October 03, 2007
Another Day, Another Gaffe For Fred Thompson
The list of Fred Thompson's verbal missteps continues -- and this time it seems the Republican presidential hopeful can't recall major details of an historical event in which he himself participated.
MSNBC reports that at a campaign event in Iowa Tuesday night, the candidate was asked about last year's Senate hearings on the nomination of Chief Justice John Roberts, whom Thompson "shepherded" through the confirmation process. The former Tennessee senator had this to say in response:
"Even though the other party controlled the Judiciary Committee, we got some votes there. For a good, sound, what I would call conservative justice."
News flash: Democrats didn't regain control of the Senate until 2006. Roberts' confirmation took place in 2005, when the GOP was still firmly in charge of both chambers.
Ever since he entered the race, Thompson has been accused of being "lazy" and running "a presidential campaign about nothing." The verbal gaffes have led some to wonder if Thompson was paying attention to any news while he starred on "Law and Order."
How long can this go on before Thompson's staff clues him in to the importance of following current events? Although no cable channel could get enough of the Terri Schiavo saga two years ago, Thompson claims he doesn't "remember the details of it." And Everglades drilling is an important issue in Florida -- something one would expect a southern Republican senator to know.
Perhaps the most surprising statement he's made came last week, when Thompson said he didn't know lethal injection procedures in his home state of Tennessee had recently been ruled unconstitutional. (Thompson is staunchly pro-death penalty.)
Still, Thompson continues to lead in South Carolina and is catching up with Rudy Giuliani in Florida (where they appear to have forgiven Thompson for saying he would drill for oil in their state).
Although some conservatives herald Thompson as a modern-day Ronald Reagan, his recent gaffes seem to indicate he's more like the next George W. Bush. Don't "misunderestimate" him -- even presidential candidates is learning.
Posted at 4:52 PM
Posted to:
Campaigns, Fred Thompson, Republicans, WH 2008
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