So is Thompson helping McCain NOW?

Fred Thompson supporters got pretty worked up about me suggesting he should bow out and support his friend McCain, as his best chance to have an influence on the outcome. His wife also explained how wrong I was, although she was nicer about it.

But this new thought occurred to me yesterday morning, when my clock radio came on… NPR was running a bit on the Republicans in South Carolina, and there was a clip of my fellow Memphis State grad talkin’, and he was really pounding on pore ol’ Mike Huckabee from over across the Big Muddy. And in that half-asleep state, I thought: "Is he staying in to help John McCain, by using the soapbox thus obtained to tear down the only candidate with a chance (note the polls) of beating him in South Carolina?" Fred’s no dummy; he can count. He knows either McCain or Huckabee is going to win here.

But I dismissed the thought, on account of its having arisen during the aforementioned twilight state of consciousness. And on account of what’s the point in mentioning it, since it would just make all those folks mad again.

Then I watched the debate last night out of Myrtle Beach. And first thing you know, ol’ Fred comes out whaling on Huck something fierce, just pounding away, using up a good chunk of his allotted time to tear the preacher man down.

After the debate, all sorts of folks commented on Fred’s attack on Huck. In fact, it was probably the most memorable thing about the whole show, one of only three things I still recall 24 hours later. (The other two things were the setting of the new Guinness World Record for saying "Ronald Reagan" most often in a 90-minute period, and the way the group ostracized poor Ron Paul yet again. I don’t agree a whole lot with Dr. Paul, but I believe he’s sincere, and I do hate to see a guy get picked on.)

What struck me as myopic was that so many of those commenting on those attacks by Fred on Huck interpreted them as Fred really, really wanting and needing to win in South Carolina. But he was just attacking Huckabee; he offered only the mildest criticism of McCain on immigration (allegedly the big reason he’s running instead of backing McCain as he did in 2000). Surely Fred knows you don’t win by tearing down just one of the three guys who are beating you.

I’m not trying to goad Fred into attacking McCain — or Romney, either (Romney’s kind a moot point anyway, since he’s deserted S.C. for a live-or-die effort in Michigan). But the facts before me push me toward one of several conclusions:

  1. Fred and McCain are in cahoots, with Fred playing the Huckabee-bashing heavy (which certainly doesn’t help Fred, because while it might hurt Huckabee, nobody likes the guy who does the beating-up). I don’t believe this for a second, because I don’t believe either McCain or Fred would do anything that underhanded.
  2. Fred is doing it on his own figuring that if he can’t win, he’ll at least help out his old buddy by taking down the opposition before he calls it quits. Still a doubtful proposition.
  3. Fred isn’t calculating at all; he just can’t stand Huckabee. Maybe, but it still doesn’t smell right.
  4. Fred really likes Huckabee, and was trying to trump up some sympathy for him for being picked on. Nah.
  5. Fred really is, at least on a conscious level, trying to win, but just can’t quite bring himself to pound his old friend McCain — whom he respects personally in spite of their differences — as hard as he’s hitting Huckabee.

That last one sounds the closest to right, but I don’t know. All I do know is that, whatever he intends, what he was doing, to the extent that it hurt Huckabee, was helpful to McCain.

18 thoughts on “So is Thompson helping McCain NOW?

  1. David, Oregon City

    Can John McCain pull conservatives together with his prior liberal voting record? Not a chance!
    Can Fred Thompson pull conservatives together with his prior record absent of designing and improving programs and systems that improved the every day lives of all Americans? No way!
    Can Mitt Romney buy the White House? Maybe!
    Avoid the elite media’s “Rush”, study Mike Huckabee’s real record, and support “Huck” early!

  2. Tommy Oliver

    I think you hit it with #4. i just listened to Fred on Mark levin, and he just seems hesitant to really go after him. He would agree that McCain was wrong on issues, but wouldn’t criticize him in a negative way.
    and I’m a Thompson guy.

  3. Mike

    Ridiculous. It’s interesting how every time a candidate calls out another candidate in an effort to show contrast, it’s immediately deemed NEGATIVE. Huckabee is the front runner in SC. He called him out on Huckabee’s fictitious claim that he’s conservative when in reality, in more ways than one, he is not. Thompson exemplified his understanding of conservatism and federalism, and he finally did it with some gusto. The egg will be dripping off the faces of those who at every turn have branded Thompson with any and all titles to disregard his efforts, which often contrasted those of the current bumper sticker candidates. http://www.FRED08.com

  4. Mike Cakora

    You hit it with #5. Thompson’s a conservative who knows that McCain is not but that Huck is notter. He’s no stomach now to whack hard on his former colleague not only out of courtesy, but also he perceives the preacher as the bigger threat to the conservatism of Ronaldus Maximus.
    (Although tonight Fred did say about McCain on Mark Levin’s show “He’s wrong on some of the issues, there’s no question about that.”)
    With Rudi and Mitt out of the SC race, conservatives have Fred; the rest can decide between Huck and McCain. McCain’s ace is his ability to attract independents. The question is whether they’ll turn our for him or wait a week to vote in the other primary. (Assuming there are no shenanigans from folks who vote in both…)

  5. Gordon Hirsch

    I’m for Fred, only because Jeri needs four years in the White House bedore she can run for president, with Fred as her ambassador to the world. That’s the ticket, complete with Law & Order reruns.

  6. Robin Schmidt

    How come Fred won’t sign the pledge not to raise taxes as Pres? Huck did. Spending in Congress is out of control,not tax cuts. As Gov, Huck pushed thru the Democrat legislature the first major, broad-based tax cuts in state history- a $90 million tax relief for families. Balanced the budget. Got ALOT of good things DONE. Supports Fair Tax-yeah!

  7. Mary

    Huckabee lowered taxes but also raised taxes. The tax burden at the end of his term was higher than at the beginning.
    Also, it’s good that Gov. Huckabee balanced the budget – it’s required by law in the Arkansas.

  8. Jack Trenton II

    Unfortunately it took segregationist Governor Wallace to reveal the truth that “there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between” Republicans and Democrats. The Democrats willingly went along with the War in Iraq, suspension of Habeas Corpus, detaining protesters, banning books like America Deceived (book) from Amazon, stealing private lands (Kelo decision), warrant-less wiretapping and refusing to investigate 9/11 properly. They are both guilty of treason.
    Support Dr. Ron Paul and save this great nation.

  9. HP

    What about McCain/Romney 2008
    Romney’s Myrtle Beach debate answers
    1) the succint ‘No’
    2) ‘…will take it [Washington] a-p-a-r-t’
    indicate strengths we may be wise to employ.

  10. fredhead08

    Brad,
    You are absolutely brilliant! Not! I couldn’t imagine living with all of that guilt since 2000. I hope you can sleep at night now and your kids will have only you to thank for the next 12M illegals.
    And Folks… this really is a fight for the “Heart and Soul” of the Republican Party.
    And for all of the Hucksters out there, Thompson was dead on. Huckabee is fast and loose with the truth. Do you homework, below is just a snippit of what is out there on him.
    http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/huckabee_cut_crime_and_taxes.html
    http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2008/01/09/DavidJSanders/344761.html

  11. Honest Gabe

    Actually, Thompson (who left the Senate after doing nothing for 8 years left so he could work as a lobbyist to make more money….which seems to be the fourth branch of government now) attacked Huckabee because HR Block & Turbo Tax & Tax attorneys everywhere want to kill the Fair Tax and want to keep the IRS in business! Wake up South Carolina!

  12. MoralsMan

    Brad,
    Boy, did you NOT hit it right on the nail!!!
    I just thought the voters in your State should know the real Fred Thompson. I guess you could say I am politicking for Fred, but I am also politicking against all other candidates as your next President of the USA.
    Fred did not just jump on the bandwagon one day and become a candidate for President on his own nor had he ever dreamed of the possibility. He never had the ambition to become President of the USA until 10’s of thousands of voting citizens here in Tennessee and Northern Alabama looked at the choices of the other candidates we had. Voters were not satisfied with any of the candidates on the issues because we wanted a true blue conservative, a strict constitutionalist, and a true federalist all put together. Voters wanted a President that we would always trust to abide by the majority of voting conservatives if elected and a president that would never waiver on being conservative with the issues.
    After individuals studied the others, they contacted Fred and asked him to consider a run for the candidacy of President. It took many months for these individuals to get Fred’s decision to become a reality, many months of Fred studying what the majority of the voting conservative citizens wanted in him through his education and on the job experience as an attorney, and many months of being begged to take this task on. This is the reason he got in the race so late, not that he has NO FIRE IN HIS BELLY.
    Fred stated that a man or woman who has dreamed and wanted to be the President all of their life or since they were a child so bad is not good. Fred now feels that he would regret this for the rest of his life had he not try to straighten out the issues because of his family, his wife and children, his friends, and all of the citizens of America.
    Fred D. Thompson is the only true-blue-consistent-conservative-constitutionalist-federalist and the only republican candidate without a scandal in his past. I am not politicking for Fred Thompson, but I am politicking against the other Republican candidates.
    Another reason I am contacting you voters is because I wished I had tried to contact all the voters in Iowa, Wyoming, and New Hampshire weeks before their caucus’s because of Mike Huckabee winning the caucus in Iowa, Mitt Romney winning in Wyoming, and John McCain winning in New Hampshire.
    I have no problem with any candidate as long as they are telling the American people the truth.
    I wish for all of you, the readers, to know that I am an independent voter. I have voted both ways and I voted for George Bush twice, so don’t hang your heads to low like I have done since the issue of Illegal Immigration that Mr. Bush has shamed me with on trying to sneak in the Amnesty Bill. I also voted for Bill Clinton the first go around, but would never vote for him again after what he did to his wife.
    I have several in-law relatives in Arkansas where Mike Huckabee was their Governor for a spell and they contacted me about Huckabee winning the caucus in Iowa. They told me that he opened an Mexican Counsel in Little Rock so the company of Tyson Food Products could hire 1000’s of illegal immigrants for low wages/no benefits. I have nearly 200 working relatives in Arkansas including my wife’s relatives and over 40 of them had been employed at Tyson from one year to the beginning of their company there. Everyone of them lost their jobs and the majority of them had to go on state and federal assistance which none of them had ever in their entire life. They are a proud people and feel betrayed by our Senators and current President. Our relatives also told us that Mike Huckabee raised more taxes in Arkansas while governor than any governor in the history of the United States and that Mike Huckabee also pardon hundreds of rapist and murderers while in office.
    I had already found out the information that our families told me about via the internet several months ago, but never told them of this because I was ashamed of myself for not trying to contact all of the newspapers and media in Iowa to let the caucus goers know of his past issues as governor and I am still ashamed of this to this day. This is why I am trying to contact the voters, all newspapers and media in dozens of states until the Democratic and Republican candidates for this years election have been chosen by the people. I figure by Super Tuesday it will be over with. So, at the end of this message I will leave you several links to websites in order for you to prove to yourself what I am telling you is the TRUTH about not only Mike Huckabee, but all of the candidates on both sides and ever again for anymore elections both state and federal. You will always have this information forever.
    Remember though, do not just trust the candidate’s own website because they do not tell the truth always on the issues.
    Mike Huckabee kind of reminds me of our ex-Governor Ray Blanton during the 1960’s who was caught for trading pardons for financial gains and Fred Thompson was hired by the female informant that worked for him. She told the truth about these legal activities against her boss (Ray Blanton), but Fred would never take a penny from her for his attorney fees (she is still living in Lawrenceburg, TN. and will tell you the story anytime you wish). Ray Blanton was eventually prosecuted and sent to prison for this because of the case that Fred Thompson built against him. You should also be aware that Fred was on the questioning cabinet when Mr. Nixon was impeached. Fred never let up on Mr. Nixon either during the questioning of his dirty deeds as president.
    MIKE HUCKABEE INFO. BELOW—Also, to our surprise, a the Washington Times ran an article on January 9th, proclaiming that Mike Huckabee would move to reverse birthright citizenship according to comments made in a release by Jim Gilchrist that were not refuted by the Huckabee campaign.
    Below you will find a copy of the Dec. 9, 2007 video where Mike Huckabee leaks the part of his plan you won’t find on his website, in his campaign material, or repeated on his lips. You won’t find his Minuteman spokesman mentioning the contents of this video either.
    Under the Huckabee plan, the illegals return within days. They will not be giving up their jobs or leases. They will not be packing their bags.
    And when they return, they will be immune from immigration enforcement and on the “path to citizenship” giving America 15-20 million new voters who were previously illegal aliens.
    What do you think your lives will be like when they are turned into voters?
    Please view this video below and if you do not understand what is being said, view it again.
    Please forward this video below to everyone you know and ask them to do the same.
    We need you to take immediate action to help expose and put a stop to this national deception. If enough of you will take a few minutes to put this in Action, we can carry this video to a huge new audience of Americans.
    VIDEO
    Mike Huckabee Touchback Amnesty illegal aliens back in days!

    On January 10th, the Washington Times is running a correction article. Mike Huckabee lied on CNN claiming he was not contacted about this statement and Gilchrist lied in his release, under a fake name, touting Huckabee’s immigration stances.
    CONTACT INFO FOR HUCKABEE CAMPAIGN AT THIS LINK..
    http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-578256.html#578256
    Huckabee and Gilchrist have both been exposed as liars that are trying to deceive America about Huckster’s true immigration stances, now with hard work we can get this news to the voters…. God willing.
    Please read the source material and press release listed below to gain a full understanding of the situation and to prepare for action.
    ALIPAC Press Release
    National Deception: Mike Huckabee and Jim Gilchrist Lie To America!!!
    http://www.alipac.us/article-2854-thread-1-0.html
    Today’s Washington Times
    Mike Huckabee & Jim Gilchrist both caught lying to America!!!
    Huckabee retreats on birthright citizenship
    http://www.alipac.us/article-2853-thread-1-0.html
    World Net Daily Article
    Huckabee Refutes Jim Gilchrist Claims: Huckabee denies anchor-baby challenge!!!
    http://www.alipac.us/article-2852-thread-1-0.html
    Yesterday’s Washington Times Article containing the lies
    Confirmed Lie: Huckabee vows to defy birthright citizenship!!!
    http://www.alipac.us/article-2850-thread-1-0.html
    Another example, check out Mike Huckabee’s website on the illegal immigration issue and then go to this link at this website below:
    Highlights of Mike Huckabee’s track record on illegal immigration below:
    2006: Supported President Bush’s immigration plan and claimed that opposition to Bush’s proposal was driven by “racism or other” and that it wasn’t amnesty. ( Ralph Hallow, “Huckabee ‘Serious’ About Presidency,” Washington Times, 5/17/06)
    Wrote in his 2007 book that implementing strict enforcement of immigration laws “would be sheer folly” and that it made sense to give “those here illegally a process through which they pay a reasonable fine in admission of their guilt for the past infraction of violating our border laws and agree to adhere to a pathway toward legal status and citizenship.” (Mike Huckabee, From Hope to Higher Ground, 2007, p. 117-118)
    As Governor, Huckabee fought for in-state tuition and taxpayer funded scholarships for illegal immigrants. He opposed legislation to require proof of citizenship in order to obtain public benefits and to vote. He vocally opposed a raid on a factory in Arkansas that employed illegal immigrants.
    He led an effort to bring a Mexican Consulate to Arkansas – one of the main functions of the Consulate would be to issue identification cards to Mexicans living, both legally and illegally, in the U.S.
    Championed an effort in Arkansas to give in-state tuition at state colleges and taxpayer-funded scholarships to illegal immigrants, similar to the DREAM Act proposal at the federal level. (Laura Kellams, “Senators research U.S. law on aliens,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/27/05)
    When Republican state senators in Arkansas proposed legislation modeled after Arizona’s Proposition 200 [to require proof of citizenship for voting and public benefits], “Huckabee described it as ‘inflammatory … race-baiting … demagoguery.’ He said the bill, which seeks to forbid public assistance and voting rights to illegal immigrants, ‘inflames those who are racist and bigots and makes them think there’s a real problem. But there’s not.’” (Governor says anti-illegals measure could scare off companies like Toyota,” Associated Press, 2/3/05)
    Opposed a raid on illegal immigrants in an Arkansas poultry plant even though calls to his office were “about 1,000 to one” against his stance. (Melissa Nelson, “Huckabee Risks Political Fortunes To Denounce Immigration Raid,” Associated Press, 8/5/05)
    Helped lead the effort to open a Mexican Consulate in Little Rock to issue Matricula Consular cards to Mexicans living in the U.S. (including those in the U.S. illegally). Many banks, including some in Arkansas, accept the card as a valid form of identification. (Jon Gambrell, “Ark. Candidates Criticize Mexican Matricula Cards,” AP, 10/18/06)
    Writing for World Net Daily, Dr. Corsi exposed the fact that Mike Huckabee “worked with some of the state’s most prominent and politically powerful businesses to establish the [Mexican] consulate as a magnet for drawing illegal immigrants to the state to accept low-paying jobs.”
    Mike Huckabee’s Rating On Issue’s Of Illegal Immigration Below:
    Based on Congressional, Gubernatorial, and Mayoral Action his rating is BAD, Control Foreign Worker Numbers/Protect U.S. Workers his rating is POOR, No Citizenship For Births To Illegal Aliens his rating is POOR, and To Prohibit In-State Tuition To Illegal Aliens his rating is BAD, see link below for proof:
    http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/prez08_gop1.html
    Mike Huckabee’s Rating on the FIRST AMENDMENT is BAD.
    On teaching of creationism, as well as his views on homosexuality and abortion, Huckabee fails to support the First Amendment’s guarantee of separation of church and state despite his initial words in support of the First Amendment, see link for proof below:
    http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=2621
    Mike Huckabee Flip-Flops on the TENTH AMENDMENT (States Rights), see link below:
    http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=f4d8ae8a-ac8f-4de1-9b26-510875e7bf8b
    Now, do not get me wrong, if a Christian President could be elected this would tickle me, but this President should keep Christianity and politics separate and always tell the American people the truth. Scientist Predict That The USA Is Doomed If Creationist President Is Elected, see link below:
    http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5izWTSSnlFq9QrIMeC-Dir8OKjnGg
    BELOW, YOU CAN FIND OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT ALL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ON THEIR REAL STANCE ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION:
    http://www.alipac.us/ <<<http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/prez08_gop1.html <<<http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/prez08_dem1.html <<<http://grades.betterimmigration.com/index.php3 <<<>> http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/prez08_gop1.html ,—FRED THOMPSON DOES NOT SUPPORT AMNESTY for the 18 MILLION (possibly up to 38 MILLION here in the USA the experts are stating) ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
    Go to these two links below to find the truth, they are free to join. You do not have to donate any monies to them, only to find the truth. You can contact your Senators, Congressman/men/Congresswoman/women, and the President via email, fax (free faxes), or phone.
    http://www.numbersusa.com >>>If you are a conservative/independent/republican voter or you are a democratic voter and you do care about this issue then please join this FREE website below:
    http://www.firesociety.com >>>This website is free to join and we are the ones who advertised nationally on television, “Where’s The Fence???”. The three different links to the websites above are the concerned citizens of the USA that bombarded Capitol Hill last year on three different occasions and shut the telephone lines down from overloading the lines on the 3 different mornings before the bills were to be voted on by the Senate due to the concerned citizens on the issues of the bleeding of our government finances by illegal immigrants, the concerned citizens that believes our borders should be consistently watched/observed/closely monitored and closed since 9-11 happened, the concerned citizens that have lost jobs (skilled jobs also) for the last several years due to the illegal immigrants coming through the Southern United States border with Mexico, and the concerned citizens that believes the war on drugs will always be lost due to the drug smugglers until our borders are shut down completely until we see that it might be safe again (back a few weeks ago Mr. Mike Huckabee stated that 54 illegal immigrants (Pakistanis) were caught trying to cross the southern border.
    Remember, the Senate tried to sneak and pass these AMNESTY BILLS behind your backs. You will never believe the ways they were trying to do this, but not all Democrat Senators (The majority were for Amnesty) and Republican Senators (Only a handful were for Amnesty) were for this bill. Senator John McCain was a sponsor of these 3 Amnesty Bills. If we (maybe one-hundred thousand citizens) had not made several million’s of faxes, emails, and phone calls to our Individual State Senators/Congressmen/Congresswomen/ and the President it would have passed on the first Amnesty Bill vote early on during last year.
    What I am trying to get at once more is please, please, I beg you the voters, dig deep on all of the candidates to find the truth before the election whether it be local, state, or nationally. No matter which party they belong to even if you are not going to consider voting for them, maybe all the other voters deserve to know the truth and they don’t take the time to find the TRUTH and the best way to do this is to go to the website that shows all of the candidates on past voting history on each issue at:
    http://www.issues2000.org/2008.htm >>>Click on the candidate name on top of page.
    NEVER BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEAR FROM A CANDIDATE’S MOUTH, FIND THE TRUTH YOURSELF!!!
    When you find the truth all I ask you to do is please pass this information on to your family, friends, neighbors, and the voters because I know in my heart that any human being that votes with half a mind will tell their candidate of choice to change their stance/view on the ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ISSUE AND ON OTHER ISSUES whether they are Independent/Democrat/Republican or they would not vote for them if they did not get tough on this issue, unless you do not care about your job, yourself, your family, your fellow countrymen/countrywomen, and your country as a whole. IF YOU DO NOT VOTE, DO NOT COMPLAIN!!! IF YOU DO VOTE, VOTE YOUR CONSCIOUS!!!
    A lot of people know this, but if you wish to know more about any candidate, Google it, add their “first and last name” and the word “website” such as “Fred Thompson website” or “Mike Huckabee Immigration” or “Mike Huckabee Liberal Views and Actions”.
    Unrespectfully And A Concerned Citizen/Veteran/Voter,
    MoralsMan
    P.S. Brad, below you can go to Fred D. Thompson’s website and review his stances’ on the issue’s since you are not able to figure this out on your own.
    http://www.fred08.com/Principles/PrinciplesSummary.aspx?View=OnTheIssues

  13. Mary

    Any candidate who’s running on a Christian-based platform who hires foul-mouthed Ed Rollins as his campaign manager will not get my vote.
    2 Cor 6:14
    Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

  14. Jason

    Brad,
    YOU ARE ON TO SOMETHING. I THOUGHT THE SAME THING TOO. But I think, of your options it is option 1 or possibly 2 (with McCain aware and supportive of such a tactic).
    Here’s what to look for during this week:
    A) If Romney wins Michigan and starts getting a bounce in the polls that come out on Thursday, expect Thompson to concede and endorse McCain thurs. afternoon for it to make it into the 24 news cycle all of Friday before the SC primaries on Saturday.
    B) There are no debates before the SC primaries, but if McCain wins Michigan, Thompson will stick around for SC and possibly Florida. He will be in at least one more debate in order to keep going after Huckabee. One poll shows a four-way tie. Thompson could try to take Huckabee out of the picture, but it depends, of course, on the result coming out of South Carolina.

  15. Stephen

    The truth is there is no point in attacking McCain now. McCain’s voters are not the prime voters for Fred. Huckabee, on the other hand, his voters are voters whom Fred feels should be his, and the ones that he is most like to take – and that is happening – Huck is slipping and Fred is rising. McCain steals votes from Rudy, not Fred and the best thing for Thompson is to have a heads up contest between the winner of either Rudy or McCain and himself as the conservative. To do that he has to get rid of Huckabee first, THEN he has to bite int Romney heavy, then McCain and Rudy. No point in shooting everywhere at once with the very limited time he has.

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