« Previous | Main | Next »

Thompson: More Surprises in Store

Share

December 17, 2007 10:52 PM

ABC News' Christine Byun reports: About three months after his initial campaign kick-off, Republican candidate Fred Thompson returned to Iowa with a re-invigorated pitch in his final appeal to the early voting state.

Thompson -- who will spend 15 days in Iowa leading up to the Jan. 3 caucuses -- warned the country is "one successful terrorist plan away from nuclear attack."

Barely pausing to clear his throat, the former Tennessee Senator boomed, "it's not time for on-the-job training," a familiar jab on this year's campaign trail. Thompson believes he has the leadership skills to lead the country in national security issues.

"When the time comes where our worst enemy in the world is sitting across the table thinking about what he can do to the United States of America ... Who do you want sitting across the table representing us?" Thompson asked, a question which staffers say will be one of the campaign's driving themes during his statewide tour.

He also vowed to fight against a "left-wing, big government, high taxing, weak-on-national security Democratic Party."

"We're not going to turn over the keys to the country over to that outfit," Thompson said, accusing the Democrats of "licking its chops ... so they can lead us down the road to a welfare state."

Thompson drew upon his latest debate performance, when he refused to raise his hand in a vote when candidates were asked about climate change.

"How are you going to stand up to the leaders of Iran and North Korea if you can't stand up to an overbearing moderator?" Thompson asked, drawing laughs and applause from the crowd of 75 supporters.

Thompson subtly carved lines of distinction between him and his higher-polling rivals, and used his fresh endorsement from Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, to pledge his commitment to campaigning in this final push.

"There were some other folks from another campaign standing around the wall, waiting for their guy to be named and he wasn't," Thompson said, alluding to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's staff. "They were kind of shocked that I got the endorsement ... But I won't rub it in -- I will just say this: This ain't the last surprise you're gonna get, folks."

December 17, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (6)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Fred, Where have you been ? You coulda been somebody. You coulda been a contender. This election is/was yours for the taking, but I believe your late start and lack of exposure won't do it. What a shame, maybe 2012.

Posted by: omgwtf | Dec 18, 2007 12:34:13 AM

"one successful terrorist plan away from nuclear attack." Just want we need, another war monger.

Is that why we are going broke defending the borders of other countries while leaving our borders open for terrorist to enter?

Only Ron Paul wants to bring all of our troops homes to defend the US and its our borders, including those from Korea and Japan. They can afford to defend themselves. Ron Paul has raised nearly 20 million this quarter, from nearly 100,000 Americans, not from corporate elite and lobbyist like all the other Republicans. How much has Fred raised, and from who?

Posted by: Greg | Dec 18, 2007 2:04:45 AM

Tell me, Mr. Thompson, why are you sitting down at a table with terrorists anyway? And who is going to providing the water and the glasses? You, or the terrorists? You better make sure that the water is bottled, and the seals aren't broken. And the glasses should be styrofoam-- that terrorist could break a glass glass on the table, and attack you with the shards.
Maybe you should each bring your own water. If you give the terroist water, you are providing comfort to the enemy. And if you take his water, it could be poisoned.
One last thought: maybe the table should be like the ones they have in prison visting units, you know, with a buller proof divider screen. Teh guy on the other side is our worst enemy, you know.

Posted by: Yashko | Dec 18, 2007 11:47:59 AM

Tell me, Mr. Thompson, why are you sitting down at a table with terrorists anyway?

Why? I'll tell you why. Just picture it, my friend. The terrorists sit down on one side of the table. Fred sits down on the other side of the table maybe half an hour later. He's late for everything. It's just his style.

Then the terrorists start talking, yadda yadda yadda. Fred falls asleep. It doesn't mean anything. It's just his style. But they don't know that. They think he's so unafraid of them that he just doesn't care.

The terrorists tip-toe out of the oval office because they're afraid of waking anyone so strong and brave that he can fall asleep right in the middle of being threatened with nuclear destruction. They go back to their lands and never bother us again.

Fred in 08. Because nobody else would sit at he table with terrorists. And nobody else would doze off while doing it.

Posted by: Willlliam | Dec 18, 2007 2:26:08 PM

That "nuclear attack" comment will tell you how desperate Uncle Freddy is right now. Thompson is endorsed by Steve King? They deserve each other,

Posted by: nffcnnr | Dec 18, 2007 2:29:55 PM

I think you've all missed the strongest point about Fred's candidacy. Unfortunately it's one that he's too modest to talk about much.

The other day he said his most prized possession was his trophy wife. Just think about that. Men all over the country will see that and think, hey, maybe I could get a trophy wife, too. And they see Fred's phlegmatic nature and they aren't intimidated. You look at someone with the drive and energy of an Obama or a Romney and you say, wow, I'm not sure I'd want to work that hard! Not even for a trophy wife! And those guys, they don't even have trophy wives after all that hard work, so how smart can they be! But if Fred can be President and have a trophy wife without working very hard, maybe I can too! The trophy wife part, I mean.

The point is that he inspires. He doesn't intimidate. But he can't inspire a nation this way unless we make him president so that his trophy wife is held up for all the world to see.

Some of you may think this is "politically incorrect." But is it only about inspiring the straight males?

Not at all. Women look at this, they think that maybe one day they could be a trophy wife of a future President of the United States. Or at least a Senator. How inspiring is that?

Posted by: Bob Bafet | Dec 18, 2007 2:44:00 PM

Post a comment