May 07, 2007
Not exactly heroic...
John at PowerLine has a good point about the Fred Thompson phenomenon...
...Second, the last five years have been a critical time in our nation's history. From 2002 to the present, men like George Bush, John McCain, and many others have been fighting a very difficult battle on behalf of our country. Not Fred Thompson: he preferred to leave the Senate to live the very sweet life of a minor television celebrity. There's nothing wrong with that, necessarily, but it's not exactly heroic, either...
I really don't know anything about Mr Thompson, and since I don't watch TV I really don't even know what he looks like! But I do know that virtue isn't a matter of what you feel, or think, or believe. It only exists in what you DO. What you do with whatever resources you possess, whatever challenges you happen to be presented with. Most of us can't be among the heroes who hunt down terrorists. that's a job for the few. But the main front of the War on Terror is right here at home, where nihilists and appeasers wage ceaseless propaganda war against America, and against the whole idea that there's anything worth fighting for. And it would seem like Mr Thompson, as a respected celebrity, has been in a position to render important service to his country over the last five years... Your country, the best and greatest nation that has ever existed on earth, is under attack, and you fail to rush to her aid. What does that mean? What does that say about a person? . |
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For what its worth, Fred Thompson was on WGN this morning in Chicago. I hadn’t given much thought to whether or not he is running, but after hearing him I think he certainly is.
I also think he will be a formidable candidate. He has real charisma. That said, I have no idea what he believes in yet.
You seem to imply he's a coward or self serving because he left the Senate. I'm willing to give Fred (not Tommy) Thomson the benefit of the doubt particularly in light of McCain-Feingold's assault on the first amendment, the Gang of fourteen hinderance to getting conservatives on the benches and some of his other Maverick-grandstanding for the press (Cross McCain off my list)and Rudy's Anti-gun and waffling-on-abortion past...he's basically a Rockefeller republican (Cross Giuliani off my list). The Senate with it's arcane rules and egos-bigger-than-the-entry-door is not the preferred venue for some folks...let's hear what he's got to say before casting him aside.
Posted by: doug in colorado at May 8, 2007 08:34 AMI'm not implying anything wrong with leaving the Senate, it's the quote that does that.
I'm saying that I would have expected the guy to be doing something to help his country. For instance his being a celebrity would let him be heard in a way that most people are not, if he wanted to join in the public debate. He could entertain the troops, visit the wounded, raise money for good causes...
(And maybe he's done so, and I just don't know about it.)
Posted by: John Weidner at May 8, 2007 01:04 PMAren't there any troops who are Law and Order fans? (I don't believe I've ever watched the show myself.)
Posted by: Andrea Harris at May 8, 2007 04:56 PM
