Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Thompson News

Thompson responds to Reid over his comments on Pace and Petraeus.

Thompson is set to make a policy speech in London today and will pose for pictures with Thatcher on Wednesday:

On Wednesday, he will pose for photos with Thatcher, which his advisers hope will enhance his support among devotees of former President Ronald Reagan.

Thompson will deliver the foreign policy speech, "Strengthening the Transatlantic Alliance," on Tuesday at the Policy Exchange, a conservative think tank based in London.

It will stress the importance of American alliances abroad, his advisers said.

"The speech is mostly about the unique and special relationship between the U.S. and the U.K," an adviser said on condition of anonymity, because the prospective campaign has not publicly announced details of the address. "It is about how we have a responsibility to stand together and lead the Western democracies, protect our civilization and stand together for freedom."

The audience will include British business, opinion and political leaders.

Thompson will follow it with a dinner Tuesday night with British journalists, businessmen and policymakers.

The "Law & Order" actor and former senator from Tennessee will meet Wednesday with Lady Margaret Thatcher, the United Kingdom's first female prime minister, and David Cameron, the current leader of the Conservative Party.

Woodward says that Thompson's role in the Watergate hearings is exaggerated:

Yesterday, Bob Woodward took a shot in a Washington Post online chat at Mr. Thompson's role in the Watergate hearings. Mr. Thompson is often credited with asking a question that led to the disclosure of the fact that President Nixon had installed recording devices in the Oval Office.

Mr. Woodward said Mr. Thompson's role has been exaggerated...

The veteran journalist, whose early reporting was instrumental in uncovering the scandal, said that when Thompson asked the question, he already "knew the answer -- because three days before the public testimony, lawyers and investigators for the committee got Butterfield to reveal the existance of the secret tape-recording system. Though Thompson seems to get public credit for asking this critical question, it was the work of others on the committee staff who dug out Butterfield's revelation in a lengthy interview on a hot Friday afternoon on July 13, 1973."
Thompson opens at 20 to 1 to win the presidency:
Believing that Fred Thompson will officially announce his run for the 2008 US Presidency race, Sportsbook.com has opened odds on the former Republican Senator from Tennessee at 20 to 1 odds.
And finally, this seems delusional to me:
Romney is about to get a bipartisan one-two punch from the political "establishment." The Republican and Democrat "deciders" appear to have entered into a silent agreement. They have moved their artillery into position for a late summer attack on Camp Romney.

The Democrats have Hollywood, and Hollywood has "decided" to release "September Dawn" just as the Republican primaries heat up. The movie is sure to exact heavy damage on the reputation of the Mormon church and therefore, wannabe Mormon in Chief Mitt Romney.

[...]

So, the Bushies and the good ole guys in the party have gone into action. This week, George Prescott Bush, the president's nephew, endorsed Fred Thompson. Also this week, President Bush put Ed Gillespie on the White House staff. Gillespie is the former RNC Chairman and has been in recent conversations with soon-to-be presidential candidate Fred Thompson. Just in case you were wondering, if only the Bushies were on the Fred Thompson campaign, it was recently revealed that Elizabeth Cheney would be joining him as an adviser. That adds the Cheney fundraising prowess and the neocon mafia to round out Team Thompson. He is racking up some big name talent to ensure Romney does not make it out of the gate with the conservative base.

Their tactic will be very straightforward: Take a very recognizable senator/actor who espouses conservative values with no liberal rhetoric/baggage, (one that will bring a state, i.e. Tennessee with him), and crown him king. Few people know Thompson's true views on issues, as he did not have a very tough political fight when he ran for senator. That is serving him well. It is easy, therefore, for him to step into the shoes of the party's favorite president, Ronald Reagan. Thompson's blog on his official site imwithfred.com begins with three Ronald Reagan issues. First, you see a video of his speech to the National Right to Life Committee, then a photo and interview that Fred Thompson does with the speechwriter of the President Reagan "Berlin Wall" speech and finally a blog about cutting taxes. A remake of Reagan for President? You Bet!
It's not surprising that conservatives in the Bush administration would support a conservative, especially since they probably know him from his time on Capital Hill.