It's an amazing thing how fear can send people into terrorized frenzies. Fear of an individual, especially a powerful, strong-willed, charismatic individual, can create a stirring of rumor, innuendo, and fabrications, all in an attempt to discredit an opponent.
Yes, boys and girls, we're talking about "mudslinging." And with Fred Thompson going SO HIGH in the polls, the leftinistras are starting to add water to anything they THINK might be the smallest patch of dirt that they can find.
Part of the trick is to make you BELIEVE that a candidate is something that they aren't. Notice how the Clintonistas are trying to portray Hillary as a motherly, friendly, charming person? A stretch, I know, to make ANYONE think that she has a personality, but that's the attempt. With Fred Thompson, the attempts go a little more devious.
First let's address the attempts to make Thompson an abortion supporter, something KEY to conservative voters. If you listen to the spin doctors, Thompson lobbied for abortion groups and supported abortion issues during his time in the Senate.
Not so.
Hat tip to Captain's Quarters for this one.
July 6, 2007
The Pending Mudslinging (Update: Show Me The Money!)
It's easy to tell when a candidate has the potential to do well in a campaign -- the opposition starts throwing mud as early as possible. This appears to be doubly true with Fred Thompson, as the Los Angeles Times will shortly publish a new story about a purported client of Fred's when he worked as a lawyer and lobbyist. The American Spectator steals the Times' thunder:
The Washington Prowler column has learned that the Los Angeles Times intends to publish a story that would attempt to link former Sen. Fred Thompson to a Washington-based, pro-abortion organization. Thompson, through a spokesman, is said to go on the record in the story as having no recollection of ever doing work for the organization in question during a period in 1991 when the first Bush administration was in power.
During that time, Thompson, was "of counsel" at the Arent Fox law firm in Washington, D.C. (meaning he was not a partner, but was provided an office for his use, in part because Thompson's own practice was based in Nashville, TN), and was used by the firm's partners as a "draw" for clients and potential clients, according to a source at the firm familiar with the arrangements with Thompson and others with the "of counsel" designation. ...
In the story that the L.A. Times will report out within the next 24 to 48 hours, the paper will claim that Thompson was "hired" by the National Family Planning and Reproductive Rights Association, whose director, Judith DeSarno, was acquainted with a then-partner at Arent Fox, former Congressman Michael Barnes. In fact, DeSarno worked as a senior aide to Barnes during his time in Congress. According to Arent Fox insiders, Barnes, who now directs the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and DeSarno are both well-known left-wing activists. Most recently, both were active against the nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. Thompson was an adviser to Roberts, and served as his Senate "sherpa" during the confirmation process.
If the Times and its sources want to launch attacks on Thompson, they'll have to do better than this. Lawyers represent clients, and sometimes they do so for ideological support -- but most of them do it to earn a living. Even if Fred had done work for NFPRR, his political position on abortion has been rather clear. According to Project Vote Smart, Fred got solid zeroes from Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America, while the National Right to Life Committee have Fred a 77% rating.
That's a man who supports abortion whole-heartedly? Check out his record on this and other things
here.
The next big thing that the leftinistras are going after Fred for is, now hold your hats, folks, this is going to make you laugh, he has a wife who is younger than he is.
Will Her Face Determine His Fortune
By SUSAN SAULNY
Published: July 8, 2007
AS the election of 2008 approaches with its cast of contenders who bring unprecedented diversity to the quest for the White House, the voting public has been called on to ponder several questions: Is America ready for a woman to be president? What about a black man? A Mormon?
Now, with the possible candidacy of Fred D. Thompson, the grandfatherly actor and former Republican senator from Tennessee, whose second wife is almost a quarter-century his junior, comes a less palatable inquiry that is spurring debate in Internet chat rooms, on cable television and on talk radio: Is America ready for a president with a trophy wife?
The question may seem sexist, even crass, but serious people — as well as Mr. Thompson’s supporters — have been wrestling with the public reaction to Jeri Kehn Thompson, whose youthfulness, permanent tan and bleached blond hair present a contrast to the 64-year-old man who hopes to win the hearts of the conservative core of the Republican party. Will the so-called values voters accept this union?
Mr. Thompson, who needs the support of early primary voters, is expected to formally announce his candidacy any day now. Meanwhile, much of the brouhaha around Mrs. Thompson, 40, is being stirred by photos of her in form-fitting gowns circulating on the Internet.
“You have a situation where a candidate happens to have an attractive wife, therefore it’s open season for smutty thoughts and lowbrow humor, and no concern for the fact that this is a wife and mother, a professional woman?” said Mark Corallo, a former Justice Department official who is a consultant and the chief media adviser to the Thompson campaign. “One picture on the Internet and all of a sudden she’s reduced to being a bimbo?”
WHOAH! Say WHAT? Fred Thompson married a younger woman? So what? My grandfather on my father's side of the family was twenty something years older than my grandmother. It's a common thing. Hollywood CONSTANTLY puts older leading men in roles opposite younger leading women. How many women out there are NUTS over Harrison Ford. How many for Mel Gibson, DESPITE his recent brush with infamy? Check out
this list for examples. In MY mind, it says a LOT about the man's stamina and outlook on life that he IS married to a woman nearly a quarter century his junior. OUTSTANDING. And if they are as happy as they come across as being, outstanding, indeed, to both of them.
Personally, and no offense to Laura Bush, but after having Hillary Clinton in the White House, and now THRUST in our faces again as a Presidential candidate HERSELF, would it be such a BAD thing to have an attractive younger First Lady? I don't THINK so. Especially not when she HAS the political savvy to have worked as a Senate aide AND as spokeswoman for the RNC.
Could it be that Hillary feels outclassed? GASP! I hope so.
Come on, leftinistras. Trying to make a bad thing out of something GOOD in a man's life?
Disgusting and appalling.
Shame on you.
And besides, didn't we already HAVE a President with a trophy wife when Jack Kennedy was in office (yes, I went there, I SO went there, I held back as long as I could but had to come back and add this question in. I WENT THERE). Makes you stop and think, doesn't it?
Once and Always, an American Fighting Man
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