Captain's Quarters -

The Captain wrote:

"He also backed Leno off by reminding him that we have shed more blood for the freedom of other nations than all others put together, and he wasn't about to apologize for America's defense of freedom."

I'll admit that up to this point I've been more and more disinclined to take Fred Thompson seriously as a candidate. But that response made me sit up and take interest.....because I suddenly realized that here was a candidate who was actually able to look at the big picture, and put things into context as well as apply an historical perspective.

It irked me that Fred had chosen such a light hearted venue to make his announcement, but Jay Leno certainly prevented it from becoming a joke by recognizing and grasping the opportunity to put Mr. Thompson on notice that there would be no free rides from the get-go.

Disclaimer: I support Fred Thompson

Fred is a target for people who have committed to other candidates. It's an easy attack to say he should have gotten in earlier. The numbers, however, don't show that.

The Rasmussen poll has shown the numbers for the Republicans to be static for about five weeks. The ups and downs are within the margin of error. Apparently the Republicans are not as concerned about Fred's late entry as the candidates are.

It may be that Fred will fade, but I suspect that the static polls are because Republicans were waiting for Fred to announce. We should see in the next week or two.

Run, Fred, run.

I like what Fred has to say..but at this point it is still Rudy's to lose..

"and that the US needs to explain that better and get all the "good guys" on one side."

That's been the most frustrating thing about the Bush administration, the inability to clearly articulate the message about defeating this global jihadist movement. I think Fred or Rudy would be the best at this. My beef with Rudy is his authoritarian streak & support of gun control.

Strike one - FT is a lawyer. I don't believe being a lawyer is good training for president or running any business. It is good training for arguing and nit-picking.
Strike two – FT was a senator. Once again I don’t believe it is good training or experience for the executive branch. Senators don’t make individual decisions, they make committee decisions.
But when he stands for this , and this and says this.

“I believe on the present course we’re going to be a weaker, less prosperous, more divided nation than what we are today,” Thompson said, arguing that only reliance on the bedrock principles of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence would prevent that slide.

I've got to say - these 'debates' are no such thing. They are media circuses with no purpose other than to allow media types to preen - and candidates to attempt to come up with a memorable one line sound-bite. That's not debate - it's idiotic show-biz - almost devoid of substance.

If I want to know what a candidate is made of, I read - a lot - of what the candidates have done, what they've said and written. Hence, I've not watched a single 'debate' so far, and doubt I'll watch any in the future.

I didn't watch Leno either - but, I think Thompson was smart to announce on his show.

A month from now, or less - I'll wager Thompson will be polling as the leading candidate.

"I like what Fred has to say..but at this point it is still Rudy's to lose.."

Au contraire. As the only AUTHENTIC conservative in the top tier, it's Fred's to lose and sooner than later the polls will begin to reflect that.

Rooty hasn't had his social liberalism, gun-grabbin' authoritarian views and his endorsement of hyperliberal Mario Cuomo relentlessly attacked the way Thompson and his supporters will do.

When all's said and done, Fred will have to screw up royally to miss the nomination.

After two attacks on American soil in less that a decade, numerous attacks on US military and embassy sites and yet Americans still do not know about defeating the global jihadist movement leads me to believe than no matter who is the messenger, the majority of American people simply do not what to hear the message.

We can blame Bush and Clinton all we want however, it all comes down to the American people and the American people do not want anyone or anything to disrupt their 'happy'.

American Idol season is beginning soon, more Americans know that crap than they do about jihad and this fact is reflected in the numbers that vote for their favorite singer.

Other than the 1% military serving and a couple of non-military percentages who get why we fight, the rest of the American populace is far more interested in maintaining their state of happy.

The lack of resolve isn't coming from Bush, the lack of resolve is coming from the American people.

Americans Forgot 9/11.

My favorite comment from Thompson last night. (Well, one of my favs)

"It's harder to get booked on the Tonight Show than one of the Presidential Debates."

""He also backed Leno off by reminding him that we have shed more blood for the freedom of other nations than all others put together, and he wasn't about to apologize for America's defense of freedom."

That's what now passes for "the big picture"???

Holy crap. You guys really still do not get it.

You CANNOT sprinkle "freedom dust" over Iraq and suddenly get pretty little suburbs with soccer moms and swap-meets. This is fucking Arabia. They don't know or appreciate or want American Style Government.

And we're not defending "freedom". What a juvinile, insultingly simplistic pile of horseshit. And they don't "hate us for our freedom" either.

Don't tell me once again the Republcians are looking to nominate an Idiot with little to no interest in the big wide world. We did that once before and that's how we got led into this blind canyon with no good choices.

God save us from Hero Worshiping Republicans.

I was going to make up my own comment here, but I think that I'll just go with timpundit's comment. Very nicely put.

My response to syn is it's not Americans who don't get it. It's our leadership and this crap of a government who has made this a 50/50 nation. Two parties, for or against, conservative or liberal, black and white. Neither party is going to do squat for this nation. This "war on terror" has become about who can get rich the quickest. It has nothing to do with terror. In fact, it's just inspired more.

the debates as staged now are more or less useless for enlightening American voters.

Quite true, but flipping pancakes and posting yard signs is necessary to building a successful team. If Fred really wants to win he must work harder in building local support than he has so far. Politics is local.

Why yes of course Rodney, there is no global jihad, the WTC was brought down by Chimp the McHilter in order to maintain the evil Military Industrial Complex so that rich people can get richer and billionaires can fund hate-porn about how dreadfully evil is America.

The "War on Terror is just a bumbersticker phrase used to scare Americans into believing in an enemy which doesn't exist. The 1993 bombing never happened.

The path to 9/11 cannot be shown.

The religion of peace is peaceful Jihad.

America's belief in liberty and freedom for all inspires terrorism.

That said, from reading your's and timpundit you both seem to have a problem with Democracy, Collectivists usually do.

Bravo Rodney and Tim. Thanks for pointing out your obvious "head buried in the sand" mentality.

Closing ones eyes and proclaiming there is no Califate or Jihad aimed at exterminating the west will not make it go away. You two morons may be right about one thing, there is an enemy within this nation that cares not to recognize this threat. Take a look in the mirror.

This is fucking Arabia. They don't know or appreciate or want American Style Government.

No, Tim, I'm sure thay would love to return to the leadership of Saddam and his asshat sons who murdered a million of their own. And your implication that some how Arabs don't deserve or want for the same liberties and freedoms we endure is certainly shallow at best.

Put the children back in their cribs, and let the "leaders" (Fred Thompson) take the remote away. Talk about being programed.

Thompson's response to Leno was scripted and made in a totally friendly environment.
He knew at worst Leno would not come back with any
insightful follow-up question.
Thompson is saying what he knows conservatives want to hear, but not in the give and take that he will now get that he is finally joining the rest of the wannabees.
I can't believe he is snowing those I feel should have at least some grasp of political BS.

Don't tell me once again the Republcians are looking to nominate an Idiot with little to no interest in the big wide world.

I hope so. Bill Clinton's Rhode Scholar brains didn't help the falling man.

http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0903-SEP_FALLINGMAN

When we stoopid Republicans say Never Forget it ain't just a bumper sticker.

Well of course people in New Hampshire are uspet at Fred Thompson. He stole some of their rare thunder. Remember, New Hampshire has only three things going for it insofar as national recognition and concern go. 1)Jack, 2)Sh**, 3)Presidential primaries; and the latter only come every four years and then not always for both parties.

I mean other states have all kinds of things going for them. California has experimental cool flying stuff, nutcases in San Francisco, and Mexican colonialism in the Southland. Florida has cool flying stuff and nutcases. New York as nutcases, and...well, it's New York. Hawai'i is simply Hawai'i cool by default with nutcases.

and New Hampshire has...

Kalroy

Putting yourself on the line in the debates takes a lot of guts. You risk a lot with the prospect of very little gain.

Thompson is not ready or willing to do that.

I do not dislike Fred Thompson but I do not want him to be my president. I want my president to be extraordinary!

Fred Thompson has not been extraordinary to this point and I have no reason to believe he will start at age 64.

I do not dislike Fred Thompson but I do not want him to be my president. I want my president to be extraordinary!

Searching for another Reagan, (or even another Goldwater) will not happen in this election cycle. The field is now set.

The perfect ticket, IMHO, would be a Thompson/Huckabee or a Thompson/Hunter and either of these two combinations can defeat the Hildabeast and her "first lady".

CLAIMER: I do support Fred Thompson.

I don't want a man or woman who desperately wants to be President. I want an American who doesn't need the job, but feels they can make a difference.

Ronald Reagan was a successful actor and governor, with a happy family and lots of cash. He ran for President on ideas, not ambition.

George W. Bush was a successful governor with a happy family and an adequate amount of cash. He also ran for President on ideas, not ambition. When the crunch came, he took us to war and he has done a brilliant job as our President. (Saying it isn't so won't make the facts go away. He's a great President.)

Fred Thompson doesn't need to be President. He doesn't crave the job and want it with the eager grasping sweaty-handed ambition of a Hillary or a Romney or an Obama. He has some good ideas and he thinks he can be a good President.

He can also (praise the Lord!) articulate his views, unlike our beloved but verbally challenged President.

Right now, Fred's my man. I'm going to go to his website and donate some money -- for the first time since the 2004 elections.

I did not say I was looking for another Reagan or Goldwater, I want somebody EXTRAORDINARY!

Fred Thompson decided he did not want to extraordinary at anything.

He was an average Senator, average actor, average lawyer.....

I do not doubt he could have been extraordinary had he wanted to, but he did not.

Bonnie,

Spend just a few minutes looking at the videos of Thompson's speeches this summer. He is not very good at articulating simple ideas without a script.

I do not know how this rumor of him being a good speaker got started, maybe because people confuse the actor with the man.

Hey, goldwater, I watched Thompson with Chris Wallace last year and I watched him with Leno. He's a great, comfortable, folksy speaker.

I really liked the last actor we had in office. Once Fred has his eight year run, let's see if Bruce Willis is interested!

Ditto to every word of Bonnie's post....until Fred. Unlike some of the candidates, I at least LIKE Fred but have to agree with goldwater on this one. I was not impressed when I would watch him as a Senator at his hearings. Disappointed because I did expect him to shine.

I like what he says but he is too late for me and I still remember my disappointment. I only see one candidate that has a fighting chance against Hillary.......Rudy. May not be 99% perfect but the key word is fighting. That eye of the needle will need to be enlarged to push a Pug into the White House. A very NASTY, down-n-dirty fighter is the only shot. Poor Rudy....he is still disadvantaged against Hillary. It's hard to top stealing art and sofas out of the People's House.

Early on I had been a "would-be" supporter of Thompson, but his announcment on Leno, opposite the debate, has caused me to focus on Giuliani or Romney.

It seems everyone is wondering why Senator Thompson waited to enter the race. Law and Order's new season started last night. If he entered earlier re-runs of LAO would of stopped and the other actors residuals would have stopped also.

I'm with FRED.

Fred Thompson is an intriguing candidate, but have you seen his announcement video at Fred08.com?

It looks artificially speeded up, with Fred's head bouncing up and down like that of a sock puppet. It made me positively nauseous to watch (and I'm on a MacBook Pro watching over RCN cable).

Before Fred goes any farther, I sure hope he will hire a professional video producer. It's no use having a good actor if you've got a lousy cameraman.

Oh, and by the way, Fred: Stay out of the amateur-hour 'debates' until you can have one-on-one matchups with no moderator or press.

/Mr Lynn

One reason that Americans have forgotten 9/11 is lack of exposure. When is the last time you saw the planes hit the twin towers? When is the last time you saw all of the video tape of the smoke, fire, confusion, and death that rained down that day? I can answer that rhetorical question right here. The week of the tragedy!

What is the reason that this hasn't been paraded in front of us as was the Rodney King incident? I am asking a legitimate question here.

Syn, you obviously have no reading comprehension skills. I never said that there wasn't a global jihad. I said that the approach that the American government has taken by going into Iraq has nothing to do with a "war on terror," and everything to do with money. Thus the reasoning behind the invasion of Iraq (money) has made the US look even worse in its fight against terrorism.

Nobody's "sticking their head in the sand" except some of you people who believe everything that your corruption filled government spoon feeds you. None of you can think on your own, yet you attack those of us who seek the truth. Your president and his cronies straight out lied to you, and somehow you justify it as being ok.

Almost half of Iraq's population is below the age of 15. Get ready for more of the same out of the middle east when we finally do pull out and some of those radical groups get a hold of some of those young minds. There's cause and effect in everything, and illegal wars don't make the situation any better.

I bet that you are the same people who believe that some fairy in the sky controls everything that you little humans do 24/7/365. That your Christian beliefs are somehow superior to everyone else's in this world. Which has gotten us where we are today. You can't even follow your own supposed messiah and his teachings.

Oh, before you go there, I spent 6 years in the Marine Corps serving this nation. So don't try to categorize me as some bleeding heart liberal with your vile and divisive stereotypes.

Ignorance is truly bliss, isn't it?

I just checked "Fred"'s web page, which now carries a quote about sacrificing for the greater good. I hope that Fred loses that phrase, and quickly. There are several million adults for whom that phrase has recently acquired a particularly evil meaning. It's used in the final Harry Potter book as the catchphrase and justification of a particularly nastly Nazi-like movement (which, within the chronology of the story, was the driving force behind the Nazis). Rowling's images and characters are good enough that the phrase is now tainted for me, and very likely for a few million others if we may judge by the adult participation on Harry Potter bulletin boards. Hungry, diabolical malice and its spread among those who especially should know better are a potent combination.

Mr. Thompson should check with his staff. There must somewhere be an ardent Potterphile who can show him the relevant pages.

Sorry Captain...

Have to disagree...

Thompson seems truly weak for not getting in the race long ago.

And he looked old, unhealthy, rusty, on Leno, even with all the makeup provided.

I like Fred Thompson, but feel the insight slants unfairly for some reason from so many sources.

First, the most jaded cynical-critics of the Bush Administration complain they are too moderate, and yet Fred Thompson's record seems to match that of the liberal leaning John McCain.

Thompson gets a pass and the basis of his existence doesn't match the hype. He is a long standing Washington Insider, with a vast history of lobbying.

A good Man, and I would support him for the Presidency, but he is getting less impressive every minute.

Get in the debate, and show us something.

No guts no glory...

A President cannot hide on Hollywood talk shows, pre planned commercials, and co-authored statements.

One thing to challenge...

Fred Thompson's message of UNITY seems ironically similar to some of the Liberal Democrat Senators who accuse Conservatives or NeoCons of dividing the Country.

He cannot promise to not raise taxation, and wants to bring us all together?

We need to find common ground with the likes of Chuck Schumer?

Senator Thompson has a long way to go.

I think Fred Thompson can win. Who do you think will win the Republican nomination? Thompson, Giuliani, Romney, maybe Ron Paul? Vote today at http://www.pollicious.com

Fred Thompson is no more or less than you or me. And my country's foreign policy sucks, period. It is all based on money.
Want my personal opinion? (no) You got it.

Edward Cropper - "Thompson's response to Leno was scripted and made in a totally friendly environment.
He knew at worst Leno would not come back with any
insightful follow-up question.
Thompson is saying what he knows conservatives want to hear, but not in the give and take that he will now get that he is finally joining the rest of the wannabees.
I can't believe he is snowing those I feel should have at least some grasp of political BS.'

I don't know how long you have been following politics, but FDT is not just saying what conservatives want to hear. He has consistently been saying these things for years - even when it wasn't popular. Check out his record.

Having an opinion is one thing, but please don't misstate facts.