[tomder55]

In what can only mean good news for soon to be candidate Fred Thompson, the Democrats are concerned enough that they have already begun a campaign of attack .The attack comes in the form of a fund raising letter .

"Remember the Republican culture of corruption?" the letter asks. "The revolving door of Republican politicians moving in and out of top political offices and Washington, D.C., lobbying firms? That's Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson. For years, acting wasn't the 'Law & Order' star's profession -- it was a hobby. In the real world, Thompson has made a fortune in a decades-long career as a Washington lobbyist. And just this month, as part of his role as the ultimate Washington insider, Thompson offered to host yet another fundraising event for Scooter Libby's legal defense fund. Thompson has been vocal in his support of Libby, saying that he would 'absolutely' pardon him. As he runs for president, he'll try his hardest to hide the truth from the American people. And we need to stop him. Support our efforts to get the truth out about Fred Thompson."

Reported in Politico Democrats tear into Fred Thompson - Mike Allen - Politico.com ,other ads say

Another DNC research report sketches likely lines of attack on Thompson: "reliable supporter, defender of President Bush," "staunch supporter of Scooter Libby," "key role in Bush Supreme Court nominations," "already has a flip-flop problem," "ill-equipped for the campaign," "a thin Senate record, questions of 'work ethic', " "controversial legal clients may cause problems," "lobbying careers full of land mines."

Working to influence news coverage, the DNC also recently began circulating a "research document" with the headline, "MAJOR LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF SEN. FRED DALTON THOMPSON (1994-2002)." Then the page is blank until the line, "Paid for by the Democratic National Committee."

Yes it is true that Fred Thompson spent some time on K Street as a lobbyist . I wonder if that is as revealing as what Democrat politicians may have negotiated for in their exchanges with him. This attack on Thompson may be effective ;but it also could be a double edged sword .
There was once a President who had a wealth of legislative accomplishemnts . His name was Lyndon B. Johnson... enough said .I for one think that if the Democrats fear him this much that it has to be a feather in his cap.

Thompson of course is doing the Snoopy dance with delight over all this publicity before he has to spend a dime on the campaign . According to the Hill TheHill.com - Clinton camp predicts it will be second to Obama ,Thompson is egging them on .

“While I’ve been on the trail, I’ve learned some interesting things about myself,” Thompson says in the one-minute spot.
“Apparently, I brought down the savings and loan industry single-handedly and supported Caribbean dictatorships.

“The Democrats … have chosen a fella who’s not even in the race yet to launch their attacks against,” he added. “I don’t know when I’ve ever been so complimented.

“I just say keep it up, guys. These are the things that you talked about in the 1994 campaign when I first ran, and it got you within 20 points of me.”

Earlier this month a Democrat web site had to shut down discussion about Thompson after they had posted some quotes from him about border security ;international relations, etc.and they found that many of the comments agreed with Fred's positions. The Democratic Party | The Fred Thompson "Dummies Guide to Diplomacy"

It is too early to determine ,but all indicators are that Thompson's support has the potential to cross party lines.

[shygrneyzs]

The Democrats must see Fred Thompson as a viable candidate - why else the attacks? Very interesting. Just makes me like the guy even more.

[speechlesstx]

“I just say keep it up, guys. These are the things that you talked about in the 1994 campaign when I first ran, and it got you within 20 points of me.”

He sure knows how to deliver a zinger :D

I have no doubt Thompson can reach across party lines, that and the charisma factor scares the heck out of the Democrats.

[excon]

I have no doubt Thompson can reach across party lines, that and the charisma factor scares the heck out of the Democrats.

Hello tom:

Yeah, he's a big ol warm puppy. In fact, if he were a lawyer, I'd hire him. But he's not. He's an actor. The only thing he has going for him is that the right wing hates the all other Republican wannabe's.

But, why single him out? Gore scares the righty's just as much you think the lefty's are scared of Thompson. And, I see the ad homonym attacks on him all the time.

As far as reaching across party lines goes... I think you're living in the past. When the real Fred Thompson reveals himself (or the press does it for him), Democrats will NEVER support him - any more than the Republicans will support Gore.

We are a divided nation. The upcoming election will divide us even more. It's going to be an all out fight by the candidates rallying their base - not appealing to the other guy's base.

That's how I see it. It's getting ugly around here.

excon

[tomder55]

Excon

Why single him out ? Because that was the limited topic of the thread.

It is very true that right now both sides have to appeal to the base ,but in the general election the center is the key . That is why the Democrats ran with' blue dog Dems 'in the 2006 campaign.

If I was a Democrat I would've already joined the draft Gore movement. I actually think his hat will go into the ring around the same time he wins his Nobel Prize. You can tell that the Democrats are worried about an Evita run ,That is why new Democrat money is flowing into the Obama campaign . But they know in their hearts he is less than ideal. Gore is the only Democrat who can take the nomination from her.

Edwards should just leave the race already . He has shot himself in the foot with his ridiculous rhetoric about the 'war on terror' being a bumper sticker.

Sadly the most qualified Democrat in the race ;Bill Richardson has gotten no traction .

[Fr_Chuck]

Yes, I was listening to the news, they had investigators find all of his past girlfriends and question them. ** funny thing was that all of them still thought he was great. But yes, they are digging and digging for all the dirt on him they can find.

[tomder55]

As far as reaching across party lines goes... I think you're living in the past... We are a divided nation.

The immigration bill's defeat last week showed that not every divisive issue in American politics is partisan. Much has been made of the split among Republicans over immigration, but in the end it was the division among Senate Democrats that was the most surprising.
The Democrats, who regained their congressional majority with blue dog middle of the road (trojan horse) candidates could not control them when their whips went out to rally the troops. The orthodoxy that they thought they could get in the party ranks by bribing them with ear-mark pork has not been realized. This is happening at the same time that the conservatives base is potentially fracturing . The divided poles you see may not be in existence in a year.

[tomder55]

The NY Slimes went a diggin and couldn't find anything wrong with Thompson's lobbyist days so they decided to do a cheap hit piece on Thompson's children.

As Senator Rose, Lobbying Became Family Affair - New York Times

Yep , that's news... his kids benefitted because he was their dad. (word to Harry Reid ;your next... )

And here is the zinger :

[tomder55]

oops continued below :

Although clients valued Tony Thompson's service because of the perception that he had access to his father, Mr. Mathews said, Senator Thompson was sensitive to the potential appearance of favoritism to his sons' clients and sought to keep a distance. Rather than relying on his father, Tony Thompson relied mainly on political contacts in Tennessee he had made campaigning for his father, Mr. Mathews said.

So Tony Thompson did not use his father's influence to get clients ;his dad got him his foot in the door. Teddy Kennedy... why not tell us how your political career started . Sen. Diane Feinstein how much pork went to your hubby ?

[ETWolverine]

Tom,

I was just reading through the blog you linked above. Here's my favorite post of all. It pretty much sums up all the Democratic arguments about Fred Thompson in a single post.

Steph. I don't see your point. The Mexican upperclass elite do grow richer by riding the backs of the poor. That government does in effect export their own people in order to draw money from US to bolster their economy.
Have the French not jailed people for incorrect speech?

Is Russia not run by ex-KGB? Does not the entire world make jokes about Putin bumping off his enemies?

If you have something rotten to say about Thompson, something of substance and not based on the pure desire to trash a Republican - let's hear it.

Did he say he hated kittens? That might be something to fuss about.

Posted by GOEBubba on May 3, 2007 at 04:42 PM

Ok, since comments are back on for this because the cons are morons, I'll tell you what the point is, idiot. Your momma is a whore. That's the point. You're an inbred stupid hick.

What's the matter? Did I hurt your feelings? Let's try to work out our differences, even though you have a brain the size of a pea and probably won't understand half of what I say.

What, you still don't like what I'm saying to you, halfwit? Awww, are you going to cry about it?

Getting the point yet, scumbag? Or shall I be LESS diplomatic and MORE insulting to you?

We cannot afford another EIGHT years of a President who basically tells the rest of the world they are . DO YOU GET THE POINT?!

Posted by GregL on June 13, 2007 at 11:09 AM

You got to love a good intellectual argument that has both logic and moral substance. My hat's off to GregL for an excellent and unemotional reply to GOEBubba. ;)

As Fred Thomson put it, they should keep going with this type of argument. They might get within 20 points of him. :cool:

Elliot

[tomder55]

Did you see Evita got into the act ?

He was also shown on video on Youtube saying :

"I don't imagine they're coming here to bring greetings from Castro. We're living in the era of the suitcase bomb,"

Thompson had raised the point that Cuban immigrants could potentially pose a security risk when commenting about the comprehensive immigration bill's defeat.

Well Evita demogogued the issue in front of a Cuban-American audience in Florida .

“I was appalled when one of the people running for or about to run for the Republican nomination talked about Cuban refugees as potential terrorists,” Clinton told Hispanic elected officials. “Apparently he doesn’t have a lot of experience in Florida or anywhere else, and doesn’t know a lot of Cuban-Americans.”

Thompson wasn't referring to Cuban-Americans, he was talking about ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. He clarified it later on his blog

Our national security is too important an issue to let folks twist words around for a one-day headline. Cuban-Americans are among the staunchest opponents of illegal immigration, and especially so when it’s sponsored by the Castro regime. We know we have a porous southern border in which they can currently slip through easily. Our enemies know it too.

Fred File – The Friends of Fred Thompson Blog » Blog Archive » A Good Day



SMACK-DOWN!

Of course Hillary can always refer to the days of the Clinton Presidency to illustrate how she would handle immigration issues with the Cuban-American community