Fred's jab at Rudy

Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 2:25 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Republicans

From NBC's Joel Seidman

Former GOP Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, speaking at a GOP gathering in South Carolina today, hit his usual core issues, tax cuts, and terrorism -- but also took an apparent shot at GOP front-runner Rudy Giuliani's checklist of things he says a president needs to do to be successful.

Thompson, in what seemed to be a direct criticism of Giuliani, said, "The question is what are your underlying principles what do you believe in?" The still unannounced candidate went on to say, "Anybody can talk from a mental checklist of talking points. What do you really believe in? Where are you coming from?"

Giuliani in speeches has outlined six things he says a leader needs to be successful, and said he has identified 12 "commitments" to voters if elected president.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

did fred used to play the lead in the yogi bear cartoons series ? the resemblance is uncanny

MK,MO (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 2:47 PM)

this is funny
as if fred thompson has spent his life letting all of us know what he believes in
do republicans even know what he believes in? no.

Joe Justice (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 3:04 PM)

how come I dont know where fred stands on any of the issues .Why dont you want to reort his stands,are there any flip flops like the rest of the republicans running.Is it because the media is short on news now that you dont report on Iraq and how the republicans want to cut and run to save thier political arses.Iraq is a bummer and the presidential race is abore good luck with the actor hopefully better than the compassionate conservitive

ken orr (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 3:10 PM)

I think after Clinton & Bush the country has had enough of Presidents from the south thus the big media hype push for Giuliani. The Republicans should head West with Duncan Hunter, and a side dish of Alabama with Condi. :-)

Dave, Tn (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 3:18 PM)

Fred ??? he is not electable. Former NY mayor is not electable either. This guy is using 911 to benefit himself. He did nothing for NY. I can never understand that this guy claims credit for this. Ok's I went too far. None of GOP candidate will win this election, I repeat, None of them will be elected, Why people are tired of republican running this country. On the Democratic side. only Senior clinton can restore american. That black senator from Ill will die out after the primary election. This country needs a restoration not inspiration. He thinks he is popular I think people are making joke of him.

Lee Columbus, oh (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 3:29 PM)

OK Fred, give it a rest. And why don't you two compare trophy wives you scuttled your marriages for. Were they to "preserve" it?

Ernie, Trenton NJ (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 3:47 PM)

HEY FRED..NICE BAGS UNDER THE EYES. WHY IS ANYONE LISTINING TO THIS OLD FART?

JOHNNY JUSTICE ANYWHERE USA (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 3:49 PM)

If Fred got elected, I believe he will be the first President to sleep through his inauguration. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ......... The man doesn't have enough energy to be the President of a 4-H club.

Micah (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 3:59 PM)

Who is Fred? Where is Fred? Is Fred a running for..?

Is Fred going to just appear in the Oval Office as the new "decider", "THE COMMANDER GUY", the new death and war guy?
OR WILL HE BE THE VP!

H P Boston (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 4:08 PM)

Laughably, the dialogue continues on Fred Thompson...Whenever, he finally stops his commentary from the perifery and declares his candidacy, he'll be no more than another talking head, with absolutely nothing new to offer (unless he gets to use the script writers from Law and Order)......Although, possibly, he does possess a few more attributes than the rest of the GOP's gaggle of candiates,..... If he's in an accident, the bags under his eyes could inflate and save him from serious injury....and his mid-life crisis wife would be a welcome distraction to any political arena, those facts notwithstanding, why bother....Fred Who????

TJB, Scottsdale (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 4:50 PM)

If he stops taking crib notes from the other republican candidates and actually shows some original ideas maybe he would be taken more seriously. Republicans and Democrats are looking for candidates with new ideas not the same 15 yr old politics. I predict Romney wins the nomination by the process of elimination..then loses the general election on the weakness of his platform.

CJ (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 5:16 PM)

So, what you're all saying is, Fred scares you. You're wondering right now -- If Hillary gets the nomination can this Fred guy actually beat her? If her nomination is inevitable, something you're all not comfortable with, you'd rather see her go up against a Romney, a McCain or a Ron Paul. I know this because you aren't wasting your time commenting on them. C'mon, I hear all your knees knocking...I bet you were all confident a few months ago. Now, not so much. Fred didn't mention Rudy in South Carolina. He was speaking, generally. You're all seeing the boogeyman because you're scared.

Laura, Oak Ridge, TN (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 5:17 PM)

The script writers from Law and Order rip off story lines from "the real news" so I wouldn't put much stock in them.

Dave, Tn (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 5:27 PM)

If you're scared of this do-nothing, tired old actor, you do have a problem! Only thing scary about this guys is his face!

Lisa - Fort Worth TX (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 5:30 PM)

No it's because it seems like some are projecting onto Fred what they wish to see in a candidate when all he has done is make a few bulletpoint speeches. Hey I'm sure they guy is 'cool' or whatever but what exactly has he shown that significantly differenitates himself from the current GOP crop. All I've heard is he stands for conservative ideals or whatnot...well...what about Huckabee, Hunter, or BrownBack. I guess it boils down to popularity..hmm..Guliani sure is popular.

CJ (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 5:37 PM)

I choose Romney b/c of his lead in Iowa, which I think is telling...a possible preview of where Republicans are willing to place their votes.

CJ (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 5:39 PM)

Old womanizer, 100 skeletons in the closet Fred has our knees knocking? First of all hes not running yet. Do you ever ask yourself why? Waiting for the right time you think? This guy and his handlers are trying to figure out how to handle all this guys dirty laundry, and apparently he has several loads. That is why Mr. Movie star hasnt jumped in yet. Try digging and see what you find. Knees knocking indeed, Ha!!

bb (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 5:43 PM)

If you want to know where FDT stands on the issues, imwithfred.com is a good place to start.

Another would be FreeRepublic.com

Robb, Millington, TN (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 6:10 PM)

Bulletin: Fred WILL be the GOP nominee, and you loopy lefties had better start quaking. On Jan. 20, 2009, Fred Thompson will become our 44th President. He dated *women* exclusively. (shudder) That's the ONLY thing he has one thing in common with Hillary, thankfully. Bob

Bob Cirba (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 6:13 PM)

Who is Fred to talk? About time he says exactly WHAT he would do! It's getting pretty tiring--I mean, how many times do we need headlines saying "Fred might run." Just do it already! Personally, the last thing this country is another globalist with CFR puppet strings or a big spending porker like he or Frist, bringing the bacon home for Tennessee.

Marsha (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 6:18 PM)

Fred will be the next President of the United States of America. Sorry MSNBC folks.

Jon, Indy, Indiana (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 7:14 PM)

To Laura from TN: yes, Fred scares us. Hillary scares us. Obama, Giulani, McCain, and Romney scare us also. Liberty, Free-Market Economics, and Limited Government aren't in any of those people's vocabularys.

Sam Carter Jr, Kansas City, Missouri (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 7:31 PM)

Fred believes in the "Almighty Dollar". That's for sure. He made plenty of them as a lobbist. Check his record.

Connie, Louisville, Tn. (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 7:47 PM)

Fred was so bored as a congressman that he left after one term of doing absolutely nothing, nothing at all, to go to Hollywood and become an actor.

And now he's the Republican's best hope for a Presidential candidate. What a joke.

B-man (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 7:55 PM)

Fred Thompson will stand for whatever the polls tell him to and trumpet accordingly. He is an ACTOR for crying out loud and knows how to work a crowd. I dont see any sign of sincerity from him at all.

Mark (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 8:18 PM)

Laura
If thats true then the Democrats will win for sure.
I dont know how it is where you live but folks around here are sick and tired of the "politics of fear". Its the fearmongering that is going to sink Giuliani faster than being pro-choice or whatever.

Kara, Burlington, VT (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 8:22 PM)

There are a lot of us independents out here who are looking for one quality in a candidate -- leadership. Fred appears to possess such a quality. Having looked at all the candidates -- both Democrats and Republicans, I can say that Fred Thompson seems to have what it takes to become our next President. He says what he means and means what he says. What a refreshing alternative to the current slate of candidates on both sides of the aisle.

John Frame, Dayton, Ohio (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 8:42 PM)

John , Dayton, Ohio (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 8:43 PM)

Let me get this straight, Mr. Vague, Fred Thompson, who doesn't remember what he did in the US Senate nor has articulated any proposals for his own run, is criticizing Rudy on leadership?

Good grief.

Clint Murphy, Savannah, GA (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 8:44 PM)

I tend to vote republican, but good grief, we would be so much better off with a monarchy again, not some elected official (notice that it isnt illegal for stupid people to vote) who owes his allegiance to one pressure group or another. A monarch would rule because they're supposed to, not because they kissed so much a$$ and have to be a puppet to special interests.

Joe, Indianapolis, Indiana (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 8:48 PM)

If Fred won, how long would it take untill he resigned for a better TV role? Oh, yeah 2 years for his senate seat. Lamar Alexander is still serving his "vacated" senate seat because he got the Law and Order Job.

jose gonzales (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 9:11 PM)

Fred Thompson on the issues:
http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Fred_Thompson.htm

Ron Brumleve, Richmond, VA (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 9:14 PM)

Fred Thompson was rated as one of the most consistent conservative Senators during his tenure from '94-'04. But long before Thompson was an actor or a Senator, he was a recently graduated lawyer that was hired by Barry Goldwater to investigate Nixon. The man has plenty of public service experience. As far as his voting record you can look it up for yourself at:
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Fred_Thompson.htm
I don't agree that Fred is lazy, the man is 64 yrs old and has gone from NYC to VA to the UK and is now in SC, not bad for someone his age. Not to mention a few stops in DC to record the Fred Thompson Report. I'd say his plenty vigorous.

BL, Ann Arbor, MI (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 10:41 PM)

FRED GO TO BED NOW ! YOU LOOK "VERY" TIRED AND DON'T FORGET TO TAKE YOUR GERITOL.P.S. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS HISTORY, THANKS G.W. !

JOHNNY JUSTICE ANYWHERE USA (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 10:49 PM)

DeadHead Fred. This guy has got to take a nap already.
Can you imagine him trying to inaugurate? Such raw power! Charisma! Well if his last few appearances really got you excited, just think what 4 years of looking at his face would do. Those bags would save him in any car accident for sure. Man, talk about an energy crisis! i got one word for ya Fred....caffeine!

Tom (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 12:28 AM)

OK Fred you first, what do you believe in and where do you come from?

Russell in Maryland (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:33 AM)

If Fred got elected, I believe he will be the first President to sleep through his inauguration. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ......... The man doesn't have enough energy to be the President of a 4-H club.

Micah (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:13 AM)

Isn't it well known that Fred has had serial girlfriends? I wonder if he was engaging in activities that caused young women to need birth control and abortion?

kellamd, chicago, il (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 6:55 AM)

"He means what he says and he says what he means"I recall everyone saying this about W and look what we ended up with. A goofy semi recovering alcoholic and cocaine user who has significant ADHD and was spoiled completely rotten and had everything handed to him his whole life. God help us all if we have ANOTHER republican in office. Oh yes, Appparently Mr Thompson looovvves women- and lots of them. I cant wait til they open up his closet and piles of garbage come tumbling out.

Susan, Miami (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 9:41 AM)

I think we can all agree that Fred Thompson's decision to run does nothing but hurt the republicans' chances of re-election. If people actually buy into his charades (which they are currently doing) it will only cause more problems for the party. I agree with lots of you when I say that Fred could never defeat Hillary or Barack, or any other democratic candidate. He's all hype. The only ones that have a chance at winning are Giuliani or Romney. Why can't more people see that?

And to Susan...do you think a democrat would help things in Washington? You have the senate, some job they're doing. Don't be so quick to point the finger.

.Mike, California (Sent Friday, June 29, 2007 2:39 AM)

As an NYC resident, I can firmly say Rudy is MUCH more than 9'11. Granted, the tradegy put him in the national spotlight, but he was an extremely competent mayor in an ultra-liberal city. Lowered taxes, lowered crime (especially murder and rapes)) His crime fighting ability is stuff of legend. Have we forgotten he was a former US Attorney during the Reagan administration? He was instrumental in destroying the mafia. He also turned a city deficit into a surplus. Many New Yorkers disliked Rudy, but few question his results. I will admitt, Rudy plays the "terror card" too much. Hopefully he'll focus on his many other attributes. This country has a very short attention span. Your in denial if you think a terrorist attack will never happen again. I hope it doesn't, but preperation is essential. Compare the way Rudy handled 9'11 vs Bush's handling of Katrina. Rudy definately has his share of skeletons in the closet, but it NEVER affected his ability to lead. I would feel much more comfortable with Rudy standing up to Iran than Hillary.

Anthony, Bronx, NY (Sent Friday, June 29, 2007 6:44 PM)

"Lamar Alexander is still serving his "vacated" senate seat because he got the Law and Order Job."
jose gonzales (Sent Wednesday, June 27, 2007 9:11 PM)

I'm not a Fred Fan; however, let's get the facts straight. Fred's daughter died suddenly at the time he would have been launching his reelection campaign. He knew he didn't have 100% to give, so he chose not to run.

Barbara, TN (Sent Sunday, July 01, 2007 11:30 PM)

with all you guys slamming fred thompson,just remember that GIULIANI rhymes with Lucchese,Bonanno,Genovese,Gambino and Columbo and I ain't talking good guys here !!!

john doe,richmond,va (Sent Monday, September 03, 2007 10:33 PM)

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):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

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=243939