Thompson's Record Will Make Conservatives Happy

So, is Fred Thompson the candidate that the moderate republicans can get behind? Doesn't look like it. He was a solid conservative voter during his time in the senate, consistently coming down against abortion, gun legislation, and same sex marriage. We certainly remember his stint as a sort of mentor to far right-wing justice John Roberts during the confirmation process. The right loved him for that.

The ideological right seems to have no problem with him and he seems to be ready to compete against the three front runners in the "R" column. McCain, Rudy and Mitt all have serious problems convincing the right-wing base that they are base enough to satisfy them. (Did that sentence sound right? Yeah, I like it.)

Walking away from the 2002 election was close to genius or maybe he just missed the Hollywood dating scene, but one way or the other he gets to cast himself as an outsider. Office holding senators have a woeful record in presidential politics.

One of Thompson's few problems with the right was his support for campaign finance reform in the McCain-Feingold bill. He made a few enemies there, but since the law was garbage anyway, he can talk his way out of it.

Can he appeal to moderate republicans? I just don't think so. He is solid right-wing as his voting record attests.
He'll run toward traditional conservatives and away from social conservatives. He'll appeal to the center and even to center right democrats who still can't imagine voting for Hillary or Obama.

As a matter of fact, I can't see myself voting for either one of the dem front runners either. If Al Gore doesn't step up then Fred will start to look like a decent compromise.

I'll just have to hope that he's a contemplative thinker with a streak of common sense. That would be a refreshing change from what we've had the last few years.

I hope he's a closet republican moderate, whatever that is.

Jim Martin