More than any other forum, this debate in South Carolina revealed the growing divisions in the Republican party and highlighted the extraordinarily difficult task that confronts the future nominee.
Here is the conumdrum facing the GOP; an awakened social conservative wing whose emergence frightens the Republican establishment and the smaller but influential libertarian conservative faction. A fiscal conservative wing of the party, bruised and battered by 8 years of non-conservative governance supporting McCain and Romney mostly by default given the alternative offered of big government conservative Huckabee. And foreign policy hawks – neocons as well as traditional conservatives – who like McCain but dislike his immigration stand.
Romney is the only frontrunner who can lay claim to even partially bridging the gaps in the old GOP coalition that has brought Republicans victory so often for the last 30 years. But social conservatives don’t trust his recent conversions to their anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage cause while others simply view him as too canned, too packaged – not “authentic” enough to lead.
Is it any wonder that many conservatives of all stripes have looked at Fred Thompson as the only viable candidate who could pull the factions together? And many of us have waited for months for Fred to stand up and accept the challenge to bring the coalition back from the dead.
I have been critical of Thompson in the past (who hasn’t) for running an unfocused campaign. But tonight, he was magnificent. When Fred talks about the future of the party he becomes animated, passionate, and most importantly, makes good sense. His answers to almost every question were thoughtful, measured, and exuded a competence that only perhaps Mitt Romney has ever matched. Here is a serious man thinking deeply about serious issues. No half cocked chest beating on foreign policy questions like those given by Huckabee. No talking points economic blather like that given by Mitt Romney. Fred’s answers penetrated to the heart of the matter and revealed rather than obscured his positions.
Is it too late for Fred? Judging by the Luntz focus group who gave Fred an overwhelming victory in the debate it may be premature to say he is too far behind and doesn’t have enough time to rally. But there is no doubt it will be an uphill climb. Money is tight. The perception is constantly being fed by the media that Fred is through. The conventional wisdom says that Thompson doesn’t have the heart or desire to be in it for the long haul.
I would only say in response that in my 35 years of watching politics, I have never seen a race so wide open. There is no front runner. Any one of 5 candidates can still compete for the prize. To dismiss any one of them is foolhardy.
And given that Fred has been left for dead, a victory in South Carolina – so radically unexpected and shocking – could very well propel Thompson into Florida and Super Tuesday beyond with enough momentum for him to emerge on February 6 as one of the two candidates with a chance at the nomination.
11:47 pm
Go Fred! I think he has time, its not gonna be easy, but its gotta happen, he’s the best shot we have at preserving the coalition and winning.
12:08 am
I thought Thompson gave his usual thoughtful and reasoned responses. The only thing new appears that people listened to what he was saying and have noticed the huge inconsistencies in what his opponents claim as opposed to their actual performance.
McCain claims to want to cut taxes but has sponsored a backdoor BTU tax that will be huge. Probably explains his global warming assertions. As for his not asking for earmarks this has has much credibility as his Keating claims of innocence.
Rudy appears to have nothing to say beyond 9-11.
Ron Paul proves that all you need to be in Congress is a IQ above freezing and be non violent.
I was very re assured by Mitt Romney’s assertions that whenever the courts order something he will jump like a puppet no matter how outrageous or ridiculous. This is leadership!
Thompson may not be Reagan but he will do more to put the government on the correct course than the other candidates and certainly is better than the politboro’s candidates from across the aisle.
8:39 am
I liked Huckabee’s response to questions about his raising taxes while Gov.: “No bridges fell in Arkansas.”
5:16 pm
God, I enjoyed the smackdown Thompson gave to Huckabee on his true liberal agenda. It’s about time someone put that sheep in wolf’s clothing in his place! Oh, happy day!
6:43 pm
Wonder if the country-club Republican apparatus realize that for every election they push Centrist candidates (RINO) they are driving the Ron Paul fraction of the libertarian sect to undertake extremist approaches towards getting their way.
The Republican Party represents the coalition of fiscal conservatives, social conservatives and national defense hawks, not a small group of wealthy country-clubers.
8:44 pm
Some folks just don’t understand that Yankees still do not like southern folks. It’s not about race, it’s about values. I have not lost faith in Thompson and wont. He has all that a conservative GOP candidate that I and so many others hope for. Go Fred
11:02 am
Fred is clearly the only conservative in the race. And only a true conservative can unite this party.
What many people fail to realize is that with five contenders in the race and each getting a fair amount of votes, there likely will be no one with a majority of delegates come convention time.
Then what happens?
Will a majority get behind a backstabbing Rino like McCain? Don’t think so.
Huckabee? You’ve got to be kidding!
Romney? Suspicious Johnny come lately to the conservative cause. Romney was against 2003 tax cuts, still believes the global warming hoax, and had a host of anti- reagan pro- abortion comments in the 90’s and more recent past. Besides he has used spurious attack ads against the other candidates.But the real killer is that many feel they can’t trust him because he’s a focus group phoney. Don’t think the convention will be his.
Guiliani? Maybe, but not if the social conservatives have their way.
That leaves only Fred. The only candidate acceptable to the three wings of the Party. In a split convention, he’s the only one who could prevent a ugly floor fight and huge recrimination that would probably give the election to the dems.
7:25 pm
As a registered Democrat (though sometimes I wonder about that – Bush’s one “success” is to have pushed me towards a small-government type philosophy), Fred Thompson strikes me as one of two current Republican candidates (McCain being the other) that I would not only be ok with having as President, but would consider voting for. His strong position on Federalism and granting more power to the states is for me, an attractive philosophy. That and in the debates I’ve seen, his position on the issues – even when I disagree – seems to come from rational thought and argument more than the other candidates who rely on fear and hate (in my admittedly biased view).
Huckabee should be the nation’s official speech-giver – his public speaking skills are unparallelled, but he should not run the country.
Frankly (at the risk of being called “soft on terror”), Giuliani scares me as a civil-liberties lover.
Romney’s an insincere robot, and if his positions didn’t scare me, his flip-flopping would.
I like McCain, but fear that he’s just got too much baggage with the base of the party to win the nomination – though maybe they’ll surprise me.
Thompson’s best moment – for me – was when he was asked a question at the NH debates last weekend and seemed to wake up with a “Oh it’s my turn?” It may have reflected the stereotype of Thompson as a lazy geezer, but to me it was humanizing – he went on to answer the question thoughtfully (though I forget what it was about). He seemed less like he’d be the nation’s “Father figure” and more like a kindly “Grandfather Figure.”
To some, it may be too distant, but to me it was somehow appealing.