The Next Reagan?

IntellectualConservative.com
By Bruce Walker

The Republican Party presidential field seems wide open. Giuliani has lost valuable campaign papers, which might compromise a promising candidacy. He also is to the left of the Republican center on many issues, but his honesty and likeability make up for much of that. McCain is nominally pretty conservative, but he is simply disliked and mistrusted by too many Republicans. Romney is handsome and smooth, but unless he runs away from the pack early, his possible flip-flops on social issues will hurt him.

There are dark horses, like Mike Huckabee of Arkansas or Frank Keating of Oklahoma – both are popular, articulate, conservative and made their careers in state government, rather than Washington. Tom Tancredo would make a wonderful president, but has little chance of winning either the nomination or the general election.

Republicans need someone like Ronald Reagan, someone everyone knows, someone everyone likes, someone who is conservative and – most importantly – someone who would hold the presidency for eight years. What qualifications would such a candidate need? He would have to be someone who is very articulate and convincing in front of the camera, someone who exudes confidence, someone who naturally appeals to women voters, someone familiar with the news media, someone who has kept very much in the public eye and yet someone who has been away from the mess in Washington for awhile.

Is there such a man? Yes, there is: Fred Thompson. He has been consistently conservative on social policy and his help in getting John Roberts confirmed as Chief Justice to the Supreme Court was critical. Thompson has a record in the Senate and he voted conservative, according to the American Conservative Union, eighty-six percent of the time.

Although a conservative senator, he is well liked in the Senate. He also knows the Senate very well, although he has not been a member of the Senate for five years. Thompson also supported John McCain in 2000 and was his national co-chair. He has managed to be friendly with McCain and yet a strong supporter of President Bush. In short, he would be a unifier for the entire Republican Party and should receive the strong support of McCain, if Thompson won the nomination.

The most intriguing aspect of a Thompson candidacy, however, would be his extensive and successful experience as a movie star, a regular on two very popular television programs (programs, pointedly, that are particularly popular with women voters), and now as the replacement for Paul Harvey, whose radio program reaches tens of millions of older Americans every single day.

There is another Republican who did a regular radio commentary, who appeared before the American people for years on a very popular television program, who before that was a successful movie star, and who had left politics for several years before running for president. Who? Ronald Reagan, of course. He spoke to the American people with a radio commentary during the years between his defeat for the 1976 nomination and his run for the 1980 nomination. He was on General Electric Theater, a highly rated show, for years before entering politics. President Reagan honed his skills as a communicator at every single level.

Fred Thompson would naturally appeal to a couple of voting groups who do not naturally gravitate to Republican candidates: women who watch Law & Order, senior citizens who listen to and trust Paul Harvey, and young voters who have seen Thompson's many action movies. Fred Thompson also is an impressive and brilliant communicator. He also exudes a confidence and a leadership which people naturally seek in a president in troubled times.

Would Thompson run? He originally intended to run for re-election in 2002, but the death of his daughter caused him to reconsider. Thompson obviously does not “need” to be president to feel fulfilled in his life, but that is the very thing which most Americans want – someone, like Ronald Reagan, who actually wants to be president in order to serve his country and not his ego. It certainly seems that Fred Thompson cares about the future of America and he is clearly energetic and active enough to make a presidential run.

Would Thompson win? Today people are identified by image not policy briefs; Fred Thompson of Law & Order fame has the permanent image as a “good guy” to America. If his opponents complained that he was “just an actor,” then Thompson could easily answer: “Yes, just like Ronald Reagan was just an actor” (and no one says today that Ronald Reagan was a bad president.) He might run and he could easily win. After that, this well liked and brilliant actor might be the next Reagan.

The actor senator?  

There will never be another Ronald Reagan.

Quoted from earlier thread on FR:

* Voted NO on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
* Voted NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations. (May 1999)
* Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
* Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)

ON THE ISSUES Profile

"Son, the Ruskies don't take a crap without a plan"

I've wanted him to run for awhile now, and mentioned this several times here.

I would love to know if he had any interest in running, if he did, I would vote for him, and actually be excited about doing it, rather than voting R, because it is better than D.

I agree with you, I believe he could unite the party, and be a strong leader.

The Dumbs couldn't find anyone that could hold a candle to him. His speaking ability would win people over easily.

I believe he would almost be a shoe in, if he would run.

I'm dying to know if he is thinking of it. Does anyone know if he's mentioned it? Or has it been mentioned to him?

How would you go about contacting him?

Has he anounced/hinted  any formal attempt at a run?  He sounds sufficient.


Is he in the service of the right-wing religous crackpots?  
Does he sufficiently hate marxist, like say the Dim party?  
Is he a compromise voter in the senate?

His verbal destruction of the BATF honcho during the Ruby Ridge hearings was priceless.


"So your telling me that all this mess got started over a couple of sawed-off shotguns?"  

"Unreal"

Quoted: His verbal destruction of the BATF honcho during the Ruby Ridge hearings was priceless. "So your telling me that all this mess got started over a couple of sawed-off shotguns?"   "Unreal"

He's got my Vote.

Quoted: "Son, the Ruskies don't take a crap without a plan"

Close.

"Russians don't take a dump, son, without a plan."

That quote is what I think of everytime I hear about Fred Thompson.

I'd take him over McCain, Rudy, or Romney any day.

I wish he would run

I voted for him every time he ran here. He would have no problem getting my vote.

I'd vote for him in a heartbeat!

Can't see him running, however.

This would be a really great post and he'd be worth voting for - if he was running.

And he has a real southern accent, he's not too black and not too white, already has religion and was not conceived on a bridge in Selma after he was born.

Quoted: And he has a real southern accent, he's not too black and not too white, already has religion and was not conceived on a bridge in Selma after he was born.

You win the internet.

Bump for the best potential candidiate.

He would have my Vote!
Rudy for Vice pres would be OK on the ticket.

I've been wishing he'd run since he got into the senate in '94.

He has "Command Presence". When he walks into a room, he naturally projects himself as "The Man In Charge". The roles he plays in the movies, and on TV are just that. He's the boss. The man making the decisions. He projects strength, and confidence. Just the kind of sort we need in the white house.
I can see him being "Reaganish" as the President. It's important that we have someone in that position that the rest of the world perceives as someone who won't take any shit.
I'd vote for him.

That's all well and good, but unfortunately, the idiots (clueless sheep) in this country will elect the next president. Im convinced that there aren't enough of us true conservatives (Patriots) left to make a difference. Looking at the field of candidates so far, i'd say we are royally screwed.
Again...

looks interesting

I would vote for him.  I wouldn't vote for Rudy / McCain for dogcatcher.

Quoted: Is he in the service of the right-wing religous crackpots?

I would vote for him.

Don't be fooled.

Fred Thompson has a terrible record against illegal aliens:

View it here for yourself

He won't do anything to stop them or the NAFTA superhighway.

Quoted: I'd vote for him in a heartbeat! Can't see him running, however.

According to the Wiki page about him, as of March the 2nd, Fred Thompson is considering a run for the Presidency. I couldn't find much else on the net to collaborate that, however.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Dalton_Thompson

Quoted: The Next Reagan? IntellectualConservative.com By Bruce Walker <snip> >McCain is nominally pretty conservative, but he is simply disliked and mistrusted by too many Republicans.

I CALL BULLSHIT

Nothing about McCain is conservative.


Thompson is interesting.  He would have my support.

Quoted: I wouldn't vote for Rudy / McCain for dogcatcher.

You might have to for president.

Think about it. Rudy or Billary?  Rudy wins every time.

Quoted: Quoted: I wouldn't vote for Rudy / McCain for dogcatcher. You might have to for president. Think about it. Rudy or Billary?  Rudy wins every time.

I am SO tired of having to vote for the lesser of 2 evils instead of having a candidate to vote for that I really like and support.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I wouldn't vote for Rudy / McCain for dogcatcher. You might have to for president. Think about it. Rudy or Billary?  Rudy wins every time. I am SO tired of having to vote for the lesser of 2 evils instead of having a candidate to vote for that I really like and support.

The problem with that its (and I completely understand where you are coming from) but when you have about 49.8% of the population who votes for the greater of the two evils, it is hard to do anything with the guy who isn't evil.  If the Democrat party was only getting 35% of the vote, then I would agree, but Hillary would be a complete disaster for us.  And I mean complete.  These days you have to vote against the greater evil.

I have been saying for 8 years that he'd be a candidate I would vote for.  PLEASE, someone, let him run!


Woody

FWIW I would vote for Fred Thompson in a heartbeat.  He also has a good last name.

Quoted: I am SO tired of having to vote for the lesser of 2 evils instead of having a candidate to vote for that I really like and support.

I hear you. If the Republicans don't put up a solid candidate who I agree with I'm voting outside the two big parties.

Quoted: He is a True Conservative, and without looking at his stand on the 2nd, I would vote for him if Newt didn't run.  ( I would have to see his stand on the 2nd before I did commit though)

What he said.

Quoted: Quoted: I am SO tired of having to vote for the lesser of 2 evils instead of having a candidate to vote for that I really like and support. I hear you. If the Republicans don't put up a solid candidate who I agree with I'm voting outside the two big parties.

So you don't have a problem if Hillary wins?

"So your telling me that all this mess got started over a couple of sawed-off shotguns?" "Unreal"

That's a REAL dude there...we NEED him...
I'd send him money/vote for him in a heartbeat....
Thompson or hillary? obama?  

no way i don't vote thompson...

fred

Quoted: Don't be fooled. Fred Thompson has a terrible record against illegal aliens: View it here for yourself He won't do anything to stop them or the NAFTA superhighway.

We can handle illegals if we have arms.....

fred

Fred would get my vote.

Quoted: So you don't have a problem if Hillary wins?

I have a problem with abdicating my duty to my country and instead voting for comfort at the cost of what is best for the country in the long run. The only thing that would prevent a qualified 3rd party candidate from winning is those of you who won't vote for them only because they are 3rd party.

Quoted: We can handle illegals if we have arms..... fred

Not hardly. We've currently got arms, illegal aliens keep pouring in & killing US citizens, use your arms and go to jail with federal charges.

Quoted: Quoted: So you don't have a problem if Hillary wins? I have a problem with abdicating my duty to my country and instead voting for comfort at the cost of what is best for the country in the long run. The only thing that would prevent a qualified 3rd party candidate from winning is those of you who won't vote for them only because they are 3rd party.

3rd party will not win period.  I will not waste my vote on a party with no chance of winning.  I want to have influence on the vote in some way, if I vote 3rd party I take away votes from the side that would be better than Hitlerly.  

Quoted: Quoted: We can handle illegals if we have arms..... fred Not hardly. We've currently got arms, illegal aliens keep pouring in & killing US citizens, use your arms and go to jail with federal charges.

There is not a single canadite that will do anything about the illegal problem anyway.  If the canidate has only 1 or 2 flaws like Thompson then I think he would be a good pres....

Want him to run?

Put one of those chain emails together letting him know that he would have support. Get every member of ARFCOM to send it to him, and everyone on their Email list and ask all of those people to send it to him and everyone on their list too.

He would get a shitload of supporting emails.

height=8

Quoted: And he has a real southern accent, he's not too black and not too white, already has religion and was not conceived on a bridge in Selma after he was born.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: So you don't have a problem if Hillary wins? I have a problem with abdicating my duty to my country and instead voting for comfort at the cost of what is best for the country in the long run. The only thing that would prevent a qualified 3rd party candidate from winning is those of you who won't vote for them only because they are 3rd party. 3rd party will not win period.  I will not waste my vote on a party with no chance of winning.  I want to have influence on the vote in some way, if I vote 3rd party I take away votes from the side that would be better than Hitlerly.

And you know this how? Perot was neck-in-neck with Bush & Clinton until he pulled out of the race. You're crazy if you think a qualified 3rd party candidate couldn't win if everyone who believed in him voted that way. That is truly having some influence on the direction of the country. If you vote for giuliani you aren't influencing shit, you've been influenced.