Why I like Fred

In the comments to another post Rick asks why I think Thompson will gain the Republican nomination. I am answering here because other people have asked me about why I support Thompson as well:

McCain never had a chance. He has spent too much time insulting and betraying the Republican base without which he cannot win the primary, much less the general election. Romney is saying the right things, but his total 180 degree changes on matters of fundamental core belief have come instantly and been perfectly timed to further his political career. This makes him untrustworthy. The other announced Republican candidates like Huckabee, Hunter and Tancredo are good men, but they just don't have the momentum to overcome Rudy's name recognition and the positive feelings he earned while cleaning up NYC and then leading it through 9/11.

Thompson, on the other hand, has good name recognition, excellent communication skills and a solid conservative voting record from his time in the Senate. As a lawyer in TN Thompson took on political corruption and brought down a sitting Democrat governor. As a staff counsel during the Watergate hearings Thompson played a key part in bringing down a corrupt Republican president.

Thompson’s actions in politics in private practice as an attorney, as a senator and as an actor reveal a man of excellent character, intelligence, honesty and integrity.

Add to this the fact that he looks good and has a marvelous speaking voice (essential in the TV age – shallow but true) and knows how to handle himself in front of a TV camera.

Thompson is not perfect. He will have to explain some remarks he made about abortion early in his Senate campaign. He voted for McCain-Feingold and opposed tort reform at the federal level. And he once voted to increase the number temporary workers who would be allowed in from Mexico.

Each of these things is a negative, but none of them is fatal. He made a statement which could be taken as pro-choice, but that must be balanced against his 100% pro-life voting record and the fact that he identifies himself as pro-life and has the endorsement of pro-life organizations.

Campaign finance reform was an issue which was popular with voters and many congressmen voted for it that did not really support it only on the belief that the Supreme Court would strike it down. You will remember that even McCain did not expect it to pass a Supreme Court challenge. Yes this is craven, but every politician is craven at some point. If you exclude everyone from political office who has ever stuck his finger in the air and voted based on which way the wind was blowing you would have a government run by the “true believer” wackjobs. If you want to see what that looks like here are some words you can Google, “October Revolution”, “Chairman Mao”, “NSDAP” or “Kemer Rouge”.

Thompson’s vote against tort reform at the federal level is explained by the fact that he is a staunch federalist and will not impose upon states things which he believes that the federal government has no right to impose upon them.

And voting to increase the number of temporary workers allowed into the country under a program which has been in effect for years does not reflect on one’s attitude about the overall problem of illegal immigration and related issues like amnesty. Thompson has consistently opposed the amnesty bill which President Bush and a handful of RINOs are currently keeping alive with machines in the Senate (go ahead and pull the plug, it is kinder that way) and has expressed the view that if the borders are secured and the laws against hiring illegals are enforced that most of the illegals will self-deport.

All of the candidates running on both the Republican and Democrat side have some things which can be said in their favor. However Thompson has a great many things in his favor and is the only one who does not have negatives so massive that they disqualify him as a serious candidate.

Bottom line:

Hillary Clinton = Joseph Stalin.

Barack Obama - sounds good, but there's no "there" there.

John Edwards - didn't get the nickname "Breck Girl" for nothing.

Dennis Kucinich - Actually running for president of Alpha Centauri.

Joe Biden - [hysterical laughter]

John McCain - RINO and crazy as a shithouse rat.

Mitt Romney - impossible to know what he really believes.

Rudolph Giuliani - Pro-abortion, anti-gun, authoritarian "law and order liberal" who as US Attorney used all the despicable tactics common to that breed (testify against your best friend so I can make this mickey-mouse case to help my career or I'll put your mother away for misusing a semi-colon on her 1958 income tax return - she has a bad heart doesn't she, she might not survive 10 years at hard labor).

Ron Paul - Thinks that we can end terrorism by "listening to al Qaeda". Paul is not really a Republican, he is a Libertarian who joined the Republican Party because he realized that Libertarians cannot get elected to any office more important than municipal water board.

Hunter, Tancredo, Huckabee - Good men but not electable this time around. Try again in 2012 or 2016.

Fred Thompson - Last man standing and the only person in the race who can not only be elected, but deserves to be.