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From Politico — “Thompson Exceeds (low) Expectations”:
“Democracy is good.”
As I said, a man easy to underestimate. But when he says things like “Democracy is good,” people in the audience don’t snicker. They nod their heads and often applaud.
“This running for president is simple,” Thompson told an audience in Cedar Falls. “It is not hard and complex. Deep in your heart, do what you think is good for your country.”
He got a standing ovation.
From The New York Times:
Still, Mr. Thompson at times seemed to be looking for his sea legs. In an interview with Kay Henderson of Radio Iowa today, in talking about Iran, he referred to the “Soviet Union and China.” (Ms. Henderson, at the end of her blog post on the exchange, wrote: “No, I did not mistype. Thompson said Soviet Union rather than Russia.”)
Iowans saw a candidate who is subdued and sonorous, a laconic presence who spoke in soft monotone, threw few elbows and displayed little drive to distinguish himself from his opponents.
From The Trail (The Washington Post):
Generally, Thompson left the Register still waiting for details, a sentiment voters have expressed about the candidate as well. “Thompson gave long, meandering answers, but offered few solutions or detailed plans,” the paper wrote. “He acknowledged that, saying he’s not the candidate to offer a 15-point plan on every issue.”
From NationalJournal.com/The Gate:
MSNBC reports that at a campaign event in Iowa Tuesday night, the candidate was asked about last year’s Senate hearings on the nomination of Chief Justice John Roberts, whom Thompson “shepherded” through the confirmation process. The former Tennessee senator had this to say in response:”Even though the other party controlled the Judiciary Committee, we got some votes there. For a good, sound, what I would call conservative justice.”
News flash: Democrats didn’t regain control of the Senate until 2006. Roberts’ confirmation took place in 2005, when the GOP was still firmly in charge of both chambers.
[ Incidentally, Fred Thompson was asked by the White House at the time to lead Roberts through the nomination process, so Thompson cannot plead ignorance of the circumstances. Did he really say that above? ]
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