You Decide...(Fred Thompson) 2008

Fred Thompson Looks for a Bounce in South Carolina, on Heels of Debate

by FOXNews.com

Friday, January 11, 2008

Fred Thompson talks in the spin room after the FOX News Republican presidential debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Thursday. (AP Photo)

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Fred Thompson likes to describe himself as a slow-talkin’, slow-walkin’ Tennessean, but the former senator is hoping to put some bounce in his step following his assertive performance at the FOX News debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Thursday night.

And at the debate, Thompson stepped up, throwing elbows and dishing pithy sound bites that promised him airtime during debate replays. He went after former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for “liberal economic policies, liberal foreign policies” and after former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for allegedly stealing his tax plan.

Perhaps Thompson’s most memorable line came during a discussion about the U.S. response during a recent standoff between a U.S. Navy ship and five Iranian speed boats.

“You can’t take the judgment like that out of the hands of the officers on the ground there. I think one more step and they would have been introduced to those virgins that they’re looking forward to seeing,” Thompson said, earning laughter from the audience.

“The issue for us — and for the conservative community — boils down to which of the candidates is most representative of the fundamental conservative principles we believe in. The answer is Fred Thompson,” Human Events wrote in its endorsement.

Click here to read the Human Events endorsement.

This was welcomed with enthusiasm by the Thompson campaign, which immediately began circulating the positive press reports following Thursday’s debate.

“There were two tiers of candidates in tonight’s debate: Fred Thompson, and then everyone else,” spokesman Todd Harris said in a statement. “Our campaign is ‘all in’ in the Palmetto State. Tonight’s performance will go a long way to demonstrate that Fred Thompson is the only candidate they can trust to be a strong, consistent conservative with the experience and judgment to lower taxes, keep the country safe, fight illegal immigration and secure our borders.”

“This is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party,” Thompson said at the South Carolina debate during a discussion about Ronald Reagan’s conservative principle, suggesting Huckabee’s stances would endanger Reagan’s formula. [more here]