If recent history is any guide, Fred Thompson is going to run as a “folksy” DC outsider, who’ll win over voters with his southern charm and smooth voice. Indeed, all the media spin of the last several weeks has been about how this back-slapping pol will win over voters with his laid-back, aw-shucks style.
Look at the red truck he pretended to drive. Look at the personal notes he liked to send to his political rivals. Newsweek described him as “charismatic and down to earth.” How can anyone resist his avuncular charm?
It’s actually pretty easy when one considers Thompson’s willingness to drop the pretense and smear those with whom he disagrees. Consider Thompson’s latest commentary for ABC Radio on Harry Reid’s mild criticism of Generals Pace and Petraeus. (via Steve M.)
[Reid] made his statement about General Pace on a conference call with fringe elements of the blogosphere who think we’re the bad guys. This is a place where even those who think the 9/11 attacks were an inside job find a home.
And why shouldn’t they think that? Reid has led the attack on the administration, with Nancy Pelosi, charging it lied and tricked America into supporting the war. Ignoring multiple hearings and investigations into pre-war intelligence findings that have debunked this paranoid myth, they accuse an entire administration of conspiracy to trick us into a war.
It shows an almost Bush-like level of reasoning doesn’t it? Reid talked to “fringe” bloggers … bloggers are bad people who hate America … bad people believe in 9/11 conspiracy theories … the conspiracy theories are Reid and Pelosi’s fault. Why? Because Fred Thompson says so.
I’ve heard better reasoning from small children trying to justify staying up past their bed time.
Thompson added:
I suppose that’s easier for some than admitting that they’ve flip flopped — but the fact that Reid says this sinister Republican plot is going to help him elect more Democrats ought to be raising a few flags.
Huh? What “sinister Republican plot”? What “flip-flop”? What is this man talking about?
Thompson concluded:
[Reid] proclaimed the war lost some time ago, and the surge as a failure even before the additional troops were on the ground. The problem is that every one of Reid’s comments I’ve noted here has also been reported gleefully by Al Jazeera and other anti-American media. Whether he means to or not, he’s encouraging our enemies to believe that they are winning the critical war of will.
Apparently, we’re still hearing the “emboldening the terrorists” smear, all these years later. Don’t dissent — the “suiciders” are listening.
I think there’s a new meme that’s just waiting for some attention: if you like Bush, you’ll love Thompson. He thinks like the president thinks, says what the president says, wants to do what the president has done, and even pretends to be authentic the same way the president does (Bush bought a ranch; Thompson rented a truck).
If George W. Bush had acting experience and years of experience as a high-priced lobbyist for foreign corporate clients, he’d be Fred Thompson. Just what we need.
Post Script: By the way, how is it, exactly, that ABC Radio has decided to pay Thompson to deliver nationally-broadcast monologues condemning Democrats with bogus smears? ABC does know this guy is running for president, right? Doesn’t this seem a wee bit inappropriate?