Fred Thompson's Non-Campaign Rolls On

(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).