Fred Wins

I think the term is "shoe-in."

In Rivals try to deflate F. Thompson campaign  Politico  examines the  charges available to Rudy/Mitt and The Manchurian Candidate in their efforts to neuter Fred Thompson -who hasn't even formally announced yet. Remember, this is a battle for the nomination, which means a battle for conservative voters who control that process. Conservative voters are far less likely to fall for clap-trap than the average yahoo in a general election, so they'd better have something. I feel comfortable assuming the mantle of group arbiter, and will audit the list. The Attack The Potential Harm Negative effect 0-100 - Lobbyist: Thompson made nearly $1.3 million over about two decades of lobbying both before and after his eight-year Senate stint, according to government documents and media accounts from his successful run for the Senate in 1994. Yawn 0 Though Thompson won in a landslide, that was in a watershed Republican year and before the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal helped Democrats effectively wield the culture-of-corruption theme against Republicans. The "Culture of Corruption" was a contrivance.  The chattering classes may make a deal out of it, but the voters will not.  0 Some of Thompson's clients could prove tricky to explain, from a British reinsurance company facing billions of dollars in asbestos claims to deposed Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The same Aristide that Ted Kennedy forced Clinton to install as Haitian President even after the CIA said he was a psychopath?  That Aristide? Nobody cares about Haiti. 0 -- Trial lawyer: Before Thompson won his Senate seat, published reports said his private law practice handled personal injury cases and defended people accused of white-collar crimes. And in the Senate, he opposed some legislation intended to rein in escalating jury verdicts and attorneys' fees. There's a huge difference between a criminal attorney and an ambulance chaser like John Edwards.  If he handled personal injury cases I'll want an apology.  If he won't, it don't matter.  I do not view Thompson as a Trial Maggot. 2 Campaign finance reformer: Thompson was among the leading Republican backers of the sweeping package of campaign finance reforms commonly known as McCain-Feingold. Most problematic for me.  He sort of dodged it in this interview so I want to hear more. 50 Expect conservative groups and rivals to emphasize Thompson's support for the bill, even calling it "McCain-Feingold-Thompson." The campaign that uses that will come in  last. 0 He backed a 1998 bill that would have established a temporary farm worker program and a 1996 bill to increase the minimum wage. *loud snoring sound* 0 And he voted against one of the two impeachment charges brought against President Clinton in 1999. What? Only One/?  Most Republican dickwad Senators went 2/2.  he also explained his vote in the context of the US, not Scottish, law. 0 On candidate surveys in 1994 and 1996, he answered that he favored abortion always being legal in the first trimester of pregnancy and opposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution "protecting the sanctity of human life." According to the Nashville Tennessean, Thompson included a handwritten clarification with the latter response, reading, "I do not believe abortion should be criminalized. This battle will be won in the hearts and souls of the American people." At this juncture I agree that "This battle will be won in the hearts and souls of the American people."  The key is, should Roe-Wade be overturned as bad law?  He was endorsed by National Right to Life in both of his Senate campaigns and has a 100 percent voting record from the group, "That's what counts. How did he act?" 0 If that's what they have to work with, it's all over.  Fred v Hillary.