Mitt Romney's Future?

RightMichigan.com picked up on this story from National Review Online. It is about speculation about Mitt Romney possibly running for governor of Michigan. Just in case you have been living in a cave and/or my blog is your only source of political info, Mitt Romney pulled out of the race last Thursday.

• What do Mitt Romney and Sam Houston have in common? Okay; not much…yet. But with his departure from the 2008 presidential contest, the former Massachusetts governor could pull a Houston and become the second American to serve as governor of two states. (It can’t be done, some might claim – it is too unorthodox. Like, for instance, a former First Lady of one state heading to another state than running for Senate? Or president?)
• By returning to his home state of Michigan and running to succeed term-limited Democrat Jennifer Granholm in 2010, Romney has the chance to be elected and govern as a solid conservative in a state in which conservatives have excelled. The electorate remembers the 1990s as one of low and falling taxes, economic growth, and conservative leadership under three-term Governor John Engler, who left office in 2003.

• Romney’s difficulty in persuading the conservative rank-and-file that he is one of them ought not to be unexpected. He had run for Senate and then governor, in Massachusetts as a committed centrist. Moreover, he mostly governed in the Bay State as a centrist, and thus the governor had a lot of work to do with conservatives this past year. Sadly, there wasn’t sufficient time.
• But Michigan isn’t Massachusetts. Having deposed a generally popular “new Democrat” governor in 1990 by one point, John Engler privatized state services, eliminated the state inheritance and capital gains taxes, and led the nationwide welfare reform movement by reducing the state rolls by 70 percent. He was rewarded with reelection by a 23-point margin in 1994 and control of both houses of the legislature. In his final term, he won by 24 points against essentially a protest Democrat, Jack “Dr. Death” Kevorkian’s lawyer. When he stepped down in 2003, Engler was the nation’s longest serving governor and, by most measures, one of the most successful conservatives ever to hold public office.

John Engler was a damn good governor. John Engler was the reason I got involved in Republican politics in the first place. I turned 18 in in 1993. I was so thrilled by the chance to be able to vote. My voice could truly be heard. I could use the outspoken voice I had been using before I was able to vote. At this same time I had been following about John Engler. I still remember when he came to my hometown, near Flint.
It was the summer of 1994. I had just gotten ready for the day, to go shopping or something. I turned on the local news and they reported that John Engler was speaking in front of the post office, in my town. I decided to go up there and hear him speak. I lived only 1 driving minute from the post office. He gave a great speech and after he was done speaking I went up to him and ask him about how I could volunteer for his campaign. He told me to talk to one of his assistants who gave me contact info on someone to contact. I even got his autograph, which I still have somewhere in this packrat cottage of mine. I even framed it. Yeah, I know, I need a life.
I did a few phone banks at the Genesee County Republican Party. I also got a chance to walk in the Grand Blanc Fourth of July Parade to hand out pamphlets about John Engler. Sorry I got a little off track there. The mention of John Engler made me wax nostalgic.

• Into this challenge, enter Romney 2.0: acknowledged turnaround artist and — yes — the nation’s leading conservative politician. The Romney name still has a lot of juice in the state; the Michigan governor’s main office is in the George W. Romney building, and Romney-père remains a well-respected figure for his corporate and public service. Mitt Romney kicked off his presidential campaign one-year ago at The Henry Ford museum outside Detroit, and the high point was certainly his victory in last month’s Michigan primary.
• Running and winning in a battleground state facing plenty of difficulties (and governing according to the conservative principles that he articulated with growing conviction and persuasion during this campaign) would not only be good for Michigan, but would certainly make Romney a formidable candidate for higher office. He is a young man by Reagan/McCain standards. There is plenty of time for him to claim what many of us hoped he would seize this year — the Republican nomination for president. A slight detour through the Great Lake State may be the straightest path ahead. Read the great article in it's full entirety here.
  

Before I had read this article I felt this might be what might be in the future of Mitt Romney and Michigan. While I know Mitt Romney ain't reading this post, if he were, I would say to him "you can always come home." I think this would be awesome for him to run for Michigan governor.
Except now, according to an email I received, Mitt Romney is planning on running for national office in 2012. I am on some email list from different people who are planning on attending the National GOP Convention. Some of these people mass emailed about me and others supporting them at the Michigan GOP Convention to attend the National GOP Convention. I have to be honest here. While I wish it were a case of "Gee, I really want 'Michigan Redneck's' support," it is a case of mistaken identity. They think I am the chairperson of my county. Well, maybe they do know who I am, I don't know.
One recent email I received was from someone who forwarded an email from someone who was a major Romney campaigner in Michigan. This person talked with the Romney campaign. According to said person, the Romney campaign has confirmed that he is planning on running for president in 2012. Also, he will not be seeking the office of vice president. It is said that Mitt Romney will campaign for John McCain if asked. I don't know this for fact. I am just repeating what I heard.
Also in this email was a link to Mitt Romney's campaign suspension speech, at CPAC. I was trying to think if I should post the first couple paragraphs and link to the speech. But I decided to post my utmost faves, from this terrific speech. So here it is.

• Governor Romney's Address To CPAC (As Prepared For Delivery):
• "I want to begin by saying thank you. It's great to be with you again. And I look forward to joining with you many more times in the future.
• "Last year, CPAC gave me the sendoff I needed. I was in single digits in the polls, and I was facing household Republican names. As of today, more than 4 million people have given me their vote for President, less than Senator McCain's 4.7 million, but quite a statement nonetheless. Eleven states have given me their nod, compared to his 13. Of course, because size does matter, he's doing quite a bit better with his number of delegates.
• "To all of you, thank you for caring enough about the future of America to show up, stand up and speak up for conservative principles.
• "As I said to you last year, conservative principles are needed now more than ever. We face a new generation of challenges, challenges which threaten our prosperity, our security and our future. I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st century – still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world, no longer the superpower. And to me, that is unthinkable. Simon Peres, in a visit to Boston, was asked what he thought about the war in Iraq. 'First,' he said, 'I must put something in context. America is unique in the history of the world. In the history of the world, whenever there has been conflict, the nation that wins takes land from the nation that loses. One nation in history, and this during the last century, laid down hundreds of thousands of lives and took no land. No land from Germany, no land from Japan, no land from Korea. America is unique in the sacrifice it has made for liberty, for itself and for freedom loving people around the world.' The best ally peace has ever known, and will ever know, is a strong America.
• "And that is why we must rise to the occasion, as we have always done before, to confront the challenges ahead. Perhaps the most fundamental of these is the attack on the American culture.
• "Over the years, my business has taken me to many countries. I have been struck by the enormous differences in the wealth and well-being of people of different nations. I have read a number of scholarly explanations for the disparities. I found the most convincing was that written by David Landes, a professor emeritus from Harvard University. I presume he's a liberal – I guess that's redundant. His work traces the coming and going of great civilizations throughout history. After hundreds of pages of analysis, he concludes with this:
• "If we learn anything from the history of economic development, it is that culture makes all the difference. Culture makes all the difference.
• "What is it about American culture that has led us to become the most powerful nation in the history of the world? We believe in hard work and education. We love opportunity: almost all of us are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who came here for opportunity – opportunity is in our DNA. Americans love God, and those who don't have faith, typically believe in something greater than themselves – a 'Purpose Driven Life.' And we sacrifice everything we have, even our lives, for our families, our freedoms and our country. The values and beliefs of the free American people are the source of our nation's strength and they always will be.

• "The threat to our culture comes from within. The 1960's welfare programs created a culture of poverty. Some think we won that battle when we reformed welfare, but the liberals haven't given up. At every turn, they try to substitute government largesse for individual responsibility. They fight to strip work requirements from welfare, to put more people on Medicaid, and to remove more and more people from having to pay any income tax whatsoever. Dependency is death to initiative, risk-taking and opportunity. Dependency is a culture-killing drug. We have got to fight it like the poison it is.

Is gots to interrupt here. Y'all know how I feel about the "welfare state." If you are new to this blog and don't know, as a member of the working poor, it is a major pet peeve of mine. The working poor pays the most for this ("this" being the "welfare state"). Thus, this is probably my mostest favoritest part of his terrific speech, to take on this issue. Anyways, back to Mitt.

• "The attack on our culture is not our sole challenge. We face economic competition unlike anything we have ever known before. China and Asia are emerging from centuries of poverty. Their people are plentiful, innovative and ambitious. If we do not change course, Asia or China will pass us by as the economic superpower, just as we passed England and France during the last century. The prosperity and security of our children and grandchildren depend on us.
• "Our prosperity and security also depend on finally acting to become energy secure. Oil producing states like Russia and Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Iran are siphoning over $400 billion per year from our economy – that's almost what we spend annually for defense. It is past time for us to invest in energy technology, nuclear power, clean coal, liquid coal, renewable sources and energy efficiency. America must never be held hostage by the likes of Putin, Chavez, and Ahmadinejad.
• "And our economy is also burdened by the inexorable ramping of government spending. Don't focus on the pork alone – even though it is indeed irritating and shameful. Look at the entitlements. They make up 60% of federal spending today. By the end of the next President's second term, they will total 70%. Any conservative plan for the future has to include entitlement reform that solves the problem, not just acknowledges it.
• "Most politicians don't seem to understand the connection between our ability to compete and our national wealth, and the wealth of our families. They act as if money just happens – that it's just there. But every dollar represents a good or service produced in the private sector. Depress the private sector and you depress the well-being of Americans.

• "That's exactly what happens with high taxes, over-regulation, tort windfalls, mandates, and overfed, over-spending government. Did you see that today, government workers make more money than people who work in the private sector? Can you imagine what happens to an economy where the best opportunities are for bureaucrats?

More interrupting. The highlighted part in this paragraph is another pet peeve of mine. As someone who wears a name tag to work, work that I am proud of regardless of how little money I make, I don't expect government workers to make as little money as me. It would be funny though. Back to Mitt.

• "It's high time to lower taxes, including corporate taxes, to take a weed-whacker to government regulations, to reform entitlements, and to stand up to the increasingly voracious appetite of the unions in our government.
• "And finally, let's consider the greatest challenge facing America – and facing the entire civilized world: the threat of violent, radical Jihad. In one wing of the world of Islam, there is a conviction that all governments should be destroyed and replaced by a religious caliphate. These Jihadists will battle any form of democracy. To them, democracy is blasphemous for it says that citizens, not God shape the law. They find the idea of human equality to be offensive. They hate everything we believe about freedom just as we hate everything they believe about radical Jihad.

• "Soon, the face of liberalism in America will have a new name. Whether it is Barack or Hillary, the result would be the same if they were to win the Presidency. The opponents of American culture would push the throttle, devising new justifications for judges to depart from the Constitution. Economic neophytes would layer heavier and heavier burdens on employers and families, slowing our economy and opening the way for foreign competition to further erode our lead.
• "Even though we face an uphill fight, I know that many in this room are fully behind my campaign. You are with me all the way to the convention. Fight on, just like Ronald Reagan did in 1976. But there is an important difference from 1976: today, we are a nation at war.

• "I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues, as you know. But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating Al Qaeda and terror. If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.

Time to interrupt again. I too also disagree with many things about John McCain. But I do agree with John McCain's belief in continuing on the issues that Mitt Romney mentioned. I do understand and accept Mitt's reasoning on standing behind John McCain. Mitt and I are in different positions within the Republican Party. So we each take different thoughts and/or actions. As a "dumb blogger" I don't have to stand behind John McCain, just give my opinions and thoughts. As y'all know, through my transformation here on this blog, I had briefly flirted with the thought of supporting John McCain after leaving my support of Mike Huckabee. But the more I studied him, the more I realized this was not what I stood for. Back to Mitt.

• "I will continue to stand for conservative principles. I will fight alongside you for all the things we believe in. And one of those things is that we cannot allow the next President of the United States to retreat in the face evil extremism.
• "It is the common task of each generation – and the burden of liberty – to preserve this country, expand its freedoms and renew its spirit so that its noble past is prologue to its glorious future.
• "To this task, accepting this burden, we are all dedicated, and I firmly believe, by the providence of the Almighty, that we will succeed beyond our fondest hope. America must remain, as it has always been, the hope of the Earth.
• "Thank you, and God bless America."

Please read all of his CPAC speech here. After hearing his speech, and reading it on his website again, I got to thinking about the old Terry Stafford song " You Don't Know What You've Got ('til it's gone)." Just FYI, Terry Stafford was somewhat of a "low rent" Elvis back in the 60's. After Fred Thompson pulled out of the race I was bummed out for a while. Maybe I was supporting Mitt because he was the only other alternative. Maybe I was supporting Mitt because he wasn't McCain or Huckabee. Whatever it was, I just couldn't get all that excited about Mitt Romney 'til the end. Now I guess I am feeling what ol' Terry Stafford would say, paraphrased, "I didn't know what I had 'til it was gone."
This post took me longer to write than I originally thought it would. I have been away from my blog and have had a lot of thoughts clogging my brain, along with the ebay thing. Now I am unclogging my brain. Many of you may not always agree with me, but you do know that I always blog from what is in my heart, regardless of what may or may not be the the thing to talk about. I had taken the advice of a great friend who told me to continue to blog from what is in my heart and what I truly believe, after going through a really downer period in which some trust issues got in my way.
I may be down about the '08 election. But I will still look forward and not backward. I know that with great men like Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson, the Republican Party can and will survive. Conservative issues will go forward and be the spotlight. These issues are the bedrock of this country.
I am totally looking forward to the upcoming State GOP Convention, this weekend. Michigan really does matter. And our state's little GOP organization has great leaders. Since Mitt Romney doesn't have any more national campaigning to do, I surely hope he will be one of our "surprise speakers."

That Doesn't Mean I Support John McCain...

...But I thought I would bring this news to you. Fred Thompson endorses John McCain. Here is the details in the WashingtonPost.com

Fred Thompson Backs McCain

By Michael D. Shear
Fred Thompson, the one-time Republican presidential candidate, endorsed Sen. John McCain Friday, calling on the party to "close ranks" behind the presumed nominee.

"This is no longer about past preferences or differences. It is about what is best for our country and for me that means that Republican should close ranks behind John McCain," Thompson said in a statement reported by the Associated Press.

Thompson's endorsement was expected. The two men were colleagues for years in the Senate and shared what associates called a friendship. But while he was in the race, Thompson had bristled at the idea that he was going to drop out and endorse McCain.

The endorsement now may help McCain to coalesce the factions of the party around him. Thompson, who represented Tennessee in the Senate for eight years, is thought of well in the South, an area that McCain has not done well in. [source]

Some Gossip

Looks like John McCain will win Florida.

Supposedly Rudy Giuliani will be pulling out and endorsing John McCain.

Of course Huck and Ron Paul are sticking in the race, sorta like the time when I was a little kid and took a nap while I was chewing gum. The gum got stuck in my hair and my mom got ticked off, trying all kindsa ways to get it out.

Something needs to give. Mitt needs Fred. I really hope Fred Thompson can come out and endorse Mitt Romney.

For the Democrats, so far Hillary Clinton has 50% of the vote. She won't be getting any delegates, from Florida.

Sorry I have not been posting like I had been. This whole thing makes me want to puke.

Public Apology Letter to Mitt Romney

Dear Mr. Willard Mitt Romney,

I doubt you will ever read this letter. I doubt you have ever even heard of my blog. That doesn't matter. I have something to say, regardless if you ever know I have said it. I must be nothing but honest, there is going to be positive and negative in this letter. Perhaps honesty is a social no-no in politics, but that has never stopped me before.
I am a former Mike Huckabee supporter turned Fred Thompson supporter. I have been following this primary race since a couple weeks before the 2007 Michigan Republican State Conference in February. I heard you speak at the state convention. When I had heard you speak at the convention I really liked what you had to say. I went into that convention and hearing your speech knowing that you were a Mormon. I went in knowing that your stance on abortion had changed. While I am pro-life and do not agree with the teachings of the Mormon Church these things did not affect me.
When I came back home from the convention I still liked you. But I wanted to be the free American that I am by checking into all the candidates. I still was considering you as my top choice. During this time I found out about Mike Huckabee.
At first Mike Huckabee was mildly leaning towards populism, but not like it is now. See, Mr. Romney sir, as you can tell from my blog name that I am not a country club debutante. I am a blue collar worker. I struggle to pay my bills. I pay my bills according to who is threatening to shut off my services first. I am as active in the Republican Party as I possibly can be. I am not the stereotypical high society Republican. I am unmarried, so this is not something I am doing as a "spousal hobby." Nor am I looking for a spouse within the Republican Party.
You may think, from my social standing in life, that the reason I am a Republican is because of the social values the party espouses. That is far from the truth. I do believe in social values. But these things are the veggie dish on the plate. Things like economy, security and immigration are the meat and potatoes for me. Now you would think that if I am poor and I am worried about the economy I would become a Democrat. That is far from the truth. This is one of the biggest myths portrayed be the Democrats. I believe in the Republican projection of personal economic freedom. I am whole heartedly against the welfare state. People like me pay into it the most. People like me see the effects most, while we are in line at the grocery store.
Now when I heard Mike Huckabee speak about how he is different from most Republicans, I bought into this. I thought "finally one of my own is getting into the spotlight." During this time in which I first started learning about Mike Huckabee I was also checking into the '08 presidential message boards on MSNBC. I was reading the message board about you. It was mostly about your Mormonism. There were some people on this board who claimed to be Mormon. some of the stuff that people, alleged Mormons and non-Mormons said were rather strange. I took this as fact that they were truly Mormons. Perhaps some of them really were. But after getting nasty comments from Huckabee supporters, after switching support to Fred Thompson, I noticed that there was something in their comments that made me recall the conversations, from both sides, on this message board. Am I accusing anyone of anything? No. I am just saying...
Well now Fred Thompson is out of the race. I had already voted here in Michigan. So, I could have just said, "gee Fred Thompson is out of the race and the Michigan Primary is finished so there is not point for me to post anything political." Well that is far from the truth. There are still many more states ahead and I want to keep people in those states informed. And I want to continue following this primary policy. But here is where I must be honest. Whom do I follow and post about?
Fred Thompson was the best choice. But he is no longer in the race. Now who is the second best? I guess in my case third choice. So far, it looks like you, Mr. Romney. There are things I don't like about you. But most of these things are personal related as opposed to policy. But none of these personal things are no longer Mormon related. In fact last night I did something I never thought I would. I deleted all the anti-Mormon things I ever posted. I am not sure if I am going to delete any other negative non-Mormon related posts I ever wrote about you.
Again, there are things about your church I do not agree with, but I do not think you are going to force Mormonism down the throats of the American people. Nor do I think Mormons are going to take over the Republican Party. A possible Mitt Romney presidency may bring in more Mormons to the Republican Party. I say to them "Welcome." We need all the people involved in the party we can get. But I do not believe they will take over "the Establishment" that one of your opponents and his supporters talks about. I do not believe that any possible Mormons that enter into the Republican Party would have any problem with a single woman that drinks. I know that is against your beliefs, but I do not think anyone would shove me out of the party.

After this long letter, I want to say to you, Mr. Romney, I am sorry for anything I said about your religion that would have upset you if you were to have ever read it. I am still going to look into you before I truly decide to support you.

Sincerely,
Michigan Redneck

Thompson's Exit Seen as Boost to Mitt Romney

• Ex-Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson’s departure from the race for the Republican presidential nomination is already helping former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney and according to one top Thompson adviser, Romney will continue to reap the rewards.
• “Thompson leaving the race helps Romney,” said Rich Galen, a Thompson adviser and frequent traveling companion. “Everyone has a hole in their conservative credentials except Romney.”
• As Romney steadily rises in polls in winner-take-all Florida ahead of Tuesday’s primary, a new Field Poll of California voters released yesterday shows at least 30 percent of “Fred heads” will pick Romney as their second choice.

• “Anybody who ran for office in this field is a very strong individual and should be considered as a VP nominee whether for me or for somebody else,” Romney said, according to CBS News. “He’s a terrific and highly capable guy and anyone would think that having Fred Thompson as a VP would be a good thing.”

• Of Thompson supporters, Galen said, “They (would sooner) not vote rather than back (Arizona Sen. John) McCain, and (former New York City Mayor Rudy) Giuliani is just a non-starter.” [more here]
  

Senator Thad Cochran Endorses Mitt Romney

Just a few posts ago I said that I would not be posting about Mitt Romney, yet. Well, for this moment I am breaking this rule. I was just over visiting at Hillbilly White Trash's blog. I was reading a comment from one of the readers. He said that Senator Thad Cochran endorsed Mitt Romney. Thad Cochran had been a Fred Thompson supporter. I felt this important, due to the fact that it is one person, thus far from the Thompson camp that is going to Mitt Romney.

Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288-6390

Boston, MA – Today, Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) announced that he was endorsing Governor Mitt Romney and his candidacy for President of the United States. Senator Cochran joins a Romney for President team that includes Senators Robert Bennett (R-UT), Wayne Allard (R-CO), Jim DeMint (R-SC), Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT).

"It is an honor to join Governor Romney and his campaign for our nation's highest office. At this moment our nation faces unprecedented challenges, and Governor Romney has the experience, vision and values needed to strengthen our country for future generations," said Senator Cochran. "Governor Romney is a man of outstanding judgment and strong character. I look forward to working with him and helping to implement his conservative vision when he is elected our next President."

Welcoming Senator Cochran's support, Governor Romney said, "Senator Cochran has been a strong voice for the State of Mississippi and our conservative values in the United States Senate. He has been dedicated to improving the quality of life of all Americans while defending this great country from foreign threats. I am proud that he has joined our campaign to strengthen our military, our economy and our families."

More here from Mitt Romney's website.

What to Do?

I know my past couple posts have been Czech related. Don't despair. I will soon be posting about politics and Michigan again. After having supported Mike Huckabee, then supporting Fred Thompson I do not want to jump into things on the national race. I found out that Mike Huckabee was not who he portrayed himself to be. While I had been supporting Mike Huckabee I was also checking into Fred Thompson. During this time I found out that while supporting Mike Huckabee I was allowing my conservative beliefs and principles to be dumbed down. When I looked into Fred Thompson my beliefs and principles came back. I was devastated when Fred Thompson pulled out of the race.
Currently I am checking into Mitt Romney. Maybe I will look into Ron Paul. I am not that overjoyed with his views on some things. There is no way I can support Rudy Giuliani or John McCain. I can not find anyone I believe to be truly conservative. When I look into the attitudes of supporters, Mitt Romney has the best supporters, bar none. While I can not just choose to support someone just based on supporters, I do believe supporters along with endorsers can give a glimpse into the candidate themselves.
I will keep a button to the side for Mitt Romney's website. Any reader is welcome to click this on and check out Mitt Romney and make their own decision. I am currently not ready to post about Mitt Romney. I may provide links to articles about him, but no commentary, yet.

Duncan Hunter Bows out of Race

From CBN News.

Hunter Bows Out Before Vote Tallies

The Associated Press

January 19, 2008

CBNNews.com - SAN DIEGO - Rep. Duncan Hunter is dropping out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination after a poor showing in the Nevada caucus, his campaign said Saturday.

Click play to hear Duncan Hunter's comments after dropping out of the race.

"We thought we'd do much better in Nevada, but the numbers weren't there," said campaign spokesman Bob Bevill. "We were not able to get any traction."

In recent weeks Hunter, a California congressman, was forced at every stop to dispel rumors that the campaign was already dead and was unable to talk about the issues, Bevill said. The best showing of Hunter's campaign was in Wyoming's Jan. 5 caucuses, in which he won 8 percent of the vote, finishing third behind Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson.

"The media has a 'vote someone off the island' mentality and Duncan Hunter was a casualty of that," said Bevill.

Hunter, a Vietnam veteran, was elected to Congress in 1980 as part of President Reagan's sweep into power. He appealed to some conservatives by focusing on military issues and border security. [click here to watch the video]

Last night I said that I would like to see Duncan Hunter endorse Fred Thompson. Fred is the most likely for him to endorse. When I was checking out candidates after leaving the Huckabee support, I did look into Duncan Hunter. I liked what I found out about him. But he was mostly just about the immigration issue and I needed more from a candidate.

Perhaps he was in the '08 race to test the waters for '12 and didn't want to get to deep into the issues because of which. That is fine. Perhaps he will try again in '12, if Fred Thompson won't be running for re-election (wink, wink, nod, nod), and be more issues in depth. But this is the here and now. Fred needs all the help he can get. And that help would be for Duncan Hunter to endorse Fred Thompson. On the immigration issue, Fred is the most likely for Duncan to endorse.

Thompson Thanks Supporters in South Carolina

From CBN News.

Thompson Thanks His Supporters in SC

CBNNews.com

January 19, 2008

CBNNews.com - Well before Sen. John McCain was declared the winner of South Carolina's primary, Fred Thompson thanked his supporters for their hard work.

"I want to thank everybody who's been involved in what we're doing ... want to thank my supporters in South Carolina," Thompson said.

"It's never been about me; it's been about our country, the future of our country, and our parties role in that future," he said. [click here to view the video]

Transcript of Fred Thompson on Glenn Beck

Fred Thompson Interview

Audio Available:

January 18, 2008 - 11:19 ET

GLENN: Senator Fred Thompson, how are you, sir?

SENATOR THOMPSON: Hey, Glenn, how are you doing?

GLENN: Very good. It's a big weekend for you. I want to talk to you a little bit about the economy. Everybody now is talking about a stimulus package. George Bush, $800 tax rebates, Hillary Clinton wants everything from environmental rebates to -- I mean, everybody's giving away money. What would you do if you were President of the United States for the economy?

SENATOR THOMPSON: Well, it doesn't sound very exciting to start with but I'd try to make sure I knew what I was doing. We went through this in 2001, you know, and it's a rebate -- I mean, it's a stimulus party and everybody wants to load up the Christmas tree for their favorite projects and, you know, the Democrats want to drop money out of an airplane and things of that nature. But I think we need to first of all count on the Fed to do the right thing, which probably is going to be another 1/2 point cut from all I can tell. I think that that will do a lot in terms of the short term. We need to look at things like doing away with the lower tax bracket for a year, increasing the child tax credits from $1,500 for a year. I think that's probably what Fred was talking about. Sounds like it's about $150 billion package that would probably do some good in the form of tax rebates. But we can waste a lot of money in this respect and increase our deficit if we're not careful. We need to be target, we need to be somewhat careful and we need to make sure that the remedy matches the problem. [more here]

National Ledger Talks about Fred and Rush

Rush Limbaugh and Fred Thompson

By Chris Davis Jan 17, 2008

No! Rush Limbaugh hasn't endorsed Senator Fred Thompson. He hasn't endorsed any Republican candidate for President of the United States. In fact, he's gone out of his way not to endorse anyone. He wants to endorse a candidate, but the problem is that no one has emerged.

Rush Limbaugh Supports Fred Thompson, Why Don't You?

You can hear it in Limbaugh’s voice and see it in his face. He badly wants to throw the full weight of conservatism behind that candidate. He so desperately wants to that his teeth probably hurt. He’s waiting, waiting for someone to take the lead. Get noticed. He’s waiting for someone to give him the go ahead to cream the opposition.

You can hear the excitement in Rush’s voice when he talks about the South Carolina primary. It’s “The Passion.” The passion of conservatism emerging when he talks about that primary. Why, you ask? Because, for the first time since the primaries have begun, conservative Republicans will be voting for fellow conservative Republicans. [must read more here]

Anti-Soundbites

The Anti-Soundbite Candidate

The American Thinker

By Rick Moran

Fred Thompson is not the most inspiring speaker in the GOP race for President. Nor is he the best looking or the smoothest talking among the candidates running. He doesn't have Mitt Romney's hair or Mike Huckabee's glibness. He isn't as aggressively positive as Rudy Giuliani. And while his personal story is compelling, it can't compete with John McCain's inspirational journey from POW to the gates of the White House.

But Fred Thompson is perhaps the most substantative candidate to run for President in many years. He has taken the time to think about what should be the relationship between the government and the governed. He has framed his thoughts within the context of a set of bedrock conservative principles that animates his thinking and generates sound ideas about where America should be headed.

There is a heft to Thompson, a seriousness of purpose that none of the other candidates can match. It is most pronounced during the debates where Thompson's answers to questions are more subtle and nuanced than those of his rivals. His sometimes laconic style zings his opponents with brutal accuracy. Often, the candidate will answer a question by stating "Yep" or "Nope" and pause a few seconds to gather his thoughts. What follows is almost always coherent and is informed by years of experience in government.

His now famous moment during the Des Moines Register debate where he refused to raise his hand like a schoolboy when the moderator asked who believed in global warming was a metaphor for the entire Thompson campaign; keeping the Mickey Mouse to a minimum while trying to be as substantative as possible with the voters. In short, Thompson is running the campaign his way and not in a manner dictated by any previous candidate's success or any criticism that comes his way from media pundits.

He has well thought out policy positions - "White Papers" the campaign calls them - have won him almost universal praise from sources as wildly divergent as the Washington Post and the National Review. [must read more here]

Fred Thompson and the Constitution

The Constitution is Not a “Living, Breathing Document”

Posted on January 18th, 2008
By Fred in Law, Judges

This morning I heard that one of the other candidates commented that the Constitution is a “living, breathing document.”

Frankly, I assumed this came from Senator Clinton or Senator Obama. It is identical to what Al Gore said when he was running for President in 2000, when he said he would look for judges “who understand that our Constitution is a living, breathing document, that it was intended by our founders to be interpreted in the light of the constantly evolving experience of the American people.”

Imagine my surprise when I learned that this statement actually came from my opponent, Governor Huckabee, in an interview with CNN this morning. Now I know Governor Huckabee was talking about amending the Constitution, but I don’t think he understood that he was using code words that support judicial activism.

He does not appear to understand that reliance on the notion that the Constitution is a living, breathing document is precisely the kind of wrong-headed thinking about the Constitution that gave us Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion across our nation, and Lawrence v. Texas, which decriminalized sodomy.

I do not believe the Constitution is a living, breathing document. I am committed to appointing strict constructionist judges to the bench if I am elected President, strict constructionists who believe the Constitution has a fixed meaning that can be applied to cases that come before the courts today. They do NOT believe the Constitution is a “living, breathing document,” whose meaning, constantly changing with the sifting sands of our culture, can be determined and applied by unelected judges.

I fear that this loose language about our Constitution calls into question Governor Huckabee’s appreciation and understanding of the issue of judicial activism and raises questions as to what kind of judges he would appoint were he to become President.

[NOTE: Mike Huckabee’s words today contradict what he says on his website. –Sean]

[source]

Fred Thompson Defends Prison Camps

Fred Thompson defends prison camps

Posted on Fri, Jan. 18, 2008

MARY ANN CHASTAIN / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jeri Thompson holds her son Sammy, 1, as her husband Republican presidential hopeful former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn. makes a campaign stop to take part in a talk radio show Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008, in West Columbia, S.C.

SENECA, S.C. --

(AP) -- Republican U.S. presidential candidate Fred Thompson on Friday defended the detention of foreign nationals at the U.S. Navy base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

''The last thing in the world we need is a bunch of enemy combatants over here in our court system,'' the former Tennessee senator said during a radio interview in front of a couple hundred people at a restaurant.

He said closing the detention facility would allow prisoners to demand rights given to U.S. citizens and would not help ``buy off world opinion.''

The Guantánamo remarks were a slap at Arizona Sen. John McCain, the winner of the New Hampshire primary and former Vietnam-held prisoner-of-war, who has called for the facility to be shuttered in part because it is harming the United States' global reputation.

Thompson is in a tough struggle in South Carolina. He is looking to wedge himself among candidates who are leading in the polls and have won earlier contests. [source]

Thompson: Bush Admin overlawyered DC 2A case

h/t to Buckeye Firearms Association who posted on this article from Red State.

• [NRO UPDATE]
• Fred Hits DoJ for "Overlawyering" Gun Rights Case

• Gun rights advocates were understandably dismayed when the Bush Administration Justice Department submitted a brief in District of Columbia v. Heller, the big Second Amendent case to be argued later this term, calling for a remand of the case for reconsideration of D.C.'s gun laws under a less demanding constitutional standard. Given the Bush Administration's support for an "individual rights" view of the Second Amendment, many find it incomprehensible that the Administration would not support the D.C. Circuit decision holding D.C.'s draconian gun restrictions unconstitutional. The DoJ's brief is also a potentially unwelcome development in the Presidential race, as it could dampen gun owners' support of GOP candidates.

  I do not know whether any of the other campaigns have taken notice of the DoJ brief, but Fred has. As reported on RedState, Thompson accused the administration of "overlawyering" the case. After all, if an individual rights view of the Second Amendment does not proscribe an outright ban on handgun possession, there is not much left of the rights it purportedly protects.

• The Fred Thompson for President, South Carolina bus tour reached Spartanburg today, where the Law & Order TV star candidate fielded questions at Papa's Breakfast Nook from Charlotte, N.C.'s WBT-AM radio talk show host Jeff Katz.
• Asked his opinion of the Second Amendment and the Solicitor General's request that the DC Circuit Court remand the appeal back to the trial court for "fact-finding", the lawyer turned Senator from Tennessee said the Bush Administration was "overlawyering" and stated that he opposed remand and that the case should move forward to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• The DC District Court in an opinion written by Judge Silberman, struck down the DC ban on the possession of hand guns even in one's own home. Judge Silberman ruled that the Second Amendment protected an individual right to protect one's home with arms that pre-dates the Constititution. [more here]

Also the article in Buckeye Firearms Association has a previous posting on Senator Thompson writing about District of Columbia v. Heller:

• By Fred Thompson
• Republican Candidate for President
• Fred08.com
• Here's another reason why it's important that we appoint judges who use the Constitution as more than a set of suggestions.
• Today [Tuesday, November 20], the Supreme Court decided to hear the case of District of Columbia v. Heller.
• Six plaintiffs from Washington, D.C. challenged the provisions of the D.C. Code that prohibited them from owning or carrying a handgun. They argued that the rules were an unconstitutional abridgment of their Second Amendment rights. The Second Amendment, part of the Bill of Rights, provides, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
• The District argued, as many gun-control advocates do, that these words only guarantee a collective "right" to bear arms while serving the government. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected this approach and instead adopted an "individual rights" view of the Second Amendment. The D.C. Circuit is far from alone. The Fifth Circuit and many leading legal scholars, including the self-acknowledged liberal Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe, have also come to adopt such an individual rights view.
• I've always understood the Second Amendment to mean what it says - it guarantees a citizen the right to "keep and bear" firearms, and that's why I've been supportive of efforts to have the D.C. law overturned. [more here]
  

Fred Thompson on Push Polling

Fred Thompson Gets Mad

By Joel Achenbach
PROSPERITY, S.C. -- You rarely see Fred Thompson get too riled about anything, but steam was near about shooting from his ears today when he heard at a campaign stop that some of his supporters had received "push poll" calls from a group supporting Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

At a steak house in this small town west of Columbia, a man in the small crowd told Thompson that many people had gotten such calls in the past 24 hours. Thompson asked anyone who had received such a call to raise his or hand. At least a dozen hands shot up. The former senator said he'd heard of push polls accusing him of supporting partial birth abortion.

"They're taking the most outrageous, easily disproved things that they can come up with. It's amazing to me. Its so ham-handed," Thompson said. "I had a 100 percent pro-life voting record over 8 years."

Trey Taylor, 41, told The Post that he'd gotten a call in which, after he'd revealed his preference for Thompson, a recorded voice said Thompson had lobbied on behalf of a "radical" pro-abortion organization. The recording then cited Huckabee's anti-abortion record.

Speaking with reporters, Thompson looked like he was ready to strip the bark off Huckabee. He suggested that Huckabee isn't trying to "win the legitimate way" by focusing on the issues. At the most recent debate, he said, "I confronted him man to man, with regard to the issues. This is the response I get."

Thompson said he expects the governor of South Carolina to respond to the push polling. The state, he said, has gotten a "bad rap" for nasty campaign tactics in the past. This time, he said, "The only one I know that's doing any negative campaigning here is the Huckabee people." [source]

Since it is not proof positive that Mike Huckabee himself or even his campaign has anything to do with this directly I will assume that it is not from the Huck camp. But I do have some suspicions about some stuff. Supposedly Mike Huckabee has been telling them to stop. They aren't stopping. They are supposed to be from his supporters. If he can't persuade "friends" how can he persuade enemies?

David Limbaugh Endorses Fred Thompson!

Rush Limbaugh's brother, David, Endorses Fred Thompson.

• New Column: Answering Fred's Call
  Commentators are citing the unpredictability of the Republican primary contests as proof that Reagan conservatism is dead when precisely the opposite conclusion is warranted.
• The main reason the conventional wisdom is being shattered in the primaries is that conservative voters, so far, have not been persuaded there is an electable, reliable conservative in the race.
• But as I've stated before, I believe Fred Thompson is a reliable, consistent conservative. There are others in the field I could support, but not without some reservations. The more I learn about Fred and observe him in action, the more convinced I become that he's the right choice.
• I was among those who urged Fred to step up and prove to the people he wanted the job. Regardless of whether Fred actually had "fire in his belly," the unmistakable perception out there was that he did not, so I encouraged him to add a little spring to his step.
• But I've also appreciated Fred's unwillingness to be somebody he is not. He will not respond like a puppet when a debate moderator tells him to raise his hand to signify a childishly simplistic approval or disapproval of a certain policy. He will not be goaded by interviewers into saying things he doesn't feel comfortable saying. He won't divide us with class envy or pretend we can be friends with rogue regimes or terrorists. He does not promise a chicken in every pot or pander to liberals on global warming.
  He will not otherwise tailor his positions to suit the demands of particular constituencies. For example, he has the courage to preach that Social Security is in trouble, but unlike most others, he doesn't surrender to the oppressive populist seduction to urge government fixes for it or for health care. Instead, he courageously tells us -- if we'll listen -- that the answers lie in greater market forces. (Listen up, conservatives.)
• Fred does not run from his record -- more to the point, he doesn't need to. He shoots straight without the constant self-serving reminders that he does, as in telling us he's driving the "Straight Talk Express."
• More importantly, Fred is right on the issues, and there's little doubt his positions are firm. Research his stances; read his position papers. You'll find he's very strong in all areas important to mainstream conservatives, including national defense, taxes, spending, life, immigration, federalism, appointing originalist judges, health care and education.
• I'm not drooling over Fred or saying his record is flawless, but I am saying he's the real deal, and it's a bit disappointing that more haven't taken a closer look.
• I think this is due partly to his laid-back personality and partly to his timing. He peaked about the time he was contemplating entering the race but not acting on it. By the time he jumped in, it was anticlimactic, and he still hasn't recovered from that reversal.
• There has also been a negative momentum hovering over his already-stalled campaign, acting as a psychological barrier to his catching fire among conservative voters.
• There is simply too much herd mentality among us about electability. We tell ourselves a candidate is not inspiring, then pretty soon we're convinced he's unelectable, and, voila, he almost becomes so. Yet, at that very moment, he's proving to us that he is quite presidential, quite electable and quite motivated for the job -- if we can only shed our predispositions against his "electability." Since electability is often a matter of collective perception, it can turn on a dime, as with the reversal of the respective fortunes of screaming Howard Dean and somniferous John Kerry in 2004.
• This primary season, relatively speaking, has just begun. But Fred is now up against the wall. How can we expect him to have done much better than he has to date with everyone prattling on about the overwhelming odds against him? The "experts" continue to be wrong at almost every turn, so why can't they be wrong about Fred, too? It's time to quit empowering them by following their dictatorial doom-prophecies. It’s encouraging that John Zogby's latest South Carolina poll shows that while levels of support for McCain and Huckabee "have remained static," Fred is starting to move up.
• Supporters have asked Fred to step up, and he has -- he has shone brilliantly in the last month, setting himself head and shoulders above the pack in many cases. Now it's time for conservative voters to step up and quit placing artificial limitations on Fred, and on themselves.
• Fred has answered the conservatives' call. Shouldn't we answer his?
• Posted by David Limbaugh at January 17, 2008 07:32 PM
• [source]

To my fellow Fred Heads in South Carolina, I voted for Fred in Michigan. I knew he was polling low in Michigan. That didn't matter. What matters is principles. I voted on principles. Even if I didn't think Fred has a chance in hell of winning, I still would have voted those same principles. But I do think Fred has a chance in hell, and heaven, and high water of winning. Don't let these dipwads on TV tell you how to vote. Don't be swayed by the flip floppers, and there are many of them, who say what they think you want to hear.

Many a regular reader knows I love my state and will fight tooth and nail for my state. But I will tell ya what, this '08 primary just goes to show ya that there is some nuckinfuts stupid people in Michigan.

"Gee, I'm old and remember what a keen governor George Romney was. Poor fella, he didn't get to be the Republican nominee. I know, I will make it up to his memory by voting for his son in the primary."

"John McCain sure is swell. He fought in 'nam. He is a war hero. That makes him a terrific Republican." I am not dissing on John McCain's heroic record. I am dissing on his supporters in Michigan.

"Mike Huckabee is a pastor who wants to change the consitution to a Christian version of Sharia law. That sounds super."

Do you realize how moronic this sounds? Please, people of South Carolina, don't force me to make fun of you. But I will if I have to.

Huck Hypocrasy

Huckabee's Hypocrisy: Another Flip Questions his Credibility

Huckabee - Competing for the "Gold" in Flip-Flops with Romney

Columbia, SC - After years of opposing the strict enforcement of America's immigration laws, Mike Huckabee conveniently changed his mind yesterday and signed a 'no amnesty pledge,' just in time for the South Carolina primary on Jan. 19th.

Huckabee reportedly 'promised not to support any kind of special path to citizenship for illegal immigrants here in the U.S.' (Fox News, 1/16/08)

Yet in 2006, Huckabee said that opposition to such a path was "driven by racism or nativism."

"' I do believe some of it is driven by racism or nativism,' he said of the opposition within his party to Mr. Bush's view that illegal aliens should not be deported but rather fined and eventually allowed U.S. citizenship. 'It's not amnesty to make people pay for breaking the law,' Mr. Huckabee said."(Washington Times, 5/17/06)

And in his own book - not some off the cuff comments that may have not been well thought out - Huckabee called specifically for a "a pathway toward legal status and citizenship" for illegal immigrants.

"It would be sheer folly to attempt to suddenly impose strict enforcement of existing laws, round up 12 million people, march them across the border, and expect them to stay. What does make sense is a revision of our laws, one giving those here illegally a process through which they pay a reasonable fine in admission of their guilt for the past infraction of violating our border laws and agree to adhere to a pathway toward legal status and citizenship." (Mike Huckabee, From Hope to Higher Ground, 2007, p. 117-118)

Huckabee's policy positions are a matter of convenience, not conviction. That's not leadership, it's populism. South Carolina voters deserve to know the truth about Huckabee's record.

* Huckabee championed an effort to give illegal immigrants taxpayer-funded college scholarships and in-state tuition. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/27/05)
* Huckabee opposed a raid on an Arkansas employer that utilized illegal immigrants. (Associated Press, 8/5/05)
* Championed the effort to open a Mexican Consulate in Arkansas to issue identification cards to legal and illegal residents. (AP, 10/18/06)

Not only did Mike Huckabee flip on immigration yesterday, he also flipped on his long standing support for a national smoking ban. [source]

Fred ThompsonCriticizes Appeal to Saudis

Thompson criticizes appeal to Saudis

Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:08pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Appealing to Saudi Arabia to encourage higher oil production to help lower prices is not in the long-term interest of the United States, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson said on Wednesday.

The White House said President George W. Bush hopes that as a result of his talks this week with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, OPEC would be encouraged to increase production to help alleviate high oil prices, which have touched $100 a barrel.

Appearing on CNN, Thompson was asked whether, as president, he would turn to Saudi Arabia for help as Bush did.

Thompson, a former Tennessee senator, said the problem was a "little bigger" than Saudi Arabia.

"It's not in the United States' long-term interest to go hat in hand begging people to do things that in the end we know they're not going to do," Thompson said.

"What we need to concentrate on is diversifying our own energy sources here in this country and opening up what oil reserves that we have here ... using nuclear more, using clean coal technology more and all the other things that we can do," Thompson said. [more here]

Fred Thompson Criticizes US Spending

Thompson criticizes US spending

Posted: Jan 16, 2008 12:59 PM

Updated: Jan 16, 2008 12:59 PM

LAURENS, SC (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson says US spending on programs like Medicare and welfare puts could lead to the same financial problems that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The former Tennessee senator said in Laurens Wednesday that demands for programs that pay for health care, welfare and social security will take up the entire budget within 30 years.

Thompson says the spending pattern can not be sustained.

Thompson points out a different person has won the three states decided so far, Iowa, New Hampshire and Michigan. He says he thinks there will be a different winner in South Carolina on Saturday. He hopes it will be him.

Thompson says he would get tough on illegal immigration by tightening the border and eliminating incentives for illegal immigrants. [source]