Thompson announces presidential bid
What the Republicans think of Thompson
4Po_iw6NR1M
Thompson announces presidential bid
Actor makes long-awaited declaration on taped ‘Tonight Show’ appearance
The Associated Press
Sept 5, 2007
WASHINGTON - Fred Thompson officially entered a wide-open Republican presidential race Thursday, vowing to invigorate a dispirited GOP and promising to thwart another Clinton from capturing the presidency.
The former Tennessee senator harkened to the GOP glory days of 1994 when he and other Republicans seized control of Congress and established an equal counterpoint to Democrat Bill Clinton in the White House. Now an official candidate for the Republican nomination, Thompson promised to return the party to better times.
“In 1992, we were down after a Clinton victory,” Thompson said in a 15-minute Webcast that laid out the rationale for the candidacy he also declared on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno.
“In 1994, our conservative principles led us to a comeback and majority control of the Congress. Now, you don’t want to have to come back from another Clinton victory. Our country needs us to win next year, and I am ready to lead that effort,” he said.
Thompson also swiped at his leading Republican rivals, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney, without naming them, saying: “In 1994, when I first ran, I advocated the same commonsense conservative positions that I hold today.”
Thirteen years ago, Giuliani was a New York mayor who espoused liberal-to-moderate positions on social issues and endorsed Democratic Gov. Mario Cuomo. Romney was a moderate challenging Sen. Edward M. Kennedy in liberal Massachusetts.
Today, some conservatives question Giuliani’s and Romney’s credentials — and Thompson sees an opening for his candidacy.
Thompson, 65, enters an extraordinarily fluid race four months before voting begins. While Giuliani leads in national polls, Romney maintains an edge in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire.
Overall, Republican voters have expressed less satisfaction with their choices than Democrats, and Thompson, who ranks strongly in GOP surveys, is maneuvering to become the favorite of a GOP base that is searching for someone with right-flank bona fides who can win in a general election.
His quest won’t be easy.
As he prepared to join the campaign, Thompson was plagued by lackluster fundraising; high-profile staff departures, including some prompted by the deep involvement in the campaign by his wife, Jeri; and less-than-stellar performances at campaign events. He also has endured repeated questions about his career as a lobbyist, his thin Senate record and his record on abortion.
Going forward, he faces not only finance and organization hurdles but also the challenge of living up to his supporters’ sky-high expectations. They have painted him as the second coming of Ronald Reagan and the would-be savior of a Republican Party demoralized after electoral losses last year at all levels of government.
After months of playing coy, the veteran actor launched his candidacy Hollywood style and with a multiphase campaign roll out. He confirmed his bid to Leno in Los Angeles — “I’m running for president of the United States” — while his eight rivals gathered in New Hampshire to debate without him. Then, he released the online video. A tour of early primary states begins Thursday afternoon in Iowa.
On Leno’s show, Thompson called Giuliani, Romney and Arizona Sen. John McCain formidable but added: “I think I will be, too” as he rejected the notion that he was jumping in too late. Poking at his rivals, who have been running since January, he added: “If you can’t get your message out in a few months, you’re probably not ever going to get it out.”
In the online video, Thompson emphasized his longtime adherence to states’ rights, limited government and individual liberties. He also countered the perception that he is unwilling to do the hard work necessary to run for office, much less serve as president. “I’m going to give this campaign all that I have to give,” he promised.
Thompson also portrayed himself as capable of addressing “grave issues affecting the safety and security of the American people and our economic well being.”
On foreign policy and national security, he said: “The specter of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of our worst enemies continues to grow, and still we have yet to really come to terms with the nature and extent of the threat we are facing from radical Islamic terrorism.”
“Iraq and Afghanistan are current fronts in this war and the world watches as our will is tested,” he continued. “We must do everything in our power to achieve success.”
On domestic issues, he called for reforming Washington, criticized a politicized Congress and bemoaned “a bureaucratized government that is increasingly unable or unwilling to carry out basic governmental functions, including the fundamental responsibility of securing our borders against illegal immigration and enforcing our laws.”
“I do not accept it as a fact of life beyond our power to change that the federal government must go on expanding more, taxing more, and spending more forever,” he added.
An actor for decades, Thompson is perhaps best known as the gruff district attorney Arthur Branch on NBC’s “Law & Order,” and for his roles in more than a dozen movies.
During his 1994-2002 Senate tenure, he was considered a reliably conservative vote. However, he strayed from the party line on a few issues, including advocating for campaign finance reform.
Thompson also spent many years in Washington as a lawyer and lobbyist. He has faced repeated questions about his lobbying work for a family planning group that sought to relax an abortion rule, and for former leftist Haitian leader Jean Bertrand-Aristide.
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Has Tommy signed up to work in his campaign yet?
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Quote:
Originally Posted by lijk604
Has Tommy signed up to work in his campaign yet?
I actually have volunteered to work for his campaign here in NY.
You guys might think I'm stupid for supporting him but I think before you make any jokes take some time and read up on his history, and his policy beliefs.
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Bird76
Quote:
Originally Posted by lijk604
Has Tommy signed up to work in his campaign yet?
I actually have volunteered to work for his campaign here in NY.
You guys might think I'm stupid for supporting him but I think before you make any jokes take some time and read up on his history, and his policy beliefs.
Tommy
We are having fun harassing you, but as for Thompson, personally, I personally feel that Mayors & Governors make much better leaders than Senators..... One of the reasons that I
never supported Senator McCain......
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
I'm having a tough time thinking of any Mayors that made the jump to the top. I don't think Rudy has it to hold the Oval Office himself.
I would stand behind Thompson, though.
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Bird76
Quote:
Originally Posted by lijk604
Has Tommy signed up to work in his campaign yet?
I actually have volunteered to work for his campaign here in NY.
You guys might think I'm stupid for supporting him but I think before you make any jokes take some time and read up on his history, and his policy beliefs.
Tommy, I never said you were stupid, in fact I would support him if he gets the nod. I was just commenting based on your past verbal support on these boards for Mr. Thompson. Good Luck with it!
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Quote:
Originally Posted by DLSimTech
"Shun the non-believer! Shuuuun!" :wink: :lol:
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Quote:
Originally Posted by DLSimTech
Speak to me, Hill. Speak to me. :-P
I will move to either Canada or Australia. I have hated that wench for almost 20 years, way before she was first lady.
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Alright, heres my ticket (Now don't think i'm crazy for it...)
Tompson/Romney
Thats the winner right there! What do you guys think?
And DL, that face strikes fear deep down inside my heart!
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Quote:
Originally Posted by DLSimTech
Has Nick thrown his monitor out the window yet? :P
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Quote:
Originally Posted by DLSimTech
Dude you have to be kidding me... She's a socialist plain and simple and will try to turn this country into a European socialist nation. Some of the comments she made scare the **** out of me, the oil company one was the best when she said she'd take half their profits.... wow. Hey I don't like the price of gas either but in no way shape or form would I ever support our Gov't taking the profits of company's. She might have been a decent Senator but she dam well lied to New York about not running for Prez. I truly hope she loses because this will be the end of her, NY will kick her to the curb and no other state will welcome her as she'll be a true carpetbagger then.
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Who said I was voting for Hill? (P.S. Loving you, Hill). :-P I was just adding some spice to the soup.
Fred Thompson? C'mon, Tommy. We all know you're supporting him for his kick ass performance in Die Hard 2! =)
I don't know who I'm voting for, yet. I just want our government to function again. Everything that's wrong with America can be fixed by something that's right with America - I just hope were dealt a better hand in 2008 - no matter who gets elected.
Still, I can't help but wonder what things could have been like in terms of our involvement in Iraq had the democrat been elected back in 2004.
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Quote:
Originally Posted by DLSimTech
Still, I can't help but wonder what things could have been like in terms of our involvement in Iraq had the democrat been elected back in 2004.
I think I can tell you,
immediate withdrawal leaving Iraq in shambles and Iran (like they stated they would..) would fill in the gap turning Iraq into a safe haven for terrorists. There would be a new generation of terrorist attacks against America and Iran would be heavily involved in that, possibly even giving nuclear weapons to said groups. This would then lead to the destruction of Israel and possibly several attacks against the United States, killing hundreds of thousands.
Re: Thompson announces presidential bid
Well, not everyone can take out time from serving their country to work on Law and Order.
:lol:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Midnight Mike
What the Republicans think of Thompson
4Po_iw6NR1M
Thompson also swiped at his leading Republican rivals, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney, without naming them, saying: “In 1994, when I first ran, I advocated the same commonsense conservative positions that I hold today.”
Thirteen years ago, Giuliani was a New York mayor who espoused liberal-to-moderate positions on social issues and endorsed Democratic Gov. Mario Cuomo. Romney was a moderate challenging Sen. Edward M. Kennedy in liberal Massachusetts.
Today, some conservatives question Giuliani’s and Romney’s credentials — and Thompson sees an opening for his candidacy.
