GordonUnleashed

Ed Thompson considering presidential bid

July 31st, 2007 by Steve

I’ve known about this for a while, but the cat was just let out of the bag in an e-mail blast from a supporter of Thompson’s previous political campaigns. The news is exciting, but unfortunately the 9/11 Truthers got hold of it first.

For those who don’t know him, Ed Thompson is incredibly popular locally, in his state and within the Libertarian Party. He’s the brother of former Wisconsin Governor and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. He’s served in local office as a City Councilman and Mayor. He didn’t even run for City Council last time, but his townspeople wrote him in anyway — where he received all but three votes for the office. A really good documentary of his life is available here.

The e-mail confirms what I already knew:

Thompson discussed his potential run today on the Dynamic Duo radio show, http://gcnlive.com. If neither his brother Tommy Thompson nor fellow truth-seeker Ron Paul get the Republican nomination, Thompson said, “somebody will have to do it.”

I know Thompson well and know he isn’t involved with the 9/11 Truth movement. He’s going to have to distance himself from these folks (like Ron Paul is attempting to do) if he’s going to have a chance for the Libertarian Party nomination.

If Thompson runs an active campaign, my prediction is that he will easily win the LP nomination. If candidates like Ron Paul or Bill Richardson don’t win their respective nominations, Thompson could also set LP presidential voting records.

Posted in National Politics, Libertarian Party, Libertarian Movement

20 Responses to “Ed Thompson considering presidential bid”

Eric Dondero wrote on 07/31/07 at 12:36 pm :

This is super interesting.

I visited with Thompson last Fall at his Bar in downtown Tomah, and asked him to run. He was coy, but indicated he’d consider it. So, I’m not surprised here. He’d make a great candidate. But you’re right, he’d have to distance himself from that Truth Seeker affiliation, if there is any.

Thompson, like Wayne Root, could easily pull a million votes for the LP. And he could easily win the LP Nomination.
Steve wrote on 07/31/07 at 1:01 pm :

Wow! Eric Dondero and I agree about something. I’d better start rethinking my position, or something. :)
disinter wrote on 07/31/07 at 2:40 pm :

I’d vote for him for sure, if Ron Paul doesn’t get the Repug nomination.

What you fail to realize is that it was the truth that made Ron Paul so popular. The “truth movement” is composed of FAR more people than the LP is. The longer you run from the truth, the further you marginalize the LP into just another establishment party.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Third Party Watch » Blog Archive » Ed Thompson for President? Maybe. wrote on 07/31/07 at 2:42 pm :

[…] It looks like Ed Thompson is considering a Presidential bid once again. This could be great news for the LP… Stephen Gordon has the details on his blog here. […]
Steve wrote on 07/31/07 at 2:42 pm :

The “truth movement” or 9/11 Truthers? There may be some difference there.
disinter wrote on 07/31/07 at 2:48 pm :

I don’t see the difference.
Cheese and Politics » Blog Archive » Yet Another Thompson for President wrote on 07/31/07 at 3:08 pm :

[…] It looks like Ed Thompson is considering a Presidential bid once again. This could be great news for the LP… Stephen Gordon has the details on his blog here. […]
Tom Bryant wrote on 07/31/07 at 3:14 pm :

9/11 Troofers:

Watch 12 frames of a video on a conspiracy website and pretend they know what happened. Results are copied and pasted from websites.

When asked to provide a primary source, they create a website called “Real Scientific Journal.com” and post their conspiracy there.

Truth movement:

Educated and experienced scientists and structural engineers spend a few years examining hundreds of videos, pictures, and steel from the wreckage. Results are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

9/11 Troofers dismiss the truth movement as “paid off government stooges” because the facts don’t support their conspiracy.

That’s the movement in a nutshell.
Steve wrote on 07/31/07 at 3:16 pm :

Dis,

I thought you might have been talking about some movement having nothing to do with 9/11. Disregard.
disinter wrote on 07/31/07 at 3:43 pm :

So if it is related to 9/11 the truth isn’t allowed? How bizarre.
disinter wrote on 07/31/07 at 5:20 pm :

I wonder how many of these there are:

http://www.silverbearcafe.com/private/911lies.html

If Ron Paul’s popularity is any indication, I would say quite a few. As usual, the LP will discard them as a bunch of kooks.
The World According to Nick - Vote Thompson '08! wrote on 07/31/07 at 10:14 pm :

[…] Tomah, Wisconsin (and got over 10 percent of the gubernatorial vote in 2002 running with the LP), may end up seeking the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination next […]
Jason Gatties wrote on 08/1/07 at 1:44 am :

PLEASE RUN ED!!!
Big Head DC » A Thompson Threesome? wrote on 08/1/07 at 2:16 am :

[…] now Ed Thompson, Tommy’s bro, is thinking about running for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination next year. The pol is popular locally, […]
Rolf Lindgren wrote on 08/1/07 at 1:55 pm :

9/11 POLLING DATA

[Stephen, we need a 9/11 Libertarian Lists poll ASAP]

POLL # 1

October 2006 New York Times/CBS Poll

Bush Administration regarding 9/11 is…

Telling the truth
16%

Hiding something
53%

Mostly lying
28%

Not sure
3%

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/13469

POLL # 2

May 2006 Zogby Poll

Question # 1

US government and 9/11 Commission are NOT covering up >> 48%

US government and 9/11 Commission are covering up >> 42%

Not sure >> 10%

Question # 2

I am not aware of World Trade Center Building 7’s collapse >> 43%

I am aware of it and think the Commission should have investigated it >> 38%

I am aware of it and think the Commission was right to investigate just the Twin Towers’ collapse >> 14%

Neither/Not sure >> 5%

More Questions

http://www.zogby.com/features/features.dbm?ID=231

POLL # 3

July 2006 Scripts-Howard Poll

Thirty-six percent of respondents overall said it is “very likely” or “somewhat likely” that federal officials either participated in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon or took no action to stop them “because they wanted the United States to go to war in the Middle East.”

http://www.scrippsnews.com/911poll?from=0&comments_per_page=1

Public Benefits of Government Conspiracy Theories
By Rolf Lindgren
http://wisopinion.com/index.iml?mdl=article.mdl&article=4695
Eric Dondero wrote on 08/4/07 at 12:42 pm :

The fact that this thread moved from being a discussion of Ed Thompson for President to kooky extremist subjects, is not a good early indication for the Thompson effort.

I think he’d make a great candidate. But he has to distance himself from goofballs, first.
Rolf Lindgren wrote on 08/6/07 at 5:47 pm :

Eric,

Insulting large portions of the electorate and probably about 1/2 of the Libertarian Party reflects poorly on your judgement.

According to the poll cited above, 36% of the people in the United States suspect 9/11 was an inside job.

According to the Zogby poll cited above, 67% of the people who have heard of Building 7, think it’s collapse should be investigated.

Several of the leading lights in the libertarian movement have expressed support for the 9/11 Truth movement, including Michael Badnarik, Steve Kubby, Ron Paul, and Ed Thompson.

Since the LP only got about 0.4% of the vote last election, it would great political strategy to get the backing of the 9/11 Truth movement in ‘08.

No matter how you slice it; by polls, Internet presense, size of meetings and national conferences, media coverage, etc., the 9/11 Truth movement is BIGGER than the libertarian movement. I’d estimate that it is three times bigger.
Eric Dondero wrote on 08/7/07 at 10:04 pm :

Let me ask you something?

Why are you so obsessed with proving that Islamo-Fascists didn’t fly planes into the Twin Towers and Pentagon on September 11, 2001, yet seem to care very little about the overwhelming evidence as documented by Janya Davis and endorsed by former CIA Director James Woolsey, that Muslim Radicals, including Iraqi Intelligence were behind the Oklahoma City Bombing?

Doesn’t quite fit your “Muslim Radicals good/Bush and Republicans bad” template now does it?

So you ignore Oklahoma City, and focuse strictly on 9/11.

Funny how you believe everything the government told you about McVeigh and Nichols, and there not being a 3rd bomber of Middle Eastern origin, yet you don’t believe anything the government tells you about 9/11.

Funny indeed.
University Blog wrote on 08/17/07 at 6:46 pm :

Illinois Straw Poll…

And Tommy Thompson withdrew from the race, after a poor showing in the Iowa Straw Poll last Saturday… His older brother, the remarkably popular 2002 Libertarian Party gubernatorial nominee Ed Thompson, has [possibly] endorsed U.S. Congressman Ron Pau…
Last Free Voice » Blog Archive » Ed Thompson considering presidential bid wrote on 08/31/07 at 6:14 pm :

[…] Cross-posted at GordonUnleashed. […]

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