Fred Thompson To Newt: We’re Not Deaf, Dumb and Blind

In response to Newt’s nonsense about conservatives purging RINOs from the GOP, Fred Thompson had a few choice words for Newt on his radio show.

From Politico: 

During his radio show Tuesday, Thompson said he was “sad” to hear “when a good Republican friend of mine says that I, and the other good, conservative Republicans who have endorsed Hoffman, are ‘misguided.’ And that’d be my friend, Newt Gingrich.”

“I respect Newt. He’s a friend. Done a lot of good, I think. But he endorsed Scozzafava early on. So, we have an honest disagreement in the family,” Thompson said.

But, he added, “Newt said that our support for Hoffman was a ‘purge,’ was ‘misguided,’ was—we were applying a litmus test that said if you’re not 100 percent with us than you're not with us at all. And that Scozzafava was more in step with her district and therefore we shouldn't substitute our judgment for the party elders of the district.”

Thompson, a 2008 GOP presidential candidate, then asked of Gingrich: “Who’s applying the litmus test here?”

“Are we saying that as Americans you’ve got to have an ‘R’ by your name before you vote for them? Where do you draw the line?” he continued. “If somebody with a record like this gets our seal of approval, regardless, only because she’s got an ‘R’ by the name… You know, just because we’re Republicans doesn’t mean that we’re deaf, dumb, and blind.”

Thompson is right, if any old body can have any old ideology and still be Republican, then what the heck does the party stand for?  I had pretty much stated the same thing back in May. What the GOP needs is quality Republicans that adhere to principles. The Party does not need tons and tons of “mavericks” voting willy nilly for more big government spending or liberty robbing legislation.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Politico

"Right", Said Fred! Fred Thompson Backs a Conservative Over GOP Nominee

From The Hill:

Fred Thompson spurns GOP special election nominee

By Aaron Blake - 09/28/09 11:27 AM ET

Former GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson just announced he's backing the Conservative Party candidate in the special election in New York's 23rd district.

In the latest sign that GOP state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava could have trouble on her right flank, the former senator from Tennessee is backing Doug Hoffman over his own party's nominee.

"Doug is a conservative, who understands that our freedom is our greatest strength, that life is a precious gift, and that getting back to our founding principles will ensure our nation's security and prosperity for us and for our children and grandchildren," Thompson said in an e-mail from his political action committee, FredPAC. The e-mail includes a link to a page for donations to Hoffman's campaign.

The conservative Club for Growth has also toyed with backing Hoffman over Scozzafava, releasing a poll last week that showed an even race.

One wonders if some other conservative Republican icons might get involved on Hoffman's behalf. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee sure hasn't been afraid to ruffle feathers.

It is good to see someone stand up for real conservatives. The GOP seems hell bent of digging up mushy middle of the road RINOs, despite the fact that it is conservatives who are effectively slowing Obama’s hard left agenda.

Opposing the GOP’s crummy RINO candidates during the primary is the way to go. The GOP stands to gain from the backlash against Democrats, so we might as well stack the deck with real conservatives. Otherwise we risk replacing Congress with a new one that still embraces the same wrong-headed ideals.

As to wondering what other Republican icon would get involved on Hoffman’s behalf, how come the Hill chooses Huckabee when Sarah Palin clearly has far more pull?

Here are some links if you want to read further:

Fredpac

Doug Hoffman for Congress

Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Hill