Fred Thompson's Non-Campaign Rolls On

Actor And Former Senator Explains Why He Could Be President, But Won't Commit To Running

(CBS/AP)  Fred Thompson isn't officially in the race for the Republican nomination yet, but the former Tennessee Senator and "Law & Order" star is sounding a lot like a candidate.

"If I didn't think I could win in November I wouldn't think about it," Thomspon said in an interview with Scott Baker for Breitbart.tv.

Thompson said he "had some thoughts" about when he might officially jump into the crowded field of Republican candidates, but he said he wasn't "ready to talk about that too much."

But, if he commits to running for president, Thompson said he will not do it halfway.

"I'm not interested in winning a primary and losing in November," he said in the Breitbart.tv interview. "I'm not interested in being the tallest midget in the room."

When asked about the Republicans who would be his competitors, Thompson would not go on the attack.

"Some of them I know very well, some of them I don't know well at all," he told Baker. "So I'm not going to pass judgment on them at all."

The former Senator did offer an example of what he thought voters were looking for in a candidate and weren't finding in Washington. Thompson also said voters might find what they were looking for in him.

"I think people are looking for someone that talks straight to them and deliver the news to them whether it's good or bad," Thompson said. "That's what I hope I bring to bear when people think of me in that context."

On one issue, Thompson seems to be in lockstep with the other Republicans in the presidential field.

Like the 10 leading Republican contenders did in a televised debate on Thursday, Thompson has argued against leaving Iraq unless stability is restored. He noted that even when the U.S. leaves Iraq, the world still will be full of danger.

Thompson, speaking Friday night to the Lincoln Club of Orange County in California, sketched a broad agenda that hewed to Reaganesque themes — a strong military, a limited federal government and robust free markets.

Thompson also warned that people in the United States must be prepared to sacrifice in a world threatened by terrorism and hostile governments.

"Every generation has made sure that it did its part to make sure that it did endure, with the sacrifices they made. And now it's our turn," Thompson said.

[thegame54644]

wow JackSteen1!!! that is one well thought out and intellectual argument. i'm so glad that there are people in this country that want to have a dialogue that is productive and open to sharing ideas instead of irrational name calling. you make me so proud.
fred thompson seems like a decent man with decent ideas and i would like to hear more.

[pepelapue6]

%u201CPolitics and morality are inseparable. And as morality%u2019s foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related. We need religion as a guide. We need it because we are imperfect, and our government needs the church, because only those humble enough to admit they%u2019re sinners can bring to democracy the tolerance it requires in order to survive.%u201D %u2014Ronald Reagan

[pepelapue6]

%u201CBiblical teaching is clear: God intends government to use law to enforce morality. Informed Christian people are essential to that process because the concept of justice that grounds good government can be twisted by evil men in power. If the Church doesn%u2019t stand in the gap giving substance to the words %u2018good%u2019 and %u2018evil,%u2019 then nothing prevents leadership from reversing the definitions, praising evil and punishing good. Tragically, this is already happening... Little by little, though, more things have been included under the broad rubric of %u2018politics.%u2019 One by one the secularists co-opted the moral issues, called them political, and told us to get off of the playing field... Notice the outcome. When Christians follow a policy of %u2018no politics,%u2019 it%u2019s easy to silence the moral voice of the Church. Simply label any issue %u2018political%u2019 and followers of Christ wave the white flag. This policy is tantamount to surrender... The myth of political passivity unwittingly makes a Christian virtue out of the vice of negligence. When we ignore our obligation to morally instruct the nation merely because someone labels it %u2018politics,%u2019 then it won%u2019t be long before the country teems with injustice as every man simply does %u2018what is right in his own eyes%u2019.%u201D %u2014Gregory Koukl

[pepelapue6]

Randal,
You sure have spent a lot of time and mental energy in responding to people who you now say are not worth responding to.
You seem to float around not really having any firm convictions or beliefs.
Whatever feels good at the moment, huh?

You used slavery as some kind of example that long term traditions can be wrong. You use this to try and create a right out of gay marriage. You also claim that Christians should stay out of politics and government. My friend, you should study your American History more. It was the Christians in America who stood up and said ENOUGH of the slavery. If the Christians had taken your command that they stand down, might slavery still be practiced today? In fact, in many non-Christian nations of the world today, slavery is still practiced. How do you explain that?

[gunnerv1]

The Liberals Creed, If you don't like what's being said, Es. when it's true, then attack the Messager

[pepelapue6]

"pepelapue6...... I know the revolutionary war history quite well and how the french, certain native american tribes all helped us abtain victory. Just trying to condense script.
Posted by cfin5 at 04:22 AM : May 07, 2007"

I understand. But, the truth of the matter illustrates the opposite of what you were trying to say, I believe. You were basically telling the Iraqi's they should have done this all alone, or at least without us. You used us as an example in saying that, see, we did it alone, so why can't the Iraqi's.
But, since we did not do it alone, and might not have done it at all without the alliances we had formed, your argument is not valid in the context you put it in. If you think the Iraqi's should stand alone, then so be it. But, you can't use our revolution as an example of standing alone against the forces of evil who oppress and stand in the way of freedom.

[cfin5]

pepelapue6...... I know the revolutionary war history quite well and how the french, certain native american tribes all helped us abtain victory. Just trying to condense script.

[pepelapue6]

"...War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse. When a people are used as mere human instruments for firing cannon or thrusting bayonets, in the service and for the selfish purposes of a master, such war degrades a people. A war to protect other human beings against tyrannical injustice; a war to give victory to their own ideas of right and good, and which is their own war, carried on for an honest purpose by their free choice--is often the means of their regeneration. A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature, who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. As long as justice and injustice have not terminated their ever renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to do battle for the one against the other...."~John Stuart Mill, The Contest in America, vol. 1, p.26 (1868).


"Veritas vos Liberabit" -Jesus Christ.

[randalds]

Condemnant quod non intellegunt

[pepelapue6]

Randal said, "you won't listen because your mind is already made up."
And that, my friend, is classic projection.
I'm still saying a prayer for you.

Randal said, "Yes I do believe our troops are dying for nothing just like I believe they were when I was serving in Vietnam."
Let's see, millions were being protected by our presense in Vietnam as evidenced by the slaughter of millions when cowards caused us to pull out in surrender.
I'd say that was something worth fighting for, but that's just me.
Iraq is not Vietnam. It never will be.
We will win there and the Iraqi's who have longed for Freedom and who appreciate America and our true allies, will build a great nation that will be a strong ally in the real fight against real religious fanatics (not the imaginary ones in your mind).

[randalds]

Artes, scientia, veritas

[randalds]

See what I mean buhk? They twist my words and/or pretend they were directed at them, just so they can be "offended" and go back to preaching. They are not worth replying to though.

[pepelapue6]

Randal said, "It's not true, but then again neither are most any of christian beliefs, so who am I to judge this one."

But, judging others based on your set of beliefs is all you do, sir. You have not put forward any ideas, anything positive, just judging based on your values. Pot calling the kettle black.

Randal said, "I believe in it the same way I believe that the earth is round, that it's the third planet from the Sun, that the Sun is just an average star in an average galaxy in the universe. It's the same way that I believe that water is chemically H2O or that I believe in the existence of atoms. I believe these things (and others)"

Yet, none of these things you have seen or felt or experienced with your own senses. You believe them because someone whom you trust has written it so. Hence a faith. No different than how Christians view the Bible. Yet, the Bible has not changed in thousands of years, and science has continued to change, getting things wrong and being forced to adapt to the new "consensus". The Bible has been under attack for over a thousand years and it still remains the same steady Word of God.

"I believe that man created god in his own image and likeness and gave human all of the best of attributes from humanity. Man gave morals and happiness and joy to the god he created. He didn't get them from him."

Another tenant of your faith?

[pepelapue6]

"Remember, we abtained our freedom ourselves,"
Posted by cfin5 at 11:40 PM : May 06, 2007

You really need to bone up on your American History. We did not do it alone. We had friends. Sure some were the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" stripes, but we were not alone.

Randal, I'm tired of your bigoted views and also tired of your preaching. You preach that we should not push our values on others, yet it is all you do.
As to your backpeddling on your hate, anger and irrational fear of Christians and others...in your own words...

"average hillbilly right wing Christian republicans...well...they'll see the second coming of George W. "Christ the Saviour" Bush."

"(the party is not worthy of a capital R)"

"I have no doubt that there are a few intelligent ones, such as Cheney and Rove who are smart enough to know that in order for Bush to win they needed to mobilize the hillbilly idiot Christian right wingers."

"of their messiah Bush are indeed morons, hillbillies, blinded by the light Christian lunatic right wingers."

"because Rove mobilized the more moronic people of the Christin right wing."

"people can worship any book of fables they choose,"

"And I can appreciate that sometimes my tone does get a bit....hostile"

"I am only angry toward Christians"

"George W. Bush and his lunatic friends"

"I have spoken calmly and with respect"
Oh really?

[cfin5]

Now that everybody has aired out the dirty laundry, lets get back to work and do something. I want Fred Thompson to run for president so I can get to know who he is. As I am an american constitutionalist, there is not much hope of anyone who is such to be elected president. Finding a reason for me to participate in the election is frustrating. Since our country has not retained a neutral stance for a LONG time in international affairs, here we are now in this mess. I say that if we would have promoted energy independence and "DID SO", we would be far less inclined to be tresspassing on someone elses dirt. My concern as a citizen is "OUR" dirt and the productivity of it. These Moose and Caribou that "supposedly" would be endangered are getting awefully expensive by us not producing our own oil....... One more thing I'm looking in a president is to get our boys home with some dignity. We have liberated them, set them up with a government to *** anarchy,.... now the rest is up to the Iraqis. If they as a people fail to retain the liberty they have, then to bad for them. It is not a dishonor for us to leave ASAP.Remember, we abtained our freedom ourselves,they have not. We dont need anymore "Make a country like us" forgein welfare programs PLEASE! I am really interested in some good, intelligent, and helpful ideas to be posted here. Policy making people in our government read these commentaries and who knows? Something just might "click" that will help us all!

[pwrslm]

Yes I do believe our troops are dying for nothing just like I believe they were when I was serving in Vietnam. Freedom is certainly worth fighting and dying for, as I know, but what's happening in Iraq is not about freedom for us here or for the freedom of the Iraqi's. It is not a war, it is a war crime. Posted by RandalDS

So its ok to fight for your freedom, but the Iraqi's dont qualify?

That sux. Sure glad I dont have to depend on you to protect my freedom.
Posted by pwrslm at 09:35 AM : May 06, 2007




However as for ga*y marriage the fact that society has been wrong about this for hundreds of years still doesn't make it right.
Posted by RandalDS

So, what make sodomy good?

Cmon, dont be a mental midget, why dont you back up your hypocricy instead of stand behind some lie?
Posted by pwrslm at 09:26 AM : May 06, 2007


Cmon half wit, why dont you answer questions that have impact instead of proving how much more ignorance you can spout off? Your getting cheap, if you cant carry your weight you deserve what you get.

[pwrslm]

First of all you're a troll, but I'll lower myself to answer you this one time. Enjoy it.

actually, your fools answer is nothing more than a cry for help, im no troll, you just dont like what you hear

We are not there fighting for Iraqi freedom.

this is the fame you claim? we liberated the Iraqi people...you missed the war..you also expose your ignorance to reality

George W. Bush and his lunatic friends don't give a rats as*s about the Iraqi people at all.

oh...your the troll here...why dont you surprise us and back up your BS with real facts? Ill tell ya why, cause there are none for you to use...GW ended what Saddam Started in Kuwait, Aholes like you ignore the big picture to spout rhetoric and gossip, your holier than shiite attitude is why people dont like america, not because America stood up and did what had to be done. If you call billy the perv clinton letting out boys get shot at for 8 years, and not doing anything about it "American" then your in the wrong america, go south, some guy named Chavez thinks like you do

You are the weakest link. Goodbye.
Posted by RandalDS

From someone who has no clue what reality is, insults from you are like your puking in your shoe and wondering why it stinks...

[randalds]

Scripture tells me that you will be able to tell who His followers are by their Love. Love tolerates other opionions and doesn't fight back. Randal, I appreciate your frevancy and your commitment to your cause. My prayer is that you will stumble across some Christians that will break your (somewhat valid) stereotypes and prove that some of us can show a genuine concern and respect for everyone.
Posted by buhk at 12:39 PM : May 06, 2007

Thank you for your words and your acceptance of my views. As I said before I am sorry if I came off a bit harsh when I first replied. there are many christians here who come off as holier then thou or like the other person I was talking to last night. They're convinced that as an atheist that I live some sort of lost and bitter life with no happiness or joy. They can't conceive that a person can be as happy and well adjusted as an atheist as they can be with religion. Most of them mean well I suppose, but many times it comes across as very arrogant. Anyway my email for this blog is [e-mail] if you'd care to talk more.

[randalds]

RandalDS... Your a classic example of the problem we have with most politicians today.....Lot's of talk, but just can't answer the question. Your yellow too!
Posted by cfin5 at 04:55 PM : May 06, 2007

Your phony question was answered to my satisfaction and I don't give a da*mn about yours, so shoo troll. Go squeak around somewhere else. Shoo.

[randalds]

So its ok to fight for your freedom, but the Iraqi's dont qualify?

That sux. Sure glad I dont have to depend on you to protect my freedom.
Posted by pwrslm at 09:35 AM : May 06, 2007

First of all you're a troll, but I'll lower myself to answer you this one time. Enjoy it.

We are not there fighting for Iraqi freedom. George W. Bush and his lunatic friends don't give a rats as*s about the Iraqi people at all. We are there because war is very very profitable and because some people in the White House were actually stupid enough to believe that democracy would flower all over the Middle-East if we took down Saddam. That alone makes them among the most ignorant people who have ever walked the face of the earth. The Iraqi's do not want a Western style democracy, they want a religious theocracy.

You are the weakest link. Goodbye.