Fred Thompson Tells It Like It Is
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.
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.
UPDATE: welcome Instapunditeers! Wondering what the difference is between Hillary and Obama? Click here. Hey: and is Ron Paul a racist? New evidence suggests he is: people aren’t very fond of someone who refers to African-Americans as “animals.” Meanwhile, President George W. Bush has warned the American people that the US economy is facing challenges and Governor Mitt Romney has challenged Obama.
Also: According to Merrill Lynch the US economy is already in a recession.
Lastly, if you’re wondering what’s at stake in New Hampshire today, I suggest you read this post.
Good piece Michael. I like Thompson. He often takes the high road, sticks to the issues and stays consistent…all things I have seen people beg for in a candidate, but now that someone is actually doing it, people aren’t paying attention or claiming that if he won’t fight nasty, he just "doesn’t really want it".I for one am so glad to finally see someone that isn’t stinking of desperation.Look at how badly each candidate wants this, they will fight, bicker, lie, cheat, manipulate and go negative.There is only one that just moves on an talks about issues that matter and won’t get down into the mud.Took a long while before officially deciding who I would back and donate to and support and when all was said and done, I chose Fred for all the reasons you listed and the ones I just did.
Thompson is the only reliable conservative in the entire campaign, as Huckabee & Paul are seriously off-base in several areas. His low-key honesty doesn’t sell to a frantic, hyper-kinetic dishonest loo-zers in the media.
They want chi-chi, pizazz, sizzle, gossip, back-biting, phony posing, and Fred is going to avoid that rather than chase it as the rest seem to be doing.
Michael I am trying to comment on another post & your wordpress will not accept my reply to rudi666. The words on your "reCaptcha" were unreadable.
Fred Thompson is the one and only candidate who could handle the job of President of the United States.
" I have seen people beg for in a candidate, but now that someone is actually doing it, people aren’t paying attention"
Exactly. Once you have that candidate that IS what you are seeking, it takes a long time to get people behind him.
I want him to run the executive.
Yes, that’s clearly the case. A bit awkward, isn’t it?
It’s not that they are unwelcome questions, as it is stupid, repetitive questions. The press look like jerks tryiong to get the answer they want.
If the press would do some home work they would find that Thompson is gathering support from people who have never financially supported a candidate before because he is a solid, consistent man of integrity who has put forth some well thought out plans for America to take us over the next bumps in the road. He is on target on all the major issues — the war, immigration, security, foreign policy, social security, taxes …
Yoo hoo — listen, why don’t you?
I figure the press is ignoring him because he makes too much sense and he could whip any of the democrats.
And why the heck does the MSM give Blomberg coverage for crying out loud??? (Think snow ball in h***!)
I figure the press is ignoring him because he makes too much sense and he could whip any of the democrats.
I disagree a bit with that. I think they’re ignoring him for now, because they’ve got two other storylines: Huckabee’s sudden surge and smooth talk and McCain’s comeback. Then Huckabee will probably go down and they’ll report about that breathlessly for a week or so, after which they will choose another storyline to exploit (hopefully for Thompson it’ll be about him, hopefully for Romney and Giuliani it’ll be about one of them).
The press is ignoring Fred because they are afraid of him. If he got the coverage that they give their pet du jour, whether it be "Maverick" McCain or "Would Get Whupped Like a Rental Car" Huckabee, he would win the election in a landslide. If that happened, even that crazy old shrew that sits in the front row would find herself (rightfully) kicked to the curb.
Much like Hollywood has made every effort to torpedo Bush because he doesn’t massage their egos like The Great Philanderer did, the press will try to bury Fred in obcurity because he won’t play the games that reinforce their over inflated sense of importance and power. The "king makers" don’t like being shown for what they are: lemmings with self-aggrandizement issues.
Yeah, that politico report was a dirty trick, they didnt even get his input for the story, how very liberal media of them.
Ray Robison is the author of Both In One Trench: Saddam’s Secret Terror Documentshttp://www.bothinonetrench.com
Fred is making a gutsy move by running against the media. There is a great conservative base that is sick of the media flooding us with stories about process, rumor, and media stories about media stories.
Fred should consider a policy something like:
"I will engage in comment on other candidates only in debate settings, should an actual debate ever occur. When interviewed by the media I will comment only on the positions that I am offering to the American people and on my qualifications to be President. I will not contribute to the continued degeneration of the nomination process into a media-run circus by commenting on media-created issues involving other candidates or myself. I owe candor and honesty to the American people, the electors, but to the media I owe nothing but to be plain spoken enough that they can report my positions clearly and honestly, in the event they decide to do their jobs and do so, rather than create horserace stories that they find entertaining."
Fred is the ELEPHANT not in the room!
The press and the OLD GOP establishment intend to keep that way.
Talk is cheap, send Fred money. His message barely rises above a whisper in the national media because he’s not getting the free coverage associated with being the first black/woman/gay billionaire/mormon president. To even up the fight a bit Fred needs cash not kind words
It may not work but running against the media so works for me. I love (and donate to) Fred because of his strong conservative principles and policy stances, but his treatment of the media is truly icing on the cake. They are working hard to undercut him because a Thompson presidency would bring them nothing but grief. They think W is hard on them - he’s a pussycat compared to Fred. Fred is smart, loquacious, articulate, a strong conservative, and has pretty much nothing but disdain and disgust for the Drive-Bys. A big factor in my support. No one will break the back of the media but anyone who can render them somewhat useless and irrelevant gets my vote.
Fred is the only conservative in the race and the media doesn’t want the public to hear him. Politico was not the first report of Fred dropping out of the race in Iowa. Reporters at Fox News started it before Politico.
Mtn Mama–#7 "If the press would do some home work they would find that Thompson is gathering support from people who have never financially supported a candidate before because he is a solid, consistent man of integrity who has put forth some well thought out plans for America to take us over the next bumps in the road." Good point. My husband and I fit that profile, as do others we know. Thompson is the first politician who has ever really inspired us to action. This is a man we believe is worth our financial support, and I pray that we’re like a snowball rolling downhill, picking up others as we go.
So, I tell my wife I want to send money to Fred, and she says,"If you do, Ill get a million phone calls and it will never end, so no way".
I agreed. If Fred Thompson would promise this won’t happen, I’d believe him. Just provide a "Don’t bug me" check box on the web page for donations.
The only outcome of contributing to Fred is email with updates on the campaign and occasional requests for more donations. It’s not intrusive at all.
Go ahead and donate, b culkin!