Fred Thompson Previews Convention Speech

Former Senator and former presidential candidate Fred Thompson made an appearance today in St. Paul at a gathering of new media. Thompson was a favorite of conservative Internet activists and bloggers during his presidential run, and judging by the reaction he received from assembled bloggers and Internet journalists, their enthusiasm for him has not been dampened by his disappointing performance on the campaign trail.

Sen. Thompson gave the group a preview of his address to the Republican National Convention, which he is scheduled to deliver to the delegates in tonight's prime time session. One focus of his remarks was on the mainstream media coverage of the presidential campaign generally, and the media's relative intensive focus on Vice-Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter.

On the front page of the New York Times this morning, there are three stories dealing with Gov. Palin's children. The New York Times wouldn't know a scandal if it was walking down the street under a spotlight, unless it involves a Republican."

That is the type of folksy one-liner that endeared Thompson to so many online conservatives, and caused them so much frustration when his campaign fizzled. But Sen. Thompson saved his most interesting comments for Sen. Obama. Thompson said that Obama's experience as a senator was not as valuable as one might think. He also stated that Republicans can make a very favorable comparison between Gov. Palin's experience and Sen. Obama's.

"Our country like never before is going to have to depend on the character, personal history, and experience of the president. With a newly belligerent Russia, an ever aggressive China, this is no time to turn the keys of the car over to a 14-year old in heavy traffic.

The media has no idea about the kind of reception Gov. Palin is getting across the country. She is the kind of public servant that we all claim we want. Outsider, not from inside the beltway, will stand up to authority, will stand up to either side and is successful.

She is a perfect match for McCain and I think they're going to go to Washington, take it by the scruff of the neck and give it a good shaking.

I think that the Sarah Palin overreaction [by the Obama campaign] has allowed [Republicans] to make the comparison of the experience level of our Vice-Presidential nominee and their presidential nominee. You don't get experience by being in the Senate. You don't get foreign policy and national security experience by being in the Senate. The media wants to give a pass to anybody that's ever set foot in the senate. It is in no sense a qualification.

For example, Governor Palin doesn't have experience being wrong about the Iraq war, is that the kind of experience you want? She doesn't have experience being against the surge, which has won the war in Iraq and which the Democrats can't bring themselves to talk about. Is that the kind of experience you want?"

With yesterday's abbreviated schedule, the delegates here are wound up like a spring and ready to hear some red-meat political rhetoric. Based upon the reaction to Sen. Thompson's talk this morning, tonight's speech should be one of the more popular ones of the convention.