SubscribeFred Thompson Ends Presidential Campaign
The press release from Mr. Thompson’s campaign site:
Statement from Sen. Fred Thompson
January 22, 2008
For Immediate Release
McLean, VA - Senator Fred Thompson today issued the following statement about his campaign for President:
“Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people.”
What a disappointment in so many ways.
40 Responses to “Fred Thompson Ends Presidential Campaign”
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January 22nd, 2008 at 2:42 pm
*cries*
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:05 pm
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
What is wrong with people that they couldn’t see that Fred was THE choice we had to make!!!
Perhaps someone will be keen on having Fred for his running mate, then? Let’s hope.
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:12 pm
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
I agree with that sentiment BT in SA!
The true Conservatives are dropping like flies! Who the hell am I going to vote for now? How about a third Party? The name?……………………….. the Conservative Americans Party?
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:14 pm
As I understand it Fred’s Mother is very ill. If true, Fred has his priorities correct. Best hope and wishes for Fred’s Mother.
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
How about a third Party? The name?……………………….. the Conservative Americans Party?
Tried that in Canada in the early 90’s, Tex. The sitting party was the Progressive Conservatives. The real conservatives formed the Reform Party.
Know what it got us ? A split conservative vote and 12 years of Liberal majority government (a majority with far less than half the actual votes cast in the election).
Don’t go there.
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
I am sick to my stomach. I’m waiting for his next press conference where he says, “PSYCHE”!
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Fred’s honesty was his undoing. What he had to say to the American people was, unfortunately, what they didn’t want to hear - the truth. It’s a sad comment on the integrity of the American electorate that they prefer having smoke blown up their collective asses then to hear what we really need to do to get back on track. Fred’s main talking points were about the tough choices that many Americans don’t want to make.
Secure up the Southern border
Do something NOW about Social Security
Fiscal Responsibility in Government
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I’m sorry to hear that. The more I heard from him, the better I liked it. I understand why he didn’t, but I wish he’d started his campaign earlier and a bit more aggressively.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Federalism, conservatism, patriotism- hollow words from a hollow man. And $500 shot to hell.
Tom
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I think I will donate to John McCains campaign.
It seems every time I throw money at a candidate, they drop out.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:53 pm
As I’ve said before, I guess I’m now staying home in November.
I can’t vote for McCain, there’s no holding my nose and voting, he’s just too liberal. I honestly don’t see all that much of a difference between him and the Democrats, and he’s proven time and time again that he’s willing to do whatever the left wants simply for the glowing press coverage. I just can’t go there.
Romney is a possibility, but the MSM attacks will be severe enough that we’ll never have a Mormon President, at least not at this point.
Huckabee is a loon. He is the worst amalgam you can think of, almost a televangelist. He says one thing in his speeches but shows a long history of doing others, like a certain other Governor of Arkansas who ran for President. Amnesty for illegal aliens is a religious imperative?
Giuliani is a Democrat. Though he did turn New York from a rancid post-Dinkins cesspool into much less of a cesspool, just happening to be mayor when your city is attacked by terrorists doesn’t give you the ability to guide the country and to try to prevent it from happening again.
Paul is of course the GOP’s Kucinich; just go mumble quietly in the corner, Ron, and the guys in the white coats will be along soon enough.
Nope, the country is likely in for at least eight years of wanton destruction with a Democratic President and likely majorities in both houses of Congress, and we’ll just have to grin and bear it, as our last best hope for President has now left the race. Hopefully by the time we have our next shot at a Conservative President, we won’t be the laughing stock of the Mideast and not too many American cities will be smoldering radioactive craters.
Sorry to be so blunt, but I just don’t know how else to express it.
January 22nd, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I agree with most people that McCain is not my first choice, not even one of my top choices, but to stay home is irresponsible, it is insuring 4-8 years of the Clintons. Do you honestly want more nuke tech sales to the Chinese? More travelgate, whitewater gate, Jennifer FLowers gate? The Clintons will sell this country out to the highest bidder. I dont think McCain would even consider renting out the Lincoln Bedroom or pawning off the furniture. Yea, he may not be someone’s favorite, but lightyears ahead of Hitlary.
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:09 pm
And some people may bring up the POW issue, but to me and many others he is a hero, I dont care if he went to Viet Nam and stubbed his toe then left, just being there makes him a hero to our country in my eyes. That goes to the Vets that post here as well. You are all heroes in my eyes and your service to our country is priceless and extremely selfless.
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Who the hell am I going to vote for now?
. . . Anybody but clinton, osama-bama, or edwards! - and DW is right - reread that part if you missed it.
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:56 pm
We can not let the msm/libs pick our candidates for us . If Fred’s hat isn’t officially in the ring , write-in ?
Something like jury nullification . We as free people , will make our own , for the common good . Screw
the belt-way and ” it’s ” rules . It’s time they listen to us . Thats U.S. folks . We have spent too much time with too many lawers tinkering with what our Founding Fathers knew what was the truth . Time to bring it home and to take out the trash .
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:32 pm
ATLien, explain to me what the difference is in a socialist that has an “R” behind his name instead of a “D”. McCain has consistantly voted with the left side of the aisle, year after year. Or are you saying that one opportunist is better than another opportunist?
As to McCain’s POW record; no one is slighting him for his service to his nation. In fact, he is running on it, but it is what he did AFTER he came home and entered public service that some of us have problems with, especially families of American POWs that were left behind in Vietnam. He did NOTHING for them and in fact, killed any investigation and research into where these men were with the help of John Kerry. For that, I cannot forgive him.
I will not vote for McCain. Period. And now, because of his smarmy remarks you can add Huckabuck to that list.
The Houston Chronicle has reported that Huckabuck is in Texas, hat in hand, pandering for GOP supporter money.
They reported Huckabuck to have said:
“I’m having to reach down deep and swallow my Arkansas pride, AND IT IS TAKING EVERYTHING IN ME TO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS, but , folks, Texas may just have to save this Arkansas boy and put us over the top in March of this year.”
Well, my advice to the Huckster is to take his sorry ass back to Arkansas and forget about Texas since we seem to be testing his pride by his pandering for our money. We have already had one man from Hope and that was more than enough. We have had our share of Elmer Gantry politicans and I hate to inform the Huckster, they went out with the “higher the hair, the closer to God” look for women, long horns as hood ornaments and pointy toed Acme boots. So the Huckster comes begging for bucks but just can’t resist telling a bunch of rich Texas Republicans how distastful it is to him. This clown is no rocket scientist. While Texas has become one of the richest states in the nation, his is still in the toilet. But I would be happy to donate about 2 million illegals for him to take home with him since he thinks we should educate them and he takes money from Tyson Foods who imports them. Perhaps Tyson could save some money by not having to go all the way to Mexico to get workers. Just pull up a list of street corners in Austin and they could fill their quota.
So where does that leave me? I will vote for Romney (now my first choice) or even Rudy, but I will never vote for McCain or the Huckster and will do a write in. As to Ron Paul, I have already contacted his competitor in the Congressional race, Chris Peden. If any of you want to help Chris, all donations are welcome.
Fred broke my heart.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Hey, Romney and Rudy are my two favorite candidates. All I was saying is that in my opinion, McCain is eons better than Hillary and Bill occupying the White House again. I do not particularly like McCain or Huckabee either. Definately not Huckabee.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:39 pm
My favorite candidate used to be Thompson.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:58 pm
ATLien, there is absolutely no difference between McCain and HillBilly. None. What Republican is pandering to the global warming crowd? What Republican is an amnesty freak and would do nothing about sealing our borders? What Republican held the deciding vote on ANWAR and voted against drilling there? What Republican wants to close GITMO and give terrorists access to our federal courts, something that has never been done in the history of our nation? What Republican voted against tax cuts in 2001 and again in 2003?
See, no difference.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:44 pm
So now where back to the lesser of two evils ? ATL. , 05 does make sense here to me . None of the above really stands out as a choice for me ,but we will all have to make a choice soon . I don’t know if I could support McCain after his pandering to the left over the years and holding hands with the ” swimmer ” from MA . I live in feingold country , I despise that dirt bag also .
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Let me once again say that I thank Mr. McCain for his valiant service in Vietnam.
But that does not mean he should be President or, for that matter can be.
We’ve been down the road of nominating a candidate who “deserves” it in 1996 with Bob Dole, and we all remember how well that went.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Once again Huckabee and McCain are my least favorite (not including Paul) but choosing between him and Hillary is a no-brainer in my opinion. Character is one reason why. Another is I trust McCain to fight the war on terror, I cannot say the same about Hillary.
January 23rd, 2008 at 12:39 am
“Federalism, conservatism, patriotism- hollow words from a hollow man. And $500 shot to hell.”
Ouch, Tom.
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
Schoedinger’s Cat sings “Memories” as the evening lies spread out across the sky like a patient on a table in a government-run hospital…Nurse Ratched cackles as Chuck Norris smothers a lobotomized Arizonan in his bed and throws a hybrid car through a window, to run to freedom in the wastes of the Alaskan wilderness…why daddy why?…memories, all alone in the moonlight…working a second job to pay the taxes on my first…dead and alive and neither one, like the GOP in 2009…look in the box…good-bye, undead campaign of Fred, who was our hope and disappointment…history passed you/us by and now the next chapter scuttles on…
January 23rd, 2008 at 2:31 am
After listening to an interview of Jeri, I came off thinking that the wrong Thompson is the candidate. That MILF is as sharp as a tack…very articulate. Did I say MILF? I will love a Mitt/Fred ticket like a Bush/Cheney.
January 23rd, 2008 at 4:08 am
Nimblicity, that is one fine piece of writing.
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:17 am
Actually a third and a fourth party would work and help shape America.
In fact, most Americans DON’T vote. Yes, it is a right and a responsibility for an American, but then, so is the right to own arms. Neat thing about those rights, you don’t have to use them and no one can make you.
There are a lot of dem’s out there that have certain conservative values, remember the Dixiecrats? There are also a lot of Repubs that have liberal leanings. Just look at the field that we currently have running and the fact that the most conservative candidates are trailing (or as the FRED?, dropped out). We need two more parties …one party to support liberals that aren’t socialists, and one for conservatives that are not RINOs.
With McCain as the front runner the movie “The Manchurian Candidate” keeps running through my mind. This guy is a RINO and if elected I believe he will do more harm than good. Look at his political positions. Does he, in fact, have ANY conservative positions?
True, he was a pilot and POW during Vietnam and I do appreciate his service to our country, just as I appreciate the service and valor of all our vets that served honorably. However, every vet here at S&L can remember some of their comrades in arms that did heroic things, but they would NOT want them in positions of leadership or responsibility in most cases.
During Desert Storm my unit had one Silver Star awarded, it went to a platoon leader. His reward: Support Platoon leader after the war. Those of you that have served know that the Support Platoon is not a glorious assignment. He left the army a few months later.
I close my rant with one of my favorite quotes from Band of Brothers…”Were you a hero in the war, grandpa.” Grandpa answered “No, but I served in a company of heroes”. Which is the best response to that question I have yet heard.
P.S. I agree with Retire 05 above.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:34 am
Now he wants to be VP? How can anyone count on him to campaign with any vigor? Maybe we can just hold a coronation at the GOP convention so his wife can wear a Tierra. After all, she ran off all the serious advisors before the campaign even began.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:52 am
Fred Thompson was no dream candidate (although we’ve been accused often enough of claiming him so). However, he’s the only nominally conservative candidate in the whole damn bunch.
Without Thompson, with Tancredo and Hunter out of the running, all we can do is vote for the former governer of The People’s Republic of Taxechusettes and hope he’ll be more conservative than he’s appeared to be so far.
Why? When the GOP runs conservatives, they win. When they run “moderates” they lose. When they put up a candidate who tells us he’s way on the right and is proud of it, the base is energized and they move. When they put up a candidate who talks about what a moderate he is, their base says ’screw it’ and the Democrats still vote for the socialist. If the Republican party doesn’t figure out to start dancing with who brung ‘em, the Democrats will be running the show for a long while.
No, I’m not going to stay home on election day. I’m not going to make some throwaway write-in vote, or vote for the Batshitcrazyinsane Party and its candidate L. Ron Paul so that I can congratulate myself on the purity of my convictions while Hillary’s in office, imitating Chavez and selling our country to Iran–but damned if I’m gonna be happy about it.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 am
Remember Reagan’s 11th Commandmant? “Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican”. If that policy was good enough for RR, its good enough for me.
January 23rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I can’t understand why Fred didn’t act on all the momentum he had back in spring. Instead he waited and waited and waited and fizzled. So sad, but it seems like he didn’t really want to be President that much. Ironically, that’s one of the best qualities a national leader could have, viz. Cincinnatus.
January 23rd, 2008 at 1:41 pm
We’ve needed a Cincinnatus for years. While we’ve had many good and some great Presidents, the last one who I think could legitimately be compared to him was Washington. The problem is that the election process has reached the point where I doubt even Washington could be elected. The amount of money required, the time commitment, and God knows the humiliation a Presidential run requires would scare off anyone of normal intelligence who wasn’t absolutely committed to gaining the power of the office. Bill and Hillary are, of course, prime horrible examples, but honestly I think most professional politicians fall into that category to a greater or lesser extent. You pretty much just have to hope to find one who’s willing to put the good of the country ahead of his/her own once they get the office. *sigh* And now I’m depressing myself.
As to McCain - I couldn’t honestly vote for him, but I can quite happily vote against Hillary or Obama. I’m bothered that that may be what it comes down to, but I won’t sit out this election even if I end up casting just a vote against.
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
For all of you that have decided you are sitting this one out…..I say to you….Go for it! If you feel that strongly about or against one candidate or the other, by all means take your ball and go home. And if enough of you do that, and a democrat, any democrat sits in the WH for the next eight years because of it, please, don’t come crying about how the country has gone to hell. You will have given up your right to a voice in the process. And you, above all else, will have betrayed the rights and responsibility your country has given you. I equate it to a warrior that doesn’t like the orders issued by his commander and refuses to obey. As you may not have any respect for whomever is ultimately nominated, I have no respect for anyone that refuses to participate in their most sacred responsibility to their country. I have voted in every presidential election since I became eligible. The first one was in 1968. I wasn’t always happy with the choices, but I always participated because I have always considered it a responsibility as well as a right. That’s the way I feel about it. Feel free to fire at will.
One last thing I want to add:
We have Warriors fighting and dying for your right to vote. For you to not exercise that right is the highest form of disrespect I think you can give to those Warriors. They are fighting and dying for you, and you are acting like spoiled brats. Think about it.
January 23rd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Well stated WI, I agree, any Repub is better than a Dhimmi in the WH. Except for Ron Paul of course, we need to leave the “crazy uncle” alone in his own little world in TX.
For those of you who feel they want to sit this one out, read this post over at the Anchoress.
http://tinyurl.com/32efwh
It includes this quote from Ronald Reagan.
It’s a fact of life. You never get everything you want so make the best of it and take what you can get. But never just completely give up and get nothing.
The remaining “viable” Republican candidates all have at least some conservative values at the core of their campaigns. We, as voters, pick our favorites for now, but once the nominee is chosen, do we really want to sit at home and increase the chance that we’ll have Clinton or Obama sworn in come Jan 2009?
I’m not sure about the rest of you but I sure as hell don’t want that nightmare to happen.
January 23rd, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Yea well said WI. And its aggrevating to hear “having McCain and Hillary will not make a difference, which one makes it” ************* Well incase people forgot, Hillary wants to implement UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE ie: hand over 1/6 of our economy over to the government. And I dont know about everyone here, but I dont feel like entering a cost control, rationing, communist health industry. I can go without year long waits in case the unthinkable happens like Cancer or something like that.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:23 pm
This is the most screwed up group of candidates I can remember, on both sides.
There is no one running who is worthy of being POTUS, IMO.
But if we have to make a choice, I will vote for Romney at this moment in time.
I just do not trust McCain, too much of a camera primadonna for me.
BTW WI, today I authorized an order for 41,000 feet of type K copper pipe of various sizes from 1 inch to 3 inches to be delivered to a job site in Brooklyn, NY.
We are also waiting final word on 680 Toto elongated, HC toilets.
Life is good.
January 23rd, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Ronald Reagan was perfectly correct about the batting average idea, but our current crop of Republicans have given us far too much compromise.
Just because we don’t want fanatics who would rather see the whole thing go down than give an inch doesn’t mean we want them replaced with wusses who will ~send~ the whole thing down in hopes of getting an inch.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:26 am
If Hillary or Obama are elected, IMHO the country will be destroyed.
But also IMHO, if McCain is elected, the country will be destroyed.
Huckabee has no chance to ever be elected.
We need someone to take us more to the right from the non-conservatism of Bush.
But most everyone left in the race aside from Romney is further to the left.
January 24th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
“Don’t go there”
I know DW. I forgot you’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Third Parties only work if you have grand momentum with enough fed up, angry voters. (Like the Lieberman victory.) But, I’m a dramatic dreamer and a cockeyed optimist and keep praying Conservatives will wake up and take a stand. (With “Rocky” music playing in the background.) Maybe we should have fought harder for Fred Thompson??? I hate hindsight. Dang!
“………………….we need to leave the “crazy uncle” alone in his own little world in TX.”
Gee thanks Gila Monster, that’s easy for you to say. We always have to take all of the crazies! LOL
January 24th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
“Maybe we should have fought harder for Fred Thompson???”
Maybe Fred Thompson should have fought harder for Fred Thompson. He’s a nice guy from what I know of him, he’s a conservative guy from what I know of him, but the responsibility for his failure has to fall on his shoulders. Remember, that’s one of the traits of “conservatism”….personal responsibility. It applies to Fred as well as everyone else.
January 24th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Well Texaspsue, some district in TX sent him to Congress, we desert dwellers sure as hell didn’t, LOL!!
If you happen to live in his district, my sympathies are extended to you and yours. ;o)
Yeah WI, Fred wasn’t exactly tearing things up and taking no prisoners now was he. Hindsight being 20/20, perhaps if he had entered the race earlier, the outcome would have been different but who knows.
Unfortunately, we have to live with one of the remaining candidates, so be it. I’ll back the eventual survivor, even if I don’t agree with all of their positions because the Dhimmi alternative, scares the hell out of me.