Fred Thompson presidential campaign, 2008
Encyclopedia
Fred Thompson was a Republican Party
primary candidate to represent his party in the 2008 United States presidential election
. Thompson has worked as a lawyer, lobbyist, and character actor, and he represented Tennessee
as a Republican in the U.S. Senate from 1994 through 2003.
On March 11, 2007, Thompson appeared on Fox News Sunday
to discuss the possibility of a 2008 candidacy for president. The announcement spurred several grassroots draft movements, including a well-organized draft campaign started by Dean Rice, a former Thompson political aide, in Knoxville, Tennessee
. While Thompson had not yet formally announced his intentions, he said he would "leave the door open." He stated that he would not be interested in accepting a hypothetical nomination for vice president, explaining "I don't think I would ever want to do that and be in the second position."
Thompson's March 11 announcement spurred a flurry of conjecture, discussion, and activity on the Internet. A "Draft Fred Thompson" forum site became a particularly popular online forum for supporters. One group of supporters organized under the banner "FredHeadsUSA" with a plan to build a grassroots political movement to expand on Thompson's support on the Internet.
On May 15, Thompson published a video in which he declined to debate Michael Moore
about Cuba
. On May 18, he continued his Internet campaign by posting a letter to Pajamas Media
acknowledging his online supporters.
Thompson formed an exploratory committee
on June 1, 2007. Unlike most candidate exploratory groups, his organized as a 527 group
. Thompson made his first public appearance after this exploratory committee formed on June 2 at the Virginia Republicans annual fund-raising gala in Richmond, Virginia
. Shortly thereafter, on June 5, 2007, Thompson launched his official website. The same day, there was a Republican Presidential candidates debate with the then current 10 candidates, from New Hampshire
, broadcast on CNN
. Thompson was mentioned repeatedly as one of the poll front runners, even though he did not participate.
On June 12, 2007, Thompson appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He would not announce his candidacy, but referred to his presidential exploratory committee, which he stated had yielded positive prospects. Leno
mentioned that Thompson was #2 in the polls, and asked him if he would at least state if he would like the job of President. Thompson responded that, while he did not crave the job itself, there were things he would like to do that he could only do by holding that office.
In early July 2007, Liz Sidoti of the Associated Press
wrote: "Thompson's easygoing, no-nonsense style is clearly his strength and undoubtedly has helped him soar in presidential polls." Tucker Eskew
, a Republican strategist unaligned in the race, said, "Smooth is good, but sometimes nitty gritty is essential" and "He'll be tested (but) he has a little time." Meanwhile, he received a flurry of press attention over lobbying work he had done in 1991 and 1992 for a group advocating relaxed regulations on abortion counseling at federally-funded clinics. In July 2007, a New York Times article cited Thompson's aides as saying on July 18 that he planned to enter the race just after Labor Day
(the first Monday in September), followed by a national announcement tour.
On July 31, 2007, the Thompson committee reported to the IRS that it had raised almost $3.5 million and spent $625,000 in its first month.
Thompson visited Iowa
on August 17, 2007, but did not then officially launch his presidential campaign. Thompson was asked by NBC
if he was officially in the race for president. Thompson replied with a simple "No." It was also noted that Thompson was already prepping for the Republican debates, so that he would be able to join the other Republican candidates on stage at the events after becoming an announced candidate.
Prior to Thompson's entry into the presidential race on September 5, 2007, the September 10, 2007 issue of Newsweek
hit newsstands with a detailed cover story
about him.
.
On September 27, 2007, PBS
television hosted a Republican debate in Baltimore, Maryland
, at Morgan State University
that aired live on PBS and on www.pbs.org. Thompson, who missed his first debate opportunity since declaring his candidacy, was criticized by event organizers and other GOP candidates for his absence. The October 9, 2007,
CNBC
, The Wall Street Journal
, and the University of Michigan–Dearborn hosted Republican debate in Dearborn, Michigan
, at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center. featured Thompson in attendance.
report stating that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program. He later stated that the report should be looked at with skepticism.
, trailing Mike Huckabee
(34%) and Mitt Romney
(25%). John McCain
also got 13%, but Thompson received more actual votes. Thompson won 3 of the 12 delegates in the Wyoming Republican County Conventions on January 5, 2008.
On January 15, 2008, Thompson placed 5th in the Michigan Republican
primary with 4% of the vote, winning no delegates. He received 8% of the vote in the Nevada Caucuses
, placing 5th, on January 19, 2008. He did not win any delegates.
On January 19, 2008, Thompson placed 3rd in the South Carolina primary
with 16% of the vote, earning no delegates. Thompson was counting on a win in the southern conservative state to save his struggling campaign, and his poor showing was seen as a fatal blow to his candidacy.
, a former fundraiser for the National Republican Congressional Committee
. Also said to be likely senior advisers were former Republican National Committee chair Ed Gillespie
, former vice president of the food and tobacco company Altria Tom Collamore, PR man Mark Corallo
, former chairman of the Federal Election Commission Michael E. Toner
, former Senate aide Tom Daffron, longtime Tennessee politician Tom Ingram and Congressman Zach Wamp
.
On July 24, 2007, Thompson announced he was replacing his acting campaign manager, Tom Collamore, with former Michigan
Senator and Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham
and Florida
GOP strategist Randy Enright. Collamore would remain as an advisor, Enright would be political director, and Abraham did not have a title. On August 8, 2007, Bill Lacy
was named manager of Thompson's "testing the waters committee". Lacy had worked in the campaigns of Presidents Reagan and Bush, as well as Senator Bob Dole
, and had worked on Thompson's 1994 campaign.
as his "lodestar
", providing "a basis for a proper analysis of most issues: 'Is this something government should be doing? If so, at what level of government?'"
Thompson supports free trade
and low taxes
. He is a self-described authentic conservative since he was part of the Conservative Revolution of the 90s. He says that Roe v. Wade
was a wrong decision that ought to be overturned, and that he is pro-life
, but he also has said that states should decide not to criminalize young women for early term abortions
. Thompson is skeptical that humanity is to blame for global warming
. He says citizens are entitled to keep and bear arms
if they do not have criminal records. Thompson's support of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation brought criticism from groups such as Gun Owners of America
(GOA), who said that the legislation limited their ability to inform the public about the gun rights voting records of incumbent politicians. Thompson now says that the limitation on political speech within thirty or sixty days of an election was wrong and should be repealed. Thompson says U.S. borders need to be secured before considering comprehensive immigration
reform. Thompson supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq
, but he believes that mistakes have been made since then. He is opposed to withdrawal from Iraq. He also believes that Iran
should be taken seriously.
, a popular weekly conservative magazine, officially endorsed Thompson saying, "Thompson best represents conservative principles."
On November 13, 2007, the National Right to Life Committee
announced its endorsement of Fred Thompson, stating "Our endorsement is a testament to Senator Thompson’s long-standing pro-life record, his commitment to unborn children, and our belief in his ability to win."
As of September 6, 2007, Thompson had been endorsed by 20 current members of Congress, including both Tennessee senators. Also, on June 12, 2007 former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato (New York) endorsed Thompson for president.
Former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker
of Tennessee also expressed his support, saying: "If I had to pick one thing that qualifies him to be president, it's this: he approaches things calmly, deliberately—and he doesn't shoot from the hip."
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
primary candidate to represent his party in the 2008 United States presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. Thompson has worked as a lawyer, lobbyist, and character actor, and he represented Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
as a Republican in the U.S. Senate from 1994 through 2003.
Prelude
Fox News Sunday
Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace is a public affairs program on the Fox network, hosted by Chris Wallace and airing on Sunday mornings. The show began on April 28, 1996, which predated the launch of Fox News Channel, and usually talks about items similar to Sunday morning talk shows...
to discuss the possibility of a 2008 candidacy for president. The announcement spurred several grassroots draft movements, including a well-organized draft campaign started by Dean Rice, a former Thompson political aide, in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. While Thompson had not yet formally announced his intentions, he said he would "leave the door open." He stated that he would not be interested in accepting a hypothetical nomination for vice president, explaining "I don't think I would ever want to do that and be in the second position."
Thompson's March 11 announcement spurred a flurry of conjecture, discussion, and activity on the Internet. A "Draft Fred Thompson" forum site became a particularly popular online forum for supporters. One group of supporters organized under the banner "FredHeadsUSA" with a plan to build a grassroots political movement to expand on Thompson's support on the Internet.
On May 15, Thompson published a video in which he declined to debate Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
about Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. On May 18, he continued his Internet campaign by posting a letter to Pajamas Media
Pajamas Media
PJ Media is a media company that uses the Internet to present and comment on the news.Founded in 2004 by a network primarily, but not exclusively, made up of conservatives and libertarians led by mystery writer, screenwriter, and blogger Roger L...
acknowledging his online supporters.
Thompson formed an exploratory committee
Exploratory Committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to United States Presidential hopefuls, prior to the primaries.Exploratory...
on June 1, 2007. Unlike most candidate exploratory groups, his organized as a 527 group
527 group
A 527 organization or 527 group is a type of American tax-exempt organization named after "Section 527" of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code...
. Thompson made his first public appearance after this exploratory committee formed on June 2 at the Virginia Republicans annual fund-raising gala in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Shortly thereafter, on June 5, 2007, Thompson launched his official website. The same day, there was a Republican Presidential candidates debate with the then current 10 candidates, from New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, broadcast on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
. Thompson was mentioned repeatedly as one of the poll front runners, even though he did not participate.
On June 12, 2007, Thompson appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He would not announce his candidacy, but referred to his presidential exploratory committee, which he stated had yielded positive prospects. Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
mentioned that Thompson was #2 in the polls, and asked him if he would at least state if he would like the job of President. Thompson responded that, while he did not crave the job itself, there were things he would like to do that he could only do by holding that office.
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
wrote: "Thompson's easygoing, no-nonsense style is clearly his strength and undoubtedly has helped him soar in presidential polls." Tucker Eskew
Tucker Eskew
Tucker Eskew is a Republican political consultant in the United States who served as "chief of staff and permanent companion on the campaign trail" to Sarah Palin. He is the founding partner of the Eskew Strategy Group, an Alexandria based Republican communications firm. In 2005, he merged the...
, a Republican strategist unaligned in the race, said, "Smooth is good, but sometimes nitty gritty is essential" and "He'll be tested (but) he has a little time." Meanwhile, he received a flurry of press attention over lobbying work he had done in 1991 and 1992 for a group advocating relaxed regulations on abortion counseling at federally-funded clinics. In July 2007, a New York Times article cited Thompson's aides as saying on July 18 that he planned to enter the race just after Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
(the first Monday in September), followed by a national announcement tour.
On July 31, 2007, the Thompson committee reported to the IRS that it had raised almost $3.5 million and spent $625,000 in its first month.
Thompson visited Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
on August 17, 2007, but did not then officially launch his presidential campaign. Thompson was asked by NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
if he was officially in the race for president. Thompson replied with a simple "No." It was also noted that Thompson was already prepping for the Republican debates, so that he would be able to join the other Republican candidates on stage at the events after becoming an announced candidate.
Prior to Thompson's entry into the presidential race on September 5, 2007, the September 10, 2007 issue of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
hit newsstands with a detailed cover story
Cover story
Cover story may refer to:* a story in a magazine whose subject matter appears on its front cover* a fictitious account that is intended to hide one's real motive, e.g. when a terrorist pretends to be farmer to buy fertilizer or to provide an explanation in case it is found; the story in the case of...
about him.
Official announcement
Thompson declared his intent to seek the nomination on September 5, 2007 on the Tonight Show With Jay Leno, accompanied by a 15-minute web video. He then began a five-day tour of early voting states, including Iowa, New Hampshire and South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
The campaign begins
In late September and early October, Fred Thompson made several blunders including not being aware of the Supreme Court decision regarding lethal injection, confusing the party in power during the John Roberts nomination, being unaware of the controversy over drilling for oil in the Everglades, and confusing Russia and the Soviet Union.On September 27, 2007, PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
television hosted a Republican debate in Baltimore, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, at Morgan State University
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
that aired live on PBS and on www.pbs.org. Thompson, who missed his first debate opportunity since declaring his candidacy, was criticized by event organizers and other GOP candidates for his absence. The October 9, 2007,
CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, and the University of Michigan–Dearborn hosted Republican debate in Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
, at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center. featured Thompson in attendance.
December 2007
In early December, Fred Thompson rejected the NIENational Intelligence Estimate
National Intelligence Estimates are United States federal government documents that are the authoritative assessment of the Director of National Intelligence on intelligence related to a particular national security issue...
report stating that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program. He later stated that the report should be looked at with skepticism.
Primaries and caucuses
Thompson competed in the Republican primary or caucus in five states. He won 13% of the vote in the Iowa Republican caucusesIowa Republican caucuses, 2008
The 2008 Iowa Republican caucuses took place on January 4, 2008. The Iowa Republican caucuses are an unofficial primary, with the delegates to the state convention selected proportionally via a straw poll...
, trailing Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
(34%) and Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
(25%). John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
also got 13%, but Thompson received more actual votes. Thompson won 3 of the 12 delegates in the Wyoming Republican County Conventions on January 5, 2008.
On January 15, 2008, Thompson placed 5th in the Michigan Republican
Michigan Republican primary, 2008
The 2008 Michigan Republican primary took place on January 15, 2008. Mitt Romney came in first with 39 percent of the vote, followed by John McCain with 30 percent and Mike Huckabee in third-place with 16 percent...
primary with 4% of the vote, winning no delegates. He received 8% of the vote in the Nevada Caucuses
Nevada Republican caucuses, 2008
The Nevada Republican caucuses, 2008 was held on January 19, the same day as the 2008 South Carolina Republican primary, with 31 delegates at stake. Mitt Romney was the winner in Nevada with 51% of the votes, with Ron Paul in second place. Half of Romney's votes came from Mormons, while two-thirds...
, placing 5th, on January 19, 2008. He did not win any delegates.
On January 19, 2008, Thompson placed 3rd in the South Carolina primary
South Carolina Republican primary, 2008
The South Carolina Republican primary, 2008 was held on January 19, with 24 delegates at stake. The Republican National Committee took half of South Carolina's 47 delegates away from them because the state committee moved its Republican primary before February 5...
with 16% of the vote, earning no delegates. Thompson was counting on a win in the southern conservative state to save his struggling campaign, and his poor showing was seen as a fatal blow to his candidacy.
Withdrawal from race
On January 22, 2008, after finishing third in South Carolina — a primary which he publicly said he needed to win — Thompson announced his withdrawal from the race. In a statement released by his campaign, Thompson said, "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." He did not immediately endorse any of the remaining candidates, but in February 2008 endorsed John McCain.Campaign staff and policy team
Political insiders in Tennessee expected the inner circle of a Thompson campaign to include, in addition to his politically experienced wife, a number of functionaries with whom Thompson has been associated in the past. Thompson's chief fundraiser was Wyatt A. StewartWyatt A. Stewart
Wyatt A. Stewart, III is Chief Operating Officer of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems and a career political fundraiser. Formerly, the main designer of the organizer for the fund raising campaign to restore Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, Stewart has also done considerable...
, a former fundraiser for the National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
. Also said to be likely senior advisers were former Republican National Committee chair Ed Gillespie
Ed Gillespie
Edward W. Gillespie is an American Republican political strategist and former Counselor to the President in the George W. Bush White House. Gillespie, along with Jack Quinn, former Chief of Staff to Vice President Al Gore, founded Quinn Gillespie & Associates, a bipartisan lobbying firm...
, former vice president of the food and tobacco company Altria Tom Collamore, PR man Mark Corallo
Mark Corallo
Mark Corallo is a political communications and public relations professional, who is currently the co-founder and co-principal of Corallo Comstock...
, former chairman of the Federal Election Commission Michael E. Toner
Michael E. Toner
Michael E. Toner, American attorney and political appointee, specialized in election law, and currently employed by Wiley Rein LLP where he co-chairs the Election Law & Government Ethics Practice. He formerly served as the chairman of the Federal Election Commission , the regulatory body that...
, former Senate aide Tom Daffron, longtime Tennessee politician Tom Ingram and Congressman Zach Wamp
Zach Wamp
Zachary Paul "Zach" Wamp is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 to 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party...
.
On July 24, 2007, Thompson announced he was replacing his acting campaign manager, Tom Collamore, with former Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
Senator and Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham
Spencer Abraham
Edmund Spencer Abraham is a former United States Senator from Michigan. He served as the tenth United States Secretary of Energy, serving under President George W. Bush. Abraham is one of the founders of the Federalist Society....
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
GOP strategist Randy Enright. Collamore would remain as an advisor, Enright would be political director, and Abraham did not have a title. On August 8, 2007, Bill Lacy
Bill Lacy
Bill Lacy is a former political operative and business executive who is the current Director of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, and was the campaign manager for Fred Thompson's 2008 presidential campaign...
was named manager of Thompson's "testing the waters committee". Lacy had worked in the campaigns of Presidents Reagan and Bush, as well as Senator Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
, and had worked on Thompson's 1994 campaign.
Political positions
Thompson describes FederalismFederalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
as his "lodestar
Lodestar
A lodestar or guiding star may be:*Polaris*any star used in celestial navigation*metaphorically, any guiding principle*Guiding Star...
", providing "a basis for a proper analysis of most issues: 'Is this something government should be doing? If so, at what level of government?'"
Thompson supports free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
and low taxes
Tax cut
A tax cut is a reduction in taxes. The immediate effects of a tax cut are a decrease in the real income of the government and an increase in the real income of those whose tax rate has been lowered. Due to the perceived benefit in growing real incomes among tax payers politicians have sought to...
. He is a self-described authentic conservative since he was part of the Conservative Revolution of the 90s. He says that Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, , was a controversial landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court decided that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion,...
was a wrong decision that ought to be overturned, and that he is pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
, but he also has said that states should decide not to criminalize young women for early term abortions
Abortion in the United States
Abortion in the United States has been legal in every state since the United States Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, on January 22, 1973...
. Thompson is skeptical that humanity is to blame for global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. He says citizens are entitled to keep and bear arms
Second Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights.In 2008 and 2010, the Supreme Court issued two Second...
if they do not have criminal records. Thompson's support of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation brought criticism from groups such as Gun Owners of America
Gun Owners of America
Gun Owners of America is a gun rights organization in the United States with over 300,000 members. They make efforts to differentiate themselves from the larger National Rifle Association , and have publicly criticized the NRA on multiple occasions for what the GOA considers to be the selling out...
(GOA), who said that the legislation limited their ability to inform the public about the gun rights voting records of incumbent politicians. Thompson now says that the limitation on political speech within thirty or sixty days of an election was wrong and should be repealed. Thompson says U.S. borders need to be secured before considering comprehensive immigration
Illegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
reform. Thompson supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, but he believes that mistakes have been made since then. He is opposed to withdrawal from Iraq. He also believes that Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
should be taken seriously.
Endorsements
January 11, 2008, Human EventsHuman Events
Human Events is a weekly American conservative magazine. It takes its name from the first sentence of the United States Declaration of Independence...
, a popular weekly conservative magazine, officially endorsed Thompson saying, "Thompson best represents conservative principles."
On November 13, 2007, the National Right to Life Committee
National Right to Life Committee
The National Right to Life Committee is the oldest and largest pro-life organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 local chapters nationwide. The group works through legislation and education to work against abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and assisted...
announced its endorsement of Fred Thompson, stating "Our endorsement is a testament to Senator Thompson’s long-standing pro-life record, his commitment to unborn children, and our belief in his ability to win."
As of September 6, 2007, Thompson had been endorsed by 20 current members of Congress, including both Tennessee senators. Also, on June 12, 2007 former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato (New York) endorsed Thompson for president.
Former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker
Howard Baker
Howard Henry Baker, Jr. is a former Senate Majority Leader, Republican U.S. Senator from Tennessee, White House Chief of Staff, and a former United States Ambassador to Japan.Known in Washington, D.C...
of Tennessee also expressed his support, saying: "If I had to pick one thing that qualifies him to be president, it's this: he approaches things calmly, deliberately—and he doesn't shoot from the hip."
List of individuals endorsing Fred Thompson |
|---|
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See also
- United States Republican presidential candidates, 2008
- Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008The 2008 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
- Opinion Polling for the Republican Party
External links
- The Fred Thompson Report, ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Radio Networks (official site). - The Official YouTube Page for Fred Thompson (official video site).
- The Official Flickr Page for Fred Thompson (official photo site).
- Spartan Internet Political Performance (SIPP) Index - Ranking of Fred Thompson Internet-wide popularity Weekly
- The Fred Thompson Papers, University of Tennessee (official archive). acting career.
- The Fred Files Lobbying disclosures, 1975–1994.
- Fred Thompson Hometown Biography, Lawrenceburg Tennessee