Fred Thompson's Interview on CNN

Here are a few snippets from Fred Thompson's interview with Dana Bash from CNN.

• DECORAH, Iowa (CNN) -- Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson is trying to become a GOP contender in record time.
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• GOP hopeful Fred Thompson opened up about his campaign with CNN's Dana Bash.
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• "It's a little late in the process for me to be coy. I want you to know that I think I'm that man," he told an audience of more than 100 in Dubuque, Iowa.
• Thompson just started a 15-day bus tour to 50-plus Iowa cities. He'll be in the state nearly every day until the January 3 caucuses.
• To watch his campaign is to witness a candidate trying to shake the rap that he has no fire in his belly.
• His red meat speeches are redder. His arguments for why he should be president are sharper.
• "My friends, I've been there, and I can tell you we are just one successful terrorist plan away from a nuclear attack on this country," Thompson told Iowa voters. "All the experts know that it's the kind of world we live in. It's not the time for on-the-job training."
• Thompson has had some good news in Iowa lately. He was widely praised for a a stellar performance at last week's Des Moines Register debate. He even uses a key moment -- refusing to raise his hand in response to the moderator's question about global warming -- as a prime example of his leadership.
• "I just asked my colleagues on the stage there, in effect, I said, 'Guys, how are you going to stand up to leaders of Iran and North Korea if you can't stand up to an overbearing moderator?' " Thompson tells crowds.
• Thompson also snagged a key endorsement from Iowa Rep. Steve King, an influential Republican and vocal leader against illegal immigration.
  

As much as it pains me to do this, I will post what Fred Thompson had to say about Mike Huckabee's recent "bunker mentality statement.

• "I don't think Gov. Huckabee appreciates the kind of world that we live in," Thompson said. "I think he's under the impression if we're nicer and sweeter to the bad guys that maybe they'll love us. Unfortunately, that's not the case."

Read all here.