Will Iowa Conservatives Pick a True Leader???

According to yesterday’s Zogby Iowa tracking Arizona Sen. John McCain remained in third place at 12%, tied with former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, who has seen a late-breaking surge.

But will the MSM (including the so-called “fair and balanced” Fox) be successful in their campaign to ice out Fred Thompson from the race? Is Thompson going to drop out of the race after the Iowa caucus and then back McCain? Or, is the recent Thompson surge for real?

I’ve read quite a bit lately that Iowans are pretty savvy folks. If that’s the case, we will see if they let the media drive them away from the one candidate that represents everything America wants and needs in a conservative candidate!

Here are some of the most recent insights on the Thompson race:

According to The Wall Street Journal “ . . .Now, the would-be savior of the conservative coalition can barely get coverage from the Des Moines Register. . . Mr. Thompson might still have a chance with is Iowa farmer Kathy Krafka Harkema. "I'm not looking for a politician, but a true leader," says Ms. Harkema, a 47-year-old from Montezuma, Iowa, who stood shivering in an orange parka on a sidewalk in front of the local newspaper office, waiting for Mr. Thompson to emerge during a recent visit. . ."

Hot Air wrote: " . . .He’s still only polling at 12% and is tied with McCain, who has the advantage of receiving a ton of good press lately. . ."

According to Politico Fred Thompson may drop out “ . . .If Thompson exits, he's expected to endorse John McCain. . . .”

deadlineUSA questions Fred’s fire , "Fred Thompson made only one campaign appearance New Years Day."

From Captain’s Quarters :
“ . . .And the biggest shame of that is that Thompson could still be the unity candidate. Given his track record on federalism, Thompson offered the complete conservative package -- smaller government, lower taxes and spending, pro-life, hard as nails on terrorism and only slightly less so on immigration, and the ability to charge life into the Reagan alliance that supports these ideals . . .”

According to Wake up America:
“ . . .Back to the Washington Times article regarding Thompson, this year on illegal immigration, they say:

This year, however, Mr. Thompson has put forward the most comprehensive plan of any major candidate for securing the border and cracking down on illegal immigration. It includes plans to target smugglers and gangs, to cut off discretionary federal grants to sanctuary cities and to deny federal education grants to states that provide in-state tuition in violation of federal law. Mr. Thompson's goal is to force illegals to leave the country by removing the employment magnet and increasing the chances of being arrested and deported. . .”

samizdata thinks that Fred just might be too sane to be president:

“ . . .What the media, including Fox News (the only non-leftist news station and, therefore, of vital importance in the Republican nomination process), are saying is that Fred Thompson is too sane to be President. It is not enough to produce detailed policies for dealing with the entitlement program Welfare State (a cancer that is destroying the United States and the rest of the Western World), or producing a new optional flat tax (individuals could continue to use the existing system if they wished to) to deal with the nightmare of complexity that the income tax has become.

It is not even enough to have a long record of service, going back to Watergate and taking down a corrupt Governor of Tennessee in the 1970's. And having one of the most Conservative voting records in the United States Senate - before leaving it in disgust at how the system did not allow real reform.

No - someone has to enjoy the prospect for office for its own sake, not to reduce the size and scope of government and restore a Federal Republic. One must enjoy the whole process of politics - i.e. be crazy. Or one must pretend to enjoy it - i.e. be a liar.

And then people complain that politicians are either crazy or corrupt. When they shoo away anyone who comes along who is neither crazy or corrupt.”

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