Fred Thompson

hello __PUNCT__ i fred_thompson __PUNCT__

in the close dai of thi histor contest here in iowa __PUNCT__ i want to take a few moment to talk quietli with you about the stake in thi elect and the critic issu you will soon decid __PUNCT__

becaus there is no frontrunn here in iowa and becaus your will be the first vote cast in thi crucial elect_year __PUNCT__ your decis will be on the entir countri close watch and learn from __PUNCT__

when you go to your local caucu on __DATE__ and fill out your paper ballot __PUNCT__ and __PUNCT__ by the wai __PUNCT__ it just that easi __PUNCT__ how you vote will go a long wai toward decid who will lead us as presid through danger year_ahead __PUNCT__

that the year ahead will be danger need no elabor from me __PUNCT__

most american know the forc of terror will not rest until a mushroom cloud hang over on of our citi __PUNCT__

the recent tragic assassin of former prime_minist bhutto in pakistan again demonstr the terrorist __PUNCT__ will to power and their relentless cruelti __PUNCT__

along with threat to our nation_secur __PUNCT__ we have great domest challeng befor us __PUNCT__ the economi __PUNCT__ tax __PUNCT__ protect our border __PUNCT__ and protect the right to life __PUNCT__

so __PUNCT__ i want to talk to you now about the threat and danger that we face as a peopl __PUNCT__ but also about the hope and opportun i see out there __PUNCT__

befor do that __PUNCT__ howev __PUNCT__ i be remiss if i did not __PUNCT__ on behalf of myself and my wife __PUNCT__ jeri __PUNCT__ thank the peopl of iowa for all your hospit and warmth over the past few month __PUNCT__

travel around the state with all our wonder volunt and staff and especi with your great congressman steven king meant get to know all of you better __PUNCT__

and that been on of the great privileg of our live __PUNCT__

you mai have heard about our bu_tour __PUNCT__ we visit about __NUM___citi __PUNCT__

have that time out there in the heartland ha also taught us onc again about what count in life __PUNCT__ the import of pass on to our children and grandchildren the same safe and free futur that other protect and pass on to us __PUNCT__

by ani measur __PUNCT__ we live in the greatest countri in the histori of the world __PUNCT__

everi gener of american ha an oblig to keep it that wai __PUNCT__

and to do that we must rememb how we got to where we ar __PUNCT__ and why we ar so bless __PUNCT__

that mean rememb the fundament __PUNCT__ conserv_principl that have unifi us for over two centuri __PUNCT__

what ar those principl __PUNCT__ first __PUNCT__ the role of the feder_govern is limit to the power given to it in the constitut __PUNCT__ second __PUNCT__ a dollar belong in the pocket of the person who earn it __PUNCT__ unless the govern ha a compel reason why it can us it better __PUNCT__ third __PUNCT__ we don't spend_monei we don't have __PUNCT__ or borrow_monei that our children and grandchildren will have to pai_back __PUNCT__ and the best wai to avoid war is to be stronger than our enemi __PUNCT__

but if we caught in a fight __PUNCT__ we need to win it becaus not do so make us much more like to be attack in the futur __PUNCT__ also the feder_judiciari is suppos to decid case __PUNCT__ not set social_polici __PUNCT__ and bad social polici at that __PUNCT__ and the bigger the govern get __PUNCT__ the less compet it is to run our live __PUNCT__

now these ar ideal and principl that made our countri free __PUNCT__ prosper and strong __PUNCT__

and these principl ar the foundat of a conserv_movement that i been faith to throughout my adult_life __PUNCT__

these ar not principl i decid on a few year_ago __PUNCT__

thei ar not concept that i learn from a focu_group __PUNCT__

and thei ar not idea i came up with to curri favor or to win an elect __PUNCT__

these principl ar part of who i am and __PUNCT__ i suspect __PUNCT__ thei ar view and instinct i share with most of you __PUNCT__

and everi singl on of these principl is under assault todai __PUNCT__ under assault from a left wing __PUNCT__ big __PUNCT__ govern __PUNCT__ high __PUNCT__ tax __PUNCT__ weak __PUNCT__ on __PUNCT__ defens democrat_parti __PUNCT__

a parti whose leadership is lick it chop just wait to take over the rein of govern __PUNCT__ wait to bring to the unit_state presid the same reckless power __PUNCT__ seek and incompet it brought thi year to the unit state congress __PUNCT__

that why the upcom caucus ar so import __PUNCT__

on __DATE__ __PUNCT__ the peopl of iowa ar go to answer an import_question __PUNCT__

who the man you want to repres us __PUNCT__ to stand against thi assault and protect our principl and valu __PUNCT__ it a littl late in the process to be coi __PUNCT__

i believ i that man __PUNCT__

i can stand up to those who would trifl with our great found_principl __PUNCT__

i done it befor __PUNCT__

i blow the whistl on their scheme __PUNCT__

and i know how to beat them in the war of idea __PUNCT__

and in demonstr that __PUNCT__ i have laid out plan for __PUNCT__ a simplifi __PUNCT__ flatter incom_tax to take awai power from the ir a wai to save a social_secur secur_system that is go bankrupt a stronger militari readi to face the threat of a danger world __PUNCT__ and a solut to our illeg_immigr mess __PUNCT__

ani number of public and comment __PUNCT__ the wall_street_journal __PUNCT__ the washington post __PUNCT__ nation_review __PUNCT__ investor busi daili and other __PUNCT__ have prais these plan __PUNCT__

and mani have point out that i the onli republican in the race for the presid who ha step up to offer such bold __PUNCT__ conserv_idea __PUNCT__

i invit you to check the polici detail on my websit___URL__

but you not elect a set of posit paper __PUNCT__

you elect a leader __PUNCT__ at a time when strong leadership is go to be need __PUNCT__

now if you watch or heard about the most recent debat between the republican_candid you probabl know that i declin when call upon by the moder to do ani hand __PUNCT__ rais __PUNCT__ i just thought that there should be some thing that ar below even the digniti of presidenti_candid __PUNCT__

but the point thi __PUNCT__ i don't think it wa difficult to pick the leader out of that line __PUNCT__ up __PUNCT__

if those other fella can't stand up to an overbear moder in a debat __PUNCT__ i not sure how thei would fare against the leader of iran or north_korea __PUNCT__

now there ar mani good_men run for our parti nomin __PUNCT__

each of them love our countri __PUNCT__

each of them ha someth interest and us to offer __PUNCT__

but the fact of the matter is that the republican_parti is a conserv_parti __PUNCT__

that __PUNCT__ s the philosophi that shape us __PUNCT__

that the philosophi that ha won us elect __PUNCT__

and that the philosophi we must champion if we ar to win again in __NUM__ __PUNCT__

and on that score __PUNCT__ among each of the men seek our parti nomin __PUNCT__ my record stand out __PUNCT__

i enter public_life as a conserv __PUNCT__

i serv in the senat as a strong __PUNCT__ consist conserv with a __NUM__ __PUNCT__ pro life vote_record __PUNCT__

and i have the same philosophi todai that i had back then __PUNCT__

what you see is what you get __PUNCT__

i danc to no man tune __PUNCT__

and no on ha ever accus me of chang my posit on anyth for the sake of polit_expedi __PUNCT__

that why when someon here in iowa said conserv were look for a hors to ride in __NUM__ i respond __PUNCT__ saddl me up __PUNCT__

and in the battl of idea __PUNCT__ we can't afford a republican_leader who doesn't have a core philosophi that ground him __PUNCT__

i know who i am __PUNCT__

i know what i believ __PUNCT__

and i am readi to lead __PUNCT__

when i wa in the feder_govern __PUNCT__ i concentr on nation_secur __PUNCT__

i serv on the intellig committe __PUNCT__ met with foreign leader around the world __PUNCT__

and i manag for the republican_side the passag of the homeland_secur bill which i believ ha help us prevent anoth __PUNCT__ 9/11 __PUNCT__

i continu public_servic after i left govern __PUNCT__

although my role on tv __PUNCT__ law __PUNCT__ order __PUNCT__ got consider more public __PUNCT__ i took on other role from time to time as well __PUNCT__

when condoleeza rice need someon to advis her on matter of intern_secur __PUNCT__ she call on me __PUNCT__

when the presid need help to get a good conserv judg confirm as chief_justic of the unit_state suprem_court __PUNCT__ he call on me __PUNCT__

what it all come down to is thi __PUNCT__ the most import_issu issu_face us is the nation_secur of our nation and the safeti of our peopl __PUNCT__

i spent a lot of time both in and out of govern_work to make the american_peopl safer __PUNCT__

i know the world we live in __PUNCT__ i know what we need to do __PUNCT__ and i know it go to requir strong leadership __PUNCT__

and i would ask peopl to think on thing befor thei caucu __PUNCT__ when our worst enemi is sit across from us at the negoti tabl __PUNCT__ and thei think about what thei can do to harm the unit_state of america __PUNCT__ and what thei might could get awai with __PUNCT__ who do you want sit on our side of the tabl repres you __PUNCT__ work to keep you safe __PUNCT__ that probabl the person you ought to elect as presid __PUNCT__

i been test __PUNCT__

and i believ our countri best dai ar ahead of us if we take on the respons of leadership __PUNCT__

the american_peopl ar wait for us to step up __PUNCT__ protect our valu __PUNCT__ our principl and our countri __PUNCT__

togeth we can do someth great for america __PUNCT__

i welcom that challeng __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ my friend __PUNCT__ i need your help __PUNCT__

becaus right now in thi final weekend anoth issu is befor us __PUNCT__ that of elect __PUNCT__

i believ i am the onli candid in thi race who can bring our parti to victori in the fall __PUNCT__

first __PUNCT__ becaus of the firm of my principl and the trust that that engend __PUNCT__

secondli __PUNCT__ becaus of the detail program i put befor the peopl __PUNCT__

third __PUNCT__ becaus i been tri and test __PUNCT__ and i a known quantiti in public_life __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ most of all __PUNCT__ i think i know how to talk to the american_peopl about the opposit and the danger their victori would pose to the principl we hold dear __PUNCT__

you know in the last debat __PUNCT__ when i wa ask the biggest_problem with american_educ __PUNCT__ i had a readi answer __PUNCT__ the nea __PUNCT__

by which i meant the nation_educ associ __PUNCT__ that highli politic __PUNCT__ washington __PUNCT__ base union that is a hindranc to student as well as to the teacher it claim to repres __PUNCT__

but you know the nea is not the onli problem __PUNCT__

just like it educ_polici __PUNCT__ the democrat_parti foreign_polici is heavili_influenc by anoth left __PUNCT__ of __PUNCT__ center pressur group __PUNCT__ move __URL__ which impli that our lead gener in iraq betrai us __PUNCT__ that tell our men and women in uniform that the war thei ar fight is lost __PUNCT__ and then tri to cut off fund for our troop in the field __PUNCT__

and it social_polici is heavili determin by the radic secularist aclu __PUNCT__ which tri to take god out of the public_squar and leap to the legal defens of our nation enemi __PUNCT__

you know __PUNCT__ when i ask which of the current group of democrat_candid i prefer to run against __PUNCT__ i alwai sai it realli doesn't matter __PUNCT__

becaus these dai all those candid __PUNCT__ all the democrat_leader __PUNCT__ ar on and the same __PUNCT__

thei all nea __PUNCT__ move __URL__ aclu __PUNCT__ michael_moor democrat __PUNCT__

thei allow these radic to take control of their parti and dictat their cours __PUNCT__

so thi elect is import not just to enact our conserv_principl __PUNCT__

thi elect is import to salvag the onc __PUNCT__ great polit_parti from the grip of extrem and shake it back to it sens __PUNCT__

it time to give not just republican but independ and __PUNCT__ ye __PUNCT__ good democrat a chanc to call a halt to the leftward lurch of the onc proud parti of work_peopl __PUNCT__

so in seek the nomin of my own parti __PUNCT__ i want to sai someth a littl unusu __PUNCT__

i am ask my fellow_republican to vote for me not onli for what i have to sai to them __PUNCT__ but for what i have to sai to the member of the other parti __PUNCT__ the million of democrat who haven't left the democrat_parti so much as their parti nation leadership ha left them __PUNCT__

in thi campaign i will be seek the support of million of democrat who no longer believ that thei can trust their own parti_leadership on the issu of nation_secur __PUNCT__

i will be seek the support of million of democrat with young famili who ar begin to see the econom burden thei mai face becaus of their parti_leadership tast for high_tax and polit_motiv refus to fix social_secur and remov the threat of a shortfal in feder benefit plan that could be a catastroph for younger taxpay __PUNCT__

and __PUNCT__ final __PUNCT__ i be seek the support of democrat who ar weari of spin polit and the perman campaign and endless attempt to control the media dynam __PUNCT__ who think polici stanc ought to be judg on a higher criteria than what work better in a sound_bite or fit thi week campaign __PUNCT__ messag guidanc __PUNCT__

so i be ask good democrat as well as independ to give us anoth chanc __PUNCT__ to see if a republican_presid and congress that dedic to conserv_principl can move_forward with an agenda that goe beyond narrow partisanship and polit_expedi and actual deal with the long __PUNCT__ term foreign and domest crise we face __PUNCT__

i know we can do better than a __NUM__ __PUNCT__ approv_rate the current congress had __PUNCT__

and i know we learn our lesson from last year elect __PUNCT__

we the parti of smaller __PUNCT__ smarter govern __PUNCT__ lower_tax __PUNCT__ and less washington spend __PUNCT__

and the onli wai we win is if we understand that __PUNCT__ remain_true to it __PUNCT__ and refus to yield to those who would have us abandon it __PUNCT__

all of thi __PUNCT__ then __PUNCT__ and more is why i run for presid __PUNCT__

i believ __PUNCT__ that __PUNCT__ ye __PUNCT__ we can deal with the danger and threat befor our nation and the world __PUNCT__

and we can begin now by rememb who we ar __PUNCT__ where we came from __PUNCT__ and what we done befor as a peopl __PUNCT__

thi isn't the first time our nation ha been in grave danger __PUNCT__ even in our own lifetim __PUNCT__

not long_ago our wa an east __PUNCT__ west world where the democraci were beleagu and small in number __PUNCT__

now so much that wa onc unimagin is happen befor our ey __PUNCT__

we see a world where repres_govern is flourish __PUNCT__

a world where the global_econom boom is take million out of poverti everi year __PUNCT__

a world where there even talk of a perman end to poverti __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ we got to thi place becaus of leader who saw someth more than polit_expedi __PUNCT__ leader like a ronald_reagan __PUNCT__

a ronald reagan who would us hi time in offic wise precis becaus he thought polit had higher us than just the pursuit of power __PUNCT__

he spoke often of the abus of govern_power that our found_father fear and warn against __PUNCT__

you know __PUNCT__ i alwai thought on of the most impress thing about on of those founder __PUNCT__ georg_washington __PUNCT__ wa hi willing to walk awai from power __PUNCT__

have spent eight imposs difficult year in a militari struggl against the greatest militari_power on earth __PUNCT__ he wa fill with an aw and wonder not at the work of mere mortal but at the work and power of provid __PUNCT__ an aw and wonder that wa never to leav him __PUNCT__

to hi dy dai he wa to remind american that the on condit of a prosper and free_peopl wa a belief in a will higher than our own __PUNCT__ a trust in provid __PUNCT__

lincoln had it too __PUNCT__ the convict that no free peopl and certainli no presid can long endur without a belief in a wisdom far exceed ani human_understand __PUNCT__

i know the peopl of iowa think that wai __PUNCT__

i recogn it when i see it __PUNCT__

that on of the great_advantag that come from grow up in anoth part of the heartland __PUNCT__ lawrenceburg tennesse __PUNCT__

on sundai_morn __PUNCT__ my hometown wa a pretti busi place __PUNCT__ peopl on the wai to hear the good new __PUNCT__ the good new that the futur is in better hand than our own __PUNCT__

so __PUNCT__ thank to what i learn in those earli_dai i alwai known no matter how much we want it otherwis __PUNCT__ we human aren't in charg __PUNCT__

life is sometim harsh though in teach us that truth __PUNCT__

and all thi wa much on my mind last summer when i decid to run for the presid __PUNCT__

especi as i look around my home at anoth gener __PUNCT__ a three __PUNCT__ year old and a five __PUNCT__ month old __PUNCT__ and thought __PUNCT__ as have so mani of you over the past few year __PUNCT__ about the safe futur i had and how much i want to make that futur a certainti for my children and your __PUNCT__

so for thi reason and all the other i mention __PUNCT__ i hope that you support me in the dai ahead __PUNCT__

i am hope too that you join me in someth that come pretti easi here in __PUNCT__ the heartland __PUNCT__ a prayer of thank for the great_thing that have happen in our time __PUNCT__

and a prayer of hope too __PUNCT__

hope that when the histori of our own ag is written it will be said of us what wa said of those befor us __PUNCT__

that we were unswerv in our dedic to the caus of human_freedom and digniti __PUNCT__

and that we kept our trust in the will of him who made us __PUNCT__ and who enjoin us to now go forth and make a newer world __PUNCT__ thank you all __PUNCT__

mai god_bless you and mai god_bless_america __PUNCT__