Political Punch

Thank you Jake for such an articulate reporting of the facts of Senator Thompson's answer to a question. "Disdain for the process" has nothing whatsoever to do with his willingness to serve his country and to make a difference. Way back in March Fred Thompson said there were some things he would like the opportunity to do to help the country get back on the right track; and, he knows the office of the presidency is the best chance to work on those things. He cares deeply about the country and the people and wants to leave it better for his kids and all coming generations. We need him!

Thanks, Jake, for an honest treatment of Fred Thompson's actual words. I remember the days of Howard K. Smith (when I was a little boy); I also heard him speak in person when I was in college in the mid 1980s. He was one of the most fair and evenhanded newscasters on TV, and you would do well to imitate him. It looks like you're already well on your way!

Jake Tapper this is the first story I've read of yours that seemed fair. I hope I can see more reporting from you like this in the future. Just lay off the the non gotcha stories that you've done as of late. They make you look pityful when you bring up a gotcha with no real gotcha in it till you point people in a direction to try to get them to believe that there was a gotcha.

Great and fair reporting in this article hope to see more. Remember lots of people that are turning off Fox and looking back to who they used to trust in news. ABC news has a great chance right now to pick up people sick of lieing and word twisting for political purpose. You can either be a great and fair writer of news that will be respected or you can be the laughing stock of the world and be called a Fox wanna be. The choice is yours. You've proved your both! Now prove you can grow to be that reporter that reports with consistency and truthfulness and be the journalist that writes articles like the one I just read.

Fred Thompson is the best man for the job. See career politicians that dream of being president will say and do anything (just look at Hilary) so you really do not know where they stand. In Fred you see a man of integrity and honesty, the only negative anyone can come up with is he does not show the energy, well first if thats the only thing they can come up with then does that not show how solid he is.

As far as Ron Paul he is part of the Blame America First crowd, and I would not be surprised to find out he is getting most of his support from Libs trying to split the republicans.

So as a Country lets stand behind the best man for the job Fred Thompson. We need a man like him that will do the job of bring the country together and stop the lies that this country is liberal.

this country has more conservatives then any thing else the only problem is our press and teachers were take over by libs.

The press now push Huckabee because the figure he is the easiest for the libs to defeat in aa general election.

People of America stand up and vote your heart, Do not be bribed by lies of Free Healthcare or anything else, because nothing is free and definitely not free when a libs offers it. (Solution to Healthcare is Tort Reform)

Investigate the Candidates on your own do not go by the main stream media. nor any liberal Socialistic postings.

Vote for Fred Thompson for you will see he is the right man for the job, He is the only Candidate that posted he ideas straight forward, he is the only one that is straight forward.

Excellent article, Jake. This is exactly why I support Fred!

Jake,
Thank you for reporting a fair and accurate story. I plan to find a different news source other than Fox News for the coming year. I will be looking your direction more often.

I think Fred has the right attitude. He desires to serve as President and bring this country together to make the needed improvements that will Provide for future generations. He is displaying concern for military families and the desire to support our military and our veterans. He is committed to secure the borders. He has been consistent concerning his values, votes, speeches, we can look at this man and know that we can trust him to make decisions based on the law and the core values in the future rather than polls.

I dislike the irritating lies and bickering between candidates.
I dislike having candidates flip-flop on issues based on a poll. I am irritated by the biased press coverage.
I hate seeing millions of dollars being spent on campaigns that could do so much to help the people of this country.

I appreciate the ability to vote, the ability to study the candidates and make decision based knowledge. I appreciate the freedom to participate in the process but I agree with Fred I dislike the current election process.

We dont "WANT" Fred Thompson to be President !!

WE "NEED" FRED THOMPSON FOR PRESIDENT !

Fred Thompson will... Protect our Borders Kill the Terrorists and Punch the Hippies !!

Jake Tapper you are the bomb. Is there any way you can gibe Jill Lawrence over at USA Today a refresher course in journalism? I will be listening to your stuuf more from now on. You seem to know what you are doing.

I would MUCHprefer a passion to serve the nation versus a personal fire in the belly to be President...

I am GLAD that FRED THOMPSON being a moral, honest, and principled man would rather be CALLED to serve as President by the people, and his peers, versus being DRIVEN by a "FIRE IN THE BELLY" to fullfil some "life-long" personal ambition to be President as the media keeps HARPING at...

FRED THOMPSON is the ONLY candidate who has pointed out that during WWII the US spent 38% of our GNP fighting the NAZIs & JAPANESE IMPERIALISM & EXPANSION, and that in contrast we are currently spending less than 8% of GNP to fight the GLOBAL WAR against ISLAMO-FASCIST & JIHADIST who have been shouting DEATH TO AMERICA,killing serveral THOUSANDS of US citizens and soldiers in the past 30 years and secure AMERICA...

FRED THOMPSON is the ONLY candidate that has called to RAISE a "Million man standing Army" above and beyond current troop numbers TO FIGHT this evil, JUST LIKE WE DID IN WWII .....

FRED THOMPSON is the ONLY candidate again who has called for immediate enforcement of current laws and immediate building of the DOUBLE BORDE FENCE as already passed into law to stop illegal immigration & SECURE THE BORDERS NOW ! ! !

FRED THOMPSON is the ONLY candidate with detailed policies willing to take on the tough problems like Social Security for the future NOW...

FRED THOMPSON is the ONLY true federalist runnig for President who wants to give us more control to govern ourselves in our daily lives to the state and local levels as set forth by our founding fathers in the Constitution, and STOP the UNCONSTITIONAL hi-jacking or trampling of these powers by the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT....

WE NEED FRED THOMPSON FOR PRESIDENT IN 2008....

GREAT ARTICLE, THANKS...

Thanks for making the effort to find the truth behind the story and not simply looking for a catchy "sound bite."

Honest, unbiased reporting is too rare in this competitive, 30 second news market. Continue to strive for the quality of reporting that was common 40 years ago.

Much thanks to Jake and to ABC!!

Best bit of journalism I have read in recent times. Actually reporting the news and not editorializing. I hope to see more of your accurate reporting. Thank you Jake!

In looking at all the negative and positive feedback, on this piece - I see how "decided" people truely are. They no longer retain the ability to keep an open mind, and select a presidential candidate, based on the expectations they're about to fill. Qualifications? Attitude? Who's to say? Some of the very best presidents that have ever served in this country's history were men of integrity, honor and discernment.... not career politicians or men who are looking to accomplish a 'life-goal'.
Keeping the process simple and at face-value can surely purify any voters selection & final choice.

Let's go back to when the job sought the man and not the man sought the job. This could be clearly shown if our ballots had
"None of the above" on it. This election has brought back the saying "A pox on both both parties". There is too much lying, self-aggrandizement, and preoccupancy
with tearing the other individuals apart
rather then stating what the candidates
stand for or against and letting the voters choose from that.

Saying that you're interested in being president but that you're not interested in running is like saying they should just give him the nomination. Who expects to get something without working for it? This isn't the lottery. It's that kind of "I'd rather not have to go to all that effort" mentality that kept him from entering the race with everyone else, and that's kept him from rising any higher in the polls.

As I have said before and will continue to say, it's either Fred and Rudy or Rudy and Fred in '08. It certainly isn't those dem clowns.

Nice to hear a reporter actually report objectively for once. The process has been contaminated with journalist malpractice. Instead of reporter objectively, the media is trying to choose our candidate for us. They are constantly manipulating the truth to further their own agenda at the expense of the good of our country. The best candidate for president is Fred Thompson, hands down. He is the man with the most integrity in the race. He is a true and consistent conservative who will be a genuine leader, and not let himself be pulled down into the disgusting state that politics has entered in recent years.

Jake -
This is an excellent piece. Good job. It's called journalism and it really isn't hard for other "reporters" to do it right, as you have done. You are a clear credit to your profession.

People like you, Jake, should be running these news organizations.

Amazing. I might come here more often.

I thought that john caselli's comment that "George Washington didn't lust for the job either, just like Fred, he will serve if called" missed a big difference between how we elected our presidents in 1789 and 2007. First of all, notice the length of the process: the election is not until 2008! Secondly, the early nation's legislatures chose the Electors, not the various states' people at the bequest of their legislatures, as it is now. As a result, the process was much more informal and much shorter. The main thing that took time was the travel distance from state to the Capital.

So nowadays the "process" is so competitive (sometimes) that a person can't just sit back and be chosen on the basis of merit. Energy must be expended. George Washington was a general whose reputation was well established. He had no need to campaign.

Be thankful that few have a monopoly on power. The Clintons and the Bushes are enough monopoly for this nation, thank you.

George Washington didn't lust for the job either, just like Fred, he will serve if called. All the others, except Ron,want to BE president instead of DOING president. Jake Tapper has done a fair job of reporting, too bad he is one of the very few at ABC.