Iowa Caucus Tonight

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I don't think Paul will finish that high, and I hope that Thompson finishes third but of course I have no real idea.

I can remember posting with Shinerbock, I think it was, about how things would shake out, and I wasn't yet a Thompson fan, but I am now.

It's kind of odd when I talk to people about Fred, and I acknowledge that it's pretty narrow section of the electorate that I talk to about politics in RL, that most people I know who are likely to vote for a Republican like what Thompson seems to believe in but feel hesitant to vote for him because he's not already popular enough. This thinking seems bizarre to me at the start of primary season. I can understand feeling that way once you know he's lost a lot of delegates already, but not now when it's theoretically wide open.

I'm not even talking about making donations to his campaign; I just mean when I talk to people about who they might vote for and why.

I have to admit I like what Thompson has to say, but I've yet to see any action behind it. I feel he's an actor spouting lines the audience wants to hear. Wait .... oh.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DGTess

I have to admit I like what Thompson has to say, but I've yet to see any action behind it. I feel he's an actor spouting lines the audience wants to hear. Wait .... oh.

The acting background freaked me out for a while, but I'm over it.

What action could you have seen behind the talk other than the policy statements that he's put out on the issues?

Sincerely, what actions have we seen from anyone running on the Republican side that worked in a positive manner? (I mean the Huckabee attack video on Romney that he pulled buy showed was an action, I suppose, but not one that I think worked for anyone.)

Isn't it pretty much all talk and posturing from all of them?
(And, obviously I'm biased as I admitted, but it seems to me that Thompson has been working harder to actually articulate real principals and policies than the other GOP dudes, like the whole 15 minute video from the day before yesterday vs. the 30 second ads of the others.)

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

The acting background freaked me out for a while, but I'm over it.

What action could you have seen behind the talk other than the policy statements that he's put out on the issues?

Sincerely, what actions have we seen from anyone running on the Republican side that worked in a positive manner? (I mean the Huckabee attack video on Romney that he pulled buy showed was an action, I suppose, but not one that I think worked for anyone.)

Isn't it pretty much all talk and posturing from all of them?
(And, obviously I'm biased as I admitted, but it seems to me that Thompson has been working harder to actually articulate real principals and policies than the other GOP dudes, like the whole 15 minute video from the day before yesterday vs. the 30 second ads of the others.)

Well, by action I meant doing something. Others are pointing to their records, which you can take as evidence (Ron Paul, for instance, tilting at windmills, or Romney, who makes me think there are lots of seesaws in my home state of Massachusetts, or Clinton, who actually has less time in the White House than others with the same type role she had). Thompson hasn't trotted out a record, that I've seen.

Leaves me wondering. I don't get the sense he wants the job. One question I've asked every political candidate I've met - Why do you want the job? Those who can't answer (and you'd be surprised how many there are, particularly at the local and state levels) don't get my vote.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DGTess

Well, by action I meant doing something. Others are pointing to their records, which you can take as evidence (Ron Paul, for instance, tilting at windmills, or Romney, who makes me think there are lots of seesaws in my home state of Massachusetts, or Clinton, who actually has less time in the White House than others with the same type role she had). Thompson hasn't trotted out a record, that I've seen.

Leaves me wondering. I don't get the sense he wants the job. One question I've asked every political candidate I've met - Why do you want the job? Those who can't answer (and you'd be surprised how many there are, particularly at the local and state levels) don't get my vote.

His record in the Senate is definitely out there, and he discussed it during the debates when appropriate, I though. The 'doesn't really want the job" thing is floated out there, but he's answered it to my satisfaction.

Did you see the full Fred quotes about this in context this week?

He boils it down to wanting to serve the country as president and wanting to be able to do things only the president can do, but thinking that campaigning in the contemporary age is crap, which is really hard to argue with if you ask me.