BREAKING: Thompson has announced
"People treat politicians sort of like the dentist -- they don't have anything to do with them till they have to," he said. "A lot of people have been, of course, running for some time. Everybody kind of changed the rules." Usually you don't announce until after
Labor Day, but they started running a lot earlier, spending millions of dollars and so forth, and everyone said that you couldn't run this year without raising a hundred million dollars and starting much earlier. I don't believe that," Thompson said, adding that he doubts voters will say: "That guy would make a very good president, but he didn't get in soon enough."
Leno joked with Thompson about how long he has been "testing the waters," asking: "Are you starting to get a little wrinkly?"
"These wrinkles don't come from the water," Thompson, 65, replied, to laughter. Referring to a guest announcement Leno made just before the segment, he joked: "I've been mistaken for Dr. Phil."
The "Law & Order" actor and former U.S. senator from Tennessee plans to begin an announcement tour in Iowa on Thursday. Aides said Thompson will travel in a bus emblazoned with the slogan, "United in Our Core Beliefs," along with the key themes of "security," "unity" and "prosperity."...
Thompson plans to announce some politically dicey policies, including a plan to overhaul a system of entitlements -- Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid -- that some experts argue is not financially sustainable.My concern is that he did not mention anywhere in that paragraph the issue of illegal immigration.
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I just saw Huckabee sell out on immigration. He and Giuliani are soft on the issue. It was good to see Mitt Romney is still strong on border defense and deportation.
I hope Thompson is anti-amnesty. Otherwise he won't get my vote.
Big Fred is the only guy that I think can rough up Giuliani in the long run. I know he is tough on everything. I dont think you will have to worry about immigration. I will not vote for Giuliani or Romney. They both make me ill. I am happy to see Fred in there. BTW He also has agreed to sign the Fair tax if passed by congress.
I am sorry friends, but the only thing that pops into my head when I see Fred and hear him speak is this: "Not only am I the President, I play the President on TV." If Fred were to win the primary/election, would he promise not to do any paid acting work while in sworn office; Ala the Govenator? I want to see Fred play a diplomat before I make up my mind about voting for him, or maybe a mayor of a major city. If his show get's good ratings, well hell then, i'll then have much more confidence in his ability to run the United States.
I'd like to see Fred beat in the head of "WellFed", a Giuliani supporter with no soul and no balls.
Giuliani had a bad night at the debates. He got flat out spanked on the sanctuary city issue.
Let's see how he does as an actual candidate
I don't think it was coincidental Fred Thompson chose the day of the Republican FoxNews debate to announce his candidacy. This way he avoided having to publicly answer some tough questions without the luxury of having his advisors nearby to feed thoughts to him.
Traditionally, this would be a good start time for a campaign.
The Fall before election year.
But the race broke from the gate much earlier this go around.
Thompson has to run the perfect race.
So far, his campaign has not been perfect: Smaller than expected fundraising, divisive staff changes, charges of an over-meddling wife, and lackluster stump speeches.
Name I.D., flashes of eloquence, solid writing, plus refreshing talk of federalism on the (non) campaign trail, are his strengths.
Thompson must have a burst of energy to make this campaign work (to counter charges of laziness and an old hang dog look).
The first month is critical.
Can Thompson make it work?
I think the percentages are against him.
But this is a wide open race.
In a sense, the percentages are against every candidate for various reasons.
But that's what makes it interesting.
What is it going to take.
I beginning to believe the alternative media will kill the conservative movement. anti-immigrant position is a losing one and do not give the line abut supporting legal immagration. The site I find want to close or vastly reduce legal immigration. once the Democrats bring this out as well as the Republicans are no friend to the farmer who relies on immigrant labor it going to be 8 years of Hillery. I will to put my bet on it.
Richard you are whistling past the graveyard.
The country as a whole is against amnesty and for controlling the border.
Democrats are about 50/50 on the issue.
Independents are even more against amnesty and more in favor of controlling the border.
On the campaign trail Democratic candidates are getting asked about illegal immigration.
Yet all of them favor open borders to one degree or another.
Union workers, as opposed to leaders, are against amnesty and for controlling the border.
It's simple the costs are too obvious (lower wages, less family wage jobs), and the benefits too directed at the corporate elite.
The Common Man knows illegal immigration hurts him.
Get with the program or suffer the consequences.
I think it is funny that some folks think Fred is "just" an actor. I guess they haven't read his resume. His political experience outweighs his acting by 100-1.
Giuliani committed a cardinal sin: he said if he wasn't running, he would endorse McCain... by guess: he is trying to set the stage for naming McCain his VP if he should win the nomination. BE AFRAID!
The Common Man knows illegal immigration hurts him.
How exactly? If we get rid of the illegals, it will lead to some serious inflation. That's something "conservatives" have yet to discuss. Yeah, it's great everyone's wages will go up. But increased wages equal increased cost. And increased cost equals increased prices. Simply put, there is not enough available labor in this country to get done that which needs to be done.
Yeah, we need to document these people and get them into the system, paying taxes. Yada yada yada. But not with double-digit inflation as a consequence. Business gets it. "The Common Man", at this point, doesn't.
Yes I whistling pass the grave yard because our party and ideas will be in them come January 2009. We lost the Hispanic vote, the Asian Vote and the independent Vote (WSJ Yesterday). Farm operations are moving to Mexico.
http://www.cato.org/view_ddispatch.php?viewdate=20070905
This means the additional loss of middle class jobs. The election is going to be close. It will not take much to flip two or three states from red to blue. We need every vote and bashing immigrants is not going to help.
If we get rid of the illegals, it will lead to some serious inflation. That's something "conservatives" have yet to discuss. Yeah, it's great everyone's wages will go up. But increased wages equal increased cost. And increased cost equals increased prices.
Explain this to me: what do illegal aliens have to do with the money supply? Inflation refers to an increase in the money supply, not an increase in prices. An increase in prices is symptomatic of an increase in the money supply. But it's not really prices that are going up, it's the value of your dollar going down (because the supply of money has increased).
The economic impact of expelling illegal immigrants as it applies to increasing prices is more related to the fact that there would be a shortage of workers in the labor market for certain jobs. And yes, if that were to happen, one of the symptoms could/would be an increase in the price of various goods. And that's certainly something to look at when discussing policies related to illegal immigration.
Please go to www.fred08.com to find out where Fred stands on the issues. The MainStream Media sure isn't going to tell you and his Federalist stance on states rights will hit the mark with many in Oregon. In short - if you want more money in your pocket, less government control of everything and secure borders then Fred is your guy. If you want to give more money to illegals, grow the federal government and have open borders for illegals - Hillary is for you.
So Old Baggy Eyes is officially in the race at last.
I don't think the Dems have much to worry about. The dilemma facing Thompson is the same one facing all the Repub candidates: The Repub base has become so dominated by right-wing wackos who are completely out of the mainstream on almost all issues that to win the nomination, any candidate will have to take positions and make statements that will alienate two-thirds of American voters.
What's happened to the Republican Party in the '90s and '00s is the mirror image of what happened to the Democrats in the '60s. And then on top of that the Repubs have to try to defend (or at least make excuses for) the record of The Worst President in History (TM).
Any Repub candidate in '08 will get 30% of the popular vote -- 35%, tops. Remember you read it here first.
Au revoir.
Econ Phenom-
You're taking a strict monetarist stance about economic management. As Milton Friedman would say during the stagflated 70's: "inflation is anywhere and everywhere a monetary phenomenon."
In addition to this though there are other rarer influences.
There are large underliers of the economy. Unemployment being a large one that has consistently been historically low.
Too much unemployment (the usually reference) is bad. Too little unemployment of course will start pushing the cost of labor up.
Back when I was pursuing an econ degree the expectation of healthy "frictional" unemployment was 5%-7%. Anything above that was bad anything below that kicked off inflation. Wages being an underlier of the entire economy therefore affecting prices for end consumers.
NOTE: Remember that the unemployment number discussed above are those actively seeking work while currently unemployed. It does not include the discouraged or non-working unemployed.
So Old Baggy Eyes is officially in the race at last.
Always good to see the loyal opposition put their best-reasoned arguments right up top.
Personally, I don't know alot about Thompson. He seemed to be a solid vote when he was in the senate, but I like many, are going to have to get past his lack of ability to inspire folks.
Always good to see the loyal opposition put their best-reasoned arguments right up top.
Yeah. I know what you mean.
Bonjour, loonies!
Thompson is 65? Holy shit, he looks about 85.
His child-bride must be wearing him out.
rickyragg, the reference to "Old Baggy Eyes" was just a throwaway line. I notice you ignored the substance of my argument which followed.
But perceptions are important in politics, and the perception Fred Thompson creates is that he's a tired old man.
More to the point, he is a tired old man with tired old ideas. His positions are far out of the mainstream of contemporary American public opinion. He has zero chance in a general election. Of course the same applies to the whole Repub presidential field. You have been given the opportunity to govern the country and have failed utterly. Your ideology has been proven morally, intellectually and pragmatically bankrupt. Your party is so deep in the tank that even ol' Turdblossom Rove wouldn't be able to steal the 2008 election. I suspect that's why he waved bye-bye -- he doesn't want to be associated with the coming bloodbath.
ollie: LOL! Good on you.
It's fine for Repubs to make an issue of Edwards' haircut and Hillary's thick ankles and Bill Clinton's big nose, but God forbid anyone should mention Fred Thompson's eye-bags -- that's hitting below the belt!
Well, Fred Thompson DOES have baggy eyes. He also has jowls and he's bald. Aside from that he's a helluva good-lookin' guy.
Au revoir.
Dartangan
It is very apparent you did not pay very close attention to the 2006 elections. It was not the philosophy that hurt the republicans, in fact quite contrary. If you look at the majority of democrats that won, they talked much about what republicans were talking about during the Reagan/Gingerich years. Efficient, effective, fiscal responsible government. In fact if it weren't for the fact Rohm Emmanuel went out and recruited pro-life, pro-gun, fiscal responsible democrats, the republicans would still be in control. Here is the real kicker, Nancy Pelosi knows this.
As far as the George W. Bush republicans, you are right. This type of philosophy is on its way out and thank god!!!!!
As for the republican's running for office, please tell me what democrat is such a good candidate. If you were to base this on qualifications then I would say in order it would go Richardson, Dodd and Biden in that order. I mean John Edwards??? Give me a break. Barak Obama, Hillary, come on!!!! Thompson has more experience than any of these three.
Bonsoir, loonies!
"As far as the George W. Bush republicans, you are right. This type of philosophy is on its way out and thank god!!!!!"
You'd better tell your candidates that. They're all (except for Ron Paul) trying to outshout each other in their support of Smirky McChimp's War. And I don't see any worthwhile new ideas on health care, globalization, the decline of working Americans' incomes or any other major issue. Just same ol', same ol'.
Here's how Matt Taibbi puts it in the current issue of Rolling Stone:
"In the face of the awesome political catastrophe that has befallen the Republican Party in the form of George W. Bush, the response of its new leaders has not been to re-examine their perverted values, their vicious tactics or even their position on Bush's singularly idiotic and supremely characteristic policy mistake, the Iraq War. Instead, the party is closing its eyes and trying, Dorothy-like, to wish its way back to Kansas, back to the good old days of mean-spirited, blame-the-darkies politics of Newt Gingrich, a time when electoral blowouts could be won by offering frightened Americans a chance to pull a lever against gays, atheists and the collective rest of onrushing modern reality."
You guys are totally toast. And the funny part is you don't even know it.
Au revoir.
And Rolling Stone isn't a legitimate magazine for discussing politics.
Tracking Dartagnan's IP right now, so I can get a good bead on where he's from, and so I can visit him.
Being a computer geek is fun.
Dartangan
You really don't seem to get it. The latest Zogby poll, not Rolling Stone, has the support for the democratic congress concerning the war at an outstanding 3% approval. Progressive ideas did not win the election for the democrats. Good old fashioned conservatism did. Once the republican leadership cuts the crap and realizes this, it will certainly be the democrats on the way out. Unfortunately this will have to wait until 2010 but so be it.
Wow.
We are toast.
Now that you say it I'll just give up. Like wow. Its so final now. Especially because Rolling Stone magazine agrees with you. How can we ever overcome that. Its almost like god himself has predestined it if Rolling Stone says so.
Now that some anonymous nut-case on a blog says that conservatives aren't still primarily in winback position. Now that you've said it I must really give up.
Or in other words.
I really hope your whole party moves into 2008 with that same level of billigerant arrogance. I'm actually pretty sure they will. They will do just as all you moonbats have been doing.
When you get backed into a wall on anything substantive you'll say "Iraq" and "George Bush" enough times to get some applause from your base. Then the rest of America will vote against you as they have for the last twenty years.
Or to paraphrase Carla at Loaded Orygun. We will see how it goes you liberal fucktard.
Bonjour, loonies!
"The latest Zogby poll, not Rolling Stone, has the support for the democratic congress concerning the war at an outstanding 3% approval."
Yep. People (including me) elected a Democratic Congress to end the war and bring the troops home, and Pelosi and Reid have wussed out. THAT's why their numbers are in the tank.
Just the same, you guys are stuck running on the Smirky McChimp "legacy" next year -- an eight-year chronicle of mendacity, corruption, hypocrisy and incompetence. Lotsa luck.
Oh, another thing: Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska announced yesterday he isn't going to seek re-election. Another prime opportunity for the Dems to pick up a Senate seat.
Au revoir.
Boy, if this thread is any indication, Fred Thompson, might not get out of the starting gate.
Sidelined by an immigration and general liberal-conservative trash talking session.
Must be that Thompsom has no issues that can sustain the debate.
I got one word for you "superficial."
I heard his Iowa debut speech was again, underwhelming, with little enthusiasm.
This could be the most overhyped campaign since Phil Gramm.
Alas!!! Dartangan finally wins the prize. You are exactly right about Pelosi and Reid and the reason? They don't have the votes. Heck, Pelosi is even getting a challenge from the 6 ft 3 man woman anti war activist in the primary.
What is funny is you don't understand the majority of republicans are looking forward to Bush's nightmare end to his administration. Do your homework and I wish you luck!!!
"What is funny is you don't understand the majority of republicans are looking forward to Bush's nightmare end to his administration."
Put down the crack pipe, dude.
Newsweek poll, June 12, 2007: "Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?"
Republicans: 60% approve, 31% disapprove, 9% "don't know"
Democrats: 6% approve, 89% disapprove, 5% "don't know"
Independents: 23% approve, 66% disapprove, 11% "don't know"
Overall: 25% approve, 65% disapprove, 9% "don't know"
In other words the Repubs' opinion of Smirky McChimp is the EXACT OPPOSITE of the opinion of the rest of the country.
Spin it as you will, the braindead Repubs put this worthless POS in the White House and they're still supporting him. We won't forget it.
Dartagnan:
You are right on the raw numbers, but far short on analysis.
It's not surprising that Republicans when put on the spot give Bush the numbers you cite.
But don't think there isn't consternation and dissapointment.
There is.
This is a change election.
Which either party wins.
But a surprising dark horse is Duncan Hunter.
Republicans need an "authentic" candidate. Hunter is authentic. No other Republican is so authenticate.
Trancredo, he's authentic, but has only one issue, the border (I believe him).
Paul is authentic, but is wrong on Iraq and has other issues that will never let him win the nomination.
Duncan Hunter is the real deal.
Hunter matches up well against Clinton.
How so? Cinton is open borders. Hunter has maximum credibility on border issues.
Clinton is up to her neck in China Scandal, Hunter is tough on Red China cheating.
Hunter has credibility on military matters,
Clinton..........?
Hunter is the best qualified candidate for president.
50% of voters won't vote for Clinton to start.
Hunter steals Democratic votes on all the issues, that's why Democrats get silent when Duncan Hunter's name is mentioned. Democrats know Hunter is the strongest candidate Republicans have.
Too bad Hillary is corupt and can't answer tough questions.
One of her big financial contributors is a criminal fugitive. Red China connection anybody?
Hunter takes on Red China trade cheating and its military buildup seriously.
He'll eat her for lunch.
Apparently, Dartagnan went into hybernation.
How to shut him up?
Talk about a candidate that scares the s%#t out of him.
"Apparently, Dartagnan went into hybernation [sic]. How to shut him up? Talk about a candidate that scares the s%#t out of him."
Duncan WHO???
Au revoir.
To dartagnan:
Duncan Hunter, that's who.
You know, Hunter, who says "No, to Red China cheating."
While, Hillary Clinton, raises illegal campaign money from Chinese fugitives from U.S. law.
You know, the Clintons, who O.K.ed the sale of secret missle guidance control technology to China, in exchange for campaign cash in '96.
You know, the Buddist monk problem, or was that Al Gore, or was it both?
I know you like french. But even they've given up socialism, but the Democrats keep going farther and deeper into the socialist muck.
You can hide from Duncan Hunter's issues, now. But we're going to ram them down your stinking socialist throat later.
"To dartagnan:
Duncan Hunter, that's who."
Yeah, you know, that guy whose flat-lining in the polling at less than 1%
ROFLMAO
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