Fred Thompson: "Setting The Record Straight"

I'm going to let Fred's words speak for themselves on this one, as it is refreshing to listen to someone speak that isn't consumed by ego...

"Setting The Record Straight" - Fred Thompson

Every once in a while I am more thankful than ever for today’s technology which allows me to talk to you directly instead of having to go through the filter of the main stream media.

Some of them are intent on making the outcome of the campaign dependent upon their pre-conceived notions. Every once in a while their incomplete and slanted coverage makes this clear.

Today I had this story written about me regarding what I said at a Town Hall event in Burlington, Iowa by a reporter who wasn’t even at the event. Incidentally, I declined to be interviewed by this particular reporter yesterday for reasons which will soon be apparent.

In referring to me, she reported “he doesn’t like modern campaigning, isn’t interested in running for President, and will not be devastated” if he doesn’t win.

Below is a transcript of what I actually said in response to a question by a local Burlington resident which was the basis of the reporter’s story.

It is clear that there are those in the media who will exact a high price for candor and from those whom they consider to be insufficiently ambitious. But it is with increasing amazement that we see that those who are willing to slant or leave out important parts of a story to make their point.

If a candidate succumbs to this he will be reduced to nothing more than a sound bite machine.
As for me I am going to continue to say exactly what is in my heart and is on my mind and give straight and honest answers to those who ask straight and honest questions.

Incidentally, the audience in Burlington broke into applause in the middle of my answer. The reporter wouldn’t know that because she wasn’t even there.

The transcript is below the fold . . .

Q: (Courtesy ABC News) My only problem with you and why I haven’t thrown all my support behind you is that I don’t know if you have the desire to be President. If I caucus for you next week, are you still going to be there two months from now?

That is a very good question, not because it’s difficult to answer, but I’m gonna answer it in a little different way than what you might expect.

In the first place, I got into the race about the time people normally get into get into it. The fact of the matter is people get into it a lot earlier than they used to. For some of them, they were juniors in high school.

The first place, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I wouldn’t be doing this. I grew up in very modest circumstances. I left government and I and my family have made sacrifices to be sitting here today. I haven’t had any income for a long time because I figured to be clean, you’ve got to cut everything off. I was doing speaking engagements and I had a contract to do a tv show. I had a contract with abc radio…and so forth. A man would have to be a total fool to do all those things and to be leaving his family which is not a joyful thing if he didn’t want to do it.

I am not consumed by personal ambition. I will not be devastated if I don’t do it. I want the people to have the best president they can have.

When this talk first originated from people around the country both directly and through polls, liked the idea of me stepping up and of course, you always look better form a distance.

But most of those people are still there. I approached it from the standpoint of a deal. A kind of a marriage. If one side of a marriage really has to be talked into the marriage, it probably ain’t going to be a good deal. But if you mutually decide it’s going to be a good thing. In this case, if you think this is a good thing for the country, then we have an opportunity to do some wonderful things together.

I’m offering myself up. I’m saying that I have the background, the capability and concern to do this and do it for the right reasons. I’m not particularly interested in running for president, but I think I’d make a good president.

Nowadays, the process has become much more important than it used to be.

I don’t know that they ever asked George Washington a question like this. I don’t know that they ever asked Dwight D. Eisenhower a question like this. But nowadays, it’s all about fire in the belly. I’m not sure in the world we live in today it’s a good thing if a president has too much fire in the belly. I approach life differently than a lot of people. People, I guess, wonder how I’ve been as successful as I’ve been in everything that I’ve done. I won two races in TN by 20 point margins in a state that bill Clinton carried twice. I’ve never had an acting lesson. I guess that’s obvious by people who’ve watched me…

When I did it, I did it. Wasn’t just a lark. Anything that’s worth doing is worth doing well. But I’ve always been a little more laid back than most. I’m only consumed by very, very few things. Politics is not one of them. The welfare of our country and our kids and grandkids is one of them.

If people really want in their president super type-a personality, someone who has gotten up every morning and gone to bed every night and been thinking about for years how they win the presidency of the united states, someone who can look you straight in the eye and say they enjoy every minute of campaigning, I ain’t that guy. So I hope I’ve discussed that and didn’t talk you out of anything. I honestly want – I can’t imagine a worse set of circumstances [than] achieving the Presidency of the United States under false pretenses. I go out of my way to be myself.

(h/t United Conservatives of Virginia)

Virginia Democrats Winners and Losers of 2007

Winners...

The DPVA
They were motivated, organized, and took back the State Senate. They also gained seats in the House of Delegates and put together some great grassroots efforts in quite a few races. They made serious inroads in the Tidewater region as well as continued their efforts to solidify Northern Virginia, epsecially Fairfax County, as "blue" territory.

Sen. Creigh Deeds
Another good year for Mr. Deeds, who supports nonpartisan redistricting (much to the chagrin of Senate majority leaders), continues to hold his State Senate district despite being surrounded in a sea of "red" districts, and has already staked his claim as THE candidate for Governor in 2009.

Former Gov. Mark Warner
He announces a run for Senate, and is the presumptive favorite already. While Warner will have to answer questions about his record (such as his record of tax increases), Warner is by far the best candidate the Dems have put up to run for Senate in the past 2 decades...in comparison, Jim Webb won last year due to "macaca", and Chuck Robb took advantage of a GOP split in support to win in 1994. Warner, unlike Webb and Robb, should be the first Dem Senate candidate that can win without controversy on his opponent's side.

Losers...

The DPVA
While taking back the State Senate, they did not quite make the gains in the House of Delegates that they thought they would, and they only made inroads in the Tidewater area...however, central Virginia and the Valley (Creigh Deeds the exception) remain GOP strongholds. Also, a "NoVa vs. RoVa" split has reared it's ugly head, and if we see Brian Moran and Creigh Deeds face off in a primary for Governor, things can only get worse for that split.

Pro-Illegal Alien Democrats
In fact, you did not hear much in the way of opposition from Democratic politicians to the movement to enforce immigration laws on a local level due to the popular support throughout the state for this movement. In Prince William County, which is the biggest focal point of the immigration debate in Virginia, it was pro-immigration enforcement candidates that won election/re-election.

Grassroots Outside NoVa/Tidewater
Connie Brennan, Michael Breiner, Eric Ferguson, Carolyn Frank...these were all candidates that were supposed to push forward a blue-ward shift in areas like The Valley, Central Virginia, and Roanoke/Salem. None of these candidates won. Ferguson was the odds-on favorite and lost due to excellent grassroots work on the GOP side, Frank never had a campaign, Breiner faced candidate (Ralph Smith) who knocked off an incumbent (Brandon Bell) in a narrowly contested GOP primary and lost. Brennan never got any traction on the ground against Watt Abbitt. All of these candidates had problems with getting going with the grassroots, and it seems that in many areas outside of NoVa and the Tidewater region, the Dem grassroots just can't provide any push.

Push...

Governor Tim Kaine
The Gov scored well this year in his post-Va Tech leadership, raising his national profile by becoming a vocal support of Barack Obama's, and in attempting to put together a somewhat fiscally prudent budget, without tax increases, in the face of a revenue shortfall. However, his narrowing of abuser fees to Virginia drivers only, general misery on the transportation front, conflicting with harder-left Dems on taxes, and going back on a campaign promise by drawing from the transportation fund to cover budget expenses has made this a 50/50 year for the Governor.

Virginia Republican Winners and Losers of 2007

Winners...

Reps. Rob Wittman and Eric Cantor
A virtual unknown statewide, Wittman came from nowhere to win the GOP nomination and handily win the 1st Congressional District special election and ascended from little-known state delegate to sitting in the U.S. House of Representatives. Wittman's election, and the effort shown by the RPV to secure his election, is the first step in healing the rift between moderate and conservative Republicans.

Cantor is quickly becoming a thorn in the side of Congressional Democrats. He has been slowly emerging from the ashes of K Street to become a key leader on Capitol Hill as the Chief Deputy Whip of the House GOP. He also exerts influence as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, fighting to keep taxes low and trade agreements strong and favorable. His humorous video criticizing Democrats in Congress has been a hit on the web, as well.

Northern and Central Valley Republicans - Sen. Mark Obenshain, Sen. Emmett Hanger, Sen-Elect Jill Vogel, Del. Todd Gilbert, Del. Chris Saxman.
Where to begin...Obenshain has become a party leader in the Senate, Hanger fended off a strong challenge in the primary and still swept the general election in convincing fashion, Vogel took over from RINO Russ Potts despite Dems trying desperately to knock her off. Gilbert was a 2007 workhorse, introducing over 30 bills in 60 days and leading the fight to stop illegal immigration. Saxman went from semi-recognizable Valley figure to statewide sensation by teasing a possible run at the U.S. Senate.

Sen. Ken Cuccinelli
Cuccinelli won his district by running an efficient campaign and by sticking to his principles and pointing out his opponent's flaws in a precise manner. The Democrats threw everything but the kitchen sink into getting Janet Oleszek elected, and even the demographics in Fairfax had seemingly fallen out of Cuccinelli's favor. However, by sticking to his conservative principles and just "being Ken", Cuccinelli won reelection by a slim margin in a blue-trending region of Virginia.

Attorney General Bob McDonnell
McDonnell has announced a run at the Governor's mansion in 2009, and he also has been a standout figure all year long. From challenging the legality and authority of undercover agents from the City of New York (authorized by Mayor Michael Bloomberg) to his reaching out for bipartisan support of law enforcement and sound policy-making, Bob McDonnell has positioned himself well for a shot at becoming the next Governor of Virginia.

Losers...

State Senate RINOs
Russ Potts and John Chichester retired, but could not get anyone to succeed them ideologically and talked themselves into irrelevance, Potts especially. Jeannemarie Devolites-Davis was such a RINO that she was considered to be running to the left of her Democratic opponent Chap Petersen, and even gushed that she was proud of her RINO status.

The Davis Family in General
Jeannemarie Devolites-Davis was an example of how a time bomb can go off more than once, as she (along with her campaign) had several implosions and horrid missteps along the way. Tom Davis got so involved with saving his wife's campaign that it came at the cost of his own image, and now Rep. Davis suddenly does not a appear to be actively seeking re-election next year...which leaves an open seat, a few well-known Dem challengers, and nobody in particular to succeed Davis on the GOP side.

Dave Albo
Let's see...most ardent supporter of the abuser fees, ran unopposed and yet a whopping 12.35% (1,402 votes) went for a "write in" name instead of him. Now, he wants to introduce jail time for those who can't pay their abuser fees. He's one of those Republicans that will see a serious challenge in 2009 unless something drastic happens.

Iowa Polls: Huck and Mitt Still Lead, Fred Entrenched in 3rd Place

Courtesy of Real Clear Politics, here are the latest Iowa polls.

LA Times/Bloomberg (12/20-12/26)
- Huckabee 36%, Romney 28%, Thompson 10%, McCain 8%, Giuliani 8%, Paul 1%

Research 2000 (12/26-12/27)
- Huckabee 34%, Romney 27%, Thompson 11%, McCain 8%, Giuliani 8%, Paul 8%

Strategic Vision (12/26-12/27)
- Huckabee 29%, Romney 27%, Thompson 15%, McCain 14%, Giuliani 4%, Paul 4%

Interesting, even though all 6 candidates place in the same general order, some conclusions can be drawn from these polls.

First, while Huckabee leads in all 3, his amount of support wavers quite a bit between the 3 polls. Romney seems to have the steadiest base of support. Fred's numbers go up 4-5 points from pre-Christmas to post-Christmas. McCain has spotty, but all-over-the-place support. Giuliani has no hope in Iowa, and Ron Paul goes from 1% to 4% to 8%...which one is it?

Nonetheless, I'm coming to the conclusion that Huckabee/Romney will be a 1-2 finish either way, but the coveted 3rd spot (which candidates need to carry momentum past Iowa) should go to the now-resurgent Fred instead of John McCain, who seems to be betting on New Hampshire as his true launching point.

Podium Positions: Federal Budget

Budgetary Viewpoints from The Podium...

Military
Understandably, it's hard to reduce spending while fighting two separate military operations. However, as the situation continues to improve in Iraq, we can start projecting how we can save billions just by coming to a favorable end to our occupation of that nation. $145 billion has been allocated for the Global War on Terror, Iraq consumes a large part of that in and of itself. Once Iraq is done with and we wind things down a bit more in Afghanistan, we could cut the current budget deficit of $240 billion in half.

However, we must currently continue to create a favorable outcome in Iraq now, as future U.S.-involved conflict due to leaving Iraq in bad shape would mean future military operations there. To leave Iraq now would lead to more spending later.

Entitlements - Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid/SCHIP/Welfare/Unemployment
Until then, some trimming around the edges of other government programs will be necessary, we need to find a way to do this without hurting those who actually need government assistance.

The introduction of privatized Social Security (at least in an optional sense) would help. The U.S. federal budget will spend $608 billion dollars on Social Security for the fiscal year of 2008. It is the single-most expensive item of spending in our budget, and it gets more expensive each year.

$324 billion will be spent on welfare/unemployment, this can be cut down if we can stimulate job growth "from the ground up", so to speak.

The combined $595 billion spent on Medicare/Medicaid/SCHIP could be made a lot cheaper if we opened up health insurance to the free markets just like car insurance, life insurance, et cetera. You, the individual, find the plan and the price that is right for you. In fact, we can probably even set up government-funded assistance for people who don't quite know what to look for when shopping around for insurance and still cut down on this price tag.

Also, by adopting a more federalist approach, we can defer funding for abortions to the state level, and there the states can decide whether or not they choose to provide funding and assistance for abortion practices on their own, thus removing financial responsibility from the federal government.

Taxes
With lowered spending comes less of a need for taxes. While I'm not calling for the dissolution of the IRS just yet, the combination of lower spending and a simpler tax code would lessen the need for any future tax increases, and may lead to a call for tax decreases.

Overview
Whether we're talking federal, state, or local levels, fiscal prudence will always be an appealing cornerstone for conservatives. The George W. Bush-style of budgeting money has not been fiscally prudent overall. While his tax cuts have kept money in the pockets of those who earned it, spending has continued to increase.

However, the reigning in of spending increases has occurred over the past few years. The federal budget deficit has gone from $390 billion (FY 2006) to about $240 billion (FY 2008). Continued reduction at this rate will lead to a balanced budget, or budget surplus, by Fiscal Year 2011.

We must continue on this track, and find ways to "trim the fat" from our budget.

Optional privatization of social security allows people to make a choice to invest their social security funds, which allows for less spending on social security itself. Lower taxes puts money back in the pockets of those who earned the money in the first place. Less federal spending makes our government less cumbersome and more nimble and flexible to foreign and domestic changes. Finally, the reduction and streamlining of entitlement programs increases the amount of independency American citizens have from the federal government.

Fred Thompson's "Red Truck Challenge"

The Fred Thompson "Red Truck Challenge" is winding down, and it has been a success so far as all but one objective has been reached, money-wise.

If you want in-depth, common sense leadership in the White House, click on the "Fred 08" link on the right sidebar of this blog and donate what you can. $25, $50, $100...whatever you can spare.

Support Fred and support honesty and common sense in politics

John McCain on Health Care Reform

The New Hampshire Union-Leader, which has endorsed John McCain for the GOP presidential nomination, carried a column today by the Arizona senator on health care reform and using a conservative, free market approach to tackle this issue.

I agree that a free market approach would be a very good solution to reforming the health care system in this country. Medicare is a mess, people are cheating the system left and right (I know people who are doing this, and freely admit to doing so), and many on the left want to expand Medicare coverage...which will only lead to more corruption of the system itself.

However, is McCain really the man to do this?

He talks about using a conservative approach, but McCain (the so-called "maverick") hasn't always taken a conservative approach to any of the larger pieces of legislation he has created/supported. Look at his immigration reform bill that he co-sponsored with Ted Kennedy, a far cry from conservative (or even common sense) legislation.

Then again, he did vote against Bush's tax cuts in 2001 because he wanted a decrease in spending tied to the cuts. He also was one of the people who exposed the whole Abramoff affair, which qualifies him as someone who supports honest government. He also supports privatized social security accounts, free trade, and has vocally opposed universal health care reform...which, in itself, at least puts McCain on the conservative side of the fence on this issue.

Nonetheless, McCain can talk about supporting free market health care all that he wants, but Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Ron Paul, and Duncan Hunter have all supported this as well, and pushed similar proposals. While I believe that McCain is right to support such a concept as free market health care reform, he's not the only GOP candidate supporting this.

Fred Thompson on the Bhutto Assassination

View it here. Good answers from Fred.