Draft Fred For RNC Chair?

37 Responses to “Draft Fred For RNC Chair?”

1. Paul writes
   October 28th, 2008 8:42 am

   I hope this happens, after the worse run primary campaign in history.

2. Z in Dayton writes
   October 28th, 2008 9:05 am

   I support any effort to draft Fred Thompson to lead the RNC. Fred understands what it means to be a conservative.

3. Wells writes
   October 28th, 2008 9:06 am

   I’d rather have Fred representing our political philosophy than to be tied to the GOP as an institution. This is a rebuilding year; we need people to do what Newt did: revitalize our ideology, nurture new leaders, and above all, educate. Fred is at his best when he’s doing this.

4. Matthew Hurtt writes
   October 28th, 2008 9:12 am

   You know…

   The problem with the GOP is that the refuse to embrace change and diversity. We dug up a candidate who ran eight years ago who’s been in COngress for longer than I’ve been alive. Now, we’re looking back to Fred Thompson instead of forward to someone exciting and engaging - a Bobby Jindal-style Republican whose youth and energy could really bring out young conservatives.

   I have to applaud Barack Obama for energizing the youth - we’ll see how much it pays off in a few days.

   A blogger in East TN said something a few months ago about the “status quo” of their party not being weolcoming to young people, and I see it, too. It’s almost embarrassing.

   I like Fred Thompson, but that’s not where the party needs to be heading.

   - Matthew

5. John Casteel writes
   October 28th, 2008 9:19 am

   If McCain loses, then Sarah Palin needs a national forum in order to build her resume for a future in national politics. This may be her only opportunity so let’s have her as RNC chair. Fred is great and I’m sure would be a more than willing mentor for her.

6. cme writes
   October 28th, 2008 9:30 am

   Actually, Fred would be a great choice. He would not be a backwards-looking choice, as Matthew infers. We need people like Jindal in office (e.g., governor of LA, POTUS), not running the RNC. It seems quite apparent that Fred doesn’t have a lot of desire to be in office, be that be another term of senator from TN or POTUS. What does seem to motivate him is making the case for conservative values and conservative candidates; he does that very well. He is the sort of guy who will enthusiastically support candidates like Jindal and Palin. The RNC would be a great place for him.

7. cme writes
   October 28th, 2008 9:56 am

   Sorry to be a contrarian, but why would Gov. Palin be better as RNC chair than as AK gov? If we want her in higher office (assuming McCain loses, but I’m optimistic that he’ll win—why trust the polls?—McCain isn’t even that far behind anyway), governor is a much better stepping stone than RNC chair. Another four years as AK governor would be much more helpful than being RNC chair. If McCain loses, I think it’s MUCH more likely she’ll be in good position to run for POTUS (or, perhaps, be VP pick for Jindal or someone like that) if she has another four years of AK gov under her belt than a few years as RNC chair. I think our best political talent is Jindal and Palin. If we want them in higher office, let’s keep them doing what is best for their resumes, and that’s being successful governors. RNC chair is something I think you give to someone who isn’t in office but who can nevertheless motivate the base without being too polarizing. Fred Thompson fits that bill.

   There might be better people for RNC chair than Fred. (Michael Steele certainly comes to mind; I don’t know why people passed on him two years ago when the RNC chairmanship was being considered.) I don’t think though we take our most talented people out of elected office (or distract them from their full-time job as a governor, senator, or representative) to make them RNC chair. Political junkies may care about who leads the RNC or DNC, but the average voter is going to be more impressed by how one does in elected office.

8. Joe writes
   October 28th, 2008 9:59 am

   I agree with Matthew, although I think Charlie Crist would be a more centrist and appealing GOP chair. Fred’s a good guy, I’m sure, but his appeal is limited to those who already subscribe to conservative doctrine. After next week’s disaster, the GOP needs to reach back out to the political center and go after the college-educated voters they’re leaving behind this time around.

9. johnstlouis writes
   October 28th, 2008 10:03 am

   Oh, fantastic. Because, you know, he was so great during the primaries.
   Matthew is absolutely correct. The GOP needs fresh new faces, people with new ideas. No more old men who drone on about Ronald Reagan and the Reagan Revolution. It’s over. Those battles have been fought and won or lost, for better or worse. The GOP has got to stop trying to re-fight the same old issues of 25 years ago.
   We have to stop trying to tell voters what they ought to care about, and try investigating what they actually do care about. Today, not yesterday.
   On the other hand, Fred Thompson is at least articulate and has a full grasp of the issues and arguments of which he speaks, which is something sorely lacking in the party leadership.
   As for Sarah Palin, don’t even go there. You want to see a GOP candidate win 35% in the next election, then Palin’s your candidate. Sure, she energizes the base. She makes everybody else sick to their stomach.

10. gregh writes
    October 28th, 2008 10:05 am

    Excuse me, but logistically, Fred ran a horrible campaign, communication was lousy, people wanting to set up organizations to help him couldn’t get their phone call returned…
    His politics are also terrible, almost the same as McCain’s. Thompson, according to McCain, was instrumental in getting McCain-Feingold passed. The two worked together on all of McCain’s legislative crap while Thompson was in the Senate.

11. cme writes
    October 28th, 2008 10:17 am

    What has Palin done to make people “sick to their stomach?” Seriously, I don’t understand the Palin bashing. It’s just unbelievably silly. I can understand people disagreeing with some of her views, but that would be true of any conservative candidate, and I don’t think merely being conservative makes the majority of people “sick to their stomach.” I can understand concerns about her lack of experience (which wouldn’t even be as much of an issue in four years), but is that a reason it should make people “sick?”

    Apparently, she didn’t even make a diehard liberal like Alec Baldwin sick to his stomach when she met him on SNL. He had nice things to say about her, even if he doesn’t agree with her politics at all. (And good for him for his classy comments.)

    I don’t mean this rhetorically. I am seriously interested in hearing a cogent explanation of why Palin is so uniquely awful.

12. Trey writes
    October 28th, 2008 10:18 am

    OK, you Democrats giving us the advice to be more liberal are smoking some good stuff. Congrats on the purchase, but I hope the Republicans pass on the advice.

    Fred Thompson would be great in this position except for one thing: He doesn’t want the job.

    Fred would have been a fantastic candidate except for one thing: He didn’t like campaigning.

    Fred is a wonderful communicator, he is right on the issues, he has gravitas, but he also lacks a thirst for power and has enough ego strength to not be president because the campaigning interfered with his schedule. In a more educated world, he would have been forced to be President.

    And PLEASE do not put Palin in that role. The governor’s strength comes from her autonomy and real American values. Putting her as the head of the RNC would start the indoctrination process that government can do good things and should be used instead of limiting the ways government can mess up our lives by keeping it small.

    We do not want Governor Palin turning into Matthew, John, and Joe.

    Trey

13. ThomasD writes
    October 28th, 2008 10:23 am

    I’ll make my case for Fred in the most simple, obvious, terms so that perhaps the obtuse party Mandarins get the point.

    Make Fred RNC chair and leader of the party and I’ll not only join the party, I’ll give money to the party.

    Try to play business as usual, or - especially - try to disregard or deny Palinmania and I’ll make the Obamabots look friendly.

14. David writes
    October 28th, 2008 10:33 am

    Joe: “After next week’s disaster, the GOP needs to reach back out to the political center and go after the college-educated voters they’re leaving behind this time around.”

    If next week is a “disaster”, with our most liberal of republican senators running, why would repeating the mistake of running a liberal republican be such a good idea? Unless you left out the bit that you’re an Obama supporter. And “college-educated” voters see through the lie that is Obama, it is the easily-led people who respond to the “hope and change” and “change and hope” empty message of Obama.

    I think Fred would be an excellent choice as “orator” of the people - he can tell it like it is better than anyone. Leave Palin and Jindal in office where they would do the most good for their people and have 4 more years of on-the-job training in a leadership/executive role.

15. johnstlouis writes
    October 28th, 2008 10:43 am

    First of all, I am not a Democrat. I have never voted Democrat. My advice comes from the suburban center-right. You can call me a liberal, or a RINO or whatever other name you want to trot out. Doesn’t change the fact that the GOP needs my vote - and they are getting it, fyi.

    I have only anecdotal evidence of anything I say, since I am not a pollster or a political scientist. All I can tell you is that I live in a medium-largish midwestern city (I’m sure you can guess which one,) and the GOP seems to have lost the suburbs here. Why? I think it is because they are no longer able to communicate with people here about the issues that they care about. Just talking about income tax cuts and enlessly repeating that government is the problem not the solution is not getting through. It sounds like a mere repetition of a well worn-out talking points that do not offer real, innovative solutions. Now, maybe the GOP doesn’t want to be a party of innovative solutions. That’s a seperate debate, over the meaning of conservatism.

    As for my comment about Sarah Palin, outside of diehard GOP stalwarts, I have yet to hear anything positive from run-of-the-mill people who have tended to vote Republican. They just don’t like her. I personally do kind of like her, and I think she’s refreshing to hear, when she’s on her game. But, I’m sorry, most people I talk to have a strong negative reaction to her. Maybe it’s the inexperience, maybe it’s the perception of some sort of religious zealotry, maybe it’s simple snobbery, maybe it’s the media’s hatchet job. I do not know, but I stand by my statement that a lot of middle class people, not especially “liberal” in their views, are horrified by the idea of a Palin presidency. Putting her in the job of RNC chair, which is what we’re actually talking about here, would not work I suspect because she wouldn’t want the job.

16. Drafting Fred, again. writes
    October 28th, 2008 11:00 am

    [...] Here’s an idea I can get behind.  I was thinking about this recently, Fred Thompson would provide great leadership and vision to the rebuilding of the Republican Party.  This would provide a quick answer to those who will want to move the party away from conservatism.  A focus on federalism wouldn’t be a bad thing either. Republicans don’t just need a manager. Republicans need a communicator and a visionary. That’s Fred Thompson. [...]

17. Jeff writes
    October 28th, 2008 11:02 am

    Win or lose, I’m re-registering independent until the Republican Party gets some leadership. If they appoint Fred Thompson to run the party, I’ll stay registered Republican in the hope we’ll find good candidates to run over the next 2 elections.

18. Rob Huddleston writes
    October 28th, 2008 11:07 am

    Jeff -

    Of course, if you’re in Tennessee, you’re not re-registering or re-re-registering as anything, since we don’t have a party registration system…

    As for the next two election cycles, I hope that the options aren’t the ones we have already rejected this time around. Unfortunately, my hopes are probably pie in the sky on that issue.

    Cheers,

    Rob

19. John Thompson writes
    October 28th, 2008 11:18 am

    I dont know, ever since him just dismissing the whole Clinton “chinese” scandal I just cant trust Fred plus he seems to hate everything. I really hope the Main st. republicans could get the spot. We need moderats that way we could bring people over from the left and strenghten our G.O.P. So mayb we could use Rosilin Krouda???(forgive my spelling)

20. Will writes
    October 28th, 2008 11:44 am

    I don’t want Fred drafted for anything. They can offer him the position, but it’s clear to me that whatever he needs to do, he needs to want it. I’d rather have him ask for it. It has to be what HE wants to do. He took to his campaign grudgingly, and it showed.

21. Z in Dayton writes
    October 28th, 2008 12:08 pm

    I read the comments and postings of those above who suggest the answer to re-energizing the Republican Party is to become more moderate, to move toward the center. Fair enough.

    But those same posters must acknowledge that such sentiments and advice gave us John McCain. It remains to be seen how that works out. We’ll know soon enough.

    What is a moderate Republican? One who believes in abortion? One who believes in gay marriage? One who believes in BIG gov’t? One who believes in restrcting freedom of political speech? One who believes in open borders and unrestrained illegal immigration? One who believes in the nationalization of private industry? If that is a moderate Republican then you got what you wished for in John McCain.

    To re-energize the Republican Party we need to go back to our roots and work up from there. If that makes us true conservatives a minority then so be it. I’d prefer to stand on principle than to sell out just to win an election.

22. John Thompson writes
    October 28th, 2008 12:27 pm

    Im not talking about this election im talking about the gop in general. And im not talking about any of that, im talking about states rights. And even on abortion and gay rights I think we should leave it up to GOD to judge. Making any of that illegal is really BIG government. And DRAGGING EVERY THING to the right and becoming a minority is fairly COUNTER PRODUCTIVE, dont you think. We need to become the peoples party again, and drop the whole higher than thou stuff. Please, for the sake of our beloved party become what the MAJORITY wants apposed to the rich theological minority.

23. Reno Sepulveda writes
    October 28th, 2008 12:33 pm

    God no. Fred Thompson and the way he ran his campaign were probably my biggest disappointment of this election cycle. Fred thought that he could just go on YouTube, wave a cigar around and say some stuff that sounded good. All he did by running for President was show everybody he’s really not that good as an actor.

    Republicans need to find out a way to re-animate Lee Atwater. A guy that understood and believed with every fibre of his being that you not only had to battle the Democrats, you need to kick the media to the curb and have fun doing it.

24. John Thompson writes
    October 28th, 2008 12:39 pm

    i love the way you think, but mayb we need james carville b/c hes the best in the biz

25. cme writes
    October 28th, 2008 1:10 pm

    In any case, I DON’T believe we need to move to the middle as a party. Be hyper-conservative? No. But apologize for being conservative. No way. Look at which Republicans have been ditching McCain (for Obama or a third-party candidate like Barr or to just not vote). Is it the conservative talk-show hosts and pundits who opposed McCain’s nomination? No. They are now the one’s pushing hard for him to get elected, even though he wasn’t their choice. The moderates who thought the GOP needed a moderate like McCain are the ones leaving him for Obama. They never really explain coherently how McCain has changed; the base gave McCain enough votes to grant them their wish and now they’re saying no thanks. If we had more moderates like Rudy—someone who really is a big-tent Republican—there would be more point in appeasing the middle. But if RINO Republicans are going to be ready to bolt the minute McCain says something they don’t like or because they get entranced by Obama, why even bother trying to make them happy?

    Again, my point is not that we should go off the deep end picking extreme candidates, but I think centrist/liberal Republicans need to stand by McCain if they want to maintain their influence in the GOP. It only makes sense.

    FWIW, I don’t agree with McCain on many issues, but I will be voting for him enthusiastically. I wish we had a more conservative candidate, but I have no problem voting for an American hero who has a history of sticking with his principles.

26. johnstlouis writes
    October 28th, 2008 1:16 pm

    I realize that we’re getting somewhat off-topic here, but some of the comments here get to the heart of the issue within the GOP. I suspect we’ll all have plenty of time to hash things out betwen the moderates and the ultras.
    But I will say that I think that moderate, mainstream Republicans often get a bad rap from the ultras. One of the problems, I think, is that there is often a pretty big difference between moderate Republican voters and moderate Republican politicians; the moderate politicians are usually moderate on all the wrong issues.

    But let’s remember in the primaries what choices we were faced with. McCain actually won the votes. This was not something foisted on the party by the
    horrible, gay- and abortion-loving cocktail party circuit moderates. He was deemed to be the best of, let’s admit it, a pretty uninspiring group. (Personally I voted for Romney because I found him the most intelligent of the group, despite his being more socially conservative than I am, and the whole religious cult issue.)

    Getting back to the Republican Party’s roots? I agree with that idea, but I suspect we may have somewhat different ideas about what those roots actually are, and how to practically apply the ideas found there to the problems facing America today.

    As for the “I’d rather be right than win” argument, I always have to ask if those who advance this argument would find Ronald Reagan a suitable candidate. I suspect not. I doubt he’d pass the ideological purity test. This is a problem that plagues capital “L” Libertarians. Do we really want the GOP to go down that road? Is it really such a terrible idea to take a sober look around us at the political landscape of the US as it exists today, and what actually motivates and inspires people across the spectrum to get out and vote for a candidate or party? This does not mean that we do not stand on principle. It means that the people who we elect may need to stop talking at and to the people, and actually listen to what Americans are thinking. And by Americans, I mean all Americans. Including people who live in cities, on the coasts, and yes, even those putrid moderates.

27. Bob SMith writes
    October 28th, 2008 1:45 pm

    @John Thompson:

    “And even on MURDER I think we should leave it up to GOD to judge. Making any of that illegal is really BIG government.”

    Hmm - sounds different when you call it what it is. So you are wrong - moral knuckleheads like you are what got the GOP into this quandary - never standing for anything, and falling for everything.

    If we cannot pass laws that protect the most defenseless lives against their destruction then we are NOT supporting the basic values as outlined in the Declaration of Independence. LIFE liberty and the pursuit of happiness (but not necessarily the attainment of happiness). LIFE is first, its foundational. Nobody has a right to murder someone else, to take their life without cause. A society must pass laws on such a basic issue to be a truly free one.

    Being a conservative means holding some absolute values.

    Or would you say…

    And even on Communism and Collectivists Rights I think we should leave it up to GOD to judge. Making any of that illegal is really BIG government.

    SO your argument doesn’t hold water in either substance or form.

    Try again.

28. Jacqui_H writes
    October 28th, 2008 4:01 pm

    I’ve been thinking about Fred for the RNC chair for awhile. Yea, he ran a bad campaign, but that’s not the same thing as running the party. We need someone there who understands conservative principles first before anything else gets done within the party. The party needs to get its bearings straight first.

29. Jim writes
    October 28th, 2008 4:04 pm

    Don’t be an ass, Bob. Respond to what John actually says, not what you try to shove into his mouth.

30. Josh Schroeder writes
    October 28th, 2008 4:22 pm

    Fred Thompson has my support for RNC chair. Hands down. I think Mike Duncan has been extremely ineffective. The RNC needs leadership, and I can’t think of anyone better than Fred to provide it.

31. Peg C. writes
    October 28th, 2008 5:41 pm

    I would actually start donating to the RNC again if this happened. So far, they are on my Boycott list and I’ve told them repeatedly why.

32. Diane writes
    October 28th, 2008 6:43 pm

    I couldn’t agree with you more! Funny, I was recently thinking this very same thing ~ the Republican party has a chance of some respect again with Fred in charge.

    How do we make this happen???????

33. IMAO » Blog Archive » Fred Thompson, RNC Chair writes
    October 29th, 2008 6:36 pm

    [...] some talk about making Fred Thompson the RNC Chair. Here’s what I [...]

34. EckerNet.Com » Blog Archive » Deep Thoughts With Kevin writes
    October 31st, 2008 12:26 am

    [...] Fred Thompson for RNC chair?? Well he did a pretty God awful job of managing his primary campaign.  On the other hand he’s an excellent policy wonk and great at advocacy.  If we can have someone else do the “store manager” type duties and have Fred Thompson just do the leadership end, then great. [...]

35. Mike writes
    November 1st, 2008 4:09 am

    I don’t want Fred Thompson as the head of the RNC. The man is only a mouth piece, not a visionary. Who we need in charge of the RNC is former VA Governor and Former Senator George Allen jr. This is a man with vision. Currently he is a Reagan Scholar with the Young America’s foundation.

    This man would be perfect. he is not a mouth piece, he has more political experience than Fred Thompson. He is a Reagan Conservative. and he can use some rejuvenation from his party. Let us draft him.

36. Donna Locke writes
    November 1st, 2008 7:56 pm

    The direction was clear when Ken Mehlman was in charge. It was clear the puppets driving the bus had no clue and would drive the bus off the cliff. I don’t think that will change, even if and especially if McCain is elected. McCain was not the choice of most Republicans and certainly not most conservatives. He ended up at the top because of division in the party, unclear direction, blurred (false) presentation, vote splits, and the absence of runoff elections.

    I may be wrong, of course, I hope I am, but if McCain is elected and serves two terms, he will be the last Republican president in my baby-boomer lifetime. If Obama is elected and serves two terms, Republicans won’t have the presidency again in my lifetime. Their only chance in the Obama scenario would be in 2012, but even then, that would be their last, even if the Republican Party changes, which I expect it will, but the changes will be the wrong kind and just a continuation of the direction they’ve charted in an effort to please the wrong folks, fiscally and otherwise.

37. ChooseTheHero.com » Blog Archive » For RNC Chairman: Newt Gingrich. writes
    November 11th, 2008 9:47 pm

    [...] who ran for the nomination this year, there’s an active movement afoot in favor of drafting Fred! for the job. Jon Henke in his follow-up post to his Romney for RNC Chairman trial balloon suggested [...]