Posted at ABC Radio.

I am posting the text, but listen to the podcast…Fred’s drawl makes this fun.

I’ve talked before about the Council on American-Islamic Relations — most recently because it filed that lawsuit against Americans wh…

Republican Fred Thompson has done something good (Hat tip: Hot Air). Interesting that he’s doing it on the same network that fired Michael Graham at CAIR’s behest two years ago. But good that they’ve respected Fred’s right to do so….

But we don’t have to disagree that we both want a conservative as the president, be it Mitt or Fred.

Tennman on June 21, 2007 at 3:00 PM

We do not disagree on that. That is for sure.

I guess finding out what “some things I want to do” means will be part of the vetting process for you?
csdeven on June 21, 2007 at 1:42 PM

Exactly. Myself and many more who read this blog are intensely interested in the outcome of this next election. We all bring our life’s experience with us in evaluating and forming our judgments. One doesn’t actively participate in political discussions without having some zeal for politics.

It seems that our vetting-out process is based on two principles: trust and distrust. I trust the man and am waiting and hoping for substantial solutions to the problems he’s laid out.

What kind of doctor would you want working on you? One that wants to do it because he sees the qualities in himself to accomplish it, or a doctor that has to be convinced he would do it well because others say he can?

Your hypothetical doesn’t exclude the question. Both are doctors, both are qualified. What if the first doctor was wanting to do a procedure that I didn’t need or want, and the second was using conservative treatment options to get me where I needed to go?

How do you process his statement about his level of confidence in the Iraq war being linked to what a couple of soldiers think?

I process it with other comments he made. One of which was (paraphrasing) “It’s a complicated question, and I don’t have all the resources available to me that the commander has on a daily basis.” In other places he has said that retreating would be disastrous. And in others, he has said that we need to think about the day after Iraq; how will the world see us. A weakened America is not good for the world.

So taking all of those statements into account, there is not a wishy-washy answer, it’s a firm commitment on policy. His statement about soldiers on the ground is an encouraging statement. If we were having a majority of soldiers wonder what in the world we’re doing there, it might make a heck of a difference.

To my way of thinking, it’s not Fred! the idea; it’s Fred! as the candidate who most closely follows my desires for this country, and on whom my trust rests that he will follow through.

You don’t see it that way, I understand. We have to disagree on that. But we don’t have to disagree that we both want a conservative as the president, be it Mitt or Fred.

I don’t think you really understand what you are talking about, which I guess would explain the descent into insults and hostility.

reaganaut on June 21, 2007 at 2:04 PM

Go through the approximately 8,345,894 mindless comments csdeven has made in any thread that remotely mentions Fred Thompson and perhaps you’ll understand.

And will this current Administration even bother?

Flipper Mitt – come on, you sound like a Democrat now. I’m so sick of hearing about flip-flops. It was a campaign strategy against Kerry that worked well, not it seems to be a litmus test for every candidate. “Oh, wait, he changed his position! – FLIP-FLOPPER! FLIP-FLOPPER!”

reaganaut on June 21, 2007 at 1:44 PM

You don’t think the Democrats won’t use it against him relentlessly in the unlikely event that FlipFlop Mitt gets the nomination???

Am I supposed to believe he’ll stick to conservative principles when he’s changed his position from those he held so recently?

Should I forget that he railed against the NRA when Governor, but now joined them running for the nomination? That he lied about being a “lifelong hunter” and gun owner? That he lied about when is supposed pro-life conversion took place? You can be damned sure the Dems won’t forget to attack him on his ambition-driven lies and inconsistancies.

Fred may be imperfect, but he’s the least imperfect of the very flawed, non-conservative Rudy McRomney pack. Fred speaks honestly and plainly about what he believes. What does Romney acutally believe in? Whatever his handlers and their poll results tell him tell him to believe at that moment.

Are you that damned dumb, troll, or just dishonest? What kind of “resources” besides money would prop up their educational, health care and banking system?

I don’t think you really understand what you are talking about, which I guess would explain the descent into insults and hostility. I don’t think Fred would want his supporters making such hollow points.

/da-dum-dum

How do you get this….

If only we give those poor Muslims more money and tell them how to spend it, maybe they’ll stop hating us.
From this…..

csdeven on June 21, 2007 at 1:29 PM

Are you that damned dumb, troll, or just dishonest? What kind of “resources” besides money would prop up their educational, health care and banking system?

When Flipper Mitt called for a “new type of Marshall plan” for the Muslim world, maybe you’d have us believe that he’s somehow referring to Penny Marshall instead of the US effort to rebuild Europe after WWII with massive amounts of cash.

Mitt has made it clear he’s a Big Government guy, this is yet another example of how his answer to everything is yet more government.

How do you get this….

If only we give those poor Muslims more money and tell them how to spend it, maybe they’ll stop hating us.
From this…..

csdeven on June 21, 2007 at 1:29 PM

Are you that damned dumb, troll, or just dishonest? What kind of “resources” besides money would prop up their educational, health care and banking system?

When Flipper Mitt called for a “new type of Marshall plan” for the Muslim world, maybe you’d have us believe that he’s somehow referring to Penny Marshall instead of the US effort to rebuild Europe after WWII with massive amounts of cash.

Mitt has made it clear he’s a Big Government guy, this is yet another example of how his answer to everything is yet more government.

OK, and?
reaganaut on June 21, 2007 at 1:38 PM

And…it’s a sign of disrespect towards me. Someone who he wants support from.

That’s OK for you Flipper Mitt supporters though, stick around a few days and he’ll change his posistion soon enough.

Now that’s just stupid. I don’t get why people are attacking each other over their choice of candidate, in their own friggin’ party.

Flipper Mitt – come on, you sound like a Democrat now. I’m so sick of hearing about flip-flops. It was a campaign strategy against Kerry that worked well, not it seems to be a litmus test for every candidate. “Oh, wait, he changed his position! – FLIP-FLOPPER! FLIP-FLOPPER!”

So as not to totally drive the Fred! thread off topic
Tennman on June 21, 2007 at 12:48 PM

At least we are talking about fred? and not csdeven. I doubt AP would mind.

I guess finding out what “some things I want to do” means will be part of the vetting process for you?

I haven’t heard him get passionate about much and I have looked over his senate record many times. I don’t see a whole lot that make him stand out from others. And, his lobbying activities are not looking very favorable.

I am judging freds? actions against his words. He isn’t making a commitment. He tells us his friends convinced him to run.
A question….What kind of doctor would you want working on you? One that wants to do it because he sees the qualities in himself to accomplish it, or a doctor that has to be convinced he would do it well because others say he can?

How do you process his statement about his level of confidence in the Iraq war being linked to what a couple of soldiers think?

That is a better indication of his view of the role of president. Not the fact that he is thinking about running because his friends told him he should.

That is purposely playing games especially when you take into account that he is acting like a candidate by engaging in all the machinations of a candidacy.

OK, and? Did McCain-Feingold establish some new rules about how and when someone must declare their intentions?

Who cares what someone says on The Tonight Show?

Ask Howard Dean about having an early lead in the polls and a big internet fan base.

People are just having some fun with Fred, because he is saying all the things conservatives want to hear. I think once Fred gets in the race, it might get interesting.

If only we give those poor Muslims more money and tell them how to spend it, maybe they’ll stop hating us.

From this…..

“would assemble resources from developed nations to work to assure that threatened Islamic states had public schools, not Wahhabi madrassas, micro-credit and banking, the rule of law, human rights, basic healthcare, and competitive economic policies.”

Threatened Islamic states are states threatened by the extremists. States that want to develop towards the goals he set forth. The difference with fred? is that he doesn’t articulate goals. He uses vague references designed to let the audience fill in the blank that they individually think he means.

Fred: CAIR is a terrorist-freindly organization funded by Middle Eastern interests.

Mitt: If only we give those poor Muslims more money and tell them how to spend it, maybe they’ll stop hating us.

Clearly Fred! gets it, while Mitt appears clueless.

That’s OK for you Flipper Mitt supporters though, stick around a few days and he’ll change his posistion soon enough.

csdeven on June 21, 2007 at 11:37 AM

Okay, I’ll play.

1st. I want to know what “safe” means as well. I know what it means to me. I think that’s part of the vetting process after the candidacy is announced. And I WILL be looking for the answer as assiduously as you.

2nd. CinC is a tough job that requires input from all the processes — political, military, intelligence, economy. A policy decision based only on the military would not be sound. And I don’t get that limitation from what his answer was in a Q&A session. Again, it’s a trust issue. If I believed he was as shallow as you seem to indicate, it would be a problem for me as well. I, however, look at the body of work this man has done in the Senate and for the country as part of the essence of his statement. Again, waiting for the vetting-out period to see what the plan is. But I’m patiently waiting.

3rd, Why does the job of president have to be something desired almost covetously? The office isn’t the prize. The welfare of the country is. If the “some things I can only do as president” gets us the result, it will be refreshing change from the power-hungry DC crowd we have on the hill now.

The rest of the argument is conclusary. I say Fred! does want to lead, that’s why he’s going to become a candidate. Positioning himself for the nomination, “riding poll numbers” without doing — what? — all the mind-numbing things the “declared” candidates do is somehow wrong? Climbing on a stage with 10 other candidates to get a sound bite is somehow the refiner’s fire, burning away the dross? I don’t think so.

In my opinion, regardless of whether he’s made the “official” announcement, he’s playing on the same field with the rest of the candidates except for the debates. The field is the opinion of the American people. Fred!’s just going about it in a refreshingly new way. For Free.

Isn’t that the American way, to get the best value for the dollar?

I would also beg to differ that these questions haven’t been answered/discussed before. They have been, in increments, in topics like this one.

So as not to totally drive the Fred! thread off topic (I know; way too late) I find it absolutely astounding that a politician would actually tell you the truth about CAIR and challenge the assumption that Islam, wielded by the jihadists, is a religion of peace.

Shalom, cs. This Wyoming-Cowboy-cum-Tennessee-Transplant salutes the effort you made in delivering your argument. I don’t agree with it, but I very much appreciate the effort.

I understand that his supporters want to discuss where he is on the issues. So do I. But his supporters trust what he says and I do not…
csdeven on June 21, 2007 at 11:37 AM

A caution we should all take with all candidates…or as someone great once said “trust then verify”.

I think someone, maybe even Fred himself, let it slip that he might run before he was ready.

I may be that someone outed him, but I see no reason for statements like this when Leno point blanked him on his launch date….

“It doesn’t mean that it won’t be, but it certainly hasn’t been decided that it will be.”

That is purposely playing games especially when you take into account that he is acting like a candidate by engaging in all the machinations of a candidacy.

Beyond all that, I still can’t take him seriously because he is playing games with his non-announcement. I think this is an attempt to garner poll numbers that he can ride into the nomination without having to stand next to the real candidates and be judged

I don’t think so. I think someone, maybe even Fred himself, let it slip that he might run before he was ready. Then everyone went bonkers because all the other candidates are so lackluster. I don’t think anyone has anything to fear about being judged with the current crop of candidates.

If he doesn’t have what it takes, then so be it. The primaries are way too far away to worry about it now. I don’t think momentum from June is going to carry into the primaries, haha…