Mark My Words - commentary on news, politics, religion, philosophy, science and social issues

Fred Thompson, in a no sound bite interview with Charlie Rose addresses a number of issues facing the country.

See what else he has to say:

Fred Thompson 2008 campaign website

The following from the campaign website features a number of white papers on various matters including border security, saving and protecting social security and economic growth.

Fred Thompson on the issues (from the campaign website)

At this time, Fred Thompson is my top choice in the Republican field. While he may not be as smooth as Mitt Romney, or be as eloquent as Mike Huckabee, I agree with him on most issues and consider him to be the one who has been the most consistent conservative over time.

John McCain may want to claim that honor, however, I've never agreed with him on campaign finance "reform". While I know that Fred Thompson also worked to pass that bill, he has since admitted that it didn't work out as they intended. McCain has also had too much of his career as the MSM favorite for beating up on Republicans. While standing for what you believe in is admirable, I can't get beyond thinking that what McCain believes in is winning plaudits from the MSM.

Mitt Romney is impressive on paper and in his organization and energy. Unfortunately, he seems to have only recently come around to being pro-life. His strength as a candidate may be too dependent on his polished delivery, though that unexpectedly faltered when he was asked if he believed the Bible. Even more surprising was how well Rudy Giuliani answered that question.

Rudy Giuliani has been riding his success as Mayor of New York city. This is nothing to simply dismiss, considering how he turned the city around. Also, his leadership on 9-11 and the days afterward is not easily forgotten. However, his gun control tendencies, past weakness regarding illegal aliens cause concern. He is also pro-choice, though I can overlook that, as he's said he would appoint conservative justices. Rudy would be a fighter in a campaign, which is a significant plus. Unfortunately, Rudy's moderate leanings, combined with the potential for a number of scandals, encourage me to look elsewhere.

I explained in a previous post why I don't have Huckabee as my first choice. Ron Paul is absolutely last on my list because of his courting 9-11 conspiracy nuts and rather simplistic foreign policy views. Duncan Hunter has fairly solid conservative positions, sadly, he hasn't gained any traction whatsoever. Perhaps he could be picked for the Vice President.

As the Republican line up currently stands, I'm left with Fred Thompson. But it's more than just settling for whoever is left. I choose Fred Thompson for several reasons that in my view distinguish him from the rest of the pack.

Some complain about a lack of energy in Fred Thompson's delivery. I could care less. We had plenty of energy and speaking skills with Bill Clinton. What is primary for me, is whether or not a candidate and I agree on the most important issues and can articulate why they hold to those positions.

In my view, Fred Thompson is the best overall conservative on a wide range of issues. He has presented policy statements, rather than mere "debate" sound bites. I see his federalism approach to abortion as being the best means for producing long term positive change on that matter. And of course, there is also the verbal smack down he gave to Michael Moore with an online video, before he actually began his candidacy. These are some of the reasons that I've decided that Fred Thompson is currently my number one choice for President of the United States in 2008.

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Filed under: Politics

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