Fred on Hannity

Fred was on the Hannity and Colmes show last night. I don't have video of that, but the transcript is at RealClearPolitics. The part that has made news is his adamant statement that he would not accept the VP slot. I don't know why this makes news--he has been consistent on that all along. But Fred made the case for McCain, which should be of interest to FredHeads.

HANNITY: What do you say to conservatives that were supporting you because they deemed you as more conservative that maybe had some issues with Senator McCain?

THOMPSON: I would say to my friends that, on all of the issues that are most important to this country and to our future, and to the future generations, John McCain is solid on. Certainly national security, with regard to the tax issues, with regard to trade policy, which is an important part of our prosperity also, all those things he's been strong on for a long time.

He is one of the few people in the United States Congress, if not the only one, who over a period of several years, who stood strong on pork barrel spending and wasteful government spending and so forth, you know.

And one of the things that we're going to need in a leader going forward in this country, and one of the things we're going to need to get somebody elected president on the Republican ticket in these times that are very difficult for Republicans, is someone with credibility.

John's solid. I don't agree with him on everything. I didn't during the campaign. But on the fundamental core issues, he is rock solid. And he's honest. And he does what he thinks is right.

Fred Lives!

There are a couple of news tidbits about Fred and his continued influence.

First, he apparently met with McCain a little over a week ago. According to OneNowNews on April 12th:

Bauer believes a John McCain-Fred Thompson GOP ticket would be a dynamic duo. He says McCain and Thompson's meeting over the weekend has only fueled speculation about whether the former Tennessee senator is on McCain's short list of possible vice-presidential running mates. Bauer, who supported Thompson in his short-lived presidential bid, says he is not sure the Law & Order star wants to get back into the political arena again.

I am not sure that a VP role should be in Fred's future. I could see Fred in a cabinet post (AG or something like that). I just don't know what Fred is thinking about the future.

The second item is McCain's economic plans as announced yesterday. A corporate tax rate drop; increasing the child tax exemption; make permanent the R&D tax credit; internet tax ban; one year freeze in discretionary spending; and the news maker stopping the gas tax through the summer. But The American Mind reports that there is another, less mentioned aspect of McCain plan:

The most surprising element of McCain’s plan is an optional simplified tax system. It would have “two tax rates and a generous standard deduction.”

Sound familiar? It should if you are a FredHead. That is Fred's proposal. Since McCain has admitted that he isn't strong on the economy, maybe he's taking notes from someone who is.

One side note. While I think the gas tax elimination for a period is good populist politics, it will not likely help with the price of gas. It will help a little, but not as much as the federal gas tax. Prices of the base product will increase to fill the void. The price being paid (including taxes) is a market price that controls our consumption to avoid shortages of gasoline. Good ole supply and demand. The other benefit of the tax cut is that it will starve the government of a bit more of our money.

Fred at CTIA 2008

Here are a couple of video clips of Fred at the CTIA conference a few days ago.

A Public Appearance

Fred has made his first public appearance since dropping out of the Presidential race several weeks ago. He appeared at the CTIA Wireless Conference on Thursday April 3rd.

Here are a couple of quotes:

Thompson said that as a democratic nation, we get the political process that we deserve. "It is our process. It is what we have concocted for better or worse as a people, and we can change it and we can improve it."

And

Thompson said a candidate could be getting off a bus, and suddenly meet a throng of reporters asking questions about something that happened on the other side of the globe. "From a candidate's standpoint, you can't get away from anything anymore," he said. "You're expected to know everything as it happens."

Also, because of today's 24-hour news cycle, the media has to find some issue to fill time, and often creates controversy, the ex-candidates said. "There's nothing more dangerous than a television personality with dead air time that he has to fill up," Thompson said. "Controversy is the name of the game, and sometimes it's generated when it's not really there."

And about the potential of a VP slot:

Thompson said the question doesn't matter, unless it's asked by "the only person that counts." In the meantime, "I need to go back to making a living," he said jokingly.