Redstate

By jeffmacguy Posted in 2008 — Comments (15) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

I'm sitting in the hotel restaurant/bar at the Quality Inns and Suites in Ames, Iowa. I came here to unofficially represent the candidacy of Fred Thompson for president.

This is where it's at, baby. This morning, I saw Duncan Hunter's official bus and a Ron Paul bus, but I don't think it was "official".

I've scoped out the campus of Iowa State University, mapped the internet hot spots (there are many) and uploaded some pix here, on draftfred.

I've been struck by so many things. I drove here from Memphis yesterday, spent the night in Des Moines (in my van, another story) and drove the rest of the way in this morning.

MORE, below the fold...

Iowa is a beautiful state. This is my first visit, although my first college roommate was from Davenport. I've flown over many times, but never actually been here. There are verdant pastures deep green with the late summer corn (and some soy beans)... cattle, Amish presence just south of Ottumwa.

It's funny, I crossed the Mississippi river west of Dyersburg, TN straight into Missouri, so my trip only took me into 3 states, including Tennessee and Iowa.

I started out talking about Fred right here back in November, 2006, created the DraftFred site, began to believe that the Draft Fred goal had been achieved, and now am drifting back into the Draft mode. Not that I don't think Fred will enter (he will), but here in Iowa, he is just an upstart.

The good people of this state take their "first caucus" responsibility seriously and I respect that, but the fact that Fred has not been here or made an effort is perceived locally as disrespect. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Why not just settle for the available candidates.

There are many folks like me who think the leadership of the Republican Party has drifted away from Republicans, and I'm not just talking about the beltway leadership. I could tell you stories about the Tennessee GOP appointing a democrat to a leadership position (another story) but that's just an example of GOP, Inc run amuck. The most glaring manifestation of that disconnect was evidenced by the shellacking we took in the Nov 06 mid-terms.

Which brings me back to my first redstate post on Fred.

I began to reflect on the type of leadership missing from the current crop of GOP candidates, as well as GOP leadership in general. Someone with a genuine demonstrated commitment to social and fiscal conservative principles... Federalist principles... a respect for economic theory of Milton Friedman. Someone who when asked about the Laffer Curve could not only tell you what it is, but why it makes sense. A guy who won't change his Core beliefs because he wants to be POTUS.

When I first posted about Fred, he was not on anyone's radar. I don't know him personally, but he had been my Senator and he has the respect and admiration of great men like Howard Baker. I don't have any delusions that anything I've done has impacted Fred's decision to run, but I'm glad he will and if you take an honest look... strip away the frantic spin from MSM and pundit wannabes, you will too.

Fred is on the Ames ballot. This is our chance to take our party back. Please Iowa, please don't settle.