Transcript: Fred Thompson's Acceptance Speech at RNC, 2008
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Date: September 4, 2008
Time: 9:00 PM Central Time Zone
Location: St. Paul, MN
Event: Sen. Fred Thompson accepts the Republican Presidential Nomination … sort of
Former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee:
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. It gives me great pleasure to be speaking to you at the 2008 Republican National Convention. Since the founding of the Republican Party in 1854, several generations of republican voters and political leaders have helped elect many of this country’s greatest presidents. The men who have received this party’s highest honor include some of most revered names in American history. [Applause]
There was John C Frémont, an explorer and military officer better known to history as “the Pathfinder,” who proudly bore this party’s mantle in its first ever presidential contest. Then there was Abraham Lincoln, perhaps the greatest American president ever, who preserved the Union, issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and led our nation through its darkest hour. [Loud Applause]
The Republican Party has sent other great men to the Oval Office, including visionary leaders like Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan [Thunderous Applause] …
… and men of courage and integrity like Gerald Ford, George Herbert Walker Bush and our current president, George W. Bush. [More Applause]
Under Republican leadership this country has faced some of its toughest challenges including the Civil War, Reconstruction, digging the Panama Canal, building a national highway system, creating a successful space program, and fighting and winning the Cold War [Applause] …
… and confronting the current threat posed by Islamic terrorism. [Loud Applause]
Over the last several weeks, many people have asked me, “Do you feel up to the challenge of continuing such a grand tradition of presidential leadership?” [More Applause, audience begins chanting “Go, Fred, Go!”]
And the truth is that while I have considered the issue carefully, and have sought the advice of many wise and respected members of our party, I can not give a definite answer to that question at this time. [Loud Sigh, all chanting stops]
One of the greatest honors of my life came on the night after the California primary when I learned that the Republican Party had officially nominated me for President of the United States. [Muted Applause]
But with any great honor comes an equally great responsibility. Since my victory in the primaries my presidential exploratory committee has stepped up its efforts to determine the feasibility of a presidential campaign. [Loud Murmuring]
While I realize that many of you who voted for me in the primaries were hoping that by tonight I would be able to give you a definite answer concerning my plans for the General Election in November, it is my firm conviction that decisions of this nature require great care and deliberation. I also understand that many of you may be … perhaps a little uncomfortable with my decision to delay a formal announcement until later this month … [Audible Groaning]
… or perhaps early next month. [Angry Muttering]
But this is a big decision for me and my family, and like I told my wife back when I was considering asking her to marry me, “Anything worth doing is also worth thinking about a long time before you do it.” Nevertheless, I am confident that if I do decide to be your nominee I will lead our party to victory in November. I am also certain that if I am not your nominee, the runner up, Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, will prove equally capable of defeating Barack Obama in the General Election. We will prevail because we have better ideas for America’s future, because we have the right answers to the problems this nation faces on immigration reform, reforming the tax code, reducing the size and role of the Federal Government, and fighting the war on terrorism. We will win because …
[Audience begins to leave the auditorium]
Author's Note: If you have not figured it out by now, this diary is total satire and just for fun.
I wonder if Fred Thompson was in charge on 911 if he would still be considering his options.. After all, why make a decision today when you can delay it for a month and then for another month and then for another..
My expectation was that good'ol Fred would have declared in March. Back then there were some rumors that he would delay the announcement until the summer but that was dismissed as crazy talk. Fred only had to wait for the HBO film so he could be free from his contractual obligations, or so the story went.
And I don't think everybody is paying as much attention as we are. I don't think waiting another 6 weeks is the worst thing in the world.
Having said that, I get the distinct feeling it's going to be tough to be a Fred supporter around here until the formal announcement.
Brad,
The word has been given from Romney Collective, "slash, burn, smear" you will not be assimilated, you will be destroyed.
_______________________________
None of the Above !
you could read my other posts. Also, check me out at http://www.blogsforfredthompson.com/blog/brad-g.
I didn't say I was anti-Fred or running away from Fred, I just meant that I haven't seen a lot of love for him on this site today (ask Dougie).
True enough. I wish all the candidates on both sides were waiting to announce and waiting to campaign. On the other hand, the fact is they are not waiting, except for Thompson. I doubt I'm the only one who's found Thompson's remarkable success in the polls amusing, especially in light of his refusal to actually enter the race for real. All these other candidates are raising gobs of money, running adds, and treking all over the country in pursuit of the prize. And here is Fred Thompson doing almost nothing and still leading in the polls. It is that central irony which inspired this diary. It should not be taken as an attack on Fred or an endorsement of him. It's just good fun.
A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli
I am a Fred supporter, but I can acknowledge good satire when I see it.
In terms of the merits, I don't think waiting this long is a bad thing. Do any of the campaigns besides Rudy's have cash on hand (after paying expenses) except for Mitt's campaign which has benefied from some personal loans? Our campaigns are WAY too long as it is. If having a lot of employees in a large organization and spending lots of money was the key to success, the U.S. auto industry would be a gold mine. The idea that Fred somehow "can't make up his mind" is naive. He is going to run, and just wants to make a bang of an entrance.
The problem as I see it is that Fred could easily hurt his chances during this period. With the whispering voices questioning whether or not his campaign is violating the letter or spirit of the campaign laws, he can sound tentative (he sounded this way on Hannity's show this afternoon)---which is a definite buzz kill. Fred is already attracting as much negative attention as he would as a full fledged candidate, without the benefit of being a full fledged candidate.
From what I know, he should have pulled the trigger after July 4th, but its not my campaign. If his judgement is good, it will all pay off in the end. If not, its a good thing he doesn't become President. Either way, America wins.
" He is going to run, and just wants to make a bang of an entrance."
It's later than he thinks. And on AUGUST 19TH, the fresh face of Conservatism will be SIXTY FIVE YEARS OLD.
... do you remember how old our 40th president was when he took office. I rather think that age is just a number ... unless you're a model or an exotic dancer, in which case it's an expiration date. Fortunately, nobody's asking Fred Thompson to do a table dance.
A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli
That I am reading this early in the morning. Those would have ben some Godawful nightmares if I had read it last night...
"It's a book about a man who doesn't know he's about to die, and then dies...
...But if the man does know he's going to die and dies anyway. Dies, dies willing, knowing he can stop it, then...
Well, isn't that the type of man you want to keep alive?"
Karen Eiffel, Stranger Than Fiction
You have the followers of Romney and their allies (oddly enough) in the mainstream media concocting stories, stripping realistic context, and taking cheap shots at a person who is not a candidate but will be. If he's not tough enough to take this slime, he wouldn't be a good candidate.
satirize. As a complaint about Thompson's schedule, it was only that. If you were satirizing the Romney (and Rudy) supporters, then you're good. Very good.
As I said in one of the comments above my diary was intended as a humorous (and good-natured) jibe at Fred Thompson's reluctance to make his candidacy official, AND his remarkable success at running an "unofficial" campaign that actually has him leading the other official GOP candidates. And as the other comments in this strand indicate, I am not the only one who sees the irony in this bizarre situation.
A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli
I would also like to thank jbonham76 for recommending this diary. I think that means he has either forgiven me for last year's anti-Romney screeds, or that he appreciates the fact that I'm skewering someone else for a change (albeit in good fun).
A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli
When you gave a thumbs up on muscle cars.
And I just thought it was funny.
www.mymanmitt.com
www.race42008.com
Member of Romney for President Faith and Values Steering Committee-an unpaid advisory position, that does not require an endorsement.
Yeah, I remember the muscle car comment. Good times.
But don't love me too much ... Romney is still a Mormon Manchurian Candidate who's going to turn us all into glassy-eyed zombies wearing holy underwear on our heads ... or was that just the last bachelor party I went to?
A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli
"It's a book about a man who doesn't know he's about to die, and then dies...
...But if the man does know he's going to die and dies anyway. Dies, dies willing, knowing he can stop it, then...
Well, isn't that the type of man you want to keep alive?"
Karen Eiffel, Stranger Than Fiction
when I said "somebody else." I meant "somebody in the race other than Romney."
A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli
I thought FDT made a fair comment last night to Sean Hannity that it's still early, and that most campaigns don't get started this early. I have to wonder how many of the candidates are going to have the stamina to keep up the tempo and make it count. Getting on the campaign trail is the proverbial 'marathon' and not a 'sprint', requiring a very measured effort from the candidate.
Like the rest of the Fredheads I'm anxious for FDT to get into the race, but I'm willing to trust his judgment as to when is a good time to jump in. After all, if I'm willing to entrust the man with running the country, I think I can trust him to know when he should announce his candidacy.
"Shoot the sons of bitches" CDR Dudley Morton USS WAHOO
You just forgot to transcribe all the "ums" and "uhs" in there. :)
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After the 2006 elections, al Qaeda released a statement saying they were happy Democrats won. That should tell you all you need to know.