Fred Thompson

thank you veri much __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ thank you for that kind introduct __PUNCT__

and i glad we were abl to get our littl girl hayden off the stage __PUNCT__

we were campaign in iowa recent __PUNCT__ and we were talk to a larg_group of peopl __PUNCT__ and hayden just kind of walk out on to the stage there and put her arm around my leg __PUNCT__

and everybodi kind of got a kick of that __PUNCT__ but she stai __PUNCT__

and about five minut into it and so forth __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ it wa wonder __PUNCT__ but it wa a littl disconcert __PUNCT__ laughter __PUNCT__ about five minut into it __PUNCT__

you know __PUNCT__ i said __PUNCT__ honei __PUNCT__ i said __PUNCT__ do you want to go __PUNCT__ thought i shame her a littl bit mayb __PUNCT__ do you want to go over here and sit_back down with your mama or you just want to stai out here in the limelight __PUNCT__ she thought for a second and sai __PUNCT__ i just stai in the limelight __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ laughter __PUNCT__

and she stood there the rest of my talk with me __PUNCT__

it wa the most unusu __PUNCT__ wonder experi i ever had in my life __PUNCT__

thank you all veri much __PUNCT__

thank you for what you do __PUNCT__ who you ar __PUNCT__ be here todai __PUNCT__ that warm welcom for me and give me an opportun to spend a few minut with you __PUNCT__

you know __PUNCT__ someon said onc upon a time __PUNCT__ after you becom presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__ you don't make ani new friend __PUNCT__

that certainli not true with regard to run for presid of the unit state __PUNCT__ becaus i have made sever new friend __PUNCT__ sever new wonder friend __PUNCT__ sever peopl who have reach out to me not just from a polit standpoint but from a person standpoint to jeri and me __PUNCT__

and we know that regardless of anyth els __PUNCT__ we have made some lifelong friend __PUNCT__

and i have had some convers with peopl that __PUNCT__ about thing that i haven't talk about a lot in some year __PUNCT__ and thei were good for me __PUNCT__ and i a better man for it __PUNCT__

and those individu know who i talk about __PUNCT__ and i just want to tell you how much i appreci that and how much it meant to me __PUNCT__

we been togeth for a long_time __PUNCT__

we have not alwai agre on the __PUNCT__ precis the right approach to absolut everyth __PUNCT__ but our goal ha alwai been the same __PUNCT__ and that is to leav thi countri better off than when we came into it __PUNCT__ just like our ancestor have done gener after gener for us __PUNCT__

we live in the greatest countri in the histori of the world __PUNCT__

our oblig is to do everyth that we can to keep it that wai __PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ and to improv it __PUNCT__

and in order to do that __PUNCT__ we best know how we got here and what we did right along the wai __PUNCT__

we were bless from the veri begin in so mani differ wai __PUNCT__

we had a group of found_father who knew the scriptur __PUNCT__ who knew the wisdom of the ag __PUNCT__ who knew that there wa such a thing as human_natur __PUNCT__ who knew that man wa prone to err and govern ought to be construct on the basi of that knowledg __PUNCT__ but that man could rise to great height when inspir and when given the opportun __PUNCT__

thei put forth a declar of independ and announc to the entir world that we believ and we acknowledg and we know in thi countri that our basic right come from god and not from ani govern __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

we were given a constitut base upon those concept __PUNCT__ not too much power in ani __PUNCT__ in too few hand __PUNCT__

power divid not onli at the feder_level __PUNCT__ between the feder and the state_level __PUNCT__ all base on the notion that not all solut to all problem eman from washington __PUNCT__ d.c __PUNCT__

that wa our system of feder that we put forth to the world and becam a beacon of hope and inspir for all mankind who love freedom __PUNCT__

when we start out thi thing __PUNCT__ there were no democraci in the world __PUNCT__ and now __PUNCT__ depend on exactli how you defin them __PUNCT__ most of the countri in the world ar __PUNCT__ in larg_part becaus of the inspir and the dedic of the unit_state of america __PUNCT__

our peopl have shed more blood for the liberti of other peopl than ani other nation in the histori of the world __PUNCT__ and we proud of that __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

in thi countri we ar steep in the tradit of honor and sacrific for the greater_good __PUNCT__ and we ar proud of that heritag __PUNCT__

and from time to time citizen step forth to serv their countri in differ wai __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ i felt it wa my time __PUNCT__ and i join mani other in put asid the thing that we were do and step up and do the thing that we thought were necessari for the better of our countri __PUNCT__

and i proud to sai that over eight year on nation issu __PUNCT__ i wa a consist conserv __PUNCT__ cut_tax __PUNCT__ balanc the budget __PUNCT__ reduc regul __PUNCT__ promot welfar_reform __PUNCT__ fight for good conserv judg with a hundr percent pro __PUNCT__ life vote_record __PUNCT__ and i proud of that record __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

that who i wa then __PUNCT__ that who i am todai __PUNCT__ and that the kind of presid i would be __PUNCT__

we had an opportun dure the time that i wa in the unit_state state_senat to vote sever time on abort __PUNCT__ relat issu __PUNCT__

there were fund issu __PUNCT__

there wa the so __PUNCT__ call partial __PUNCT__ birth_abort abort_issu __PUNCT__ which __PUNCT__ of cours __PUNCT__ senat moynihan had it correctli __PUNCT__ it more like infanticid than it is so __PUNCT__ call abort __PUNCT__

we had parent right notif issu __PUNCT__ where we had a bill that prohibit interst transport of young_girl to defeat the parent notif right of state __PUNCT__

we had clone issu __PUNCT__ stem_cell issu __PUNCT__

my posit on that wa veri simpl __PUNCT__ you don't creat life in order to destroi it __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

my polit record and my head wa alwai there __PUNCT__ alwai ha been there __PUNCT__ but i must sai that it took life_experi for me to absorb the real import of it all __PUNCT__

i been bless earli in my life with children when i wa veri young __PUNCT__ and i have been bless at a time when i not so young anymor __PUNCT__

i have experienc along the wai the ultim tragedi that a father can have and the ultim bless that a father can have __PUNCT__

and with regard to miss hayden __PUNCT__ i can onli sai that after __PUNCT__ for the first time in my life __PUNCT__ see a sonogram of my own child __PUNCT__ i will never think the same exactli again __PUNCT__

i guess __PUNCT__ more appropri state __PUNCT__ i will never feel exactli the same again __PUNCT__ becaus my heart now is fulli engag with my head __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

as presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__ no legisl will pass my desk __PUNCT__ that fund or support thi procedur __PUNCT__ without my veto __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

our countri is base upon the rule of law __PUNCT__

we talk about democraci __PUNCT__ we promot_democraci __PUNCT__

we know that the spread of democraci make a better __PUNCT__ more stabl world and therefor a better __PUNCT__ more stabl futur for the unit_state of america __PUNCT__

it is a shame that too often it is the judici_branch of govern that violat our own rule of law __PUNCT__

thei ar engag oftentim in make social and polit polici that would have amaz our found_father __PUNCT__

there no better exampl of that than roe v __PUNCT__ wade __PUNCT__

justic white call it an act of raw judici_power __PUNCT__ which is exactli what it wa __PUNCT__

the latest exampl of that ha to do with the same __PUNCT__ sex_marriag issu __PUNCT__ where judg have taken it upon themselv to take someth that ha been the case sinc the dawn of civil __PUNCT__ and that is the recognit that marriag is between a man and a woman __PUNCT__ turn it on it head __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

when i wa in the senat __PUNCT__ we fought for the defens of marriag_act __PUNCT__ pass that act __PUNCT__ basic defin marriag as between a man and a woman __PUNCT__ and sai on state __PUNCT__ if thei do such a thing __PUNCT__ doe not have to be recogn by anoth state when someon move to that new state __PUNCT__

thi is a total judici creat problem __PUNCT__

i propos a constitut_amend which will stop thi particular brand of judici_activ in it track __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

thi is __PUNCT__ i had all thi brought_home to me again __PUNCT__ the import of __PUNCT__ not onli of these issu but of judici_restraint __PUNCT__ when i had the opportun to receiv a call from the presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__ who ask me to help judg john_robert __PUNCT__ now chief_justic justic_john john_robert __PUNCT__ get confirm through the senat for the unit_state suprem_court __PUNCT__

i believ he will go down as on of the great chief_justic __PUNCT__

we just need more of them __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

and it caus me to think back through a bit of our histori __PUNCT__ some of which we all live through __PUNCT__ where our good presid have nomin peopl thei thought would be good judg and have been disappoint __PUNCT__

and too often the criteria ha been confirm __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ obvious you got to have confirm __PUNCT__

judg robert prove that qualiti will win out in the end __PUNCT__

and it brought_home to me again the necess __PUNCT__ i think __PUNCT__ for a presid of the unit_state in the futur __PUNCT__ if he is confront with an increasingli partisan bitter reaction to good_peopl who ar nomin for thi posit __PUNCT__ and thei reject that nomin __PUNCT__ you ought to send anoth on up just like it and have the fight all over again __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

that a fight we can have with the american_peopl __PUNCT__ befor the american peopl all dai_long __PUNCT__

and we will win in the end if we ar persist and we stai with it __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

i have seen good judg and i have seen bad on __PUNCT__

i have appear befor them __PUNCT__

i have help them get confirm __PUNCT__

i sat on the judiciari_committe and work there __PUNCT__ try to get good on __PUNCT__

i know the differ between a good on and a bad on __PUNCT__ and we need somebodi in the presid of the unit_state who doesn't have to call hi lawyer in order to know the differ between a good judg and a bad judg __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

there ar a varieti of issu_face us todai __PUNCT__

i don't think that my friend senat coburn of oklahoma will mind if i disclos a privat convers i had with him a while back __PUNCT__

he said __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ on of the great_moral moral_issu of thi dai is the fact that we bankrupt the next gener __PUNCT__

our economi is go fine now __PUNCT__

we had __NUM__ success quarter of growth becaus of the tax_cut and becaus of the strong economi and becaus of the free_market that we oper in __PUNCT__ and we thank for that __PUNCT__

not enough credit is given for that and why it come about __PUNCT__

but if you look down the road a littl bit __PUNCT__ we understand that all of the economist from the left or the right __PUNCT__ includ the comptrol of the unit_state and the head of the govern_account_offic __PUNCT__ everyon __PUNCT__ sai that our path with regard to entitl_program is unsustain __PUNCT__ it will not work __PUNCT__

we go to run out __PUNCT__ and we ar now borrow against and we be increasingli borrow against the next gener __PUNCT__

and those who ar too small or those who ar yet to be born do not have a seat at thi tabl as we kick the can down the road and wait for somebodi els to take care of the problem __PUNCT__ when it be much wors and much more difficult to take care of __PUNCT__ when those benefit for the retir peopl_start be slash or those tax ar rais substanti on young work_peopl who will be fund these program __PUNCT__ just as thei go out and get marri and try to start their own famili __PUNCT__

that not right __PUNCT__

that is a moral_issu __PUNCT__ too __PUNCT__

and we have to blow the whistl on thi irrespons __PUNCT__ and that exactli what i intend to do __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

so i have talk about social_secur __PUNCT__

peopl don't like to talk about thing like that __PUNCT__

politician don't becaus it danger __PUNCT__

thei sai it the third rail of polit __PUNCT__

i set out what i consid to be kind of a modest propos where we could start __PUNCT__ along the line of respons and start do the right thing befor we have to hurt anybodi __PUNCT__ instead of wait until we have to hurt everybodi __PUNCT__ instead of wait for thi bless of longer life to turn into a curs for the next gener __PUNCT__

we can't do that __PUNCT__ pit on gener against anoth __PUNCT__

if you can't tell the truth __PUNCT__ you shouldn't be run for presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ cheer __PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

we have not yet come to term with the fact that we in a global conflict with radic_islam __PUNCT__

a lot of peopl give lip_servic to it and fail to recogn that iraq is the current front in that battl __PUNCT__

and it probabl go to be a long battl __PUNCT__ and we go to have to be resolut __PUNCT__

and we go to have to show will __PUNCT__

you know __PUNCT__ a fellow by the name of robert wrote a book not too long_ago call __PUNCT__ the histori of the english __PUNCT__ speak peopl sinc __NUM__ __PUNCT__ and there on thing in there that stuck out to me that i rememb and that is __PUNCT__ he sai __PUNCT__ the will of a peopl is at least as import as their militari might in overcom an enemi __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

so i look at the kind of world that we live in and think about the futur __PUNCT__ think about the countri we go to grow up in __PUNCT__

and it not all pessimist __PUNCT__

i wouldn't be here if i wa pessimist about it __PUNCT__

but optim doesn't come from what we see or what we feel __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ my daddi alwai told me that a man that went around with a smile on hi face all the time probabl just didn't know what wa go on __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ laughter __PUNCT__

but it doesn't come from what we see __PUNCT__

our optim come from the faith that we can do someth about it __PUNCT__ that we can do someth about it __PUNCT__

you do someth about it __PUNCT__

i go to try my best to do someth about it __PUNCT__

i run for presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__ that what i go to do about it __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

in mani respect __PUNCT__ we at a crossroad in thi countri and will be next year when voter make a decis as to which direct we want to go in __PUNCT__

it go to affect our secur and our prosper and the uniti that we need to go forward in thi countri __PUNCT__

it go to requir leadership __PUNCT__ and it go to requir a knowledg and an understand of our gloriou past __PUNCT__ a willing to lead on tough issu todai and also an understand of the great of america_futur if we do the right thing __PUNCT__

but while we ar a great_nation __PUNCT__ we must also continu to strive to be a good nation __PUNCT__

of cours we must have good law __PUNCT__ we must do our best to stop bad_law __PUNCT__

but we must also recogn the element of person_respons for everi american in thi countri __PUNCT__

and when we see local_author give birth_control to __NUM__ __PUNCT__ and __NUM__ __PUNCT__ year __PUNCT__ old __PUNCT__ we know that some valu ar serious mess up in thi countri __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

the feder_govern can't cure everyth that wrong and shouldn't even try __PUNCT__

but we all have a pulpit __PUNCT__

we all have a pulpit __PUNCT__ and the greatest pulpit of them all is the presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__ and i will not be afraid to us it __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

final my friend __PUNCT__ everi onc in a while i ask __PUNCT__ as other ar __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ what would you do in your first __NUM___dai as presid __PUNCT__ what ar the circumst go to be over a year from now __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ with the chang world we live in and all __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ it pure specul as to the natur of the confront __PUNCT__ the challeng __PUNCT__ both from a secur standpoint and from an econom standpoint __PUNCT__

but i share with my wife someth after i wa ask that question about the second or third time __PUNCT__

i said __PUNCT__ i don't realli know what i would do in my first __NUM__ dai __PUNCT__ it depend on the circumst __PUNCT__ i know what my prioriti ar __PUNCT__ and i talk a lot about them __PUNCT__

but i know the first __PUNCT__ what i would do __PUNCT__ i know what i would do the first hour that i wa presid __PUNCT__

i would go into the oval_offic and close the door and prai for the wisdom to know what wa right __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ cheer __PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

and i would prai for the strength to do what is right __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__

mai we all __PUNCT__ mai god give us all that strength and wisdom to do what is right for our countri __PUNCT__

thank you veri much __PUNCT__