Is Fred Thompson someone to worry about?

[MaineProgressive]

I keep hearing all this talk about Fred Thompson jumping into the race. Why are repukes getting so excited at the prospect of him getting in? Could he really win a general against Clinton or Obama?

What does he stand for?

Bottom line: should I be worried?

[acmavm]

1. Yeah. Republicans like bad actors and apparently love to put them

in positions of power ala Reagan and Ahnold.

[MaineProgressive]

2. That's the problem

That's the problem -- they both WON.

[leftofthedial]

3. of course.

he's a member of America's fascist party.

[liberalpragmatist]

4. He could win

I don't think he will - (I don't think a Republican will win the presidency in '08 - the political climate is just too poisonous; a half-way decent campaign by ANY Democrat to the left of Kucinich and Gravel should win) - but he could be a good candidate for the GOP.

He's not very accomplished; a two-bit actor who was wildly popular in Tennessee but never really brought about much legislation.

Nevertheless, he has excellent PR skills, is a very good debater, is very well-spoken and is far smarter than Bush. And he's a mainstream, Southern conservative, so he's a much more logical nominee for the GOP than any of the current top 3.

He'd easily be a stronger GE candidate than McCain or Romney. I think Giuliani would be stronger, but with Giuliani the map would likely be scrambled and there would probably be a conservative 3rd party challenger taking 3-5% of the vote. Thompson would lead to a more typical red-state/blue-state breakdown.

[enough already]

23. He would rip Hillary a new one in a debate n/t

[Adelante]

35. That's about as I see it

A lot of people here are discounting him, but I think he's positioning pretty well.

[Rock_Garden]

5. I don't think we should worry very much about Fred Thompson.

He's definitely a self-promotor. Even if he doesn't run, this is all great for his acting career. But, on the other hand, it's never a good idea to relax around any Republican candidate. What I think's strange is that the media has not yet uncovered Fred's old baggage. You know he must have some, but they seem enamored of him. "Oh, he's so likable; he's like Reagan." Yuck.

[flyarm]

6. NOT IF WE HAVE GORE..BUT WITHOUT GORE..YES! EOM

[flyarm]

7. HBO RAN 3 OF HIS MOVIES ALL DAY YESTERDAY!! WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?? EOM

[johnaries]

44. Do you realize that if Thompson and Gore ran,

we'd have 2 former TN Senators running against each other?

Just sayin'

But, yes - Thompson is something to worry about. He has that "down home" "folksy" demeanor that so many people love. Plus the name recognition from his acting career.

But, Gore could beat him. Gore has learned his lesson from his previous run and his success with just "being himself" in his Gobal Warming campaign. He has learned how to connect and get his message across. And his message is what the American people want.

[Jim__]

8. I think he has the Chris Matthews vote! - n/t

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

9. I don't think he has the ambition,

The republican I am worried about is Duncan Hunter, this will be an election when the Republicans run to the fringes.

[jefferson_dem]

10. Nah. Fred fills the "daddy figure" model that the repukes so love but

to me he comes off as simply...OLD. He is more than beatable in the General. Of course it depends on who we put up against him.

EDIT: By the way, did you know he has a 3 year old daughter? He's 65...and on his second marriage (2-3 marriages is standard faire for the Repukes).

[C_U_L8R]

11. no and here's why...

hehehe

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

14. Ewww, he's old enough to be her grandfather.

:puke: MKJ

[acmavm]

15. Yeah, that's got to piss a few fundies off. If for nothing else, out of

jealousy.

You know what I wonder about that picture? I've seen it many times before and I always wonder why she didn't go for a little more support under her boobs. That looks terrible. And I'm unfortunately blessed in that area myself so I know of what I speak.

[countingbluecars]

20. The country is not yet ready

for a mermaid first lady.

[Norrin Radd]

42. LOL

[liberalpragmatist]

41. She looks much younger in that picture than she actually is

Thompson IS 25 years older than she is; still, she is 40, he's 64. I'm not sure that's as horrible as people imply.

I mean, Kucinich is over 20 years older than HIS wife, and I don't see any DU'ers complaining.

[Bitwit1234]

12. He reminds me of a bulldog

have you ever seen him smile. He has that snarly snarly look. Maybe that's what the CONS like someone they think it a whip cracker.

[Mend]

18. maybe a vice president....looks like cheney without the pacemaker (yet) eom

[AX10]

13. Any Republican running is something to be worried about.

[Tejanocrat]

16. The Karl Roves, the SwiftBoaters, the Bushes - they're already on Romney's team. Don't bet against

Romney winning the nomination.

Keep this in mind: when the knee-breakers of the Repu party were rounding up everyone to rally behind Bush, Fred rallied to McCain. This should tell you two things. First, Fred is unacceptable to the corporatist plutocrat neocons running the show because he isn't tractable enough for them. Second, Fred isn't going to get in the race while McCain looks strong; the meaningless national polls look better for Giuliani than McCain, but McCain is whipping Giuliani's ass in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina which is where it matters.

[liberal N proud]

17. They are trying to sell him as a Reagan redux

Saw it on CNN this afternoon. :puke:

That is all we need is more Reagan-omics :mad:

[Forkboy]

19. Romney is the one to be scared of.

I know we can find a million things wrong with him,but a lot of people in Mass found those things too,and he still won.He's slick,a true political animal who do and say anything to win.Add his good looks (to some,I guess) and he's a tough opponent.

Having said that,I think all but a few Dems will beat the crap out of any Repub.

[Czolgosz]

25. I agree Romney is the biggest threat. I don't think he'd hold a candle to Obama or Edwards. I think

Romney won't sell very well in the South.

[illinoisprogressive]

33. Romeny gets crushed by our top 3. The repukes are jealous of our charisma candidates

That is what they are bitching about and why they want Thompson. They are desparate for a star candidate to run against our guys.
They think without a charisma candidate then, they will lose.
they see it as a battle of charisma. But, thompson, for all the actor thing, is still the hangdog old guy look. Put him up against someone with energy and charm and brilliance and vigor like Obama and he will fade.

[hlthe2b]

38. If Romney can somehow convince the fundies his "cult" is not

a problem and they accept him as "one of them" I think he is the one to be concerned about on the Repug ticket. He is well-spoken and charismatic (in a creepy, slick kind of way). But his strength is the incredible community-based support he'll get from Mormons throughout the country if he manages to get the nomination... Talk about grass root support...

[snowbear]

21. Basset hound face a threat?

Up against at least three of our candidates, the droopy jowls old fart would be toast.

If you notice, the ugly thuglies keep using some of his older photos at the height of Law and Order. He looks even more unhealthy and as Bill Maher called him "basset hound-faced" than he did in all of the photos that they use.



If Gravel, Kucinich, or the one of our candidates with high negatives (I get too many people ticked when I mention that candidate's name), the old dude might have a chance. But as the campaign goes on and Democrats realize the risks in selecting the right candidate, I'm not worried about the wrong person being nominated.


Republicans sound so desperate wanting this crusty fart in it's hilarious!


Bill Maher on Hardball last week~

MAHER: Basset hound-faced Fred Thompson is their great charismatic hope.

And I guess it‘s because, you know, the Republican Party has this campy fixation with all things Ronald Reagan. I mean, it is almost gay, the way they love this man, and the way they can‘t stop talking about him and obsessing about him. And they are always looking for the next Ronald Reagan.

Bush, they thought, might turn out to be that one. But, of course, that did not go too well. So, now they‘re looking for the next Ronald Reagan.

But the problem for them is that Ronald Reagan ran, of course, always on optimism and hope. And he was sunny and cheerful. But the only thing the Republicans can run on now is the opposite, fear. That is the only card they have in their deck. It is a false card, but that is the only card they can play.

They can‘t run on their record. They can‘t run on people on—on them being fiscally responsible people. They can‘t even really run...

MATTHEWS: Yes.

MAHER: ... on fighting terrorism, because the public doesn‘t think they are good at that now either.

But they can run on the idea that there is a wolf at the door, and we‘re the only people who know how to kill it...

MATTHEWS: Yes.

MAHER: ... even though that is wrong and crazy.

MATTHEWS: You know, the sad thing is, Bill—sad—you get a lot of truth to that, Bill, but the sad thing is, that is what Gore ran on against Bush, fear, fear of what he would do to the economy, fear of everything that would go wrong, the lockbox and all that. And it didn‘t work, didn‘t sell, did it?

MAHER: Well, fear—fear of economy is one thing. Fear of your life is...

MATTHEWS: Yes.

MAHER: ... a little something different.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18438589/

[enough already]

22. He could most definitely win

He's a nazi in sheep's clothing with the ability to fool moderates into thinking he's a nice guy. He'll destroy Hillary if we're stupid enough to nominate her.

[Czolgosz]

24. He'd be a decent threat in the general election, but I doubt he'll run, and he won't get nominated

even if he does.

[lander]

26. In a word? No.

He was a do-nothing Senator, he's a do-nothing actor, and the only interviews he's done thus far have been 100% softball questions for which he's had an absolutely scripted answer each time. He's hoping to hold out as long as he can before announcing so that we'll have less time to bring all of his contradictions to light.

Really, he stands for different things depending upon which conservative blog you read -- he's written more than 25 posts on 25 different blogs, but the readership doesn't overlap. He tends to tackle the "most important issue" facing each one of the blogs.

Also, he is quite old -- and he is by no means eloquent. He has zero personality.

Don't believe me? Watch this scripted video: http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=239

[melody]

27. I worry because I know I'll see another Fred Thompson thread posted to "discourage us" lol

Freddie has major problems stuck in closets (and I'll be happy to tell anyone by PM what they are) and a Barbie doll
wife thirty years his junior. He is no one to concern yourself with. It's just Rove (and the Freeper forces) conservative
Al Gore to wave at the unaware villagers. Whereas Al is a hero and a statesman who is tremendously popular, Thompson is a
mediocre actor with baggage.

[MaineProgressive]

30. Do tell!

How can you compare Gore to Thompson? Al has been out front fighting on important issues. Where has Thompson been? Starring in a second rate TV show isn't exactly making a difference in the world.

Major problems? Do tell! I heard that he was a pretty extensive dating life between his first and second marriages. I was disappointed to hear that his first wife had agreed to campaign for him.

I doubt Rudy's wives will campaign for him. ;)

[melody]

31. "Extensive dating life" ... okay :)

I'm saying nothing here and you can't get PM's, so just let your mind wander to the number of
things that might make one unelectable and take a pick.

[knight_of_the_star]

28. One thing that is worrisome about him

He stands a better chance of uniting the GOP without looking like a lunatic.

[Vinca]

29. He can play the part of a sane guy . . . until he's elected. nt

[illinoisprogressive]

32. They did a head to head with our candidates and Obama crushed him.

clinton did not and neither did Edwards. this was a few weeks ago.
the republicans want someone who has the charisma factor. They are not happy because we have star candidates and they don't. They think Tompson will give them the star or charisma factor missing.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[MaineProgressive]

40. A Thompson operative

Hi Lena,

I'm not a Thompson operative (though I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night) but I am curious about how the race changes if/when Thompson gets in. Anyone who watched MSNBC Thursday night could plainly see that absent a surprise entry by someone else there will be no contest in November of 2008.

That said, I think Gore will be the toughest opponent -- but like I said, without some surprise from the right there simply will be no contest.

[hlthe2b]

37. Scoffing at any Repug candidate should give one pause....

after all, we've had Bush* in the WH for two terms!

I say we take all their candidates seriously... After all, we know they will automatically get the "brain dead" vote... That plus election theft measures could make for a contest...

[AlCzervik]

39. Everybody on their side is someone to worry about imo, our party needs to run

like they're 10 points behind.

[AuntPatsy]

43. The stirring is nothing more than desperation, hoping to resurect Reagans Acting skills

[MaineProgressive]

45. Agreed. EOM

[Eurobabe]

46. Hell no...what normal person would want to look at him for 4 years?

I could understand Mitt Romney, but not Fred Thompson. (qualifier: I do not think Romney is particularly handsome, but compared to Ugly Mug Fred, he is)

[Phoonzang]

47. Well anyone could win an election

against Clinton... With a few exceptions of course. If someone like Fred Thompson is going to run, we need an equally powerful candidate. Don't ask me who...

[rodeodance]

48. YES, he is being heralded as the "Second coming of Reagan"