Thompson Warns Of Grave Threats

NEWPORT BEACH, CA – Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson used his inaugural turn at presidential politics to warn that the United States faces grave and urgent threats, and that only a president with resolve, and a country that participates in “an adult discussion”, can meet the challenges head on.

Thompson, invited to speak at the famed Lincoln Club in Orange County, has been cast as the field’s saucy minx who will sooth the soul of disillusioned Republicans. But he did not use the occasion to promote his own candidacy, nor did he offer any hints about future plans. He did not propose any new policies. Instead, he spoke broadly of the type of leadership required for a country under constant threat.

At this point, he channeled the “next” president and introduced a hypothetical speech:

‘We’ve got a different sit on our hands now. Living in a new era. We’re going to be tested in many ways, maybe under attack, even, for a long time, but it’s time to be honest with ourselves.”

If Americans respond to the call for sacrifice, Thompson said, “It will shake the capital and you’ll have your bipartisanship.”

Thompson said that nuclear terrorism was perhaps the most serious and immediate policy challenge. He portrayed the United States as “the forces of civilization” in the fight against “the forces of nihilism, destruction and darkness.” “Who is going to lead?” Thompson asked. “To stand firm?” “Stand strong and united if it’s not the United States?”
Very little in Thompson’s world is going right. Government is way too big; politics is broken and politicians are “small;” America was extremely vulnerable to attack.

Still, he said, “the problems we have should not depress us at all. They’re within our control.”

Thursday’s Republican presidential debate, about 80 miles up the 405 from this beachside Ferrari-specked city South of Los Angeles, was fairly nourishing. . But for those Republicans who weren’t satiated by ten different personalities, political visions and resumes – half of all Republicans surveyed by the Hotline for our new poll want additional choices --Thompson promised to cook up something else. The seasoning and the plating were different.

There was very little red meat: (The solution to America’s woes: optimism. Iraq? Democrats? They want to raise taxes and are playing “crass politics.” Taxes? Too high. Government? Too large and overbearing.)
Thompson did not talk about morals, or abortion, or God, or gays, or guns. He did say he favors a provably secure border before a guest worker program; his context was the terrorist threat.

Like John McCain, Thompson spoke of devolving power back to the states. Like Mitt Romney, he borrowed a Reaganesque illusion and said he’d prefer to rechannel political power from people up to cites to state legislatures and only then to the federal government.

Thompson started off with jokes: “I hoped you enjoyed your dinner,” he said. “I spent all my time trying to keep Bob Novak from looking at my notes.” He flattered: “What an example for everybody,” he said. He deprecated: he was mistook at the airport for Dr. Phil. He name-dropped, lacing his remarks with familiar Hollywood allusions. He told the tale of his rise from being “a country lawyer” to his Watergate counsel days to his Senate service.

The audience was well-primed. Organizers showed a fantasy video starring Rush Limbaugh as president and Ann Coulter as vice president. (Imagine: a real conservative as president!). There was also a snippet of Ronald Reagan and a montage of conservative propaganda, and selected sound bites from Thompson’s career.
Thompson’s physical diction was perfect: he bobbed his head down for emphasis; he smiled at appropriate moments and raised his eyebrows for irony. He grasped the lectern with both hands and leaned into the audience.

As he spoke, he edited the prepared text of what seemed on an initial read to be an unremarkable collection of paragraphs, replacing clichés with folksy gerunds, anecdotes and stories.

Here is a section from the prepared tax:

That's why the economy booms when taxes are cut. When the Kennedy tax cuts were passed in the 1960s, the economy boomed. When Reagan cut taxes in 1981, we went from economic malaise to a new morning in America. And when George Bush cut taxes in 2001, he took a declining economy he inherited to an economic expansion -- despite 9-11, the NASDAQ bubble and corporate scandals.

Here is Thompson’s rendition:

“You see 1981, when Ronald Reagan lowered taxes and turned malaise into, ah, prosperity. You’ve seen when George W. Bush did the same thing in 2001, took a declining economy which he inherited and turned it around to a good thing, a positive economy that we’re still enjoying here today, despite 9/11, despite what was going on Wall Street, the bursting of the NASDAQ bubble They overcame all of it.”

Thompson entered and exited to standing ovations, but as club members queued up to retrieve their cars, it was clear that he had not made the sale to all of them – although perhaps he wasn’t really selling anything yet. [MARC AMBINDER]