1 Fred is great. Fred's campaign style, not so much.

2 Probably because he campaigned in such a lack-luster manner the last time.  THe man just ain't serious.

3 Considering how his last attempt went, I think he's definitely out. I was definitely a Fred supporter, but he doesn't bring out the crowds or have the charisma. He doesn't have whatever it is Sarah Palin has. I would support Fred again, but he'd really have to want it and I don't think he does.

4 He doesn't want it.  His life is too fun, and being President sucks.

5 UncleFacts,

Bacon flavored meteors? Sounds burny.

6 Too old.

7 Yup, it's the lack of passion for campaigning last time.  I love Fred but I don't think he wants to subject himself to the torture that is the modern campaign process.  Which I think goes only to prove that he's the smartest of the bunch.

8

He's too old, plus he doesn't have the desire to work that hard to become president.  I think if '08 was any indication, he's done.  If he was tired last year, what will he be several years from now?

 

9 I don't think Palin is credible as president. She doesn't have enough experience.

Why not run as VP again?

Thompson-Palin?

10 Because he's old and not particularly interested in it?

11 He's too establishment for me.

12 Fred won't make up his mind until Sept 1, 2012 or will say that is when the campaign officially has kicked off.

Don't get me wrong, I likes me some Fred, but I just think he doesn't really want to run.

13 5 UncleFacts,

Bacon flavored meteors? Sounds burny.

Posted by: wherestherum at November 04, 2009 08:06 PM (GZnia)

Extra crispy!

14 He's angling for the spot of Second Dude in the Palin Administration.

15 Yeah, but Jerri would be forever in the shadow of the Most Beautifulest First Lady in American History and Stuff.

16 I would have voted for him, but I live in Texas and the rest of you morons had already decided on Maverick McAmnesty by then.

17 Fred couldn't run until sept unless he wanted to screw his business partners out of all of his episodes of Law and Order.

He dumbly chose to honor that bond.

But he wouldn't be so constrained this time.

18 You left out one asset...Mrs. Teh Fred.

Bumped they, well she, didn't stack around with Hoffman last night.

If he is going to run, he better start now because if he pulls the maybe, maybe not fan dance again, it'll be ugly.

That said, the reason no one talks about him in '12 is we all saw him in '08.

19

he's too busy chewing viagra like it's reese's pieces to keep his hot wife happy

20 Plus there was the issue with him having cancer and going through treatments just a few months before the primaries really began. 

21

He ran because there really wasn't a solid conservative running. 2012, Palin will be running, so there will be no need.

However... Palin/Thompson... mmm mmm mmm.

22 McCain-Feingold-Thompson, or it would have been if he had his way and got his name added to it like he wanted to.

Also Cocks

23 Fred and Jeri 2012

Thompson & Thompson!!!

24

I don’t think anyone is talking up any candidate right now Ace. It is just too far away.

 

I like Fred and I do not believe the “fire in the belly” meme that was started by Chris “commie” Wallace.

 

We have to give everything some time to shake out after 2010 and then we can start talking about the “who’s”.

25 When he dropped out he said he was "hoping to catch lighting in a bottle", but that didn't happen.  He's just not committed to a long grinding 2 year campaign.

He was gonna be my vote, but he was out before our primary.

26 I don't know, Ace.  He'd be 70.

Now, if he could demonstrate some Reaganesque fire at 70...totally different story.

Oh, and run a campaign worth a crap.

And a more revealing wardrobe for Mrs. Fred!

I'd actually settle for two out of three.

27 Re my 18:

Bumped  Bummed they, well she, didn't stack around with Hoffman last night.

28 I love him and voted for him, but he blew chunks on the campaign trail.  Politics is a lot perception and you have to look like a winner and look like you are passionate in trying to win.  Fred just looked like it was another day at the office on the campaign trail.

29 Hell, I wanted to vote for Fred, but he dropped out before the primaries reached my state.  I'm still bitter about that.  Probably why I don't think about his running for Pres. in 2012.  We got kicked in the back and once burned, twice shy.

I'll still listen to his radio show, though.  He's still a solid conservative and good speaker.

30

Ace,seriously.You are asking for it tonight.Palin doesn't appear to have enough experience? Did Regan appear to have enough experience as Governor of California or did That fact escape me?

Dude,you are burning all kinds of candles tonight ,both ends to be exact.

Kudos.

31 Wasn't McCain 71 or something?

32 Fred looked about as enthusiastic and energetic out on the campaign trail last year as a narcoleptic sloth. He muttered the inspiring war cry, "I'm not interested in running for President."

Thanks for your time, Fred. Next!

33 Another vote for the consensus. I love the Fred. I think he would be a great President, but I don't think he's willing to put in the work in the campaign.

34 Palin has 2 1/2 years as governor and a couple of terms as a mayor. It's not a lot of experience.

35 And a more revealing wardrobe for Mrs. Fred!

I'd actually settle for two out of three.

I'd settle for one.  That one. 

36 He seemed barely interested the first time. I wish he'd give it a serious go but I don't see that happening.

37 I like Fred alot.He did a lousy job on the campaign trail last time.He blew all the early excitement people felt over him by seeming to not care very much.The age issue will also be a potent weapon against him.

38 Can I ask: How come no one talks about Fred Thompson 2012?

Because I'm busy... getting off of your mama - she's so fat I had to roll over 3 times just to get one foot on the floor.

39 If Fred Thompson ever becomes a Fred Thompson supporter let me know.

40 yeah,close to any-day dead,that McLame.

41 I think Thompson was having a good life and didn't want to go through the BULLSHIT of campaigning, and thought he could turn the model on its head and do internet-stuff.


Now, he knows that won't work.

Maybe he could steel himself to do it.

42 Not interested until he [Fred] gets onto meth for good.

43 wow that fire in the belly meme has really, itself, caught fire.

Like 30 variations of that.

He was lackluster. People are always lackluster... when they lose.

That doesn't mean there's no such thing as comebacks.

44 Want a laugh? (Or maybe a shiver?)

Check this site out:

http://tinyurl.com/56mv77

It's a black supremacist site. They believe they can execute whites via melanoma WITH THEIR MINDS.

No, seriously. Check it out.

45 I don't think Palin is credible as president. She doesn't have enough experience.

Why not run as VP again?

Thompson-Palin?

Seconded.

46 I'm all for a Palin-Thompson 2012 run. But even then I don't think Fred wants it. He probably doesn't have the energy or the desire to go through it all. Plus the added vitriol of being a Republican on top of the regular stuff.

I'd like to think Sarah is credible, but I think there are too many people who don't want to see a female president. Not on the Repub side, but on the Dems. Look what they did to Hillary and she was one of them. Of course, I thought the Dems would be too racist to vote for teh Won, but I underestimated the soft racism and white liberal guilt. So what do I know.

47 Ace is very clever disguising the Flame War thread as one being about Fred running for President again.

48 well now,Little Miss does the show!About time there Attila.

49 Fred lost to McCain.

50 If you say so.

51 Ace, have you been drinking, or is this just a warm-up for the flame war?

Also Cocks

52 Palin at the top of the ticket is toxic.

I'm sorry, but the "quitter" label will stick.

Best if she stays outside as an advisix.

53
Kids, Palin is not running in 2012. She doesn't want to run again.

She wants to make money and speak her mind. Next stop for Sarah Palin: radio show. She's gonna be a bazillionaire!

And all the power to her.

54 Can I Ask: Has this day felt like three to anyone else but me?? Sigh.

55 I love Teh Fred.  I believe that he does NEED to want it more, though.  The Presidency is huge, and it takes a solid 18 months of campaigning nowadays to get it, so it seems.  You gotta want it.  I sure hope Fred does want it after witnessing all this economic carnage wrought by The Won.  Fred and Sarah together would rock.

56

How about Palin/Thompson!?

They seem to like each other and get along. Jeri is involved in team Sarah.

This gives her a seasoned experianced guy as her VP!

57 Haven't read the replies and I'm a fredhead. but a couple of the concerns last go round --  his age and his heath -- would be of even greater concern 4 years later.  But what a different place we'd be if Fred were in the big white house.  

58 Ace, he was lackluster during his campaign. I kept waiting for the "HELL YES" moment from him. It never happened. And by the time the primaries got to NY, it was too late for me to vote for him regardless.

59 "He was lackluster. People are always lackluster... when they lose.

That doesn't mean there's no such thing as comebacks."


Ace, part of  being a leader is the ability to inspire people.  This thread gives you some indication of Fred's ability to do that.  Combine the best of Fred with the best of Sarah (or even Rudy has the inspiration part down) and you have a winner.

60 I think Thompson was having a good life and didn't want to go through the BULLSHIT of campaigning, and thought he could turn the model on its head and do internet-stuff.

I thought he was aiming at VP all along. Whatever the reason, I was excited about him and then...nothing. He starts really campaigning and I still like what I hear, great.

61 That doesn't mean there's no such thing as comebacks.

Like Capt Amnesty, who we all thought was dead in the water? The Dems propped up McCain and the elitist GOP went with the media hype and made him our nominee. Fred wouldn't have a chance as a solid conservative.

62 Gotta say - a Fred/O debate would be most excellent.  Fred would tear Teh O up.

63 He was lackluster. People are always lackluster... when they lose.

He was lackluster when he started.



^{Is this a serious thread or just to keep the morons from going to different sites before the flame war?}

64 Why are people so crazed about Palin's lack of experiance? She has more then Obama had when he ran! She actually has MAJOR accomplishments as Governor and oil and gas commisioner.

65 Maybe the squishy-scuzzy message will tell the GOP to look at him. The GOP cut Thompson off, not necessarily the voters. Thompson came late to the party last time. His message is good and he is credible.

66 Palin has 2 1/2 years as governor and a couple of terms as a mayor. It's not a lot of experience.

...and 3 terms on the city council. Still not a lot of experience.  About the same as Dear Leader.

67 Count me in with those that thought Fred lacked charisma.

But it's still too far out, and God only knows what horrors await all of us from here to 2012, just on the foreign policy front.  Nuclear Iran, nuclear NK, China and Russia rumblings..

68 So wait a minute... you mean Fred Thompson has been somehow resuscitated?

69 Too much old. Not enough bold.

70

Obviously, Ace is taunting us by making all these ridiculously weak arguments in favor of Fred.

Right after a post where he practically dared us to follow a link to MSfuckingNBC for Gawd's sake!

He is deliberately provoking a foul-mouthed reaction from us morons.

Is this his way of starting the flamewar? 

71

Dear Lord People

PAUL RYAN

he should be our candidate in 2012.

72 Cause he looked old then and will look even older in 4 years.

Hey, I'm not defending it, it's just why.

73 The Russians don't take a shit without a plan.

74 #64 I love Palin as well and the experience thing is a toss up for me, but I will point out that people at this site think Obama wasn't experienced and Palin isn't experienced enough.  That is a consistent position.  If you want to know why the media thinks Palin isn't experienced enough while Obama is, the answer to that is obvious.

75 No one talks about him because they suspect that he was a purposely shitty candidate in order to act as a spoiler to toss the nomination to his pal McCain..

76 Fred answers the question himself!

77 Fred Thompson?

Personally, I just couldn't deal with his anti-lesbian actions as D.A.

78

Fred only strolls for President. 

Put him in charge of something else but keep him out there.

Frist should be frontman for healthcare/tort reform. 

79 Fred wouldn't have a chance as a solid conservative.

I don't know about that. Give Obama another year or so to ruin his poll numbers, and then start inserting himself back into the public eye...I think it could happen. People are right, though, when they say he'd have to make it clear that he really wants it this time.

80 Didn't he have cancer or was hospitalized during the campaign?

81 Fred's crew (and Fred himself) are defecting to Palin's camp, with Fred Thompson likely up for the potential job of Attorney General or possibly Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

82 I will say that campaign commercial he did for McCain well errr...Anti-obama is still dead on today, everything he said would happen has.

83 Oh fuck me. Fred Thompson?!?? Seriously?!?? You were awake and lucid during the last campaign he ran, right? Oh, I guess ran is the wrong word. More like "sleepily stumbled through in his pajamas." He's got some very solid values and he does a nice YouTube clip, but that's it. If his executive ability is at all reflected by the campaign organization he put together he'd make Obama's White House look competent.

84 O'Reilly has new poll question: Who can beat Obama:

Huckabee
Romney
Palin
Newt

Curiously missing? The one person that has the likability, credibility and experience to actually pull it off: Fred Thompson.

85

He is deliberately provoking a foul-mouthed reaction from us morons.

Is this his way of starting the flamewar? 

Posted by: Log Cabin at November 04, 2009 08:21 PM (034R6)

Laura Ingram's obnoxious five foot cross is glaring back at me so I can't be foul-mouthed until she's off my tv.

86

This is what a bald bear looks like. I would laugh at him, but at the rate i am going he will have more hair than me in 4 years

 

http://www.tinyurl.com/ykpqvzr

87 64 Why are people so crazed about Palin's lack of experiance? She has more then Obama had when he ran! She actually has MAJOR accomplishments as Governor and oil and gas commisioner.

But Palin doesn't have most media outlets at her command.  I like Sarah, but I dunno if she can overcome all the bad press she got the last go-round (assuming that she wants to run, of course).  The State-Run Media still has a lot of pull, unfortunately.

88 Fred is a moonshiner chasing, terrorist enabling, lobbyist for abortion groups and dictators. He is a pro-choice federalist. He was lazy as a senator, repeatedly voted for Spencer Abraham open borders agenda, quit on his constituents and stole his financial backers money to pay his son for doing nothing. Finally, he wears Gucci slippers and refuses to be seen in a fireman's helmet because he considers it a violation of his "funny hat rule."

I guess that is what Allah refers to as a "true conservative."

89 After seeing more of Fred, he is the smart adviser to the charismatic leader.  Fred needs to be one of a very few in the inner circle of the next President.

90 fred did give a good speech at the convention.

91 What potential candidates do you think would crush Obama in a debate? Obviously any of them would win, but who would make his supporters cry?

92

So what we are saying is that we have zero reasonable choices for any substantive leadership figures.

Palin is a quitter,Fred is ancient,Rudy is really blue,and Huckabee has his nose shoved up baby Jesus ass.Oh,lets not forget that valiant return of the semi-conservative Rominey.

Yeah,excellent comeback in 2012.Should be easy.

93
Have any of you pickle smoochers ever listened to Fred's radio show?

I can describe it in two words: Bo. Ring.

94

I caught Thompson on Kudlow or something tonight and have to say he would be my pick if Al Sharpton would let me out of this restraint chair and take the ball gag out of my mouth.

 

Not saying I would endorse Fred, so don't get your panties in a wad. 

 

I've seen some of the vile comments some of you have left at newt.org.

 

Did I mention we just recieved a fresh shipment of official Newt fly swatters from my friends in China?

 

Stop by & check out my products.

95

How many of you people who keep repeating the “no fire in the belly” meme or “lackluster” or some other variation of that actually went to one of his campaign stops and watched a speech?

 

Or did you get the idea of the “lack of fire” from the news reports and very occasional shots of a campaign stop?

 

You saw and heard exactly what the media wanted you to see and here. Most of the Morons here probably watch Fox as opposed to the other networks. Well, Fox was just as in the tank for McCain as NBC was in the tank for Obama.

 

And just like Charlie “Never Heard Of It” Gibson had the Palin interview edited to mix and match answers Fox more than likely edited the Fred coverage.  If you really wanted to see some fire in the belly from teh Fred, you needed to see him confront Commie Chris Wallace over the fire in the belly shit. He ate his lunch.

96

Why are people so crazed about Palin's lack of experiance? She has more then Obama had when he ran! She actually has MAJOR accomplishments as Governor and oil and gas commisioner.

But Palin doesn't have most media outlets at her command.  I like Sarah, but I dunno if she can overcome all the bad press she got the last go-round (assuming that she wants to run, of course).  The State-Run Media still has a lot of pull, unfortunately.

I agree. She would never get more that 43 percent in the election.  I would vote for her.

It would be non stop coverage on her. You thought it was bad in 2008,  it will make that look like childs play. The only upside is that Andrew Sullivan's head would explode, and he left an ounce of weed to me in his will.

97
Two and a half years as Governor of Alaska is worth 25 years as Senator of any state East of the Big Muddy. The gas pipeline deal she negotiated puts Romney's Olympic project in the shade. Feel the power- Palin/Bolton in 2012 with Liz Cheney Sec of State.

98 Come on, all kinds of people can come to the forefront before 2012.  Think Ace for President.

99 90 fred did give a good speech at the convention.

Posted by: Ben at November 04, 2009 08:26 PM (bftbi)

Umm and?? This is why we mock President I Won. All style; not substance (which I don't actually believe to be the case w/Teh Fred. He just doesn't seem motivated enough as others have already stated.

 

100 teh Fred got my vote in the primary (although he dropped out after I sent my absentee in).  I was pretty excited about him, but he had no mo.

101

Quitter stuff is total NONSENSE. There isnt a person on this blog or anyone on earth who would allow themselves and their families to be bankrupted financially in a no win situation. Anyone would resign unless of course they didnt care about their families, which Sarah Palin Obviously does.

102 I talk about Fred! 2012.

I also talk about having a threesome with Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie.

103 #92 Obama as the D presidential candidate and Palin as the R VP candidate would have seemed crazy in 2005.

104 Can I Ask: Has this day felt like three to anyone else but me?? Sigh.

No, me too, I thought time was running backwards at work today.

105

The MSM came up with the "lazy" narrative, and even Republicans who liked Thompson's positions and persona bought it.

I saw Thompson as more of a rebel, someone who so despises the fakery inherent in nomination-seeking that he tried to do it his own way.

Unfortunately, his relatively late start meant that all the ground-level people -- GOP officials, party regulars, and donors -- who would have welcomed him had already committed to someone else.

106 am beginning to think that all the talk of a 'flame war' was just bait n switch

107 Fred inspired everyone when we thought he wanted it. His enthusiasm trailed off, and despite our best efforts to rally him here, he never got into it again.

I'd love to have Palin run, but it's going to come down to here taking control of her own message, rather than the networks controlling it.

108 When will Republicans realize you have to nominate a governor for the presidency, or, if one's available, a vice-president?

Governors or vice-presidents who won: Bush--Texas, Clinton--Arkansas, Bush--VP, Reagan--California, Carter--Georgia, Nixon-VP, Johnson--VP. Only Kennedy and Obama have won in modern times from the Senate. In 2008, both nominees were from the Senate, so the trend was bound to be broken.

Bottom line is we should nominate Pawlenty, Jindal, Huckabee, or Romney (but please not Huckabee because he's liberal on fiscal matters and wouldn't win anyway).

109 Palin has been anointed as the conservative savior, and all others have fallen from favor.

110 I agree that Fred would make a better adviser than president. Chief of Staff or something along those lines.

As for Palin, if she were a man, do you guys think she'd have a better chance? Honest question. As a man, a lot of what was used against her for being female wouldn't exist.

111 Unfortunately, I am not set to go off until 2013. 

He's real, real sleepy.

112 Compromise in in order. Let Crist win in Florida. Run Rubio for president.

113
Palin did not quit. She began to fight in a different direction.
h/t the Marines

114 I would bet that the 2012 nominee isn't even on the radar screen right now (save for Palin). Fred won't run; I've tried listening to his radio show and he's so laid back I keep waiting for him to nod off. He probably would too, if his wife weren't interrupting him every ten seconds.

I say this as a fredhead too.

There's an important place for him but it's not as prez.

115

lacey. I wasn't saying it qualified him. I was simply pointing out his speech was good at the convention.

I will be singing Paul Ryan's priases until he is elected or caught in a hotel room with an underaged protestant

116 Fred is laying the groundwork & acknowledging his mistakes in 2008.

117 "How many of you people who keep repeating the “no fire in the belly” meme or “lackluster” or some other variation of that actually went to one of his campaign stops and watched a speech?"

People love the Conservative credentials of Palin and Fred, but only rally around Palin after 2008.  She was a fighter in the campaign he was not.  Could just be his style, but I will keep going back to the point that a president has to inspire to be an effective leader, the thread which is his target base is not even inspired, that tells you all you need to know.

118

I like Fred and I do not believe the “fire in the belly” meme that was started by Chris “commie” Wallace.

Too bad. Suck it up, Vic.

Fred has been labeled with it and it'll never go away. Sorta like how Max Baer Jr. could never get a serious acting role after he played Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies.

I think Fred is the best man for the office but, unfortunately, he's been unfairly assigned a fatal flaw he can never outlive. We have Mitt and Huck fans and screwy right wing bloggers like AllahP and Hewitt who would prefer a second term for Obama over Fred because they are so invested in their choices.

If you haven't noticed, the GOP is kinda real screwy right now.

119 Fred would make a great DA in New York City.

120 Ace, Reagan vs. Palin Experience: comparable Passion: comparable Speaks of freedom: comparable Economics: comparable National defence: comparable Why do we think we have to have a cop be sherriff. Why the fuck would we want/need a pro government, insider, elitist to lead us. I want none of that. I'll take Palin.

121

Thompson/Palin?  Do we really want our ticket to look like the cast of "Petticoat Junction?"  As Allah said, charisma is the only thing Obama has going fore him, so why cede that and allow the MSM to mock that diesparity at every turn?  We don't need to trade the cranky old white guy from 2008 for the laconic old white guy for 2012.

Romney/Palin or even, Romney/Rubio.

122

Sorta like how Max Baer Jr. could never get a serious acting role after he played Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies.

that is one hellavu reference there buddy

123 Oh, and just to respond briefly to Vic's comment- I was working in Nashville when he was running, and we couldn't get his campaign to work with us (I was at CBS Nashville then, and we ran a lot of friendly stories on him). Much as we usually were unreliable at CBS on our coverage of Republican candidates, his campaign was pretty lackluster.

Just saying from personal experience.

124 This Palin business will get out of control.  It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it.

125 >>>..and 3 terms on the city council. Still not a lot of experience. About the same as Dear Leader.

This is yesterday's spin.

For one thing, he's president now so he's getting experience and it's pointless to continue to debating whether he had the experience in 2008.

For another thing, if Obama screws up enough to be vulnerable, the public is not going to be looking to take ANOTHER chance on an inexperienced official.

The very fact that obama is vulnerable (which I imagine he will be) will mean the country is in trouble, which will render utterly unconvincing your stuff about "having as much experience as Dear Leader."

Yes, that will be the problem.

126 In other news, Yanks are up 2 to 0, Home Run by Fred Thompson I think.

127 Anyone but McCain or Huckabee works for me.  For the record, unless Palin emerges as an awesome kingmaker of '10 with campaigning and fund-raising, I'm not getting on the bandwagon just yet.

128 Hey, we should have an update on the "Teachable Moment" post earlier today.  There has been an update on that:

tinyurl.com/yb6442o

129

One word:

Trust

I don't trust the fucker, I gave him $2000 and he whored himself for McCain in a month and made no effort.

Dumbest money I ever spent except for that dickhead from Texas, not Bush, the econ professor that ran for President for a month, wtf was his name?

One other thing, he's lost so much weight, I think he might be sick or Jerri's fucking him to death.

Hope it's the second

130 110 I agree that Fred would make a better adviser than president. Chief of Staff or something along those lines.

As for Palin, if she were a man, do you guys think she'd have a better chance? Honest question. As a man, a lot of what was used against her for being female wouldn't exist.

Posted by: wherestherum at November 04, 2009 08:32 PM (GZnia)

Sarah has more testosterone than any male currently walking the halls of the Whitehouse! Oh, and I'd hit it!

131 #115  I will be singing Paul Ryan's priases until he is elected or caught in a hotel room with an underaged protestant.

How old does a Protestant have to be until they're no longer underaged? 

132

Palin quit.  That's fine, she put her family first.

And, if she's going to continue that practice, she needs to stay out of political office.

The RNC is a Morpheus still in search of a Neo.

133 I was ready to vote for Fred but he dropped out before I could. And then I was reconciling with Romney. And then suddenly McCain was the nominee. And I thought, well, shit. Then Sarah was picked as VP and I held my nose for McCain. When Fred can bring the kind of crowds and lightning bolts Sarah does, he's not going anywhere.

And WTF is with Huckabee consistently polling high? Who the EFF likes Effing Huckabee?!

134

For everyone who is worried about Palin or ANYONE ELSE being able to beat Obama in 2012 here is what I have for you. Its this simple...5% of people change their minds nationally and Obama is gone! Or only about 4% change their minds in key states and Obama is gone!

Obama ran up huge totals in California, Illinois, New York, and other BLUE strongholds, but he still got the same number of electoral votes. All the GOP candidate has to do is win the Bush States from 2004 and can even afford to drop a couple of those. The swing states that Obama won were by slim margins if you look at them state by state. So 5% of people change their mind and he is gone which is very possible. 5% is nothing!

135 There is a thing in politics: There are good people to have in your organization, really effective people, and there are kinda crappy people.

It seems elections shouldn't turn on something so minor like "how efficient and dilligent is your staff" but they do.

When Fred entered, all the good guys were already taken.

136 Fred Thompson was the Perry Como of Presidential politics.

137 Vic, from 116's link:

But his late entry to the presidential race, together with his refusal to do the things that successful Republican candidates have done for years, meant that he disappeared from the presidential scene almost as quickly as he'd arrived.

In an interview Thursday, Thompson acknowledged the mistakes of his campaign and conceded that his refusal to play the game the way it's been played for years cost him. "I've gone my own way--sometimes to my own detriment," Thompson says. "I discounted and underestimated the rulebook--Mitt and the Huck were raising money, forming PACs..." he says, his voice trailing off.

Sounds like we didn't imagine that he didn't do enough.

138 i wonder how much of freds perceived "lack of fire" was actual, and how much was the media smothering his campaign because they were scared he had a chance?

it's scary sometimes how much power they have to affect things, and even avowed skeptics like ace fall for it over and over again

show dozens of clips of other candidates, and ignore fred, and the perception that fred isn't doing anything is locked into the public consciousness

the msm have an effective stranglehold on the apathetic middle's information stream, so when they pull their heads outta their asses to figure out who to vote for we get screwed again, whether with rino's in primaries, or dems in the big one

139 Hell no!,Palin wouldn't have an easier chance if she had sported a meat package!Seriously in the age of equality,it would be conventional wisdom to nominate a true feminist to run the show.Does that make most uneasy ?

140 "Palin doesn't appear to have enough experience? Did Regan appear to have enough experience as Governor of California or did That fact escape me?"

Did Reagan resign after less than 2 years?

141 Whoops, should read "Until Fred can bring the crowds..."

142

It doesn't matter who is in the primaries for me. My state is the last to vote. I got to pick between Ron Paul and John McCain last time. Needless to say I switched parties and voted for Hillary to prolong the blood bath.

143 Palin/Thomson.

144 I agree that Palin did not quit for purely personal reasons, but for the good of Alaska.  I'm just arguing that too many people are too stupid to realize that "nuance."

FCOL, how many voters still think she said "I can see Russia from my front porch" or whatever?

145 I thought Brian Dennehey won the Iowa straw poll.

146 For a Thompson/Palin ticket, I'd clean out my 401k account and break every campaign law there is getting it to them.

As a matter of fact, I'd probably take up robbery and bundle my take for them.

147 Reagan vs. Palin Experience: comparable
mghorning

Is there a new meaning for the word "comparable" I'm not familiar with?

Reagan had a successful career before politics, served as head of a major labor union, spent 15-20 years traveling the country, speaking and thinking about politics and served two terms as governor of one of the largest states.

Palin served 2 1/2 years as governor off one of the smallest (by population) states, spent 6 weeks running for VP and then resigned her office.

It's one thing to like Palin but let's not pretend she's something she's not.

Oh and as for the "she's as qualified as Obama" idea...true enough but um, Obama was woefully under qualified and we are paying for it now and will for the next 3 years.

I'm not sure that's the strongest argument for Palin.

148 Jason, had Reagan been personally bankrupted by ludicrous attacks, then yes he would have resigned too.

149

Palin doesn't appear to have enough experience? Did Regan appear to have enough experience as Governor of California or did That fact escape me?"

um being governor of one of the largest states in the union is experience.

I like palin, a lot. I would vote for her. But she can't win.

150 #138 Go take a look see at the campaign schedules of all the candidates around NH, SC and FL.  Fred's was by far the lightest and he needed to be out there more since he got the latest start. 

He tried to play the "I am the elder statesman/adult card" and it got him a seat at the table, but it was not enough.  He just didn't have the name recognition to swoop in last second and pull it off like he thought he could against the weak field.

151 And WTF is with Huckabee consistently polling high? Who the EFF likes Effing Huckabee?!

I wish I knew.

152
Anal Apertures, what's your excuse for not supporting Tom Tancredo or Duncan Hunter?

Tancredo is a great conservative, yet none of you gave him the time of day.

153 Fred would make a great DA in New York City.

Heh. Better than Dianne West.

154 #133  And WTF is with Huckabee consistently polling high? Who the EFF likes Effing Huckabee?!

Christians mostly, I think.  They like his social stances.  I tell those in my circle that Huckabee's "Christian socialism" (can't remember where I found that term, but I think it's apt) is still socialism, but they still wave me off.

155

No Jason,he didn't.Nor was the media out to snuff his political carrier,personally attack his family with bad intent.

I can overlook this to the extent that I perceive this as a strength,not a weakness.

156 Fred is one lazy mother fucker, which makes him an ideal president.

157

Ace has posted the Flame War World Series thread!

158

Dennis Miller: Look at those empty eyes (on Pelosi)! This women could lose a game of tic-tac-toe to an amoeba.

Sorry I had to share that. Resume the conversation......

159 "And WTF is with Huckabee consistently polling high? Who the EFF likes Effing Huckabee?!"

People look at the list of potentials and go "Oh God this sucks" and then subconsciously equate God to Huckabee and his religious views and pick his name from the list.

160 If things keep going the way they are, 51% of the people will vote for an actual donkey before obama, so if Fred was the nominee, he would be a shoo-in.

161 "And WTF is with Huckabee consistently polling high? Who the EFF likes Effing Huckabee?!" The religious right and/or the southern states.

162

Why does the mention of Thompson inevitably bring up Romney?  His grin just isn't toothy enough to trade a candidate I trust on a gut level for someone I don't.  Why Romney fans aren't democrats, I don't know.

163 With the way the economy is going, I expect the Beck-libertarians and gold standard Ron Paul fans to back a Paul disciple (since he's probably too old to run again).  If it's a third party run, it will really hurt the GOP's chances.

164

 #133  And WTF is with Huckabee consistently polling high? Who the EFF likes Effing Huckabee?!

Christians mostly, I think.  They like his social stances.  I tell those in my circle that Huckabee's "Christian socialism" (can't remember where I found that term, but I think it's apt) is still socialism, but they still wave me off.

this befuddles me. Let me be clear, if it is huckabee v. the won, i am voting huckabee. However I don't see how he could be anyones number one choice

165 So does the talk about a Thompson run benefit Romney or Michelle's kids because I can't decide.

166

With the way the economy is going, I expect the Beck-libertarians and gold standard Ron Paul fans to back a Paul disciple (since he's probably too old to run again).  If it's a third party run, it will really hurt the GOP's chances.

oh, we would be f'd. We need every vote to beat Obama in 2012. even a minor percentage in key states could cost us the election.

167

When France most needed a hero they were blessed with Joan of Arc. "The maid of Loraine" (sic). 

We need one now.

Name one American citizen that can raise an army?

168 Can I Ask: How Come No One Talks About Fred Thompson 2012?Because I have it sewn up, pole-smoker.

169

Anyone but Newt or Hucksterbee or Limply Graham.

 

Palin seems like a nice woman but also seems pretty unelectable and the union husband & some of what I have read in local Alaska outlets bothers me.

170

Hey, why are the Fox guys not challenging the 140 years shit?

Are they drinking the kool aid tonight?

171 >>>Jason, had Reagan been personally bankrupted by ludicrous attacks, then yes he would have resigned too.

A good candidate is one who doesn't require so many excuses and explanations.

Anything can be explained. But every discussion about Palin begins with five or more minutes explaining away her drawbacks.

That's too much.

172 if it is huckabee v. the won, i am voting huckabee

Not me. If the Republican Party wants to try and kill itself again, I'm not going to try and help stop it a second time.

I'll vote for some minor party candidate before I vote for the Huckster.

173

Because we need a candidate with FIRE!  Not Pants on Fire that has everyone pointing but a leader who lights a fire under the base and attracts outsiders to the light.

 

Fred's an old flame,, awesome for fireside chats but we need a torch! Texas Pete style.

 

174 I want you guys to nominate Jindal.
I have tons of awesome 7-11 material - it's Gold!

175

Fred is too old...and besides he REALLY doesn't want it.

But how about Petraeus/Cheney(Liz) ?

176 Kratos,

I like that term, Christian socialist. It's a good label for that part of the Republican party. And apt, too. I think that's an appropriate label for Bush.

And I agree with Ben if it's Huckabee vs. teh Won, but I'd be holding my nose even worse than when I voted for McCain. And at least that vote was sweetened with Sarah.

177 Ron Paul vs Huckabee would be a difficult choice.  As a born again Christian (but not a particularly concerned one), I can't stand him.  I sure hope someone takes him out in the primary that I can rally around.  I'm really not thrilled about the crap dressed up as Republican candidates for 2012.

178 Crap, obama scored for the phillies.

179 I don't know how it is contended that Fred obviously doesn't want it but Palin obviously does?

Seems to me both people seem to have some "do they really want it" questions outstanding, no?

180

Hey, why are the Fox guys not challenging the 140 years shit?

Are they drinking the kool aid tonight?

it involved the smallest bit of effort to research, therefore no one on the cable news networks will ever know about it.

Clearly a Democrat hasn't been elected there since Ester foiled Hamen's plans

181 he'd really have to want it and I don't think he does...

Anyone who "really wants" that job after seeing what it has done to past occupants of 1600 is either A) batshit crazy B) a narcissist or C) dangerously naive, none of which I would want as president.  What I want is a quietly competent person who runs out of a sense of duty, and the knowledge that they are capable of doing it.

Of course my view isn't representative of the general public who makes their judgment on much shallower criteria.

182 I will be singing Paul Ryan's priases until he is elected or caught in a hotel room with an underaged protestant.

Is he catholic?

183 I'm with you, Ace.  Fred may be one of the only true conservatives left in our party that has half a chance at winning.  I've always suspected that the "fire in the belly" reputation was initiated by McLoser or Romney operatives.  Do we really want someone running for office just because he, personally, needs it to boost his ever-expanding ego?  Yeah, that's working out really well for us right now.

184 Christian socialist, that's golden.  That's the Christian equivalent to a RINO in my book.

185

#129

Answered my own question, Phil Graham! Smart as shit, thought he was still teaching and the class should stand up when he came in.

186 Dick Cheney/Liz Cheney 2012?

187 Jindal is wayyyyy to green at this point in time.Not to mention he fails to connect speaking in public.Recall the rebuttal to the state of the union address.Ugly.

188 Early on in 2008 I was all about Fred Thompson, but then two things happened that made me completely write him off.  First he went on Leno and said "real people don't watch debates."  Great, alienate half your audience and your own supporters.  Then when he did debate he basically took a nap on camera for an hour.  I realized that he was what he was; an actor.  He's great on camera as long as he's memorized a prepared script but put him on live and he stinks.

189 How old does a Protestant have to be until they're no longer underaged?
Posted by: Kratos (on the back of Gaia, scaling Mt Olympus) at November 04, 2009 08:36 PM (otlXg)

Ace was 12.

190

182

yeah i think he is

191 I will be singing Paul Ryan's priases


Paul Ryan has an erection lasting 4 hours or longer?

192

Ace, I hear you about the explanations. It is not ideal, but it is so easy to explain in a debate in very personal terms. Look at the camera and in 30 seconds you can tell everyone in America the deal. Most people will totally understand and would say "yeah, ya know, I would have done the same thing."

We cant give up so easilly. We gotta fight tooth and nail no matter who the candidate is since they will always label the GOP person as something negative.

193 After I voted for McCain, I had to stand in a shower for three hours. His dead RINO stench permeated my ballot.

194 Let's face it people we are going to need someone to emerge.We ain't got nothing right now.

195 If the Republican Party wants to try and kill itself again, I'm not going to try and help stop it a second time.

Drew, I respect your posts and opinions, but that above I think is largely why Obama won. McCain wasn't good enough and rather than voting against Obama, people stayed home. I'm betting McCain as president would not be nearly as bad as Obama.

196 What I want is a quietly competent person who runs out of a sense of duty, and the knowledge that they are capable of doing it.

I'm with you, man, but good luck finding that guy. When was the last time a President fit that bill--Coolidge, maybe?

197 Petraeus/Jindal 2012!  Now thats A Ticket!  Get the backing of Palin... folks we have a winner!

198

Dennis Miller: Look at those empty eyes (on Pelosi)! This women could lose a game of tic-tac-toe to an amoeba.

I Pelosi can get elected, why not Palin?

 

 

199 You omitted Eisenhower, who was general. There have been a number of generals, starting with Washington. How about Petraeus?

I would actually like to see prior executive experience be a constitutional requirement, much like the Roman cursus honorum.:


Draft Constitutional Amendment:

1. No one otherwise eligible shall be elected President of the United States unless that person shall, prior to election, have served as President or Vice-President, as the highest executive officer of one of the Several States, or on active duty in the armed forces or coast guard of the United States as a flag officer or general officer.

2. No one otherwise eligible shall be elected Vice-President of the United States or be appointed to that position pursuant to Section 2 of the 25th Amendment unless that person shall, prior to election or appointment, have served as President or Vice-President, as the highest or second highest executive officer of one of the Several States, as a principal officer of the United States after having been confirmed by the Senate, or in the armed forces or coast guard of the United States or organized militia of one of the Several States as a flag officer or general officer.

3. No one otherwise eligible shall be elected United States Senator for a State who has not, prior to election, served as a Representative for that State for at least two terms, or as Senator.

200 I think a 'lackluster' Fred Thompson would be a welcome relief after the self-anointed One.

201 Paul Ryan has an erection lasting 4 hours or longer?

Posted by: Tweet beats dead horses at November 04, 2009 08:52 PM (fFl1M)

The best money-making medical warning in history.

that is, since "smoking more than three packs a day will cause Swedish models to pull off your pants".  That was from an old pack of Chesterfields.

202 I have to disagree with McCain, I think if he wins most of the stuff we blocked passes (albeit watered down a bit). 

203

Why do we have to look to prior candidates? I like fresh ideas.

I"m very into Mike Pence. I recommend everyone read up on him.

204 Somebody reanimate Calvin Coolidge's corpse.Zombie Coolidge/Palin 2012!!!!

205 Nobody talks about Fred because his last campaign was not well run.  He didn't seem to want to do what you need to do to get elected in this country and I can't really blame him. Raising money, doing endless rallies and appearances, doing interviews, he didn't seem to enjoy it or even tolerate it. He doesn't need the presidency for ego reasons or because he hungers for power, he is a great guy who loves America though.  He has a hot wife and a nice life, why fuck that up?

206

I would be willing to bet the 2012 Republican candidate is none of the people who are in the limelight right now. But if I had to pick my ideal candidates from the list of knowns it would be:

 

Palin

DeMint (SC)

Sessions (Alabama)

Teh Fred

Any other person who supports the Constitution as written with a record that can be verified.

 

And on that score it is time to cash it in for the night.

207 Anyone who "really wants" that job after seeing what it has done to past occupants of 1600 is either A) batshit crazy B) a narcissist or C) dangerously naive, none of which I would want as president. What I want is a quietly competent person who runs out of a sense of duty, and the knowledge that they are capable of doing it.

Agreed. I think Colin Powell was smart enough to see this and that's why he never ran.

208 I'm going to vote for the guy/gal who invents a pill to make you slim, tan and have four hour erections while putting out pheromones to attract the likes of Mary Katherine Ham.

209 I was thinking Ike as the most recent, and a (modest though not compelling) argument could be made for Truman before him as Truman never really expected to ever become president.

210 I promise I will not eat my running mate's.......brain.....

211

If Fred had married a woman more than 1/3 his age, he'd have won the election.

His energy level was below a Galapagos tortoise's

212

Draft Constitutional Amendment:

that's a terrible idea. With the nature of america being what it is the convention would be hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

I say we just enjoy the prosperity and freedom for as long as it lasts and then embrace the horrifing flesh eating future we have created for ourselves.

213 wherestherum,

Two things...

1-While I appreciate the kind words, this is not LGF. You don't have to say something nice before telling me you think I'm full of crap. Dave and Gabe are different, they are sensitive.

2-I sucked it up and voted McCain after swearing I never would do it. I'm willing to give the GOP one mulligan every now and then but not back to back. The only possible caveat is if I find myself living in a swing state in 3 years. If I'm still in a deep blue one, I'll vote my conviction before taking one for 'the team' and trying to run up the popular number.

214

Huckabee is a big government "conservative".  If he's the guy I am out.

Fred has no fire.  I like him but he failed once already.

Sarah quit the governorship and is a lightning rod for viscious attacks.  She is fighting an uphill battle and won't be given the benefit of the doubt.  She needs to get credibility quickly to be a legitimate threat.

Mitt was squishy on social issues and people hold his Mormonism against him.  I can't vote for a guy that has a 'Care named after him. 

I think there really is one choice:  Newt for Prez!      

215 Fred got into it b/c some folks told him he could, I think. He thought, well let's see if there's a groundswell. When not enough did, he left. That's all it was. Not a trial run, not lack of fire or that sh1t. He was just being ...pragmatic.

216 Petraeus/(Liz) Cheney 2012!

I think if any female is going to be run (besides Sarah) she's going to run into the same vitriol and bile Sarah did. Dems hate successful conservative women as was evidenced by last year, so if say Liz Cheney was chosen, I expect she'll get the same treatment Sarah got.

217 Wouldn't Palin/Krauthammer make most Rs happy?

218

Posted by: Zombie Cal Coolidge at November 04, 2009 08:58 PM (rQZoc)

So... the business of America is eating brains?

219 I really liked Teh Fred, but he didn't want to be President enough to stick it out after he realized what an uphill fight a GOP candidate would have in 2008. Plus, the SCM made sure his campaign never got any oxygen. They made sure that McLame and Hucksterbee got all the attention, and the others could wither on the vine...which they did. I do hope Teh Fred returns in 2010 and 2012 though as a Conservative Republican spokesman, and keeps the candidates on message with some more of his thoughtful political insight pieces. Maybe Palin can make him Conservative Message Czar in 2013.

220

I say we just enjoy the prosperity and freedom for as long as it lasts and then embrace the horrifing flesh eating future we have created for ourselves.

Posted by: Ben at November 04, 2009 08:59 PM (bftbi)

Told you not to go barefoot in the bath house.

221

I think you people have missed the point of what was accomplished last night, especially in NY23.  The people in the rightwing want to make decisions now.  We don't want the DNC or RNC making them for us.

The people on this thread who diss Palin are as stupid as the people who bought onto the MSM crap during the elections.

222

Agreed. I think Colin Powell was smart enough to see this and that's why he never ran.

No, Colin Powell never ran because his wife would never sign up for. Someone did an interesting book on the 1996 election, including the Republican primary race (I think it was Woodward). Powell had alot of the machinary ready to go in 96 but his wife basically quashed it.

223

Don't look now, but Fred's mug is on Fox's home page with a goatee.

He's ready for the '90s!

224 He promises to do no harm.Liberals wont miss their brains much...

225

What are your thoughts on a Napoleanic American Empire?

Anyone?

226 #199

While the military officer requirement is tempting, there's a reason why there's civilian control of the military in the US.  And that won't get rid of potential idiots that could be elected President.  Wasn't "Screw 'em" himself an officer or NCO in the Army?

227 197

Yep. The only way we're going to win is with fresh faces. Everyone in the field is damaged goods just by being a part of the GOP that ran to the left, ran to the money, and ran to the PR firms to figure out what to do.

228 Well, Bob Dole is ready and rested and with his new Viagra pump, he's dangerous to farm animals.

229 This is not a serious post, right?  I mean, you're just gunning for hits now, right?  Is it because I disabled by javascript?  This is all about me, isn't it?

Seriously, though, wtf?  Thompson?  Shit, I gave the man money, voted for him in our WA State primary, but I don't see the red truck leaving the garage, again.

230

While I appreciate the kind words, this is not LGF. You don't have to say something nice before telling me you think I'm full of crap.

Drew - you suck donkey - massive donkey, oh shit, this isn't the flamewar thread. Sorry Drew - you the man!

(I keed, I keed).

231 And WTF is with Huckabee consistently polling high? Who the EFF likes Effing Huckabee?!

My 75 y/o very religous Aunt.  He's her first pick.  And I don't understand it. 

She's from Az and supported/met Goldwater, and has never liked McCain.  She would have preferred to not vote, but saw Teh Won as a huge problem and so held her nose and voted for McCain.  I just don't get her Huck fascination.    

232 Wouldn't Palin/Krauthammer make most Rs happy?

Isn't Krauthammer in a wheelchair? Because if you modified it to run on enormous tank treads he would be the best candidate ever.

233 What about Joe Arpaio?  I could see him as the top cop in the US

234 I would love to live in a country where Fred Thompson's campaign style could win. Who knows, maybe in three years we'll be tired of people who want power for its own sake. But I doubt it.

Personally, I'd join the Republican party if I had to, to vote for him, if he were a choice. (I currently live in California, where I don't have to--but I might have moved by 2012.)

Of course, there's also his age. It would be nice if the lesson that the Republican party learns from 2008 is that they need to run candidates with conviction and who can communicate their convictions well. Most likely the lesson they learned is not to run old people. (And probably that's a right lesson to learn.)

235 There's not enough Geritol in Florida to make Fred interesting.

236 The people on this thread who diss Palin are as stupid as the people who bought onto the MSM crap during the elections.
mghorning

So, it's not possible to have good faith issues or concerns about her as a candidate or potential candidate? Anyone who says anything uncomplimentary is a mouth breathing MSM tool?

Ah, it's going to be a fun few years.

237 If Huckabee is nominated, I might have to just sit it out.  I wouldn't count Fred out just yet, but he's strictly longshot material at this point.

238 I'm with you, Ace. I think Fred Thompson may be just what the country will be looking for after four years of Obama. I mean, it's still a long way away, but for just that reason I wouldn't dismiss a Fred candidacy out of hand.

And if I hear one more thing about Obama's "charisma" I'm gonna ralph. He makes David Susskind seem like Pinky Lee.

239 The only four people I would consider right now for pres would be Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal, Thomas Sowell and...if he got some legislative experience under his belt...Larry Elder.  But don't tell anybody that I'm a Tea Partier, Jeneane Garofalo might have a confusion-induced stroke.

240 #199

And let's not forget Kerry.

241 I sucked it up and voted McCain after swearing I never would do it. I'm willing to give the GOP one mulligan every now and then but not back to back. The only possible caveat is if I find myself living in a swing state in 3 years. If I'm still in a deep blue one, I'll vote my conviction before taking one for 'the team' and trying to run up the popular number.

I see what you're saying. I said the same thing about McCain before he picked Palin. I lived in CA, which is probably the bluest state, so voting for anything other than the Dem is really a toss away vote. I still voted for Bush in 2004 and McCain last year, but at least I could justify voting for Sarah.

In the case of Obama, however, I will vote against him no matter what, even if it's another Dole/McCain type on our side. Anything to get him out of the White House. I don't think any R could be any worse than Obama is right now.

242 I make no bones about it.  I love Teh Fred.  I voted for him in our SC primary before he dropped out shortly thereafter.  I'm not looking for Mr. Pizzazz.  We have that in Ostumblef*ck now.  Fred Thompson is fatherly, level headed, conservative, principled, dignified, trustworthy and serious.  That's what I want in a POTUS.  His campaign was damned by the media from the get-go.  I'd STILL vote for him.

243

Plus, the SCM made sure his campaign never got any oxygen. They made sure that McLame and Hucksterbee got all the attention.

But part of campaigining is generating your own excitement. Straw polls are about as meaningless of a political exercise that you can engage in. Most of the time, the results are largely bought. But Huckabee was smart enough to realize that all those meaningless straw polls in Iowa in the Summer of 2007 would garner media attention, so he worked his butt off and that made him a credible candidate. Nature, and the media,  adhor a vaccum. Teh Fred got a late start, and this deprived him of the chance to garner that early attention. And on that count, there is no one to blame but Teh Fred.

244 >>Isn't Krauthammer in a wheelchair?

He'd win the Dalek vote

245 As an aside, I can't even stomach hearing the names Huckabee & Romney with the number 2012.  Pawlenty either.  Which means, the media will do all it can to hype them up & get them on the ticket.

246 The sort of people questioning Fred's drive are the sort of people who actually watched this sloth on the campaign trail.

247 Many libertarians would stay home, & we know what happens when voters stay home.
_{/I certainly hope so.}

248 Mallamutt,

This blog has been going down the shitter since you started stinking up the place with your comments.


Oh wait, it's supposed to be pretend insults. Let me get back to you then.

Damn, well, I was never any good as these flame wars anyway.

249 I don't think any R could be any worse than Obama is right now.

Posted by: wherestherum at November 04, 2009 09:07 PM (GZnia)

How you doin'?

250 Ike won in 1952 in part because people were worried about Korea. Also, he had prestige like nothing we know today. Petraeus wouldn't be a shoe-in like Ike was. In the age of the 24/7 knews cycle, we need someone who's been tried and tested on the campaign trail. Someone who won't make ammateur gaffes. It's sad but it's true--we need a politician to win.

Petraeus would make a kick-ass VP candidate though.

251 Powell had alot of the machinary ready to go in 96 but his wife basically quashed it.

Then his wife is smarter than he is!

Seriously, though, I didn't know that. Interesting.

252 What are your thoughts on a Napoleanic American Empire?

About the same chance of that happening as adopting a "new math" curriculum built around the fact that the only numbers that exist in the universe are 47 and -923.

253 news, not knews, btw.

254

I'm betting McCain as president would not be nearly as bad as Obama.

If you keep voting for McCains, you keep getting McCains.

I would have stayed at home on Election Day 2008 if there hadn't been a primary runoff I needed to vote in.

McCain may not have been as bad, but at least I wasn't one of the conductors for a TrainWreck-In-Chief.

255 Thomas Sowell as economic advisor to Palin/Fred/Mitt in the white house would be great. That man knows his stuff.

256 I really like teh Fred and would vote for him IF he ran.  I agree with many here that he probably wouldn't be "innit to winnit."  Don't know why that is exactly.  I was very disappointed with the lackluster campaign he ran in '08, as I thought he had a good chance to be our nominee. 

257

Ah, it's going to be a fun few years.

Not if conservatives don't believe they can win by being conservative.  Not if we surrender to the media.  Not if you don't sprout some nuts and stand behind principles.

It will not be fun.

258

Damn, well, I was never any good as these flame wars anyway.

Hey, why start getting good at something now - I've been here long enough to have read your stuff to conclude that your flamewar crack was your best work.

259 BTW- I know people hate this but if Obama is in trouble in '12, Mitt Romney is the perfect candidate.

I know, I know.

The thing is people will want "change" but they will want the opposite of what we have now. Mitt in so many ways is the walking, talking embodiment of  "Not Obama".

It's not a pretty rationale but '12 is going to be about survival.

260 Posted by: Dede Scozzafava at November 04, 2009 09:10 PM (YX6i/)

Damn you!

LOL

261 Someone who won't make ammateur gaffes.

Once you go beyond brigadier, you are a defacto politician.  If you're prone to amateur gaffes, you'll never get 3 or 4. 

262 Fred is too old.

Probably would make a decent Sec State.

263 [spam]

264 Palin/Thompson '12

265 Wasn't McCain 71 or something?

------------------

And look how well that turned out.

266 Jason raises some good points.

267 or Thompson/Palin '12

or Palin/Cheney

But I'm clinging to Palin for at least the next two years unless something dreadful happens.

268 262 Fred is too old.

Probably would make a decent Sec State.

But would he remember to choreograph his mood with an assortment of lapel pins?

269 I was actually ready to vote for Romney last year before McCain was picked. I know people keep picking on him for being a flip flopper on social issues, but honestly, social stuff is not what I vote on. I vote on lower taxes and smaller gov't. Private enterprise and free market. I thought Romney was all for that, especially since he was using his own money less than say Obama was.

But the Mormon thing seems to be an obstacle as well as his wavering on social issues.

All I want in the next president is someone who can cut taxes and spending and tell the goddamn Congress NO.

270 mghorning,

Ah explanation and persuasion by insult. You're not in sales, are you?

Here's the thing...it's possible, just possible to be a conservative and not want Sarah Palin to be the standard bearer. My guess is you can't imagine that's possible and that support for Palin is a kind of conservative shibboleth but it's not.

I don't have a favorite right now. Hell, I didn't have a favorite last time either, just a list of candidates I looked upon with greater or lesser degrees of disgust. But if Palin worship starts to take on Obamaesque overtones, it's not going to be a selling point.

271 Mallamutt,

I see what you did there. I'd retaliate in kind but I really do suck at the flame thing.

272 Jason makes a great point about the need for a strong military and the problems of inner city violence.

And Sims.  Sims are the worst of all.  And that's key.

273 @ 250

Meh. He wouldn't retire and announce his candidacy the next day. We don't know enough about his non-official personal style to say that he wouldn't do well. A few months after (and If) he retires we'll know if he has the chops.

I'm just saying we need fresh faces. Someone who can be seen as above the crankiness of the current political scene and outside the corrupt situation in DC with both parties. Someone who can pull people away from their current faction and not feel resentment.

274 I love Fred to death, but I don't think he has the fire in his belly. I think he likes his life too much.

275

Answers

Napoleonic America. No, but I love the Corsican flag more than ever.

Joe Arpaio.  I would vote for him twice and he'd still arrest me for violating the voting act.  And, I would vote for him again.

Mike Pence. Could work.  I like him.

276

199

And let's not forget Kerry

I would prefer Kerry to Obama. Kerry was Bush Lite

Actually Obama has made me miss the days of Clinton Democrats(bill not hillary)

277 Thr only reason Fred ran in 2008 was to help his bud Mc Lame.

278

Dede Scozzafava was the better candidate.

discuss.

279

Drew: Romney - really? Look, I understand why alot of conservatives rallied to his side in 2008 - because he was the one conservative with a ton of money and they thought he could buy a defeat of McCain. He sort of became the defacto "Anyone but McCain" candidate. But I think nominating Romney takes health care off the table. It also takes Obama's broken promises off the table because you will have montage after montage of Romney's flip flops (pro-choice to pro-life, etc.), making the credibility issue a wash.

I can see Romney being Secretary of the Treasury someday. But President - can't see it.

280 Romney? Really? Romneycare is a killer. And he's too clean. And how are you gonna tell me the Hucksters will vote, let alone work for, Romney if he were to win?

Same question if it's Huckabee.

281 Is anyone here from the Palmetto State? Can you explain Graham to me? How did that man get elected? How can you, of all states, have a man like that?

282
How's that Romneycare working out? I smell RINO.

283

I see what you did there. I'd retaliate in kind but I really do suck at the flame thing.

And I do enjoy your stuff Drew. I just suck at the being nice thing.

284 He ran a lugubrious piss poor campaign. That's the answer for you.

285 Drudge has a link up to a picture of a hairless bear that I'm pretty sure is just Dede Scozzafava pottering around in her front yard.

286

16 I would have voted for him, but I live in Texas and the rest of you morons had already decided on Maverick McAmnesty by then.

heh. That is the problem, isn't it? How is it that blue states end up chosing the red candidate. Needs to be fixed.

287 I'm okay if Romney and Huckabee are out permanently, especially Huck. But I'd take Romney over Huckabee. I just don't get Huckabee's popularity at all. He looks like President Logan on 24. How can you trust someone who looks like that?

288 Romney would be as much of a hold-your-nose candidate as McCain was.  And if it came down to it, I would hold my nose, just like I did with McCain.

But come on!  Romney seems like the kind of opposition who'd make Obama breathe a sigh of relief.

289 What's wrong with Pawlenty or Jindal? They'd win. Throw in a tight VP pick and I'm sure they'd win.

290 Too early for Teh Fred, plus, the GOP still wants Mitt.

I'm rooting for Teh Fred/Sarahcuda.

Maybe Voinovich will cry for us.

291 Romney and I go fishing instead.

292 Well, the only person right now who makes liberals shit their pants is Sarah. I don't know if that will hold for 3 more years, but I hope to God the next Republican presidential nominee is someone like her who makes liberals shit their pants.

293 Dede Scozzafava has the backing of Viagra for the GOP's nomination. Their sales would skyrocket since we'd have to look at her everyday.

294 Palin/Ham 2012

295 We don't talk about teh Fred; we dream about teh Fred.

296 Still crickets on the "0 watching his own documentary" thread.  Need explanation!

297

Dede Scozzafava was the better candidate.

discuss.

For what? Being dropped from a bomber on the Democratic party headquarters?

298 What's wrong with Pawlenty or Jindal?

Pawlenty dabbles in AGW stuipidity.  Jindal has to find a mean streak.  As a matter of fact, the nominee needs to have a mean streak...period.  Next squish that treats the media like friends needs to have a shock collar on.

299

Anyone think Palin is eyeing the RNC chair spot? I have tossed this around in the brain a few times. Might be interesting, no?

300 Mallamutt,

Keep in mind this is "dispassionate analysis" (such as it is), not personal preferences....

One way or another health care will be off the table. Either done or forgotten.

The flip-flops will hurt more in the primary (which I'm not even remotely sure he can win). The general will be a referendum on Obama. If people are sour on him, they will want the opposite....older, tested, steady, not flashy. All the things that carried Obama in '08 will be liabilities against him in '12 (if he's in real trouble) and trying to fight Obama of '12 with a Republican version of the '08 model of him will only waste the chance to draw a distinction.

I think the challenge will be to filed a candidate who is reassuring to most people who took a flyer on Obama but will fell burned by then. The trick will be to have making a change look like the safer bet than staying the course. In other words making people more comfortable with the Devil they don't know, then the one they do.

Of all the people out there so far, Romeny fits that bill.

Now, that's the tactical look. The conviction look (a true conservative version of CHANGE), is something entirely different.

301

Still crickets on the "0 watching his own documentary" thread.  Need explanation!

Beacuse everyone knows that Barry really loves....Barry. So Barry watching a movie about himself is as surprising as the sun rising in the East.

302

HE HAS NO DETERMINATION!

The polls dont go his way he tucks tail and runs!

Leave it to someone who will stick it out and fight for it. 

 

303 Romneycare is a killer.

Romneycare == ObamaCare.  Romney is a nonstarter for be because of this.  He has some very disturbing statist inclinations.

304 I'm with wherestherum@292.  She's got several more years to make a case, and in the meantime she's already got them crapping themselves on a daily basis.  It's glorious to behold.

305

Anyone think Palin is eyeing the RNC chair spot? I have tossed this around in the brain a few times. Might be interesting, no?

Posted by: Hurting Head at November 04, 2009 09:32 PM (4KSXE)

--I would not mind her in such an advisory role.  She would be potent there and bring in the $$$

306 Next squish that treats the media like friends needs to have a shock collar on.

God, yes! That's one of the many things that pissed me off about McCain. Every Repub needs to have pounded into their head the media is NOT your friend.

307 Romney would be as much of a hold-your-nose candidate as McCain was.
Kensington,

Yes but only for conservatives.

A lot of swing state Democrats who voted for Obama and regret it would welcome the opportunity to vote for a moderate/moderate conservative who won't shock them or stir things up too much.

308
Jindal is a compassionate conservative who thinks government can provide the solutions. Pawlenty comes from the great state that elected...Jesse Ventura? Seriously, Jesse was good in Predator, but I question anyone elected by the people who elected him.

309

There will be plenty of  Fred! talk if he starts doing the candidate thing after the midterms.  You know, going to Iowa just to chat, starting an exploratory committee, the usual.  It would help to make up his mind while there is still good help available.

Conservatives want a conservative next time, and a fresh face would be a plus, so if he wants it, he's gonna have to grab for it.  Nothing is going to be laid at anyone's feet.  That said, I'd give him a second look _{(and his wife a five second look !)}

310 FLAME ON!

311 (Next squish that treats the media like friends needs to have a shock collar on.

Heh.  I'd pay money to see that  (just not to the RNC)

312 298 Pawlenty dabbles in AGW stuipidity.

     Bush and McCain both paid lip service to global warming propaganda, but didn't try to destroy the economy with Cap 'n Tax. I don't think dabbling in this is a killer as long as he's basically conservative on other issues. The more important question is, Can he win? His success in Minnesota shows he can.

313

Get real.  He's too wrinkled and old-looking, even now. 

By 2012 he'll look like a Shar-pei.

314 Newsbusters now says that the story about Obama watching his own documentary last night was incorrect.

315 I love Fred!  but I don't think we should run a 70 year old with prior health issues.

One of the (minor) reasons I wasn't enthusiastic about the old albino we ran this time. 

316 I supported him and sent him money. He rewarded his supporters by making no effort at all to campaign. You know the old Gomer Pyle quote: Fool me once....

317 Romneycare is a killer.

In the primary maybe but not the general.

Either health care will have passed and be about to go into effect or it will have died and what could the Democrats say to Romney then?

But yeah, among Romney's troubles is his "I like mandates" talk.

Again, that's a bigger issue in the primary and one of the reasons I can't get on board with him from the get go.

318 Shooter McGavin@312:
"Bush and McCain both paid lip service to global warming propaganda, "

That's part of the problem with the GOP right now.  What we need is someone who won't pay lip service to nonsense, and I think the American people, growing more skeptical by the month, will be relieved when someone finally stands up and says "this is silly."

319

Yes but only for conservatives.

That's cool. Win without us.

320 If you've played the head of Nascar in a movie, you deserve some serious consideration.

321 Seriously, you people can flame me all you want tonight.  Cause it has to be said.  You're all fucking morons!  And not the good kind, this time.

The "lackluster campaign" and "no fire in the belly" was nothing but a media meme!  And you all bought it!  Hook line and sinker!  The media stated outright, "Thompson hasn't campaigned in two weeks" AND YOU BELIEVED IT, you idiots!  I kept finding news reports where he -was- campaigning, Ace even kindly posted one of those where I proved the media was bullshitting you all, and yet it stuck!

Hey, guess what!  NY-23 has been Republican since the civil war!  It's true!  The media said so!

Idiots.  I'm ashamed of all of you.

Qwinn

322 DrewM@307:
"A lot of swing state Democrats who voted for Obama and regret it would welcome the opportunity to vote for a moderate/moderate conservative who won't shock them or stir things up too much."

The only ones I know who fit your description are put off by his religion.

323

Honest Question.

Why all the down with Huckabee talk?   I listen to his noontime report on the radio, a couple days a week. He seems to be right up there in the Blog News, Rush Points, Drudge, etc.  Just asking- not saying I would support him, but why the trash huckabee? 

324 What, hold on. What's the point of moving the party to the right if we're going to nominate a moderate candidate for president?

325 Jonathan E.@319
"That's cool. Win without us."

That's a good point.

326 Here's the thread where Ace acknowledged what I'd found.

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/249389.php


Shenanigans Called By Qwinn: This article claims that Fred made 28 appearances over a two week period in November, putting him ahead of Romney and Guiliani and only 7 behind McCain.

But wait, the MSM said something different!  It must be true!  Grrrrr!

Qwinn

327 "I don't know if that will hold for 3 more years, but I hope to God the next Republican presidential nominee is someone like her who makes liberals shit their pants."

We got enough of their mess to clean up, we don't need to be changing their diapers as well.

328 society strata lowest the@323
"Why all the down with Huckabee talk?"

The man reeks of "compassionate" conservatism.  I just don't want another guy with the worst traits of W. (who I gladly supported twice).

329 @321

I didn't follow the campaigns of the primary candidates very closely, but I tend to agree that the no fire in the belly thing with Fred! was largely a media creation.  Anyway, I like(d) his style.  He's cerebral. 

But he's 67 now and has non-Hodgkins lymphoma and as others have said there are other conservatives (maybe not a brilliant a federalist as Fred! but still good people) who will probably run next time.

I'd love to see him as VP or Atty General. 

330 1. He failed to attack. A blue tick hound on the porch in 100 degree weather has more energy.

2. He quit and left the party's fate in the hands of a RINO who like Jim Jeffords, Lincoln Chafee, Arlen Specter, Wayne Gilchrest, and Dede Scozzafava hate conservatives.

Palin came out of the gate articulating the message and was not afraid of liberal disapproval.

331 I still say Jeri/Sarah 2012!

332 @323
Just because he's a cock-sucking weasel. 

333 #323 To borrow a term from earlier in the thread, Christian socialist pegged it perfectly.

334 Posted by: Shooter McGavin at November 04, 2009 09:28 PM (cxGtL)

Pawlenty is McCain, except with no military experience.

335 Fred! and Palin were the only candidates to whom I gave money, and I supported Fred to the end.

But the end came relatively early, and there's little to suggest another beginning is on the horizon.  If that changes, I'll support him again.

336 The problem with Fred is the same as with Palin.  It doesn't matter who it is, if it is a true conservative/libertarian, the MSM will demonize them.  We are going to have to find a way around that problem.  Study the GW Bush campaigns.  They plastic turkeyed him for 8 solid years, but through it all he managed to get elected twice.  Remember that as Reagan was winning the cold war, he faced a steady assault on his intelligence and competence.  Google "amiable dunce" if you doubt me.  When he started he faced the same public image that Palin has.  I don't see Fred being able to fight past that.  I can picture Sarah having the gumption.

337

Well, I am a Christian conservative from the south, and I think Huckabee is a total fake.  He is the republican Bill Clinton IMO.  He makes my skin crawl.  And I know many others who feel the same way I do about him.  As governor, Huckabee was soft on crime, soft on illegal immigration, pro-big govt., etc.  I don't understand why any conservative would support him.

Fred, on the other hand, is my man!  I doubt if he wants to run again, but he will always be my first choice.  I am also fond of Bobby Jindal.  As far as the lady republicans go, I love Liz Chaney and Michelle Bachman.  I like Sarah Palin too, but I worry that the media has damaged her too badly.  If she can overcome what the media has done to her (which was no fault of her own), then I would glady support her from what I have seen of her.  The one question I have, is what is her position on illegal immigration.  Does anyone here know?

338 The only thing we can really say for sure right now is that the Romney people will never vote for Huckabee and vice-versa.

They both should stay out.

339 Palin quit like MacArthur quit the Phillipines. She shall return.

340 We got enough of their mess to clean up, we don't need to be changing their diapers as well.

Why would we be changing their diapers? I want them so scared they panic and fall apart like chickens with no heads. They can roll in their own scheisse. We don't have to do anything.

341 runninrebel@324:
"What, hold on. What's the point of moving the party to the right if we're going to nominate a moderate candidate for president?"

I agree.  Now I'm sure the "correct" answer is that we can't win with a non-moderate president, and whether or not that's true, I don't see why that concession has to be made now. 

As long as we have to suffer through three more years of Obama, we might as well take advantage of the chance to spend some time considering some ideal what-if possibilities before we have to eat another McCain-flavored sandwich.

342

Fred still does have support.

But too many of you pussied out on him.

343 Why all the down with Huckabee talk?   I listen to his noontime report on the radio, a couple days a week. He seems to be right up there in the Blog News, Rush Points, Drudge, etc.  Just asking- not saying I would support him, but why the trash huckabee?

He's a Christian Statist, he's a big government guy who demagogues small government advocates and small "l" libertarians.  "Compassionate conservatism" on steroids.  Basically he wants government to act like a big fucking mission church.  He's also a Nanny Stater, he said he would move to impose a federal ban on smoking before he realized he was going to have to win primaries in tobacco states, then backed down on that a bit.  Beyond that, he's a supporter of the Federal Marriage Amendment.  I'm sorry, I don't care where you are on the gay marriage divide, but making a constitutional change over it is fucking stupid.

344 Forgot, Hucktard's also a big amnesty supporter.

345

I liked Fred, maybe because I'm seen "Hunt for Red October" one too many times, and Wiseguy and even the Law & Order episodes where he spouted the more libertarian positions. The same people who spouted "the fire in the belly" were willing to flack McCain, in part because he had almost always attacked the GOP. Now the way I see it, by 2012, there's going to be a lot of'Something wicked this way comes" in terms of foreign and domestic circumstances. And we will need someone who handle those tough decisions. Based on principles. I liked Jindal's rebuttal speech, in part because it was positive to that dreadful Obama state of the Union. I liked Guiliani, because he was a forceful executive who had brought NYC back from the brink, not just once but twice, but did that matter.

346 [Spammy spam spam]

347 I really would prefer Palin to remain as a political outsider taking shots and being an attack dog WITHOUT running for office.

Sorry, but she got smeared by the MSM/SNL and that has stuck in some people's minds. Also she quit her job in Alaska because of the heat she was taking - as if that would let up if she was president? LOL.

Then again, we may have a hard time in 2012 with anyone. Economy might be back up then, and if Obama does nothing, people may feel it is safe to re-elect him. If there is a GOP Congress, I'd be okay with Obama being in office - gridlock is a great way to get spending down and some actual decent policies passed.

348 Why all the down with Huckabee talk?

Huckabee is nothing more than a statist with an "R" by his name.

349 Ace,

From what I've seen at FR and the Palin blogs, 95% of Teh Fred's supporters have defected to Palin.  And I suspect Teh Fred himself would endorse her if she ran, considering Mrs. Fred is one of her BFF's.

350 I would like Guiliani, Jindal (one bad speech is not a big deal), or Romney (if he admits his health care plan failed - one learns from ones mistakes.)

But what I really want is someone who delivers on economic growth and fiscal conservatism. Who has the best record for that? (seriously, anyone know?)

351 "Also she quit her job in Alaska because of the heat she was taking - as if that would let up if she was president? LOL."

This is asinine.  It wasn't "heat" that drove her out.  She was being bankrupted by constant Alinsky attacks.  She wouldn't be subject to quite the same kind of nitpicky BS if she were POTUS.

If nothing else, I think she's shown that she's got a big capacity for handling heat.  You might just not like the way she's handled it.

352 Also she quit her job in Alaska because of the heat she was taking - as if that would let up if she was president? LOL.
Posted by: sexypig at November 04, 2009 09:58 PM (NTiNK)

The "heat" she was taking was in the form of endless frivolous ethics complaints that prevented her from doing her job and cost the state millions of dollars.  There is no such ethics process for POTUS. 

Let's turn this around:

Palin finished her term and decided to run for prez, tens of millions of dollars in debt, having accomplished absolutely nothing for her last year and half in office while costing the state tens of millions of dollars, and with over a thousand ethics complaints filed against her.  The memes would be:

1)  She can't even handle her own finances
2)  She's a do-nothing politician
3)  She's always at the center of scandals and an unethical pol

For those same reasons, she would have become very unpopular by the end of her term, and the Governorship would have probably fallen into the Dem's hands.  By leaving when she did, Parnell is virtually guaranteed reelection.

Is this partly her own fault?  Yes, because she signed the ethics law with no "vexatios litigant" or loser-pays provision. 

But in the end, resigning was the only thing she could do if she wanted a political future.

353 'Cause his campaign sucked so bad in 2008, and he's even older and slower now.

Signed,

A big, big Fred fan until he forgot to show up at his own party.

354

<h1><a href="http://tinyurl.com/ycg7xjt">DRAFT FRED.</a></h1>

355 Well thanks all. I guess the Huck better stick to playing bass guitar. i hear there is a shortage of bass players, nationwide. drummers are dime a dozen.

356 Fred didn't want the job.

357

It looks like the conventional wisdom now is that Republicans can / must win on economic issues. I think that the economy will mirror the Carter years (or even the Carter years will be a fond memory).

The voting trend of Nov 3 put may put enough real fear into Congress to cancel Owhackanomics, but there’s already a lot of damage. Fixing this damage, and setting up the country such that future fools / foolishness of the Obama type will be immediately exposed for who they are / what it is, will be a big job.

Whoever runs against Obama in 2012 needs to campaign on economics, foreign policy and cleaning up corruption. ACORN and the SEIU are anvils tied to the Democrats and Obama; busting a few ACORN leaders will score points among those who don’t want, need or like outside voting help.

 

I thought Fred was in, shortly after he announced. He has gravitas, etc., but he also didn’t try. Perhaps he wanted to avoid a cash-bleeding primary campaign, or a convention fight, or thought that he could would lose (and go broke) against the Democratic (Obama) cash juggernaut. He may have been right, but it looks like he quit too soon. That will be used against him. Overcoming it will be tough.

I think Fred could handle ACORN and the SEIU, if he had such a job right now. He doesn’t. He does have a bully pulpit, of sorts, but he’s not using it effectively.

I voted for McCain/Palin, and would vote for Palin again. That said, the problem I see with Palin is the problem I saw in October 2008; she turned too many women off. I heard this, in person, from several women, none of whom were political. None really could say why they didn’t like Palin, only that they didn’t.

Interestingly, Sarah Palin is using her bully pulpit (Twitter and press comments) quite effectively. Perhaps she will overcome the MSM smears and lies, and become a viable candidate. I think it more likely that she will remain a commentator and get rich. It gives her an even playing field that her opponents will avoid.

 

Of the rest, only Giuliani has potential. Perhaps he’s divisive, but he handled New York.

Romney seems to be playing Politician right now, rather than Leader; a poor choice, given that Obama and Biden (and Pelosi and Hillary and Reid, and the freshman Democratic Congress nutjobs) have failed to achieve anything (except become an SNL skit) and are making mistake after mistake.

Ditto for Huckabee. Plus, he effectively runs on "morals" not "economics". He may have the Christian Evangelical vote, and they may be able to prevent most Republican candidates from gaining the nomination, but they cannot elect their candidate all by themselves.

I see Jindal as an inexperienced (is he 40 yet?) Huckabee; strong religious ties, but no broad appeal on many issues. How's N.O. doing; is Nagin still there? Perhaps in 2024.

Petraeus could handle the job, but Victory in Iraq is not quite the same as Victory in Europe.  A governorship might help, but I think he'd be better off running as a victorious general.  

358 Rgarding Huckabee, here's why he sucks:

-Worse than McCain on immigration
-Raised taxes by a net total of $505 million
-Increased spending at three times the rate of inflation
-Supports cap-in-trade
-Pardoned more criminals than all six neighboring states combined (including one Wayne Dumond, who later raped and murdered a high school chearleader)
-Is a blithering idiot when it comes to foreign policy (Read the foreign policy paper he wrote during the primary for proof. In addition to being stupid policy-wise, most 12 year-olds could write better than him)
-Flip-flopped on abortion as a state-versus-federal issue just to one-up Teh Fred
-Was endorsed by the NEA

The man is a Christian socialist and big-government nanny-stater.

More details here

359 If Fred's such a great actor, why couldn't he even seem interested in '08? Maybe he would have done better if someone had told him to just pretend he was running.

360 My personal choice is Steve Forbes.

But that ain't gonna happen.

361 The only ones I know who fit your description are put off by his religion.

Kensington,

Really? I think that's more a problem with the Christian Conservative block (for want of a better name).

Do you really think his religion would be that big of a deal in PA or OH?

If it didn't kill him in MA, I can't imagine it would in the rust belt areas.

362 1st RULE: You do not talk about Fred! 2012.

2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about Fred! 2012.

3rd RULE: If someone says "stop" or goes limp, taps out the election is over.

4th RULE: Only two parties to an election.

5th RULE: One electiion at a time.

363

Posted by: mark c at November 04, 2009 10:26 PM (SBIko)

Tell me about it, I donated $1500 to his campaign.  God bless him, but I don't think I got my money's worth.

364 Fred bear is smarter than the average bear.
Fred bear is always in the ranger's hair.
At a picnic table you will find him there,
stuffing down more goodies than the average bear.
He will sleep till noon.
But before its dark,
he will have every picnic basket in Jellystone Park.
Fred has it better than a millionaire.
That's because he is smarter than the average bear!

365 Drew:

Eh, I'm only speaking anecdotally.  I know a lot of "moderates" who are put off by any religion, period, so it's probably not a very valuable point.

366 Kensington,

Actually, religion is another area where he's the anti-Obama.

Those bitter clingers gave Obama a pass on Wright. While they may think Mormons are odd, they probably think they are nice, patriotic American types.

367 Fred lost too many supporters last time to come back again.  And while I think Sarah is great, I don't think she can pull it off.  I've been wrong (too many times) before, but I think it will be one of the following:

Rudy Giuliani
Cheney (any of them)
Haley Barbour
Zombie Milton Friedman
      or
Justice John Roberts

368 Umm,,  whats does Fred have to do with Sarah winning in 12?

369 None really could say why they didn’t like Palin, only that they didn’t.

There's nothing like people that are unable to explain themselves...

370 In 2008, Fred didn't exactly run for the nomination.  It would be more accurate to say he sort of moseyed along for the nomination.  I was disappointed.

371 There is only one person with fire in the Thompson household and she is the one who spotted the problems in NY.

372 Things will be so screwed up by 2012... who knows... maybe people will stop worrying about "fire in the belly" or "is 2 years of running alaska enough or would I rather go with the 30 years in the senate guy who just voted for Amnesty?"

Obviously its early, but I do not think that the petty things people bring up about candidates will matter all that much in 2012.. people are going to go hard substance after getting burned by Obama, and they are going to want to trust it, not just believe it, but trust it.  Who knows where that will go

373 I'm going to say it again.

Every one of you that continues to repeat the media's "no fire in the belly" memes without -any- retrospection, even when you're called on it, even when the proof that it was all bullshit is presented to you:

Please.  Die in a freaking fire.  You're EVERYTHING that's wrong with our party.  Idiots.

Qwinn

374 I think a lot of people pinned all their hope teh Fred, and were bitterly disappointed by his lackluster campaign performance. At this point, I prefer him on the sidelines, like Sarah Palin, who is a very effective conservative spokesman, but I can't see running for Prez.

(Plus, just between you and me, I know someone who went on the NRO cruise, last winter, that Fred was on, and she said he was kind of a dick).

375 If all my "supporters" bought into a bogus "he's lazy" meme while I was doing 28 appearances in two weeks, I'd be a dick too.

Qwinn

376 I would vote for Fred in a heartbeat. I thought he cleaned up in the primary debates, as far as his command of the issues, and I trust his libertarian instincts. We could use a president with a respect for the constitution, for a change.

He's the only politician to whom I ever sent money, and I've never had much to spare. Unfortunately, he seemed unprepared to market himself instead of his views, as candidates have to do now. I would still support him in any capacity he chooses to serve his country, because that's the way he looks at it.

I even wanted to put his bumper sticker on my car, and aside from the hokey pokey one, I've never been tempted to ruin my car with stickers. Here in Chicago though, it would've been an open invitation to key it.

(He might stand a better chance now that the nation is recovering from its collective swoon over its glamour candidate.)

377 Again Jeri Thompson is the one with the drive.

378 MSM may have started the Fred "lazy" tag, but it did stick because of what we've seen of him during the campaign. I was a Fred tag and didn't think much of it, but I think this tag may be true

Of all the negative tags thats thrown at Palin, none has stuck, because the more you watch her, the more you realize those tag has no crediblity

379 Because he looks like he is very old and tired. It's not fair, but his brand image isn't what it was in the 90's.

380 Again, to the ones who don't buy the fire-in-the-belly thing...

I offered the man's campaign interview after interview after interview, and the networks (both CBS and CNN) were screaming for it. His folks couldn't be bothered to call me back.

If you're going to offer the man free publicity, and he doesn't take it, how interested can he be?

381 27!!

382 @380

I'm sorry, who are you? 

383 Y-not, I'm an open blogger here, and I used to be one of the assignment managers at CBS/CNN Nashville.

384 Y-not, for clarity's sake, I was at CBS/CNN Nashville (NewsChannel 5, for the Nashville residents)  from 2005 through the end of 2007, before moving to Texas and getting out of the media business.

385 @383

Do you really think that an interview in his home state would have made much difference? 

386 When both CBS and CNN were screaming for it? Yes. Given the fact that Gore snubbed all the stations in his home state in 2000 and promptly went out and lost? Just underscores it for me.

387 On reflection- as a candidate, when you've got an outlet that's largely going to let you control the interview, then is going to move it to the networks? The key with any of these is that when you have a friendly interview possibility- especially in a top-30 market- it's a free ride.

Nobody- and I mean nobody- had any decent sound with him outside of the usual press conferences. Was it his fault? Who knows, but let's let him off the hook and blame it on his staffers. Did they think he'd get himself into trouble by talking to us?

388 Fred is, at best, a Cabinet position filler. Supporting Actor, not the Lead.

389 I dream about him in 2012. (I assume he's not going to run because of his age and his performance in the last election.)

390

George Washington didn't want it, either. But without him, our Constitutional experiment may very well have failed. They had to convince and motivate Washington to take a hit for the team.

I wouldn't be unhappy if Fred got some fire lit under him. I like the idea of somebody who is in there who is actually motivated by the need to do right by our Constitution rather than to obtain the glory and fame of power.

391 All Fred Base Belong To 'Cuda.

392 barbelle at November 04, 2009 08:43 PM (qF8q3)

Barbelle, FWIW, I'm a "religious right" and I think Huckabee would make a so-so to poor president -- better than Obama or Carter, not as good as Sarah or Fred.

393

Waaa, waaa, waaa.  Fred wasn't exciting enough.  Fred didn't show me he wanted it enough.  Fred didn't act like whore for my vote.

All of y'all are a bunch of whining pussies.

It really is true that we get the government we deserve.

You wanted someone with fire in the belly?  You wanted someone exciting?

You got it.

Thanks a hell of a lot, you asswipes.

394 Bender, meaning what? He's the one who bailed out. He's the one who didn't get the vote. We can throw as much money as we want at him- and I contributed a fair amount of money to his campaign.

How do you propose that he wins if he won't help the people who wanted to cover him cover him?

395 What does it take to win the nomination?

One: a ground game in the early primary states, especially Iowa, NH, SC, and all the Super Tuesday states.

Two: popularity among the base to get folks to caucus in Iowa or turn out in bitter cold NH nights.

Three: no absolute opposition among key demographic groups: women, older voters, etc. [For Dems this would be Blacks, Hispanics, etc.]

Four: MONEY to run expensive GOTV and media campaigns.

Five: No intense hatred in the Media, OR their attention focused elsewhere so that they don't spend all their time trying to destroy the candidate.

Six: Perception as a "winner" in the general election.

Fred fails on points One, Two, Four, and possibly Six. He has no existing political organization to base things on, has no personal popularity in the base, no money raising abilities, and is not perceived as a "winner." On the plus side the Media does not care about him, and no key demo in the party hates him.

Palin fails on points One, Three, Four, Five, and Six. She has no political organization to base her efforts on, women under 55 HATE HATE HATE her with a fiery passion (which says more about them than her, but there it is), has no proven money raising abilities, has intense and passionate hatred in the Media (who are mostly uber-liberal women and gays -- all of whom hate Palin like Tina Fey does, and for the same class-based reasons), and is perceived as a "loser" in the general.

My best guess is some person we don't know, who has not expressed interest yet, who has a political organization at hand, proven ability to tap money, and is not well defined by the media is the likely primary winner. Assuming the field is not fratricidal like last time.

You have to win one of Iowa or NH, and most of the Super Tuesday states to wrap up the nomination. I don't see Palin, Fred, Rudy, Mitt, Huck, or anyone else so far meeting that criteria.

396 I wouldnt be surprised if John Thune gets the nomination in 2012.  Assuming Palin doesnt run.  He is very conservative and just looks like a president

397

Because:

Fred was an embarrassment as a Senator

Fred was a joke as a presidential candidate.  Did he ever get out of the diners?

Fred does not interview well on current events, etc.

Problems with nepotism, IIRC.

Fred suffers from a form of cancer with a poor 5-yr survival rate.

398

Who called for the air pump?

.........

I shoulda brought more tires. Man there is no rubber left on some of these. Was there a blowout? That metal rim is mangled like a 91 mph crash i saw once. Christy, Who did the ugly Deeds?

 

And no, you cannot put those other tires over Axlerods

 

ok, maybe you can. but i am not a hobo.

Stop pocking you drunken Ewok.

Put out that flame, theres gasoline on that tire man over there. be careful with that Tea, it might become a habit, but then again, its a good leafy beverage to sip when hot, gulp when iced. Just be careful, they might tax it. They do that alot ov there in the bus lot.

399

Are there Cordz ine these tires left? There arent even skidmarks there. The cords look kinda flimzy, but i thought a little black paint fixed that. Guess that doesnt make a better tire.

 

I need my old ACORN job back. Im tired of cleaning body parts out from under the buses. I mean how many bodies can One bus run over? Ive been so busy cleaning, ive scraped all of teh paint from half the bus. Had to repaint it once. There is no hope for that paint.

 

The craziest thing i found was 1,000 pieces of paper. yeah, it was a white snowstorm i found. It started jamming things up, the driver mistook it for brakes, and trying to jamm down the accelerator. It might have saved some poor blue  dog trying to cross the community street.

400 Fred Thompson is the only political candidate I have ever given money to.  His campaign was doomed by conservatives.  Conservatives have a tendency to care so much what liberals say about them that they have to point out every small problem with a conservative candidate in some lame attempt to make themselves seem reasonable and "above-it-all" to what they think is the liberal mindset.  They seem to think that liberals are reasonable people who can be persuaded by a reasoned argument.

Liberals can't be reasoned with.  All conservatives who are critical of other conservatives do is to give liberals more ammunition.  The media, of course, lap it all up.

Sarah Palin will never run for public office again.  Conservatives would eat her alive and she knows it.  It's too bad.  She's the first woman I would be proud to vote for for President of The United States.  Fred! would make a prefect VP. 

Ain't never gonna happen.  They're both too smart and conservatives don't deserve either one of them.

401 Well, if we're talking about 2008 retreads, why is no one mentioning Rudy? Did his Skeletor-like appearances behind the Yankees on-deck circle scare off potential voters? Or his perceived liberalism?

402 "Can I Ask: How Come No One Talks About Fred Thompson 2012? Has it been definitely ruled out or something?"

Yes it has definitely been ruled out.

403 "Well, if we're talking about 2008 retreads, why is no one mentioning Rudy? Did his Skeletor-like appearances behind the Yankees on-deck circle scare off potential voters? Or his perceived liberalism?"

He spent, I think, 50 million dollars to earn one delegate.

The reason is, by the time he got to a state he was ready to contest, he had the "loser" label so firmly affixed to his chest that not enough people wanted to vote for him there either. The overall result of his campaign confirmed the label, and there is nothing he can do to change it. Nobody will raise big money for him again.

404 Jaynie59: "Conservatives have a tendency to care so much what liberals say about them that they have to point out every small problem with a conservative candidate in some lame attempt to make themselves seem reasonable and "above-it-all" to what they think is the liberal mindset."

I used to do that, and I regret it. It never did any good, only harm.

I think you're right that knocking Sarah Palin has become one of the ways that conservatives try to prove they are "reasonable", and that she is smart enough to see this and other problems with her potential candidacy and react accordingly.

It's a shame, but that's how it is. Sarah Palin will not be President of the United States of America. There's no evidence that she intends to run in 2012.

405 Re: Posted by: whiskey at November 05, 2009 12:53 AM (L03mw):

Your tests are good. That was a good, useful comment.

406 Good Morning Morons

 

Glad to see this thread still going.  I see someone asked why no Rudy. Easy answer for me; he has two major strikes against him and very little to go for him.

 

First, he is a gun grabber pure and simple.

 

Second, he joined forces with the Democrats to squash the line item veto during the Clinton years.

 

People call him a fiscal conservative but NY insiders who post here say that he really wasn’t and he took credit for the work from previous admin in crime fighting.

 

In short, he is the typical NE liberal, and no I really don’t give a damn about his divorces or the fact that he supports abortion on demand (other than that is just more constitutional fodder).

407 Hmm ... does anyone seem to remember that the Republican Party base is in the South? Romney in the South? Are you kidding?

Romney's religion doesn't matter in the NE because the NE doesn't vote on religion. His religion would also not be a problem in California. However, his religion is a huge problem in the South. The South is the heart of social conservatism. How can you nominate a candidate who alienates the geographical base of the party?

Romney appeals to fiscal conservatives because he can self-finance. What they don't seem to mind, and lots of base voters do mind, is that he was a very moderate (liberal by Southern terms) Governor of a very liberal state. His saving grace is his management of the Olympics. But, it's not enough. Romneycare has been a disaster for Massachusetts. It's been shown over and over again that successful Presidencies require more than a competent manager. Sure, Romney can hire his own consultants (Bain) to study the issues and then make several recommendations from which he can pick the correct course of action. But, management-by-consultancy doesn't work in the Presidency.

Mitt Romney doesn't have the leadership skills or the sense of purpose to be a good President. There has never been a great managerial President. They have all been mediocrities. Think about the "best and the brightest." Whether you govern from the right or from the left, to be highly successful you have to apply effective leadership skills (and leadership skills are not synonymous with management skills). You also need to have a sense of purpose before you enter the Oval Office. Above all, you must have the instinctual ability and life experience to make the right decisions countless times without needing the time to study the alternatives.  Few people have that skill set. Reagan did. Thatcher did. Romney doesn't. Obama doesn't. Neither Bushes did. Clinton didn't. JFK didn't. On and on and on we go. So few have it, yet when they have it, they become great standouts.

P.S - All of our recent Presidents have had way too little of that precious life experience before becoming President and it shows in their effectiveness. It's why it's folly to suggest Jindal for the Presidency at this point in his life.

Reagan and Thatcher were both highly successful leaders, not only because of their innate skills, but also because they had spent a good portion of their lives studying the issues of the day and having developed, over a period of time, their political philosophies. They knew who they were. They understood how their respective countries had gotten off the rails.  They knew what they needed to do to put their countries back on the rails. They knew where they wanted to take their respective countries. They were leaders, not managers.

408 Fred Thompson is lazy and needs to get off of the couch.

409
I'm not sure that Thompson is lazy as much as he suffers from poor organizational skills and lack of managerial experience. His campaign organization was a disaster from beginning to end, and he never appeared to notice how bad it was. Obama's greatest achievement was his campaign (hopefully that remains true for the duration of his incumbency). It was Fred's biggest weakness.

410 Is there annyone who thinks he a viable candidate? He didn't seem very serious last year. I remember a quote about him - along the lines of he didn't run for the nomination so much as saunter. I think that's still true.

411

I do not think being a Mormon hurts Romney so much in the South. There are a LOT of Mormons in the South. In fact, if he had followed his religion in MA a little bit more stringently it probably would have helped him in the South in the pockets of high religious fervor.

 

What killed him in the South was his general liberal record in MA and the fact that people in the South just do not trust NE liberals.  What really gripes my tail is Huckabee is just about the same thing as Romney except that he was a “preacher”.  He did real well in my area and he had the support of my daughter, a grandson, and two nephews.   I think their preachers told them that Huckabee was a “conservative” and their preachers would not lie.  I talked till I was blue in the face but they stuck to that line.

412 Fred Thompson would be a great POTUS.

Listen to the Fred Thompson Show online around noon. Fred stated that he realizes he waited "too long" before ramping up last time, but at the time thought he could campaign plain and simple on point of facts. Americans have to determine what the really need in our President, and vote according to the man for the office, rather than the flimflam razzle dazzle campaigner. I heard too many bloggers whining that Fred wasn't "performing" the circus acts "required" to win votes. Exactly, Fred is not an empty suit circus act. That was then, and then was when he offered his candidacy. He said recently that he campaigned once, and doesn't want to do it again.

Were Fred to be convinced to campaign one more time and let Jerry manage his campaign from the onset, to be for him what Nancy Reagan was for Ronny, Jerry would make the organizational difference per successful campaign efforts. NONETHELESS, Fred would not be "different", which is a good thing, exactly why I like Fred. He is real.

Hoffman showed that people will vote for a conservative with serious, responsible mannerisms, even an unknown candidate from nowhere in particular who is very plain and simple but brass tacks on the target of fiscal responsibility.

Fred is strong on the Constitution. That's what I want in the Oval Office; full respect for the Constitution, love of our country and for the American Citizen. If you really honor the Constitution and America, you don't enslave us in debt (to China!) and tax us to death.

Thompson/Palin ticket would win my vote 2012, or any day.

To hell with the Allahpundit "old" crap.

/Hope to God that neither twin, Romney nor Huckabee, are given another potus chance by either conservatives or Republicans. If those two really loved America, they'd put our nation's Constitutional interests above their personally squalid political aspirations, and back a Constitutional conservative. Pamela Geller certainly nailed Romney in her American Thinker article, "Bye-Bye, RINO!" Same goes to Newt who one-upped Cheney; Newt shot himself in the face on a NY duck hunt.

413 Let's focus on 2010, and see what develops.  It would seem that some unknown candidiate should be able to make a play that will be a game changer.

414 It's said that Palin is damaged goods.

You're missing the point if you think that.

The Democrats and their enablers in the media will do everything in their powers to damage any conservative who looks remotely capable of getting votes. They'll misquote them, edit interviews, repeat lies, invent lies, dug up hideous photos, put Xs over their face by accident... endlessly.

Their allies in the Left will file lawsuit after lawsuit, open sealed divorce records, access government records looking for dirt, coordinate with the press to spread stories... endlessly.

So you want to bypass Palin, fine. Who's your next choice? That person will end up becoming damaged goods. Then the next one. Then the next one.

***
Part of this, we can avoid. In my opinion, no conservative should ever consent to an interview with any network unless the interview is live. Period.

415

So what we are saying is that we have zero reasonable choices for any substantive leadership figures.

Palin is a quitter,Fred is ancient,Rudy is really blue,and Huckabee has his nose shoved up baby Jesus ass.Oh,lets not forget that valiant return of the semi-conservative Rominey.

Yep.  Ugh.  Ugh.  Ugh.  Double ugh.  Ugh.

Bu, you know, once in a lifetime candidates like Reagan come along only once in a lifetime.  Unlike the Waah! Conservatives here, I'd vote for and actively support any of these guys if they get the nomination, even the Huck.  I don't think I'd actively oppose any of them in a primary, except maybe the Huck.

416 Palin is not a quitter. If you think that, you badly misinterpret what she is doing. She's in the game more than ever, and she is not constrained by an endless series of time-wasting lawsuits about what clothes she wore when.

417

I donated time and money to Fred's campaign here in Iowa in '08.
I was, and forever shall remain, a "Fred Head".

If he runs again, or appears on someone's ticket - I'll do the same.

418 He didn't seem to want to do the hard work.

419 Marcus Aurelius: Won't you accept this great honor that I have offered you?
Maximus: With all my heart, no.
Marcus Aurelius: Maximus, that is why it must be you.

420

Godamn dumbass bullshit.

You ran fuckin McCain.

He practically endorsed Obama.

I don't believe you.

421 Look, for everyone talking about Thompson's campaign and how it had no fire, that means you are defending the process that gave us John McCain.  McCain, who was too big a pussy to go after the most socialist presidential candidate since Stalin.  Fuck him.

And if Huckabee gets the nomination I walk from the party forever.

422

We love Fred.  But he is 108 years old and we figure he just wants to sleep in with Jeri. 

 

It is not like he is married to a Hillary or Michelle which makes you want to get out of the house. 

423 The biggest gripe about Fred! seems to be that he was a lousy campaigner.  The same ones who said that also agreed that he'd be the bestest Prez evah.

Let me point something out here: 

We have as prez, right now, someone who was just a super-dooper campaigner, as in bestest evah!  And he is, as we knew he would be, the foulest excuse for a "leader" that this country has ever known.

So I ask you, people, which would you rather have?  A guy who brings his A-game for himself or a real leader who loves his country enough to step up for the top job even though it's no damned fun these days whatsoever.

Fred! Fred! Fred!  And Palin can be his VP this time.  8 years out from that, she gets the nod if she's the real deal.  As for campaigning?  Let Sarah be in charge of that for Fred.  The woman's a genius at that stuff.

424

And if Huckabee gets the nomination I walk from the party forever.

Actually, if his Fox News show is any indication, Huck seems to have grown up and wised up, gotten over the personal nastiness of the 2008 campaign, and may well be redeemable for 2012 after all.

425 Thompson just didn't "want it" badly enough last time.  Its that simple.

If he changed his mind and got his act together, I think he could be a formidable candidate, but frankly I don't think he's interested in running

426

So I ask you, people, which would you rather have?  A guy who brings his A-game for himself or a real leader who loves his country enough to step up for the top job even though it's no damned fun these days whatsoever.

But "Teh Ferd" has to WANT it. His playing coy in 2008 was an epic fail.

On issues alone, Fred! would be awesome, as would having Jeri's funbags in the White House.

But no one is just going to *give* the Presidency to him, even if many of us know he is right on. He has to *take* it. And that means getting down in the trenches and probably getting a little dirty.

427 Fred burned us.  One needs to show leadership to get the big desk.
I'd vote for that Fred guy that started the Appleseed Project ('Fred's plan to save America') before I voted for Lazy Fred.

428 I think the combo of his health concerns and his not wanting it did him in.

I'd love to see a Thompson/Palin ticket. He brings the experience, she brings the energy. She'd also be the spear magnet/stalking horse, freeing Fred to fight "Teh One"

429

My thoughts, since this thread is still going:

Thompson. I think that cockbag wanted to be his buddy McCain's running mate, not the Man himself. I gave him money, he quit. His campaign apparatus sucked. When tmi3rd lived in Nashville, I lived 45 minutes north. I couldn't find someone to give me a bumper sticker. I said fuck it and went for Ron Paul in protest. He's staff material, not commander material. Would do well in a transition team and Cabinet position after a win in '12, a win that he cannot deliver on his own.

Palin. She's young. She's got young kids at home. Why 2012? Time is on her side. Eventually the media will have to move on to other targets, and she'll get stronger meanwhile. RNC chair, maybe a Cabinet position if we win in '12. Running her as President immediately will fire up a lot of people, probably not enough unless the nation is in deep deep shit by then, and guarantee work for Tina Fey. She is a lightning rod. But she's got her work cut out for her as a kingmaker right now.

Petraeus. No. I worked for King David, and I worked for other people who had worked for him going back to his captain and major days. I genuinely do not believe he has it in him to abase himself before the American electorate. It pisses him off to have to explain himself to his intellectual inferiors in Congress when he's called to testify. Secretary of State? Sure. Secretary of Defense? Sure. Professor of international relations someplace? Definitely. But not President. He'll probably still be in uniform in '12, Chairman of the JCS maybe.

Jindal? Too young, too green, too nice. Thinks he can win over a hostile media. Plus I live in Louisiana at the moment and the roads suck. He gave a great speech at the '08 NRA annual meeting, but Glenn Beck gave a better one, and I wouldn't support Beck for President either.

Only one other person mentioned my dark horse choice right now, and that's Haley Barbour. Former RNC chair. Very successful governor in Mississippi, and managed Katrina recovery far better than Louisiana. Stealthy. Doesn't get a lot of press, good or bad, but I'm sure he could get a lot of attention quickly in '11 when the ramp-up begins.

I can't stand Huckabee (Christian socialist), Pawlenty (McCain without the Hanoi Hilton time), Graham (McCain's submissive RINO bitch-boy), or Romney (statist). Any of those get nominated, it's fucking over. None of them can beat Obama because too many people like me will stay home.  

430

Americans have to determine what the really need in our President, and vote according to the man for the office, rather than the flimflam razzle dazzle campaigner. I heard too many bloggers whining that Fred wasn't "performing" the circus acts "required" to win votes. Exactly, Fred is not an empty suit circus act. That was then, and then was when he offered his candidacy.

That's it exactly.  Fred decided he wasn't going to play that game.  Screw that.  He wasn't going to be a bunch of flash and pumped-up emotionalism.  He wasn't going to massage people's egos.  He was about substance.  He was going to be an adult and speak the truth plainly.

People bitch about he didn't "earn" their support even though they agreed with 95 percent of what he said and proposed and thereby should have earned their support by what he said, rather than how he said it.  Like petulent children, they put razzle-dazzle above substance.

And they bitch about not earning their support when Fred was drafted in the first place!  People went to him urging him to run.  He didn't play the game like some egomaniac such as McCain or Romney or Huckabee or Pawlenty.  He didn't need the job.  But he was willing to do the job.  And that's one of the reasons why he was exactly the right person for the job.

But once he accepted their invitation, you all told him to get lost.  It is your own damn fault that we got what we got.

431

Thompson just didn't "want it" badly enough last time.  Its that simple.

Anyone who "wants it badly enough" should be disqualified for that very reason.

432 People still pushing the SP "quitter" meme, why ya'll helping the leftwing media? If they wanna push it, let them do their own damned dirty work!

433 Great topic, they are more attractive than others,

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434 Fred Dalton Thompson. I see these words and immediately the image I cannot get out of my head is a basset hound who just heard a very sad news.
Liver-Eatin' Johnson

435

I was all set to vote for Fred in the 2008 election but he dropped out before the FLA primary and that was it. The fact is Fred should have declared his candidacy when the buzz on the Internet about his candidacy was at a high level. Remember? Most conservative websites were going nuts for him, and if he had declared then it would have given his candidacy a huge boost and he would have been a much more formidable candidate, even to the point I think he might have been the nominee instead of McCain.

Mainly, I think Fred screwed up. I don't think he's gonna run in 2012 and maybe that's not a bad thing. His razor sharp wit and incisive conservative commentary may be more valuable in the long run. But if he does run I'm with Fred.

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