'Fair Tax' If Passed

Fair Tax supporters opted for the "prebate" system, which would flow even to the richest Americans, rather than exempting certain staples of life, hoping to protect the new sales tax from the kinds of lobbying-induced loopholes that pervade the current system.

The five other Republican presidential candidates who have pledged to sign the Fair Tax bill into law if passed by Congress are Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

So many Republican candidates have agreed to sign the Fair Tax bill because the group which is urging its passage, FairTax.org, has proven adept at using its supporters  which total a quarter of a million -- to bird-dog presidential candidates. Thompson made his pledge when a group of Fair Tax supporters showed up at an airport hangar in Houstonand the group's controller, Doug Ripley, asked him about the tax overhaul measure.

"We try to keep constant pressure on them," David Polyansky, FairTax.org's chief operating officer, told ABC News.

Polyansky identified Huckabee as the candidate who has gone furthest in his support of the initiative, not just agreeing to sign the "Fair Tax" bill if passed by Congress, but making it a core component of his 2008 campaign platform.

Giuliani and Romney Have Not Signed On

Despite FairTax.org's success within the GOP candidate pool, they have not been able to secure commitments from either the party's national front-runner or the candidate leading in the crucial states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

The Republican presidential candidate who has been most outspoken in expressing objections to the proposal is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the party's front-runner in national polls.

Asked if he would sign the Fair Tax bill, Giuliani said, "I don't think so. I don't think so. I'll have to study it some more. I don't think a fair tax is realistic change for America. Our economy is so dependent upon the way our tax system is operated the best thing to do is to simplify that tax system."

Watch the video HERE.

A second top Republican -- former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney -- has also refrained from pledging to sign the Fair Tax bill.

"That's too much of a hypothetical, since you'd have to know the specifics of the legislation," Romney spokesman Kevin Madden told ABC News. "The governor has said that the Fair Tax idea has attractive characteristics, but it is not part of his tax reform platform. Romney believes in a simpler, less burdensome tax system. He wants to reduce the tax burden placed on Americans, encourage economic growth and simplify the tax system."

Fair Tax supporters have also not been successful in making inroads among Democratic presidential candidates. Among the Democratic White House hopefuls, only the longest of long shots  former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel  has agreed to sign the Fair Tax bill if passed by Congress.

Questions Emerge About Fair Tax Feasibility

Even though the Fair Tax is marketed as "revenue neutral," liberal tax policy experts have substantial questions as to whether a 23 percent retail sales tax on its own would adequately cover the current cost of government.

"Even before looking at the distributional analysis, there is this big problem that it would leave the basic job of government undone because it would not raise the revenue," said Aviva Aron-Dine, a policy analyst with the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. "That said [if you did set the tax rate high enough to cover the current cost of government] you would be shifting the tax burden from people at the top of the income scale to people in the middle."

About that $3 million for Fred Thompson

Jim Geraghty

Team Fred offers a defense of their fundraising:

I’m sure you’ve seen the Politico story on Thompson raising more than $3 million in his first month - a sizable amount for someone who hasn't been running since 1999. Unfortunately, people are comparing this to active candidates, when the appropriate comparison is to equivalent exploratory periods. Here’s a little information you might find useful:

(1) In his first exploratory month, Thompson raised well over $3 million - more than 10x what Giuliani did in his first month and about 3x McCain. Here’s the initial exploratory month (from the time they started taking money) for GOP candidates...

· Giuliani - total raised in first month (Nov. 15-Dec. 15): $258,660

· McCain - total raised in first month (Nov. 14-Dec. 14): $1,130,351

· Romney - raised more money in his first month, but largely because he organized his big-dollar donors ahead of time to give himself a bit splash and he “loaned his committee at least $850,000 weeks before filing his statement of candidacy on Jan. 3”

(2) Under FEC rules, you are not allowed to raise funds “in excess of what could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities”. Thompson has raised an appropriate amount for an exploratory phase. Note, however…

· One month ago, the DNC attacked Thompson (in the Politico) for potentially raising more money than he’d need for the exploratory period and said they’d “argue aggressively” against him. The DNC rolled out that hit piece at Daily Kos claiming that Thompson was “Raising Funds Beyond What You Need To "Explore"” and the liberal activist outlet CREW said Thompson “appears to have raised far more money than necessary…”

· After being attacked for raising “too much” money, Thompson is now being attacked for not spending his entire Exploratory focus on raising money.

(3) So far we’ve utilized no direct mail or telephone fundraising, and we have a burn rate below 20% - far below the other candidates.

It's a pugnacious defense, and almost convincing... until you figure that they probably would prefer to be in the situation where they have to defend raising $5 million or more.

Having said that, I wonder how many potential donors are holding off, because they want to donate to an actual, hat-in-the-ring candidate, not a dipping-my-toe-in-the-water potential candidate.

article: Team Fred Offers a Defense of Their Fundraising

NewsBusters: Media Misreporting the Addition of Spencer Abraham to Campaign?

NewsBusters article

Essay on Eminent Domain by Fred Thompson

by Fred Thompson

Last week, California officials in National City voted unanimously to use eminent domain to take over more than 600 properties—including a nonprofit youth center dedicated to keeping local kids out of gangs and off the street. They plan to give this land to local private developers for a group of condominiums.

It’s said that a man’s home is his castle, but across America some property owners are being rooked by local bureaucrats and politicians and having their private property confiscated by local governments for the supposed public good.

Most people probably think that if they buy a home or a small business that they will get to keep what they purchased. After all, the Fifth Amendment guarantees that “private property [shall not] be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

But in 2005, the Supreme Court, in Kelo v. New London, held that the government could take private property – even a person’s home – and give that property to a large private corporation for that business’s private use. As Justice O’Connor wrote in her scathing dissent, “Under the banner of economic development, all private property is now vulnerable to being taken and transferred to another private owner, so long as it might be upgraded – i.e., given to an owner who will use it in a way that the legislature deems more beneficial to the public – in the process.”

Not surprisingly, the public responded to Kelo with outrage. Since then, numerous states passed legislation aimed at curbing an abuse of eminent domain powers. In the 2006 election cycle, 12 states held referendums proposing to limit state governments’ abilities to confiscate property a la Kelo. Ten states approved the proposals, each with strong majorities.

Read more>>> at imwithfred.com

Fred Thompson Wins South Carolina (Georgetown County) Straw Poll

USA Election Polls article

Nebraska Congressman Lee Terry: I’m with Fred

Leavenworth Street - Lee Terry: I’m with Fred:


The Leavenworth Street blog reports that Nebraska Congressman Lee Terry says: "I’m with Fred"

Matalin Sticking With Fred Thompson

Rumors are flying about more senior level departures from the unofficial presidential campaign of former Sen. Fred Thompson.

But The Fix can knock down one of the major ones: Mary Matalin, a former adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney and longtime Republican political operative, is staying put.

WashingtonPost article

The Ron Paul nuts are chasing Fred around the country!

Funny story. The Paulestinians heckle Fred at a Houston airport. They don't like his Council on Foreign Relations membership and they don't think he is a conservative. Imagine that!

At a quick campaign stop at a Texas airport this morning, candidate-in-waiting Fred Thompson faced harassment from a young woman who was vocally displeased with the senator's conservative credentials. Her beef? Thompson's membership in the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonpartisan think-tank known as an influential heavyweight on US policy making.

The disgruntled woman worked her way into a reporter scrum and peppered Thompson with questions about his membership in CFR, which she derided as "the same group that's forming the North American Union with Canada and Mexico." Thompson, chuckling, replied: "Don't fuss at me, now," and went on to describe his participation in CFR and the American Enterprise Institute -- a conservative think-tank based in DC -- as sources for his "intellectual exercise."

read::: MSNBC article

The Hazleton Immigration Decision

by Fred Thompson

Most Americans want something to be done about the illegal immigration problem we have in this country. They’ve been expecting the federal government to enforce the immigration laws already on the books. The federal government hasn’t done that, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the governments closest to the people – municipal and state – are looking to take action. This is an entirely proper role for these governments.

Back in 2006, the citizens of Hazleton, Penn., were noticing some troubling signs from an increase in illegal immigration in their community. This former coal-mining town was seeing an uptick in the number of murders, an increase in drug-related crimes and a school district bursting at its seams. In fact the tax-payer-funded English as a Second Language program there went from $500 a year in costs in 2001 to more than $1 million a year today.

The citizen of Hazleton demanded that something be done, and the Illegal Immigration Relief Act was introduced by the mayor and supported by the city by a vote of 4 to 1.

The ordinance was designed to reduce crime, the increasingly overcrowded schools, rising hospital costs, and escalating demand for city services that Hazleton was seeing due to an influx of illegal immigrants. The law would

* Deny licenses to businesses that knowingly employ illegal immigrants;
* Fine landlords $1,000 for each illegal immigrant discovered renting their properties;
* Require city documents to be in English only.

Let’s be clear about what’s going on here. No matter what some groups may be trying to do to muddy the water and portray Hazleton’s law as something playing to an uglier agenda, this law is not about legal immigration. This law is about dealing with the illegal immigration problem. The town’s mayor and city officials made this clear from the beginning, and it seems like they took a common sense approach.

But not to the American Civil Liberties Union which filed a lawsuit to block the law, or a federal judge in Pennsylvania, who overturned the law today.

The Hazleton ruling is an interesting one. The court made two basic conclusions. It found that the ordinance violated the due process clause of the Constitution and that the city lacked the authority to enact the law because Congress had “preempted” the field. Under the Constitution, when federal and state laws conflict, the federal law takes precedence, so long as it was within the power of Congress to enact the federal law in the first place.

So what the court said in this decision is that Congress has passed laws that preempt the field of immigration. As a result, state and local governments cannot enact laws to control illegal immigration or even the effects of illegal immigration.

Think about what this ruling means. Congress has preempted the field, so state and local governments are powerless to act. Then, Congress and the federal authorities do next-to-nothing to prevent illegal immigration, burdening the states and local communities around the country. But those communities cannot act because Congress said they couldn’t. What sense does that make?

None. Congress could not have meant to prevent state and local governments from exercising their traditional police and regulatory powers over businesses and landlords to address the problems caused by uncontrolled illegal immigration.

No doubt, this ruling will be appealed. And it should be.

Our constitutional system allows our citizens to take reasonable steps to protect their communities. This is exactly what Hazleton is trying to do. And it’s what other communities across the country are doing. According to news reports, measures similar to Hazleton’s are being considered elsewhere around the country.

When the federal government is unwilling to enforce immigration laws effectively, then cities need to be able to act, and to take reasonable steps to secure their citizens from the social, financial, and criminal costs of illegal immigration.

Debbie Schlussel's warning about Spencer Abraham

He hasn't yet entered the Presidential race, and yet Fred Thompson, yesterday, showed us why he's the scariest Republican Presidential candidate. And maybe the scariest of both parties.

read the Debbie Schlussel blog


[update] related - CAII

Update from Fred: "Where we are, and where we're going."

In the past few months, I've traveled the country talking and listening to folks. I've been discussing where I see America going, about what we need to do to keep our nation secure, what we must do to keep this remarkable economy growing, and the challenges we must address together for the next generation of Americans.

I believe the United States is at a crossroads, and what I'm hearing on the road is that a lot of people agree with me. They're ready to move forward together to meet our challenges here at home and abroad. They aren't buying into the defeatist talk about our security, our economy, and our future.

During this "testing the waters" effort we've undertaken, I've been saying the political waters feel pretty warm. It's allowed us to start laying the foundation of a good team across the country and to keep up this national conversation we've been having. Now we're going to take that conversation to a different level.

On Tuesday, August 7th, we're inaugurating a new weekly "I'm With Fred" email, complete with news, updates, and photos from the road. We're also working on the ImWithFred website 2.0, in order to keep in touch on a daily basis and to give you more opportunities to join us at events, help us organize, and spread the word about our efforts.

I'm excited about what I'm seeing out on the road. I appreciate everything you're doing for our effort.

Sincerely,

Fred Thompson

Washington Times: Thompson keeps climbing

Former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson continues to edge away from Rudy Giuliani among GOP primary voters, according to a new Rasmussen Poll of potential presidential candidates.

Rasmussen has Thompson, with 26 percent of likely voters, leading Giuliani by four percentage points.

read>>> Washington Times

Newt Gingrich: Less likely to run because of Thompson

Gingrich: Thompson Presidential Bid Could Keep Him Out of Race

By BEN EVANS | Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Friday that a White House bid by fellow Southerner Fred Thompson would make him less likely to join the race.

"If Fred Thompson runs and he does well, then I think that makes it easier for me to not run," Gingrich said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "On the other hand, just given what you've seen with (John) McCain the last few months, how can you predict?"

Rasmussen Presidential Poll: Thompson 26%, Giuliani 21%, Romney 13%

Rasmussen Reports | Scott Rasmussen

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson leading the race for the Republican Presidential nomination with support from 26% of Likely Republican Primary Voters. Thompson remains five percentage points ahead of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani who remains in second at 21%. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is in third place with 13% support while Arizona Senator John McCain is fourth at 10%. (see history). Mike Huckabee is favored by 4%, five other candidates split 4%, and 23% are undecided. The five other candidates, mentioned by name in the survey, are Ron Paul, Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter, Tommy Thompson, and Sam Brownback.

Key Evangelical Leader Tells Brody File: 'It's Fred Thompson's Race to Lose'

Christian Broadcasting Network | David Brody

Fred Thompson just got some encouraging news. Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission tells The Brody File the following:

"My assessment is that at this moment in time it is Fred Thompson's race to lose. It may be a convergence of the right man, in the right place and at the right time. I have never seen anything like this grassroots swell for Thompson. I'm not speaking for Southern Baptists but I do believe I have my hand on the pulse of Southern Baptists and I think I know where the consensus is."

CNN: Thompson eyes August Kick-off

cnn.com | Candy Crowley

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson is now likely to announce his presidential campaign in August, not mid-July as previously envisioned and will skip the Republican straw poll in Ames, Iowa, people familiar with Thompson’s thinking tell CNN.

Thompson supporters say they want to have “100 percent” of the staff in place by the time of the announcement.

CNN: Thompson eyes August Kick-off

cnn.com | Candy Crowley

Posted on 07/12/2007 7:50:05 PM PDT by no dems

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson is now likely to announce his presidential campaign in August, not mid-July as previously envisioned and will skip the Republican straw poll in Ames, Iowa, people familiar with Thompson’s thinking tell CNN.

Thompson supporters say they want to have “100 percent” of the staff in place by the time of the announcement.

Fred Thompson Watch Update

Institute for Southern Studies

With the McCain campaign circling the drain, there is speculation that Thompson's announcement, which earlier rumors said would happen on the 4th of July, may have been delayed to coincide with McCain's withdrawal.

In related news, Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Bob Davis stepped down last week, presumably to join the Thompson campaign.

The Thompson campaign is also said to be looking to hire some former McCain campaign workers who were laid off last week.

Bloomberg says that both Thompson and Giuliani could benefit from picking up some of McCain's financial backers.

The Los Angeles Times: Wait 5 minutes and the story will change

Jim Geraghty posted this more than two hours ago. How on earth is it not already all over the right-wing blogosphere?

As luck would have it, I myself blockquoted that story at length and can confirm that Jim’s right. The original paragraph:

At one of the meals, she recalled, Thompson re-enacted a cowboy death scene from one of his movies. She also remembered him telling her that Sununu had just given him tickets for a VIP tour of the White House for one of Thompson’s sons and his wife.

And how it reads now, at the same URL that I linked to Friday night when the story first broke:

Thompson kept her updated on his progress in telephone conversations and over meals at Washington restaurants, including dinner at Galileo and lunch at the Monocle, she said. At one of the meals, she recalled, Thompson told her that Sununu had just given him tickets for a VIP tour of the White House for a Thompson son and his wife.


read more!>>> HotAir

CNN: Thompson thanks Clinton, New York Times for support

CNN | Jamie Crawford

Former Senator Fred Thompson thanked the New York Times and Hillary Clinton campaign Saturday for some publicity in the “Scooter” Libby case.

Thompson, speaking before the Young Republican National Convention Saturday in Hollywood, Florida, told the crowd how he had been an early supporter of Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s legal defense. “I didn’t know Scooter, but I knew an injustice when I saw one,” the former actor told the crowd.

He went on to offer some word of thanks for the publicity about his support of Libby. “The New York Times and the Hillary Clinton campaign have got us number one on their target list, so I want to report that and say I appreciate all their help,” Thompson said. “If nothing else, we’ve apparently convinced the Clinton’s that it really is a bad thing to lie under oath,” he said as his line was greeted with laughter from the audience.

Fred Thompson hit piece on abortion by LA Times proven incorrect

Washington Prowler
Left Coast Times Targets Fred
By The Prowler


The Washington Prowler column has learned that the Los Angeles Times intends to publish a story that would attempt to link former Sen. Fred Thompson to a Washington-based, pro-abortion organization. Thompson, through a spokesman, is said to go on the record in the story as having no recollection of ever doing work for the organization in question during a period in 1991 when the first Bush administration was in power.

read>>> American Spectator

Fred Thompson fundraising

Fred Thompson raised over $400,000 on Friday at a fundraiser in Atlanta, according to sources who were present.

This is all the more amazing as it was recently reported that all other Republican presidential candidates combined had only raised $650,000 in the state through the end of the first quarter.

Romney v. Thompson: The Battle for the Christian Right?

The Christian Broadcasting Network | David Brody

So who's going to win the bulk of the "Christian Right" support? Mitt Romney is going after them.

Fred Thompson will too. Rudy Giuliani is not specifically targeting them yet look at the polls. He's doing surprisingly well among Evangelical Christians.

Conservative blogger and GOP activist Soren Dayton has a very interesting take below: "So, I read three things today that made a thunderclap in my head about the support of the Christian right in the 2008 GOP presidential nomination fight.

Bloomberg News: Thompson Hit Piece Disguised as Bio

NewsBusters.org | Warner Todd Huston

Is it just me, or did the Bloomberg "news" service just release a hit piece on Senator Fred Thompson disguised as a bio on the Senator just in time for a Michael Bloomberg entrance into the race as an independent presidential candidate? On June 28th Bloomberg writers Kim Chapman and Julianna Goldman brought us "Thompson's Backers Check His 'Fire in the Belly' for 2008 Race", a piece that reads more like a long series of snide undercuts of Thompson than any serious report on his status as a candidate. The duo exploits every single detraction thrown at the Senator since his days in the Senate leaving the speculation that he is left wanting standing like the elephant in the room.

Robert Novak Evaluates Fred Thompson

IS THOMPSON THE ONE?
Evans-Novak Political Report for 7/5

"Far more troubling are the fears among Republicans that there is less to Thompson than meets the eye. He could still seize the nomination and prove a disappointing candidate in the general election. In appearances across the country, from New Hampshire to South Carolina, his speeches have ranged from "pretty decent" to "quite underwhelming." He has not yet had the knock-out performance he will need in order to prove that he is worthy of frontrunner status."

Fred Thompson & Hillary Clinton Tied in Latest Rasmussen Poll

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds New York Senator Hillary Clinton (D) tied with former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson (R) in an Election 2008 match-up. Both candidates attract support from 45% of voters. Given a Clinton-Thompson match-up, 5% of voters say they’d pull the lever for some other candidate and 4% are not sure.

Rasmussen Reports

about (Vice President) Colin Powell

The following was posted as a comment by us on Blogs for Fred Thompson in reaction to a story on Huntington News about Colin Powell as a possible selection for the GOP vice presidential nominee in 2008 with Fred Thompson.

Let's cut to the chase. Conservatives, in general, do not like Colin Powell. They very much respect his service to his country but they do not respect his politics.

When (hopefully) Fred Thompson is chosen as the GOP nominee in 2008 conservatives will have won a major victory.

However, two important realities will then happen.

First, conservatives will have little or no influence over the choice of a vice president nominee.

Next, in truth, conservatives will gladly give in to Colin Powell on the ticket for a victory in November 2008. That would be an easy choice and compromise.

Ronald Reagan added George Bush to the ticket and rode to victory crushing Jimmy Carter.

If Fred Thompson adds Colin Powell to the ticket in 2008 another conservative victory party will take place.

9 Quotes About Fred Thompson

California Conservative: “Fred Thompson is a Barry Goldwater movement conservative.”

Bill Kirkland, a university friend who studied law with Thompson: “He was a very conservative Republican even then. He was a huge supporter of Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election.”

CATO’s Michael D. Tanner: “During his eight years in the Senate, Thompson had a solid record as a fiscal conservative... Given the fact that McCain, Romney, and Giuliani are clearly big-government conservatives, Thompson has an opportunity to seize the small-government mantle.”

Mike Allen, in the Politico: “In 2000, Thompson got a 92 percent favorable rating from the American Conservative Union and a zero from the liberal Americans for Democratic Action.”

Dave Hinz: “Like President Reagan in 1980, Fred Thompson is the true conservative leader that can take the Party forward in the 21st Century.”

Michael R. Bednarz: “Fred Thompson vs. the current crop of Republican candidates is like the children’s story where the three little bears find one bed too soft, one too hard, (and) unlike the current front runners Fred is ‘Just Right’ to most conservatives on the issues.”

Mason Conservative: “He seems just enough to the right to bring in the right wing, and just enough to the center to bring in centrists, especially as the Democrat Party continues to be bullied and drag left by the MoveOn crowd.”

J.B. Williams: “Reagan commanded respect across the political aisle at home and abroad and remains one of the most loved US Presidents in US history even today. But he was somewhat liberal on social issues. Or, like Thompson, he was at least an anti-federalist who sought to return private assets and personal liberty to the states and the people at every chance.”

Human Events’ John Gizzi: “Thompson’s record in the Senate, with few exceptions, was rather solidly conservative.”

Thompson runs past GOP rivals as a noncandidate

Dallas Examiner | Bill Sammon

Fred Thompson, who was once expected to announce his presidential candidacy on the Fourth of July, has decided not to rush into the contest, since he is already passing rivals as a noncandidate.

The former Tennessee senator is outpolling Republican rival John McCain, whose cash-strapped presidential campaign fired some staffers Monday and asked others to work for free. As a noncandidate, Thompson doesn't have to worry about the mechanics of running a campaign.

2008 Republican Presidential Primary [Thompson 27% Giuliani 24%]

Rasmussen Polls

After weeks of turmoil and change, the race for the Republican Presidential nomination has stabilized.

Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson remains on top in Rasmussen Reports national polling with 27% support. That’s unchanged from a week ago. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is three points behind at 24%.

GOP state chair leaving to work for Thompson

Knoxville News Sentinel | Tom Humphrey

NASHVILLE — Bob Davis is preparing to resign as chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, apparently to take a position with Fred Thompson’s pending presidential campaign, and a state senator hopes to succeed him.

Members of the Republican State Executive Committee were to meet via telephone conference call with Davis today to hear his announcement, according to a party official. The committee is tentatively scheduled to meet Aug. 4 to choose a successor, a member of the committee said.

Davis, who managed Thompson’s 1996 U.S. Senate campaign and served as the senator’s chief of staff, has been party chairman since December 2004.