ABOUT FIRST READ

First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Fred Thompson for president?

Posted: Friday, March 09, 2007 3:04 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:

 

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
Former Majority Leader Howard Baker (R) confirms he has been calling GOP friends to drum up support for his old Watergate committee protégé Fred Thompson -- to run for president. Thompson, one of John McCain's original supporters in 2000, has not disavowed the effort.

Baker says Thompson has told him the drawback is that he has two small children -- but Baker will continue trying to build support for Thompson until the former senator tells him to stop. Which he hasn't. Baker told me: "I called him up -- and said I'm going to plant the seed that you ought to run for president. He told me that he has two small children at home. But I'm going to keep sending up balloons until he tells me not to, and he hasn't."

Why would Baker -- a former McCain supporter -- try to launch Thompson -- another former McCain supporter? Are they dissatisfied with McCain's candidacy? Baker wouldn't bite: "The reason to do it is Fred's a capable person and a longtime friend who would be a good president."

Baker added that McCain called him about his endorsement, but Baker told him he's not ready to endorse anyone yet. Baker has known McCain since the Arizona senator was a returned POW and Navy aide assigned to the Senate. But Baker's wife, former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker, is supporting McCain, an old friend.

MAIN PAGE

Email this EMAIL THIS

Comments

He's got my vote
Ron Paul is the only true "conservative" running for President in 2008. Fred Thompson is not an old-school conservative. Fred Thompson is a CFR member and former attorney and Washington lobbiest for GE, Westinghouse (now VIACOM),etc. He is anything but grassroots. He is sponsered at the highest level of insider politics. Fred Thompson supported fellow insider candidate John McCain foe President in 2000 then had the gall to sponser McCain's ANTI-FREESPEACH (campaign finance reform) which sought to limit conservative graasroots speach in national elections by seeking to shut down grassroots websites it the run up to elections. Fred Thompson is an acceptable candidate of the elitist NEO-CONSERVATIVES (i.e., false-conservatives, pseudo-conservatives) In other words, Fred Thompson is actually for new ideas, rather than conservation of our father's values. Ron Paul is the only true "conservative" running for President in 2008.
Ron Paul is the only true "conservative" running for President in 2008. Fred Thompson is not an old-school conservative. Fred Thompson is a CFR member and former attorney and Washington lobbiest for GE, Westinghouse (now VIACOM),etc. He is anything but grassroots. He is sponsered at the highest level of insider politics. Fred Thompson supported fellow insider candidate John McCain foe President in 2000 then had the gall to sponser McCain's ANTI-FREESPEACH (campaign finance reform) which sought to limit conservative graasroots speach in national elections by seeking to shut down grassroots websites it the run up to elections. Fred Thompson is an acceptable candidate of the elitist NEO-CONSERVATIVES (i.e., false-conservatives, pseudo-conservatives) In other words, Fred Thompson is actually for new ideas, rather than conservation of our father's values. Ron Paul is the only true "conservative" running for President in 2008.
If we could take back all the really stupid things we've said and/or done in our lives, we'd never have time to go forward! Can any of us say that the person we were at 20 is the same person we are now, at whatever age? There are a lot of us who have "cases of arrested development", but for the most part, we have been able to overcome our worst times, look back with a sigh of relief, and truly contribute to our families, and society at large. Fred Thompson is a man after our conservative hearts! He, as far as I can tell, has the courage of his convictions, and isn't afraid to articulate them. So, I do hope that he will run for president, and he will surely get my vote!
Run, Fred, Run!!! Fred Thompson for President!!!
I have been listening to the announced candidates for president and I would prefer to give my support to Fred Thompson. I have been an independent voter for over 30 years and feel the common sense lacking in Congress. I want someone who is conservative with the clarity and will to do the job without giving all our money to social programs. The country has headed too far to the left for years. I believe that many want less government and more enforcement of our present laws. We don't need more laws but we need more enforcement of the present laws. Run Fred Please!!!
When most people think of illegal immigration they think of Mexicans who are uneducated, and work cheap. Mexicans are not wimps like they pretend to be. Many of them carry knives and can cut both you ears of before you know that the are gone. However, only sixty percent are estimated to be banditos from Mexico the other forty percent are considered terrorist and foreign spies. I can’t understand those politicians who want to grant them amnesty which would allow them out of hiding. However, I am praying that this is a ploy by the federal government to get them to come out of hiding so that they can be arrested. While terrorists are using military tactics to lure all our fighting troops out of our country, they been infiltrating our borders by the millions without no one here to stop them. Our nation’s leader has fell for one of the biggest tricks in any military manual. Now we are helpless and the clock is ticking waiting for the right time to overtake our country (first taking our elected officials in Washington DC, our brass in the Pentagon and then the state governors) We have been warned in the past by a foreign power that this country was going to be taken over without firing a shot. I can’t understand President Bush’s motive because government officials will be the first ones killed when a takeover occurs. I believe him appointing a Mexican as an attorney general during this time is relevant. Our only defense that we have here at home is the few Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies which are staffed with just enough personnel to respond to isolated incidents. The only exception to this is the war veterans. I believe that the computer disks that were stolen from our VA hospitals were done for the purpose of finding out how many veterans are healthy enough to bear arms as the final level of our defense
it is surely destined for.How easily the masses are swayed by the next "rock star" ... Fred Thompson for President? He offers America nothing at all ... -- Diagnosed 2 years ago with a rare form of lymphoma, with a 63% five-year survival rate. Why bet against the odds, when our country needs a leader who is vigorous and healthy? -- Divorced in 2002, leaving his wife of 25 years for a woman 25 years his junior. Known womanizer ... Why don't we want a real family man as an example for our children? -- Now has a 3 1/2 year old and a 6 month old at home. What kind of selfish, power-hungry man, in the midst of a late life crisis would sacrifice his young family for his political ambitions? --- No organization or money ... running against the Hillary machine. By waiting, he has hurt his chances at building the kind of organization required to win in '08. --- Why hasn't he cared enough about the country to announce before now? No passion. No vision. No energy. Nothing to offer. We need a President who cares about US and can transform our nation with new and better ideas. Thompson has none of Reagan's charisma, energy, passion, or vision, and when sworn in, at 67, would be then, as he is now, already much "older" than Reagan was ... when he left office. Fred is NOT a true conservative --- friends with McCain, voted for McCain-Feingold, and was a leading proponent. Had an undistinguished record in the senate. Name one major piece of legislation he sponsored? NO EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE WHATSOEVER. NONE. AT LEAST BUSH AND REAGAN WERE GOVERNORS OF LARGE STATES. Walks with a limp, and talks like a grumpy old marble-mouthed curmudgeon. Yeah, that's the America I wish to project to the world! Please tell Fred to go back to acting, and to the wife who makes him feel young again, and to spend time with his babies who are young enough to be his grandhchildren, and to leave the Office of Our Great Country to men with the experience, temperament, proven record of executive skill and achievement, and who have the passion, energy, health, ideas, vision, organization, and ideals to lead our nation. And if you think I've made this up, check out Wikepedia.com. Jump on his bandwagon? No. The time is now to jump off before it ends in the ditch
People didn't think much of Reagan when he first took office in 81',he was old, a former actor and from California to boot. And this man went on to be one of' if not the greatest President of the 20th century. He loved and respected this country and had a vision for it that our for fathers would have been proud of. So say what you want about Fred Thompson but he will be a fine American President and he will represent us all in the world theater with honor and dignity, unlike the administrations of the late 70s and 90s. America, lets put a man in office that we can be proud of, a man with respectable values and backbone. Restore the pride, honor and dignity that is the office of the President.... You go Fred! Proud Americans are with you!
I feel Fred Thompson is the right person for president of this country, and I think the timing is right for him to change the course of the country. The Republican party however is no longer the party of Lincoln, but a mix between the moderates and liberals. The people are ready for someone like Fred, but he should highly consider running as an Independent. Both the Republicans and Demcratic parties have chosen to represent themselves rather then the people of America.
Quote by Larry McClintick Friday, March 23, 2007
"A Fred Thompson/Duncan Hunter ticket is exactly what America needs if we are to avoid the take over by the globalists by 2015 as sited as by the CFR as their goal."

Apparently you haven't done ANY research on Thompson before making such an uninformed response.  Thompson IS a CFR member.  Want more of the same crap we've been dished for 25 years?  Then go ahead and throw your liberties away by voting for Thompson.
Man oh man ! ! ! ! A Fred Thompson - Zell Miller ticket.  I LOVE that idea.  They would really tell it like it is and how it ought to be.
Now we need some people to step up who will run with Fred & vote with Fred, as canidates for Senate & House seats. That way maybe we can throw the Bums out, & take America back for real.
Fred could not participate in a presidential contest if in a television series.  With Law and order done Fred has got paid and will now see if he can land the role acting as a leader.  America and the people were second on Fred’s list, or he would have been in already.  Fred NEVER worked at politics before and now he wants to be president for self serving reasons during a critical time that America needs a leader.  As Fred (or another CFR/SPP member) sells off further freedoms of American’s and sovereignty Fred will become the elite rich on the backs of Americans.

Fred is a member of the CFR.

I do not understand Americans wanting to continue the treasonous activities of the CFR/ SPP. Many Americans are buying the media and special interest group spins that it is good for us.  

America is dieing, no one seems to notice or care. The SPP /CFR must be stopped.
I am a registered democrat, yet I subscribe to no political party. I see no one other than Fred in the political candicy for president worth voting for. You will have my vote and support. Sincerly, Anthony Biello


SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=86473

First Read e-mail alerts


Sign up for First Read alerts
The first place for key political news and analysis

Syndicate This Site

Add First Read to your news reader:
live.com xml
myyahoo msn
bloglines newsgator
google