The Exercise of Vital Powers

He announced his exploratory committee today.

The only way we’re gonna win in 2008 is to run against the big-government and incompetent record of George W. Bush.

The only way to keep the White House in G.O.P. hands, Gingrich said, would be to nominate someone who, in essence, runs against Bush, in the style of Nicolas Sarkozy, the center-right cabinet minister who just won the French Presidency by making his own President, Jacques Chirac, his virtual opponent. Sarkozy is a transforming figure in French politics, Gingrich said, and he suggested that the only Republican who shared Sarkozy’s “transformative” approach to governing was, at that moment, eating a bowl of oatmeal at the McLean Family Restaurant.

“What’s fascinating about Sarkozy is that you have an incumbent cabinet member of a very unpopular twelve-year Presidency, who over the last three years became the clear advocate of fundamental change, running against an attractive woman”—the Socialist leader Ségolène Royal—“who is the head of the opposition,” Gingrich went on. “In a country that wanted to say, ‘Not them,’ he managed to switch the identity of the ‘them.’ He said, ‘I’m different from Chirac, and she’s not. If you want more of the same, you should vote for her.’ It was a Lincoln-quality strategic decision.” (Letter from Washington: Party Unfaithful: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker)

Good use of humor and internet marketing:

JOE TRIPPI signs on with John Edwards.

HT Instapundit

Georgians for Fred Thompson

This site is dedicated to building a grassroots machine to get Sen. Thompson to run for President. This country needs a leader who shares and can articulate the American Ideal of limited government, individual freedom and a strong defense.

By signing our petition, you not only tell the Senator to get in the race, you help him make up for lost time by identifying his supporters across the state.

Still something of a work-in-progress. I think my web design skills are getting better though.

He just won’t admit it. All of a sudden he’s blogging at RedState, writing Op-Eds for WSJ. Yeah, he’s running.

And I’m working on a secret project. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone.

I’m liking him more and more.

…I didn’t build it and I didn’t pay for it. The taxpayers did. So it is entirely appropriate that it remain U.S. Highway 43 the way I remember it when I was a boy. Therefore, I would request that you thank my friends and withdraw the naming bill.

Sincerely.
Fred Thompson

HT: Redstate

Buyer’s remorse is expressed by several House members who had endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Romney…..
Thompson’s critics assert that, bored with his lucrative career as an actor, he has enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame created by a chance TV interview and will not really run. But he privately assures friends that this is for real. His performance on “Fox News Sunday” was no accident. He went on the program for the purpose of unveiling his possible candidacy. (
RealClearPolitics - Articles - Fred Thompson Is for Real)

I certainly hope so.

I’m officially endorsing and supporting John McCain for the GOP nomination in 2008. Senator McCain is the best candidate to mobilize and motivate the conservative GOP base. As the heir to Barry Goldwater, John McCain’s limited government credentials are unassailable.

Other reasons I support John McCain in 2008:

• In the 1980’s Senator McCain gained valuable experience needed to be a leader of the Republican Party.
• Senator McCain is not beholden to the forces of political correctness.
• John McCain not only supports Jack Bauer and CTU, he often helps out.
• Like President Bush, John McCain doesn’t let crinkly old legal precedents prevent him from protecting the American People. However, unlike our current President, he reaches across party lines to do so.

John McCain is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life. It is for these reasons and more that I wholeheartedly support John McCain for President in 2008.

So here is a worst case scenario for 2008:

Lets say there is a clear Democratic frontrunner, probably Hillary or Obama. By Feb 5th they have the votes locked up for the nomination and then they start campaigning.

Lets also say there isn’t a clean GOP frontrunner. No candidate has a lock on the nomination, and they are all campaigning to win the votes of delegates on the 3rd ballot.

The Dem candidate can go into full fundraising mode, he/she has the lock and that party can unite behind their candidate in Feburary.

The GOP won’t unite till September once the convention is over. There will surely be sore-loser supporters who won’t support the eventual nominee.

Furthermore, the nominee will have had to promise all sorts of things to GOP special interest groups. That will make him that much harder to sell to independents in the General election.

Of course, by the end of the year, there could be a clear GOP frontrunner and no Democratic frontrunner and this all works in our favor. And I still think a national primary day is the only thing that is going to get rid of the stupidity of Ag Subsidies, so it could be worth it in the long run.