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Do You Have the 'Desire' to Be President?

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December 29, 2007 1:48 PM

ABC News' Christine Byun Reports: Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson's 'desire' to become the next President was probed by an undecided caucus-goer during a campaign stop in Burlington, Iowa.

"You say what I wanna hear. 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?" asked the man, who said it was his second time at a campaign event for the former Tennessee senator.

Thompson nodded, sitting at a table with a local radio talk show host, who had been interviewing him during the morning event.

"In the first place, I got into the race about the time people normally get into the race, historically. I guess the others started the process a lot earlier this time," Thompson responded, quipping, "For some of them, they were juniors in high school."

Thompson – who announced his candidacy in September – described himself as not "a super-type A personality."  He said his campaign is not driven by his own "personal ambition," but by his hopes the country will elect the "best" candidate for the job.

"I will not be devastated if I don’t do this. I want people to have the best President that they can have," Thompson said, adding later, "I’m offering myself up."

He explained it further in his usual plain-spoken manner, using the analogy of a "marriage" between him and voters.

"You know, if one side of the marriage has to really be talked into the marriage, it probably ain't going to be a good deal for either one of them. But, if you mutually think this is a good thing, in this case, if you think this is a good thing for a country, we can have an opportunity to do some wonderful things together," Thompson said of his presidential hopes.

And if the country accepts Thompson’s "proposal?"

"You’ll probably have the disadvantage of someone who probably can't jump up and click their heels three times, but [I] will tell you the truth and you’ll know where your President stands all times," Thompson said.

December 29, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (36)

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Fred has the look, the walk and the talk of legendary sheriff Buford Pusser and the communication skills of Ronald Reagan. WOW! What a Great President!
Fred is the best candidate hands down! He
is the only one with no dirt in his background from either party. He has a history of simply doing what he says he'll do.
He stated from the beginning he is running for President because he wanted to do some things for this country that only a President can do! ENOUGH SAID!!

Posted by: Tim Dowden | Dec 29, 2007 6:23:42 PM

This happened in my hometown. I will be at the caucus Jan. 3 and I will vote for Fred. No more RINOs. I am sick of the east coast and beltway elites shoving their choice of RINO down my throat. Fred has my vote January 3. Reject Romney the flip flopper.

Posted by: Terri | Dec 29, 2007 6:36:02 PM

Fred Thompson is what this country needs.Period. I almost wish I still lived in Iowa so I could vote for him next week.

Posted by: Bill Faith | Dec 29, 2007 6:37:51 PM

I've heard hundreds of people on radio talk shows for years say they are tired of slick, smooth talking politicians who are only worried about getting re-elected.

Senator Thompson was at the height of his popularity when he left the senate. He would have easily been re-elected. He believes in serving his country, not serving his own taste for political power.

He is a strong believer in term limits. There should not be "career" politicians, which we all despise. So knowing the way most people feel, why is everyone complaining about his so called "lack of desire"?...I find it refreshing.

He is a true Conservative on every issue.

Unlike Reverend Huckabee who said all of us Conservatives who opposed the Kennedy/McCain amnesty bill did so out of "nativism or RACISM".

I am very used to being falsely accused of being a racist from liberals...yet, here I am called a racist by a leader in my own party...because I stand for the rule of law.

Posted by: Randy Cutler, Indiana | Dec 29, 2007 6:48:35 PM

Power hungry people make me nervous. I love Fred's attitude about this. He's a true patriot. I hope Iowans will connect this week with his genuiness and honesty. I hate it when the MSM tries to define for us what is the acceptable "ambition", "fire-in-the-belly", whatever. I think most Americans cut through all that. Let's DEFY the MSM!

Posted by: Bobtx | Dec 29, 2007 7:14:09 PM

FRED THOMPSON

The only TRUE conservative who as a "Reagan Republican" understands that we are in a LONG GLOBAL WAR against ISLAMO-FASCIST & JIHADIST who want to KILL us or subjecate us under radical Islamic rule...

Fred Thompson is the ONLY candidate who has laid out policies in detail to fight this evil & has called us to raise a "Million Man Standing Army" through increasing our military & fight this war like we did in WWII...

Fred Thompson is the only candidate with the foreign policy experience to handle this task and the savy & respectability to deal with world & political leaders on the world stage...

Fred Thompson is the ONLY candidate willing again to adress in detail the looming problem of Social Security for the future...

Fred Thompson is the only candidate who has proposed in detail how to stop the influx of illegal immigrants & SECURE THE BORDERS through immediate enforcement of EXISTING LAWS. This INCLUDES IMMEDIATELY BUILDING & COMPLETE THE BORDER DOUBLE FENCE as passed already by Congress...

Fred Thompson is the ONLY candidate who is a true federalist and believes we should be able to govern ourselves more effectively & directly from state & local levels without illegal Federal intangelment by limitting federal powers as set forth in our Constitution...

THIS IS WHY WE NEED FRED THOMPSON for PRESIDENT in 2008 ! ! !

Posted by: Sam T. Mullins | Dec 29, 2007 8:24:59 PM

Fred's comments were misunderstood by those who may be nice enough people, but, very unintelligent through no fault of their own I hope!
It's all about PURPOSE for Fred and not for the sake of POWER. He wants to be President for all the right reasons and is willing to make the many sacrifices personally and professionally that it takes for anyone running for this office. He is thinking of his country,
the citizens of the US, his own children and grandchildren as well as all the others growing up in America today. It's not about him, it's about what he can do and is capable of doing for this country. He is very wise, and listening to him on Fox re: Pakistan the other evening, how anyone in America could not know that this man
has such an understanding of the situation in this world, not to mention
the experience and knowledge concerning
nuclear weapons and the dangers they present to the world, if in the wrong hands. Well, listen to the others and there is no comparison. Fred is the best. Nothing else in this world will matter if we are faced with nuclear weapons in the hands of those intent on destroying western civilization. We need a strong leader with wisdom and values and who is running for all the right reasons. For Purpose and not for
Power! That is Fred Thompson hands down!

Posted by: William Crawford | Dec 29, 2007 8:46:54 PM

I am tired of candidates who believe they are destined to win an election. The last thing this country needs is another Clinton or Gore wanna-be who's been aiming for this for decades (or longer). Fred Thompson understands that public service is a sacrifice - but one that needs to be given by those asked to serve. Thompson is by far the most honorable candidate in the race. Go Fred Go!

Posted by: Garrett | Dec 29, 2007 9:27:54 PM

America is in desperate need of strong and principled leadership to address the pressing issues facing the country in 2008. I have never given money to any politician, except Mr. Fred Thompson. I gave him $2300.00 of my hard-earned money because the fate of my country hangs in the balance. The recent assassination of Bhutto in Pakistan just underscores the kind of perilous times we live in now. I am an average citizen of average means doing what is necessary to support the only candidate I trust to preserve America. Fred is the only candidate worthy of my money.

Posted by: Kiana | Dec 29, 2007 10:36:31 PM

Fred Thompson is the only candidate that quit his job to campaign for President - yet he is the one most criticized for not being committed enough. Sen. McCain has not resigned his office, Ron Paul has not resigned his office. Rudy is making money for speeches. C'mon, Huckabee is accepting money from a company that performs stem cell research.

Fred is the only true conservative in the race, and that's why he's going to win.

Posted by: Stevan | Dec 30, 2007 2:19:37 AM

The full statement; read it all and don't take pieces out of context to serve your bias:

"I approach life differently than a lot of people. People, I guess, are wondering how I’ve been as successful as I’ve been in everything I’ve done. I’ve won two races in Tennessee by twenty points in a state Bill Clinton carried twice. I had never run for office before. I’ve never had an acting lesson, and I guess that’s obvious. (laughter). When I did it, I did it. It wasn’t just a lark. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. I’ve always been a little more laid back than most. I like to say I’m only consumed by very few things, and politics is not one of them. The welfare of my country, and my kids and grandkids, growing up, is one of them. (applause)

If what people really want in their president is a 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 can be president of the United States… someone who can look you straight in the eye and say they’ve enjoyed every minute of campaigning… (laughter) I ain’t that guy. (more laughter) [To questioner] So I hope I’ve discussed that, or I haven’t talked you out of anything. I honestly want… I can’t imagine a worse set of circumstances than achieving the presidency under a false pretenses, especially if you feel the way I do. I’ve gone out of my way to be myself, because I don’t want anybody to think they’re getting something they’re not getting. I’m not consumed by this process, I’m not consumed with the notion of being president. I’m simply saying I’m willing to do what’s necessary to achieve it if I’m in sync with the people. And if the people want me, or somebody like me, I will do what I’ve always done with everything else in my life. I will take it on and do a good job. You’ll have the disadvantage of having someone who probably cna’t jump up and click their heels three times, but will tell you the truth. And you’ll know where the president stands at all times."

Posted by: Mike O | Dec 30, 2007 2:32:14 AM

"If you're not careful the newspapers will have you hating the ones being oppressed and loving the ones doing the oppressing." (Malcolm X)

Posted by: syn | Dec 30, 2007 8:30:21 AM

For American conservatives, there is no other candidate running besides Fred.

Period.

Go Fred!

Posted by: retro | Dec 30, 2007 11:14:46 AM

The real question should be:

Does ABC (or any of the old media) have the desire [or ability] to report the truth?

Is that even possible?

Wake up, Dinosaurs. America is not as stupid as you like to make us look. You're biting the hand that feeds you[r corporate greed].

Posted by: retro | Dec 30, 2007 11:22:17 AM

Once again, an illegitimate issue was created by most news sources reporting a bastardized sound byte. Most reports failed to fairly report the Fred's comments, or the context in which they were made.

Posted by: Mel Whirley | Dec 30, 2007 6:17:39 PM

I can't believe that Thompson, who is polling behind Ron Paul in New Hampshire, has been invited to participate in a Republican roundtable conducted by Fox News yet Ron Paul was excluded.


Posted by: webdevgirl | Dec 30, 2007 6:27:37 PM

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