MISSING FRED

ANOTHER STATESMAN BOWS OUT, BUT....

Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson suspended his 2008 Presidential bid Tuesday, but don't write his political obituary just yet.

The statesman and actor could help boost momentum for a candidate if he should decide to endorse a former rival. He will likely be on any GOP nominee's short list for a VP running-mate, or on a future GOP President's cabinet.

Talk radio and the conservative realm of the blogosphere are talking about a possible Romney-Thompson ticket this year. Many conservatives are excited about the possibility of such a pairing.

Time will tell. Stay tuned.....

UPDATE: It appears Mr. Thompson WILL NOT be making any endorsements in the foreseeable future.

BREAKING NEWS

AMERICA CHOOSES 2008

FORMER SEN. THOMPSON OFFICIALLY PULLS PLUG ON PRESIDENTIAL BID, NO ENDORSEMENT IMMEDIATELY GIVEN.

Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson officially turned out the lights on his 2008 Presidential bid Tuesday afternoon after failing to catch fire in the early states. He did not announce an endorsement for one of his rivals in his press release today.

The former lawmaker and actor stirred large amounts of buzz last spring and summer as he prepared for a bid for the White House. Through much of the early summer, he was a serious frontrunner. Through June and July, polls showed him in second, running toe-to-toe with Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. However, after entering the contest, the press made every attempt to pin him as lazy, and his campaign style did little to debunk that. His poll numbers dived afterward, and fundraising became a struggle.

Thompson won a fairly strong third-place showing in the Iowa caucus January 3rd, and moved on to South Carolina. He won small numbers of the vote in most of the early contests, except for a second place showing in Wyoming with 25 percent of their caucus vote.

He seemed to find somewhat of a second wind in South Carolina after a stellar performance at the FOX News Myrtle Beach debate and a reinvigorated campaign effort in the Palmetto State, but it proved not enough as he settled with a third place showing with 16 percent of the vote.

Thompson was elected as a Republican in a 1994 special election to fill the remaining term of Democratic U.S. Senator Al Gore, who was tapped by then Presidential candidate Bill Clinton to be Vice President. He served until 2002, when he chose not to run again. He is well known for his television and film career, where he played on such films as Hunt For Red October, Die Hard 2, Marie, and Baby's Day Out. He is best known for his portrayal of New York District Attorney Arthur Branch on NBC's long-running Law and Order, a role he took up after leaving the U.S. Senate, and which he gave up to run for President.

Although the press derided his campaign style as lazy and that he didn't want the job, I don't personally buy their criticism. He campaigned in the style that best fit him, but the voters at large did not resonate with it.

Now it is time for me to go to my Plan C, my third candidate of this election cycle. I settled on him as a backup choice just a few weeks ago. I will let that choice be known shortly. In preparation for a withdrawal by Senator Thompson, I ordered my buttons, shirt, and yard sign for this candidate last night. More to come...

FRED THOMPSON IS COMING BACK!

The former Tennessee Senator is once again seemingly making some momentum. Although he was barely on the radar in New Hampshire, he had a strong third-place finish in Iowa, beating most pundits.

Now, he is closer to home in South Carolina. After posting a very strong debate performance in Myrtle Beach Thursday, support and dollars are starting to rake up for him in strong amounts. It is reported by Tennessee radio talk-show host Steve Gill that Thompson has raised $800,000 since the FOX debate Thursday. The New York Times reports that Fred is now swaying voters, especially in South Carolina, with his new energy and momentum.

There is still a lot of work ahead, and a long road, but the rumors that Fred is ready to drop out now appear unfounded. Most candidates drop out because of fundraising problems. Fred's newfound cash and support makes it more likely he is planning to stay in the race longer that the pundits project. He is near a position where he can stay in the race longer because of the chaos in electing this year's Republican nominee.

Mr. THOMPSON NEEDS ALL THE SUPPORT HE CAN GET!

DONATE TO FRED NOW!

BECOME A "FRIEND OF FRED", AND HELP HIM WITH GRASSROOTS SUPPORT!

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FRED'S SOUTH CAROLINA BUS TOUR AND MEET HIM THERE!

GET YOUR OWN OFFICIAL FRED08 MERCHANDISE!

FOR MORE ON THE FRED08 CAMPAIGN, LOG ON TO fred08.com!

HELP A TRUE AMERICAN STATESMAN TO BECOME THE

NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! VOTE FRED

THOMPSON IN 2008!

Fred's Getting Some Momentum

It looks like Sen. Fred Thompson is getting some momentum as of late, particularly in Iowa.

The former senator from Tennessee had a huge debate performance last Wednesday in an otherwise lackluster meeting of candidates, and just this week picked up the important endorsement from leading conservative Congressman Steve King of Iowa.

In the Des Moines Register debate in Iowa last Wednesday, Thompson came up with the highlight of the afternoon when he told the moderator off with the line, "I'm not doin' hand shows..today." The moderator, who it turns out is a registered Democrat, asked a question on climate change. Thompson wasn't willing to play the hand show game in another debate. When the moderator asked if that was a yes or no response to the question, Thompson in-turn asked, "You want to give me a minute to answer that?" When the moderator responded no, then Fred said, "Then I'm not going to answer that!"

That combined with his stated, strong positions on the issues, especially entitlements, led to a widely praised victory in the debate for Thompson. From talk radio to the blogosphere to the National Review, the buzz on the debate was positive for Fred, with many from those circles declaring him the winner of the debate.

King's endorsement was actively sought by Thompson and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. King is a nationally-known conservative leader who is outspoken on illegal immigration. His endorsement has the legs to maybe bring Fred serious momentum in this race, especially in Iowa.

Another big boon for Fred in recent weeks is the endorsement by the National Right to Life, the leading organization in opposition to abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and euthanasia.

Once again, there is a buzz in the blogosphere that Fred may be in for a rebound. I expect him to place second or third in Iowa, and from there it's anybody's guess.

FRED PULLS OFF A REAGAN!

This is a YouTube video comparing former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson's, "I'm not doin' hand shows..today" at the Iowa debate on December 12th, to President Reagan's, " I am paying for this microphone" line in Nashua, New Hampshire in 1980. It solidifies why I am behind Fred in 2008, and Reagan's line gives me yet another reason to like our former President.

NAYSAYERS, SHUT UP!

I just want to say something to those in the press, or anywhere else for that manner, who say that Fred Thompson doesn't seem to knowledgeable on the issues, or that he is lazy, or that he seems like he doesn't care about the issues. JUST KEEP QUIET!

I have seen Fred during several speeches, and the two debates that he has been in so far, and he seems quite the opposite of all three of those! Especially during the Fox News debate in Orlando yesterday, Fred showed himself to care what he was speaking about, and showed knowledge on the issues. He topped it all off with a healthy dose of humor, as well. As far as the lazy charge, I think he smashed that one. To go through Vanderbilt Law School, hold an outside job, and take care of a family IS CERTAINLY NOT LAZY! Maybe some of his naysayers in the press can try it sometime. I know my schedule is busy, but I don't even know how busy Fred was at a young age because I am not yet taking care of a family.

At least he hasn't been prepping for this job for years like a lot of the more talked about candidates have been.

BREAKING 2008 NEWS: Fred Thompson Picks Up Endorsements From Over Half Of The Kentucky State House GOP

A huge endorsement has been announced today for the 2008 Presidential race. Kentucky State Representative James Comer, a Republican from Thompkinsville, announced on the Steve Gill Show this morning that 20 of the 37 state House Republicans are endorsing former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson for President in 2008. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has only picked up endorsements from three Kentucky House members and likewise for former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Comer also said that Thompson is the early favorite in his district, a heavily Republican one, along the Kentucky-Tennessee state line.

Among those endorsing Thompson in this bunch is the Republican floor leader Jeff Hoover from Jamestown.

The other "Bluegrass State" state legislators in this endorsement are the following:
Bill Farmer of Lexington
Sheldon Baugh of Russellville
Kevin Bratcher of Louisville
Tim Couch of Hyden
Ron Crimm of Louisville
Myron Dossett of Pembroke
C.B. Embry of Morgantown
Jim DeCesare of Bowling Green
Danny Ford of Mt. Vernon
Russ Mobley of Campbellsville
Brad Montell of Shelbyville
Lonnie Napier of Lancaster
Marie Rader of McKee
Steven Rudy of West Paducah
Charlie Siler of Williamsburg
Tommy Turner of Somerset
Ken Upchurch of Monticello
John Vincent of Ashland

You can read more of the announcement on Steve Gill's Daily Notes right here.

The Steve Gill Show is a very influential talk radio show broadcast on seven radio stations covering most of Tennessee. Gill was a former star basketball player at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville who ran for the U.S. Congress twice. He is now known for his insight on politics, especially Tennessee politics, and for his book The Fred Factor which is a kind of roadmap to Thompson's campaign for the Presidency.

ALL ABOARD THE FRED-EXPRESS!

RUN, FRED, RUN....WAIT....YES! FRED THOMPSON IS AN OFFICIAL CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT

It's official! Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson is now a real candidate for President of the United States in 2008! He announced his bid on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Wednesday. He followed that up with a trip to Iowa. Through the weekend, he is to travel to New Hampshire and South Carolina. Through next week, he plans to travel to Florida, then back to his hometown of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee late next week.

Help us get Fred elected as President. Go to www.fred08.com, and learn more about him if you don't know much about him. If you do know of him and want to see him elected, go and help him raise money, spread the word around about him, and do all you can to help this good man to the White House. AMERICA NEEDS HIS LEADERSHIP AT THIS CROSSROADS TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY! OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON WHAT WE DO NOW!

God bless ya Fred, and your family! God bless the Thompson campaign! God bless America!

Fred '08

CNN Article On The Announcement

Club For Growth's Take On Fred's Economic And Tax Record

Wikipedia Biography On Fred

BREAKING POLITICAL NEWS

Fans of former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson probably won't have long to wait for an official announcement about his candidacy for President of the United States. Politico is saying today that a source close to Fred confirms that the announcement will be via a webcast next Thursday, September 6. After that will come a post-announcement tour of iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida.

Despite all the darts being thrown at his campaign, especially from libs, Fred still holds a very good position in the polls. He also has a good manager in Bill Lacy, who grew up in my town of Cookeville, Tennessee. Lacy is a primary factor in why Fred was able to overcome long odds and win his 1994 Senate race. He trailed then-Congressman Jim Cooper, a Democrat from Nashville, by a large amount in the polls. Lacy helped to turn things around, and Fred won by an almost 60-40% margin.

Go Fred, and God bless ya!

The Latest On Fred.

I said a week ago that I expected Fred Thompson to officially throw his hat into the Presidential horserace ring by next week. However, things I am hearing in the last couple of days lead me to think that he may not officially enter until maybe even September.

He is being criticized for this for a couple of different reasons. However, I think his criticizers are insane for being so outspoken on this. For one thing, what does he have to lose. The last three Rasmussen polls show him in the lead for the GOP nomination, while most other polls show him to be strongly in second. Secondly, he is raising millions of dollars without having to report his contributions. John McCain's imploding campaign, however, is reporting low contributions and debts, something that is sure not to attract a stampede of further contributors. Third, he is getting free publicity from the press. Fourth of all, he doesn't have to get seriously mired in the debate the other contenders are facing now. He and his staff can prepare strategy without having to seriously deal with the cheap shots the others are sure to throw his way. Fred is an experienced and wise gentleman. HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING!

Make no mistake, he is running. You can tell by what he and his staff are saying that he will be in this race. Just because the other contenders jumped the gun and announced their ambitions back in the winter and spring doesn't mean that Fred has to. He is well liked, and in a good position and can probably wait till late summer with the kind of publicity he is getting. In his first U.S. Senate race against then-Congressman Jim Cooper back in 1994, Fred trailed deeply in the polls through much of the first half of 1994, then went on to win the race by a landslide. In this race, Fred isn't even trailing in the polls, so he can afford to wait.

You can tell the libs, his main GOP rivals, and the press are afraid of Fred. That is a good sign!

STORY FROM POLITICO

I'll Be Away The Next Two Weeks.

If any big news happens over the next two weeks, and any readers are curious why I haven't posted my take on it, that is because I'll be away.

I will be traveling down to New Orleans shortly, and God willing, I'll be there until Thursday.

The following Sunday morning, I'll be leaving for Short Mountain Bible Camp in Woodbury, Tennessee, about an hour and a half southeast of Nashville, depending on which road you take. I will again have a responsibility as a youth counselor this year, and I am looking forward to it. SMBC is a place I deeply respect and support. If any readers have a place where they want to send their kids, or if any readers are camp age and are interested, I'd highly recommend it! The ages are 9-19, and the season ranges from early June until about August. If interested, let me know through the comments at the bottom of this post. I will be there this year until Friday evening.

I expect Fred Thompson to officially declare his intention to run for President over these next two weeks. I may have access to a computer over the next week, but I am not yet sure on that. I hope to post about a Fred announcement as soon as possible after his official announcement. Just keep your eyes here, and I will post again as soon as possible, or as soon as events warrant it.

Fred Visits Nashville!

On Tuesday, June 26, 2007, former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson visited his home state once again. In the late morning hours, he arrived at the Mercury Air Center at the Nashville International Airport. The following are the images that Joan M. Iwanyszyn (my mom) captured during the event. He spent over half-an-hour at the rally, which attracted a couple hundred people. Afterward, he went to the Fall School Building downtown, where he said the historic structure would serve as his national campaign headquarters if he were to jump into the race for the White House in 2008 (which is highly likely). In the evening, he attended at least two fundraisers for his likely campaign, which is in the exploratory phase, allowing him to raise money for such an action. After a day in Nashville, it was on to South Carolina and New Hampshire for him.

For video from on the visit to Nashville International Airport, visit the following links:
-WKRN-2, Nashville
-WTVF-5, Nashville

On an announcement note, I talked to a friend of Mr. Thompson's at the rally. He claimed to know Fred through Vanderbilt Law School and by practicing law with him. He told me when and where the official announcement is going to be. However, I do not want to pre-empt Mr. Thompson's official announcement, so I will say that an announcement is very soon. If you watch the videos, you will see that he is almost certainly a candidate. Now, it is just a matter of officially announcing, and mark my words, you won't have to wait long.

To the best of my knowledge, the pictures are in chronological order. Without further ado, THE PICTURES!

All Pictures Taken By Joan M. Iwanyszyn.

A SHOT OF THE CROWD GATHERED TO SEE FRED.




ANOTHER SHOT OF THE CROWD OF 200+ GATHERED TO CHEER ON THE THOMPSON TRAIN AS IT CHUGS ON TO D.C.





THE CROWD ANXIOUSLY AWAITS FRED'S ARRIVAL.

INSIDE THE MERCURY AIR CENTER AS THE BIG MAN HIMSELF IS READY TO ENTER.

A BLURRY SHOT OF ABOUT THE SAME SCENE AS THE ONE JUST PREVIOUS.

FRED ENTERS - HE IS JUST ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS IMAGE - AS MEMBERS OF THE NASHVILLE PRESS, AND EAGER SUPPORTERS SNAP PICTURES.

A DARK VIEW OF THE SCENE INSIDE WHILE FRED GREETS THE "FRED HEADS".

FRED TALKS TO HIS SUPPORTERS, AND TO THE PRESS.

FRED CONTINUES ON, TALKING TO MORE SUPPORTERS AND TO MORE PRESS.

THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? YES, IF GOD AND THE PEOPLE WILL IT.



THE "CONSERVATIVE STATESMAN" GETS INTO THE FRONT LINES, AND GETS THE CHANCE TO SEE THE BIG MAN AND GET HIS AUTOGRAPH (IN A MINUTE, AT LEAST).

THE "CONSERVATIVE STATESMAN" AWAITS HIS CHANCE TO TALK TO HIS CANDIDATE.

"WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOU, FRED!"

"RUN, FRED, RUN!"

YOURS TRULY WATCHES AS FRED SIGNS A NAVYMAN'S RECOGNITION OF SERVICE.

I SOAK UP THE REALITY OF THE EVENT IN WHICH I AM PARTAKING IN. I AM MEETING A CRUCIAL MEMBER OF THE WATERGATE TRIAL, AN ACTOR, A FORMER U.S. SENATOR, AND PERHAPS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY ON THE PLANET!

TWO CONSERVATIVE STATESMEN IN THE SAME PHOTOGRAPH. I AM POSING WITH A MAN WHO COULD VERY WELL BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT!

ON GOES FRED TO DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE, ON TO THE OLD FALL SCHOOL BUILDING.

GOD BLESS YA, FRED! (THAT IS WHAT I SAID AS HE PASSED AND WAVED OUR DIRECTION.)

The Dems Fear Fred!

"I can speak on behalf of many democrats, that he is the most frightening canidate we could face. He is telegenic, smart, a mainstream conservative, and he would work with the Republican base."
Bob Beckel- Democratic Strategist and Fox News Contributer.

Fred Thompson Lays It Down To A Meeting Of Restauranters

Unannounced GOP Presidential candidate Fred Thompson spoke Sunday in Chicago at a meeting of the National Restaurant Association. In the speech, he predicted that the "bipartisan proposal" on immigration will fail and that it won't resonate with the American people. He also warned of the threat posed by China, and called the situation, "The Day After Iraq." In the speech, he said the idea that it is too late for him to jump into the race is "baloney", but he said that he has to jump in at the right time if he is to have a chance.

MORE FROM:
The Jackson, Tenn. Sun
The Nashville, Tenn. Tennessean -On China
The Nashville, Tenn. Tennessean -On The Immigration Bill
The Lafayette, Ind. Journal & Courier

Rick Takes 9% Of Vote In Poll For Thompson's VP

In a weekly poll hosted by www.anotherronaldreagan.com, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum was chosen by a number of people to be Fred Thompson's running-mate for the White House in 2008. In his first week on the poll, Santorum was the choice of 31 people, or 9 percent of the 354 who voted. The top vote-getter was former Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts, who is largely rumored to be a possible choice if Thompson wins the GOP nomination for President. Watts garnered 65 votes, or 18 percent of the total. Following is last week's results, going through Monday:

Rudy Giuliani 12% 41
Mitt Romney 10% 37
JC Watts 18% 65
Condoleeza Rice 13% 45
Joe Lieberman 9% 33
Michael Steele 5% 16
Newt Gingrich 15% 52
John McCain 7% 25
Ken Blackwell 3% 9
Rick Santorum 9% 31

Go now to www.anotherronaldreagan.com and show your support for Rick Santorum as Vice President! That is the ticket right there, THOMPSON-SANTORUM 2008! A winning team for America!

Pennsylvania House Speaker Endorses Thompson

Dennis O'Brien, Speaker of Pennsylvania's House of Representatives, has endorsed Fred Thompson in his likely bid for the Republican nomination for the White House next year, according to SavetheGOP.com. O'Brien is a Republican from near Philadelphia, and presides over a majority-Democratic chamber. He topped the former GOP speaker, John Perzel, in January, in which he was offered nomination by a couple of Dems, and he was supported by a few Republicans looking for reform, as well as most Dems. Most of the GOP members in the House, along with a few Dems, supported Perzel for another term.

According to SaveTheGOP.com:
"While O’Brien is relatively new to the circles of power in Pennsylvania politics, this is certainly a major endorsement and could help Thompson raise big money in Philadelphia."

The FredTrain is moving right along, chugging down the right track!

A DUO THAT WOULD EXCEL ~ THOMPSON AND SANTORUM

Here is my idea for the 2008 Republican ticket ~ Former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee and former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Why go through the fuss of having a conservative candidate with great leadership at the top of the ticket with a moderate at the bottom, or vise-versa. Both these candidates complement each other well. Both are conservative with strong leadership skills. They both know very well the dangers threatening our country, from the borders and from Islamofascism. They're both straight talkers. When they have something important to say, they say it and are not sorry if it is the truth. Thompson is stronger on foreign policy issues, while Santorum is stronger on social conservative issues. Santorum would not be a weak VP. Should the time come, God forbid, if Fred couldn't lead the country for a time, Rick could take the lead without much problem. It would, also, set up Rick for a Presidential bid down the road. The GOP could have a couple of good Presidential nominees for the foreseeable future. Sounds good to me!

Ronald Reagan was not excited about having George H.W. Bush as a running mate. That is fairly well known. It may be because H.W. was not really a strong conservative. Look at his record. Why should Fred have a problem with a liberal or a moderate by his side in the race. WHY SHOULD WE AS THE CONSERVATIVE VOTERS HAVE THAT PROBLEM! Santorum as the veep would be thrilling! A team that would appoint good judges, know how to deal with China, work to stop abortion, know how to solve the border situation and know how to deal with Islamofascists. That is only the tip of the iceberg. That sounds to me like what America needs at this crucial time in our history. We need good leadership that will preserve America and her strong values. The Thompson-Santorum duo COULD DO THAT! They could do it better than anyone out there now, except for Tom Tancredo and Duncan Hunter.

I ask Americans, especially bloggers and talk-radio hosts to join me in supporting Fred Thompson for President and encouraging him to choose Rick Santorum as his running mate. With influence, this could happen. These are challenging times for America. We need the leadership of these two gentlemen.

WE'LL BE FREDTASTIC WITH THOMPSON AND SANTORUM IN 2008!

HERE'S WHAT YOU MISSED SATURDAY!

If you didn't come to Cookeville, Tennessee to take part in the "Draft Fred Thompson" rally on Saturday, just view this video to see what you missed. The rally reflected real politics from the 1800s and early 1900s. CERTAINLY POLITICS AT ITS BEST! The fellowship with fellow minds who are concerned about American values and the threats to our country, with the charisma of the speakers, and the excitement about a candidate for President, politics just doesn't get better than that! View the video to find that you certainly missed out if you weren't there!

Gill Speaks At Thompson Rally

Popular Tennessee radio talk show host Steve Gill fires up the crowd at the first "Draft Fred Thompson 2008" rally, which was held in Cookeville, Tennessee on Saturday, April 28, 2007. Gill is also known for his basketball playing days at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. The rally brought out at least 300 supporters from at least ten states at the starting time of 3:30. In the next two hours, a total of 500 people showed up and encouraged the former Tennessee senator to run for President in the 2008 elections. When the event was first planned, only about 200 were expected to show up without Thompson being there. The Senator was not there. Thompson is already a factor in this race, although he has yet to announce his intentions.