Thinking about Thompson

I'm pretty much a Romney man at this point, but damn if Fred Thompson doesn't keep saying the right things.

From his LA speech on Friday:

Iraq is a large part of it. Not only is it tough going, but the effort is besieged on all sides. From those playing the most crass kind of politics with it at home to criticism from around the world.

Even at home, as we enjoy the benefits from one of the best economies we've ever had, people seem uncertain; they raise concerns about global competition or a growing economic disparity among our citizens.

These are challenges. But how we react to them is more important than the challenges themselves. Some want us, to the extent possible, to withdraw from the world that presents us with so many problems, in the hope they will go away. Some would push us towards protectionist trade policies. Others see a solution in raising taxes and redistributing the income among our citizens.

Wrong on all counts. These are defensive, defeatist policies that have consistently been proven wrong. They are not what America is all about.

Read it here.

Music to my ears.

And from an interview with Scott Baker:

National security has to be the overriding issue. We are going into a different era. We've got Islamic fundamentalism, suicide maniacs trying to get their hands on nuclear weapons that says it all.

....

I'm not interested in winning a primary and losing in November. I'm not interested in being the tallest midget in the room.

Check it out here.

My interest is piqued. Keep on talking Fred, I'm listening.

Bill Richardson Jumps the Shark

Of all the candidates running for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Bill Richardson always seemed to be the most plausible choice. Certainly, he was the only one for whom I could vote. Well, that's changing.

Don Surber notes the consequences of Richardson's proposed solution to the ongoing genocide in Darfur:

Here is what he is saying:

1. Expand our bureaucracy.

2. Somehow get China, Pakistan, etc. to bend to our will.

3. Deploy another platoon of ineffectual, child-molesting UN blue helmets.

4. Cut a deal with the rebel forces and the corrupt government.

5. Hope the rebels keep their word.

6. Turn over our military to an International Criminal Court so the next Donald Rumsfeld can be tried for war crimes.

And here I thought Gov. Richardson knew what the hell he was doing.

So did I. Now I have strong doubts whether da Gov is ready for the big leagues.

Read Surber's post here.

And then there's this. He wants to cut and run in Iraq -- no qualifications can compensate for this stuff. There's no way I could ever vote for this guy.