Fred shows some spark

Posted: Friday, January 11, 2008 5:30 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: 2008, Thompson

From NBC's Abby Livingston
Thompson stands tall at six-foot-five (or taller), and it appears that slumbering giant has awoken. Perhaps it's because he's campaigning among his fellow southerners. Or perhaps it is because of the positive reviews he received from last night’s debate. Or perhaps it is just because it’s crunch time.

No matter what it is, Thompson is showing some spark. “I am delivering the message that I am the consistent conservative, and I am making my stand in South Carolina!” he said today at a campaign stop in the Palmetto State.

His chest swelled with pride as he discussed the latest debate. “There's been a lot of talk about that little debate we had last night. And I'm not saying it's getting a little rough, but we did put a little bullet proof siding on the bus outside.”

To which a woman hollered out, “Get rough Fred, get rough!”

Thompson then kicked up the dirt on the argument that he is the lone true conservative in the race. “This is a discussion and a fight, really, about the heart and soul of the Republican Party.”

Thompson was animated -- lively even -- as he would say, “a little bit” smug after the debate. “Last night we got a chance to discuss some important things... I got a chance to make some distinctions, and I didn't try to jump on anybody. We had in New Hampshire the other day a little discussion with Mitt Romney concerning his health-care plan and the mandates he had in it. And we've discussed with Rudy his sanctuary cities in New York and things like that. Last night, it was Gov. Huckabee's turn... We disagreed with John McCain about his immigration bill last year.”

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Comments

He must have taken his Centrum Silver this morning.

CitizenJ (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 5:45 PM)

Thank goodness for Fred Thompson!

He had Huckabee chasing his tail during the debate.
(The same dog that Huckabee's kid tortured to death)

Huckabee isn't smart... McCain isn't nice...

Kelly Dawson, Clemson, SC (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 5:46 PM)

Huckabee is a major IDIOT... The latest debate proved it.

McCain tried not to be an angry old man - but we all know better.

David Altiers, Grand Rapids, Michigan (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 5:48 PM)

McCain and Huckabee are the two biggest DORKS in politics.

Bill Rosario, Pittsburgh, Pa (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 5:49 PM)

Thompson is correct to call out Huckabee (dimwit) and McCain (angry old man).

He and Romney are clearly the nation's top GOP candidates.

Joseph Canyon, Champion, Michigan (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 5:51 PM)

Thompson is now up there with Mitt Romney in my book... Romney still has him on drive and economic brilliance.

Besides, MICHIGAN NEEDS ROMNEY AND ROMNEY NEEDS MICHIGAN.

John Bender, Grayling, Michigan (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 5:53 PM)

President Romney... (TWO MASTERS DEGREES IN BUSINESS FROM HARVARD)

Vice President Thompson... (TWO EMMY AWARDS)

Susan St. Pierre, Kansas City, Mo. (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 5:55 PM)

Electability is what its all about now...

Romney has it... McCain doesn't...
Thompson has it... Huckabee DOESN'T

Heather Jennings, San Diego, Ca (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 5:56 PM)

I don't agree with everything Thompson does (including his "wives" and his laziness) --

But he did hit a homerun by knocking out HuckaDORK the other night.

Reginald Perry, Myrtle Beach, SC (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 5:57 PM)

Go Fred Go! Good luck in South Carolina. Loved that you called out McCain and Huckabee. Hit the liberal nail on the head there.

FredTRocks, SC (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 6:06 PM)

Ok, I guess I'm left to point out that you conservatives are so desperate to find the ghost of Reagan (had we elected Carter we'd be in electric cars and out of the middle east right now!) that you will applaud another actor? This guy is not your great white hope, folks. Neither was unca Ronnie, for that matter. You're just looking for someone to pat you on the head and tell you that it's gonna be alright. That was Reagan's only accomplishment, and Thompson doesn't even have the comfort factor that Ronnie had. Give up, your party has screwed the pooch for too many years, it needs to go away now. Buh-bye!

Doug, San Diego (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 6:18 PM)

Keep it up Fred, you are giving dems the momentum while you play who is the most conservative.
So the woman who yelled out likes it rough, huh.
How weird from the family party!

John Alexander, Edinboro,PA (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 6:21 PM)

Thompson DID show spark... but can he maintain it?

Huckabee is too dumb to keep fooling America!
(Uh, with the possible exception of those "stepford wives" Baptists)

Jamie Andrews, Central Lake, Michigan (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 6:22 PM)

Doug,
America did elect Carter. It wasn't hard to learn that was a huge mistake. Unca Ronnie, as you call him reversed the misery of the Carter economy, and started a 25 year economic boom. He did that by (gasp) cutting taxes. You liberals have forgotten that our founding fathers were digruntled over being over-taxed. That's why America exists, we refused to go down the road of nanny-state socialism. We still refuse, we prefer liberty to the welfare state.

Steve-o, Littleton, CO (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 6:36 PM)

It's good to see Thompson finally let loose. Here's hoping he's gotten his second wind and that it carries him to the nomination. Keep on showing those so-called Republicans what a Republican Actor can do, Thompson. Go Thompson!

Jamie, Salt Lake, Utah (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 6:37 PM)

I'm not endorsing actor Fred Thompson - but I did appreciate the way he accurately drove Huckabee and McCain out of the "lying bushes".

Romney is still the best choice - Besides, he stood up to the negative pretenders BEFORE it was even COOL to expose Huckabee and McCain.

Gregory Harding, Ft. Worth, TX (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 6:41 PM)

Fred Thompson is the only true conservative who has a chance to win the Republican nomination and I hope he does. I think he is going to win big in South Carolina. I just donated to his campaign and hope that anyone else who wants to see him win to do the same.

http://www.fred08.com/index.aspx

Josh, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 6:42 PM)

FRED THOMPSON HAS NEVER HAD A BILL PASSED. I DONT THINK WE WANT A MAN THAT BRAGS ABOUT HAVING A YOUNG TROPHY WIFE FOR FIRST LADY, THOUGH SHE S NOT AS BAD AS BILL CLINTON. HOW DO YOU CAPTURE A TROPHY WIFE? WONDER IF MONEY IS USED FOR BAIT?

KING OF SMEAR (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 7:27 PM)

Fred Thompson is the best candidate we've had in 100 years. He has a clear mind, a deep understanding of foreign and domestic policy, and he always tells the truth. When asked about a mistake, like McCain-Finegold, he just admits it. He has not displayed all the energy that people wanted until yesterday, but he is passionate about this country and that's why he got into the race. This isn't about him, it's about who will best serve the interests of the United States of America.

Igor R., USA (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 7:29 PM)

I have had three phone calls from John Mccain and today I had one from Brownback about John Mccain-----wheres that guy from You Tube I need him to tell them to leave me alone-----

HMT-MI (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 7:48 PM)

I don't trust any of them, they all lie and spend our money like a drunk sailor...the entire republican party has given up any pretense at fiscal responsibility and have become spend and borrowers, hardly better than tax and spenders...wish I could run my business and personal finances like these goobers get away with.

Rick, WS, NC (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 7:58 PM)

Doug, San Diego - so you think winning the cold war was nothing to brag about? What have you done with your life?

DougIsPink, USA (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 8:00 PM)

NAME ONE THING THOMPSON HAS DONE AS A SENATOR EXCEPT FIND A GROUPIE TROPHY WIFE AS HE CALLS HER, HE TOOK LESSONS FROM BILL CLINTON

DAVID ANDERS , PHARR, TX. (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 8:16 PM)

Well said Steve-o. The one thing the Libs hate the most is the Truth. I guess that explains why so many of them are atheists, huh? Go Fred!

Wayne (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 8:16 PM)

I can't believe the line of thinking in this thread.

Huckabee is "stupid" - yet he governed Arkansas for over 10 years and made major improvements to that state after Bill Clinton's legacy. Then, with very few resources and endorsements, he successfully out-maneuvers Romney and wins Iowa outright, in the face of an onslaught of contrast ads and snickering about his religious background. His below-the-radar approach, warm personality and incisive humor have brought him to the top of the polls in major states. He now has a very real chance to win this thing, and I think a Huckabee Presidency would surprise a lot of the people who think he is a liberal.

Meanwhile, Romney is clinging to his chances in his birth state of Michigan for dear life. In fact, it may be the radical Dems who save him. Why isn't his business acumen helping him in this campaign? It isn't for a shortage of money. But, no, Huckabee is the "stupid" one. You have absolutely no basis for that throwaway insult. At least he isn't continuing to throw away millions of his own dollars on something that now looks like it will never happen.

Unbelievable. If these ignorant and blind comments are representative of the GOP, we are in a lot of trouble.

Jonathan, Alliance, OH (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 8:20 PM)

We really have to stop listening to actors. Their profession is essentially pretending to be someone their not, professional liars, basically.

If you want pretend politics, try
http://projectwhitehouse.wordpress.com/

Re-direct your frustrations with politics by engaging Americas true grass-roots candidates. While the media tries to figure out why their speculation and guess-work doesn't yield results, Arizona is quietly making a bold political statement.

Tortillas DeLote (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 10:09 PM)

I agree with Doug - the conservatives have nearly put this country into bankruptcy. Being a conservative today really translates into conserving white society and money and power and not letting the masses benefit from economic expansion. Clinton did expand the wealth base and obviously it is why neo-conservatives hate him. Reagan was a bad actor turned politician; he was not that smart but he was a nice guy and had strong people skills; the Soviet Union collapsed because communism is a flawed system, not because we invested in Star Wars which was a waste of money. Iraq is mess because neo-cons led us there with no clear plan and poor execution by Bush's staff. So when we say we want change we mean that we don't want anything that looks like, walks like, talks like or thinks links like Bush, Rove, Cheney and the rest of the current crew. Move over and let the progressives take over and maybe we'll get out of this mess.

Jim, Santa Cruz (Sent Friday, January 11, 2008 10:12 PM)

I agree that Thompson's past "affairs" with women could be problematic for the GOP...

But then again, so could McCAIN'S illicit affairs with married women...

AND so could Guliani's...

But they EACH have hot wives now... If at first you don't succeed?

Reverend Barrymore, Waco, TX (Sent Saturday, January 12, 2008 1:55 AM)

It's about frickin' time.

Keith, American Fork, UT (Sent Saturday, January 12, 2008 2:46 AM)

Mitt Romney has a little problem that is Telling the Truth please watch this video and judge for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeP5A5cczqk&eurl=http://republicansagainstromney.blogspot.com/

Tell the Truth Mitt!
It has now come out that George Romney never marched with Martin Luther King watch how his campaign manager flips and flops in this interview with Chris Matthews please watch this video.

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5eKfC6TYjk&feature=related

Tell the Truth Mitt stop Flip Flopping (Sent Saturday, January 12, 2008 7:04 AM)

Folks, it's still mighty early in the primary season. Lets see how things shake out heading into Super Tuesday. My crystal ball is telling me to get ready for some superlative mud slinging from both sides. Who has donned the teflon?

Phred, NH (Sent Saturday, January 12, 2008 7:28 AM)

What's wrong with wanting to bring the Reagan-like era back? It was a time of values and honor. Now with videos like "Obama Girl/Guiliani Girl", we are treating the respectable race for President like a rap viseo. (scary)

This country has endured a few wars to keep its freedom (with many lives lost---freedom isn't free) and everyone seems to forget that. I would love world peace as much as anyone else but the idea of singing Kumbaya with extremeists isn't going to happen. Safety first!!! Then we can tackle the other issues! Please put someone in office who recognizes that!

Joy, Blythewood, SC (Sent Saturday, January 12, 2008 8:40 AM)

Unbelievable. Fred Thompson had to wake up a little bit, he couldn't see his cheat sheets. He's the only candidate running who has to read notecards during every answer. Informed? I don't think so. All Fred is doing is taking votes away from Mitt and Huck. A vote for Fred is a vote for McCain. Please go home Fred.

TJM, Atlanta, Ga. (Sent Saturday, January 12, 2008 9:32 AM)

Hillary is creating a "Gender War" in America - not good!

nadeem, Canada (Sent Saturday, January 12, 2008 10:57 AM)

The very best ticket the Republicans could have would be Thompson-Romney, or Romney-Thompson.
Let's get this country back together! If the Dems win, we are in bad trouble! We will wake up the next day and be in a third world country with no laws
and much chaos.

Linda La Rocco (Sent Saturday, January 12, 2008 11:30 AM)

Its all a swindle. These Washington self serving paper hangers HAVE betrayed our vote! The burden of their false promise has fallen on the back of the common man! The lies and corruption, the use of felons, backed stage issues and scandal, the list is endless!! Our congress has brought defeat to the future, they, this congress is now on the verge of ruin! It is stagnated with useless agenda and those who bring nothing but discourse to resolving the real issues!

Being what they are not, the intent to present false being is the main stay of being a Wahington self servinng paper hanger, thus we the people will bare the price tag!!

Fred Thompson or HRC, are not the answer.

Fact: There is not one seeking to be the next President that is qualified, has leadership traits, strong proven course of strength.

Bloating of your chest and pounding on it,, makes one think they have escaped from a zoo!!!

FACTS , not primates (Sent Saturday, January 12, 2008 1:11 PM)

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