The Conservative Cave

Current Events => Politics => Topic started by: DixieBelle on January 08, 2008, 10:32:50 AM

Title: Fred Thompson tells it like it is
Post by: DixieBelle on January 08, 2008, 10:32:50 AM
Whether you believe that Fred Thompson lacks energy or not (to win the nomination) you’ve got to respect this:

Fred Thompson today blasted the media for propagating a false rumor about his impending withdrawal, while reinforcing the role he has created for himself as the candidate in this race who does not suffer unwelcome questions gladly.

You can watch the video of the exchange by clicking here.

http://poligazette.com/2008/01/06/fred-thompson-tells-it-like-it-is-2/


Here’s the transcript:

LESTER HOLT: We saw on the Democratic side Iowa became kind of a viability test. We saw some of the lower-tier candidates drop out after seeing the results in Iowa. What is your gut check right now in terms of your own viability? will it be South Carolina, will it be Super Tuesday?

FRED THOMPSON: I’m not going to engage in that — further beating the process issue to death. We’re talking about the future of our country here and the fact that our worst enemies are trying to get their hands on nuclear weapons and we’re bankrupting the next generation. That’s what I’m talking about. The rest is all speculation and I don’t engage in it.

HOLT: It’s a fair point you make; you don’t engage in it. But you were the victim of some rumors on this subject of your viability and questions if you would drop out. How much did that hurt you?

THOMPSON: Well let’s think about that. It did hurt me, and the media lapped it up. It was put out by another campaign; made no sense at all.

HOLT: Which campaign?

THOMPSON: A few days before the election and made no sense at all, and I was coming strong, and the media took it up, and spread the rumo, and probably cost me two or three points in Iowa. So the lesson there is not, you know, politicians being politicians. The lesson there is that the news media really ought to check these stories out and come to me, and ask me, and take my word for it.

HOLT: Senator, fair shot against the news media, but what candidate were you mentioning that put that out there?

THOMPSON: I’m not gonna. I owe you nothing, frankly, in that regard and I’m not going to say anything more about it right now.

Thompson’s looking increasingly better. He delivered a great speech recently, he published a tremendous video on YouTube, he has been campaigning hard in Iowa (and he has now gone to other states, especially South Carolina) and most conservative commentators agree that he’s probably the best conservative candidate out there.

There’s one thing he has to keep in mind though, and that’s that he shouldn’t present himself as the grumpy old man, ala the Muppets. You know, him and John McCain sitting up on the balcony, criticizing whatever happens on stage… He’s a great candidate, and a great conservative, and he’s right to call the media out on their inaccurate reporting, horse race-style coverage and lack of scrutiny, but he should combine this part of his message with a more positive, hopeful one.

You’ve got to respect him though. How easy would it be to just slam one of the other campaigns? How easy would it be to go negative on someone? Very easy. He could’ve scored a few cheap points there and hurt another candidate in the process. Instead of doing that he decided to ask the journalist to talk about the issues, not about the people.