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Fred Thompson campaigns in Missouri Valley last Thursday
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Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, a Republican candidate for President of the United States, arrived via his campaign tour bus, in Missouri Valley, Thursday. He visited The Times-News office for an interview, then toured downtown businesses as part of his Fred in 08 push in the Iowa Caucuses. Shown from left: Sen. Thompson, his wife, Jeri, and Congressman Steve King, who has thrown his support to Thompson in the waning days of the caucus campaign.
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EDITOR
He rode in on a gigantic campaign bus, but he talked like a Tennessee trainer and had this to say about his campaign thus far. "We're in a horse race, a very fluid kind of situation." The "he" is former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, the two-termer from Tennessee, who brought his presidential tour to Missouri Valley last Thursday.
Thompson, during a brief interview in The Times-News office, said, "An awful lot (of people) haven't made up their minds yet-and that's a good thing. Now, people are focusing."
Thompson was traveling with his wife, Jeri, and the usual entourage of aides and press people, had some heavy backing from Iowa's 5th District Congressman Steve King (R-Kiron), who was along for a leg of the tour. King participated in the T-N interview and told Thompson across the table, "My concern is who the next president will choose to serve on the Supreme Court. I like your ideas along that line. The next president will likely make two nominations to the Supreme Court and many more to lesser federal courts. I want to have confidence decisions will be made on nominees I can support."
Thompson said he agreed and said he had been called upon by President Bush to help shepherd the John Roberts nomination through the Senate. (Thompson served as a counsel on the Watergate Committee during the crisis that cost President Nixon his office in 1975.) He said that after national security, Supreme Court nominations are the most important things a president does in office.
For his part, Thompson, most recently an actor and star of NBC's Law and Order dramatic series, said his goal on the tour was to "get out there and meet people, get our message out. In a few days, people in Iowa are going to make a decision on who is going to lead the free world."
Could this close race for the Republican nomination between Thompson (currently third in Iowa) and Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and John McCain go all the way to the convention for a nominee to emerge? Thompson said, "Sure, I think it's a real possibility. All we know is how little we really know."
Thompson is sure of his own place in the campaign, though. "We need a man who says what he means and means what he says. I'm today where I've always been and will be there tomorrow." As noted, the lanky Tennessean is looking for a victory in the Iowa Caucuses.
Congressman King, and State Sen. Jim Seymour (R-Woodbine), who was also part of the interview, both said they plan to work hard for a good Republican turn-out at the caucuses, Jan. 3. Seymour said, "I won't be satisfied with anything but a very good showing."
Se. Seymour asked Thompson some questions about medical care, and told him that the Medicare Part D program has been good for people in this part of Iowa. "I'm not sure we can afford it, but it has been beneficial."
Thompson retorted, "Yeah, but we should have done overall reform of the system while we were at it."
Before he left to schmooze folks at Ace Hardware and the Double Barrel Shooter's Supply stores, Thompson reiterated his view that courts need to be balanced and have a Constitutional construct.
Soon, the man who has played president on screen, rode off into the sunset-and another Iowa town.
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©MISSOURI VALLEY TIMES - NEWS 2009
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