Say Anything Blog

From TheDailySlant.com:

We have another article on Slate this week criticizing Fred Thompson for his continued distaste for pandering. The last one remarked how Thompson needs to learn to play the game if he ever wants to appeal to a large electorate (where “playing the game” equates to compromising your personal values and making empty promises left and right).

Now, Thompson isn’t lending himself to easy categorization. Apparently, today’s reporters find it tough to write about a candidate unless they can slip him into some kind of three word stereotype – a political selling point of sorts.

Examples:

Mitt Romney: Mormonism; morals; business acumen
Rudy Giuliani: Fixed New York; tough on terror
Mike Huckabee: Baptist minister; funny; social conservative
John McCain: Former POW; straight talk; Iraq war

My additions:

Hilary Clinton: Liar; opportunist; icky
Barack Obama: Idealistic; highly intelligent; but exceptionally naïve
Kucinich: Communist (Sean Penn just proved it)
Edwards: Dumbass

Thompson? Well, apparently he “isn’t so easily reduced. He doesn’t have a set of foundational characteristics to fall back on when he needs to remind the press he exists.” Allow me a moment’s segway to note how self-important the press has become that it admonishes candidates for their lack of media appeal – if nothing else, this marks the decline of democracy: where the press forces certain types of candidates (read: liars, opportunists, and all around icky people).

Back to the matter at hand: So Thompson needs selling points? Let’s see what Slate has to say and give him some…

“He opposes abortion, but he doesn’t support a “human life” amendment.”

That says he places American liberties over his own, personal values. We’ll call that a “true liberal” (as opposed to a fake one that seeks to impose his values on others).

“He opposes gay marriage, but doesn’t support a federal marriage amendment.”

Kind of like the above, but in this case, if he supports a state ban, we’ll call him a Federalist.

“He’s a true fiscal conservative, but somehow the Club For Growth hasn’t rocketed his candidacy to the front.”

He doesn’t court private interests? Let’s call that integrity.

So here’s what we have:

Fred Thompson: True liberal; federalist; lots of integrity

Or, to put it another way…

Fred Thompson: Not a hypocrite

Now that’s a unique platform for ’08.