Here's a predictor. If Fred wins anything, we'll have absolute confirmation that politics are little more than pro-wrestling.

The man isn't a real candidate and he's told you this over and over. Just need to listen.

I don't have time for another pissin match, so I'll just ask you to back this up for once. Your claim, yet again, as evidenced by what? Or can you just sense it? What?

Can I sense it? YES, and so should you! It worries me that you don't.

Fred runs like he doesn't want to win. I've watched as much footage as possible on the man. Nothing tells me wants to be President. Even when he says he wants to be President, it's hard to believe him. He reminds me of our old basset hound growing up.

Who knows, maybe he's trying some new stealth thing. All the other guys, you know they want to be President, you know they have a vision for their 4 years. Fred? Fred doesn't want to be a leader. Fred has no vision. I'm really surprised when people don't see this.

Fred might be a good President (if he wanted to be President) when times are good and the country is rolling along. But it's not. it needs someone with a 20-year plan to revitalize our country who is committed to laying the foundation in the next 4 years.

This is not the right time for Fred.

First and foremost, a real candidate is a leader. If you can't pass that test, you shouldn't run for President. Fred is not a leader.

Fred chose to be an actor...a job where everyone else tells you what to do: where to be, what to say, when to do it. If he had been a director, we could talk.

That pretty much says it all.

Thompson has not been campaigning like he means it. He failed to capitalize on the early buzz, and now sits way down in the polls. His experience is thin - a term as Senator, many years ago. He hasn't shown an ability to lead, to inspire, or even to work hard. At best, I think he'd make a forgettable, Gerald Ford-like accidental President.

Thompson has "Bob Dole"-itis. He has the personality of a lump of clay. Not energizing, not interesting and not captivating. His content is fine and personally I think he's a decent choice (at least now), but he'll never appeal to the masses unless he starts cranking it up a few notches.

Huckabee isn't bad, but the whole evangelical thing scares the crap out of me. The last thing we need is some borderline theocratic nutcase in charge, even if his political views ARE acceptable. Anything that takes power and influence AWAY from the so-called "religious right" is better for America in the long run. Church and state separation was a core tenet of this country for a reason. He can believe whatever he wants on his own time, but I honestly think he'd start "mixing", and that is a recipe for very bad things, 100% of the time.

W.R.T. George Bush's statement, it's true:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/iraq/god-told-me-to-invade-says-bush/2005/10/07/1128562952070.html
http://lgfwatch.blogspot.com/2005/10/spoken-to-almighty-told-me-to-invade.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/17/magazine/17BUSH.html
http://bushwatch.org/evangelist.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1007-03.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/10_october/06/bush.shtml



This is what happens when people mix religion and secular power (warning: disturbing. Very disturbing):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGJhsbRHRM4&mode=related&search=

:rolleyes:

"According to Abbas, Bush said: 'God told me to strike at al Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East. If you help me I will act, and if not, the elections will come and I will have to focus on them.'"

Before you jump to any conclusions, remember that you are reading a translation of a translation of a translation. Mahmoud Abas does not speak English. Bush does not speak Arabic. If Bush said these words, or something like them, Abas heard them from a translator. Then Abas repeated them, as he remembered them a couple of weeks later, in Arabic. Some unknown person wrote down what he thought he heard Abas say. Then Regular, or someone at Ha'aretz, translated them back into English-or perhaps first into Hebrew and then into English.

From a marketing perspective, Fred seems to be a "country folk charm" repackaging of "have a beer with."

Oh, you mean like the Bible. OK. I get it. I think.

If you think Bush said that...then I don't think you do..."get it."

FWIW, mocking the Bible or Christianity is of little use on me:D

While I've been very underwhelmed by Thompson's campaign so far, I like the idea that it's not his mission in life to become president. People who mold their entire careers around an eventual run for president scare me. Both Clintons, Al Gore, John Kerry, etc. were like this and was a huge turnoff for me. Thompson comes across to me a lot like Bush did in 2000 - their lives weren't gonna fall apart if they didn't win and they weren't gonna say or do anything to win. Thompson's biggest mistake was waiting so long to get into the race and also letting his wife run the show. He's been through two complete staff shake-ups and that was before he even officially entered the race. This kind of stuff is better left to the pros than the spouse.

Another interesting point to be made is that Rush has been quietly pushing Thompson. Historically he doesn't pick in the primaries, but he seems close to doing so.

Like him, hate him, mock him or whatever, they guy has a HUGE following and he could change the race if he wanted to

You listen to Rush? Never would have guessed.:D


Let's say Thompson is President. Do you think he will preside over the country in the same way he is running his campaign?

You don't?:)

Calm and collected? I certainly hope so:D

Drowsy?

We've got one of those now. It's not doing us any good.

I think Huckabee has a lot of appeal, but not as president. I can't really trust a guy who claims to have gotten a cell phone call from God during a speech.

Romney is more moderate than he's letting on, but the 'base' won't notice that. They won't go for him because of their fundamental mistrust of mormons.

Guiliani's thin record and corruption have done him in.

Thompson is a big fat nothing with a shaky past.

Drudge, et. al. have begun blasting Ron Paul, instead of just ignoring him. Looks like he may come on late in the game. Not your typical pre-packaged candidate, and the 'machine' can't get behind him.

Doesn't leave us with much.

Don't forget all the anonymous phone calls telling primary voters about McCain's black baby, etc. While Bush was playing the affable compassionate conservative, his people were pulling out all the stops, ethically and otherwise, to achieve the "51% presidency".

Meanwhile, Thompson's campaign can't even pull out of first gear. I think he had his 15 minutes and then the Republican conservatives' torch was passed to Huckabee, who is having his 15 minutes.

Serious tinfoil hat revisionist history.:(

Care to offer some evidence?

oy veh, why bother.

:( x 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000