The first question of Tuesday's debate was directed at Fred Thompson.
(CNN) – It was just a few seconds that may normally have gone unnoticed, but since Tuesday’s presidential debate in Dearborn, Michigan, marked former Sen. Fred Thompson’s first joint appearance with his GOP White House rivals, all eyes and ears were trained on the Tennessee Republican’s every word . . . and in some cases his pauses.
Thompson was asked in the debate’s lead-off question whether he believed the nation was headed towards a recession.
“I think there is no reason to believe that we’re headed into a recession,” he began his response. “We’re enjoying 22 quarters of successive economic growth that started 2001 then further in 2003 with the tax cuts that we put in place. We’re enjoying low inflation. We’re enjoying low unemployment. Stock market seems to be doing pretty well.”
He continued by saying, “I see no reason to believe we're headed for," and then took what a former television and movie actor might call a dramatic pause that lasted for several seconds before completing his thought with “for an economic downturn."
Thompson concluded his inaugural presidential debate question with his analysis of the nation’s economic future and answered a follow-up question on the causes of consumer angst.
The former senator officially announced his candidacy last month just hours after the last Republican debate ended. He received criticism from his rivals for skipping that event.
–CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
I don't think he knows what he is doing.
He's lost. So much for a snappy candidate. Is he really a legitimate candidate?
Maybe you should stick to your day job, Thompson. Of course, most of the other candidates will lie through their teeth to tell the public that there is no problem with the economy. Things are just fine and dandy!
Why then is the US dollar in free fall?
Why is real inflation soaring (not that Core CPI excluding food and energy and using substitutions propaganda)?
Why are retail sales falling?
What about the deficit and the immense national debt?
Of course, the stockmarket is looks great until you compare it to the cost of commodities and suddenly it isn't worth crap.
What a flake! He will not win so go back to L&O.
Can we say.... ZERO. That's what this guy rates... ZERO.
It was not for dramatic effect. He had the look of a man just realizing what he'd done. It's one thing to talk and another to come on stage with the other boys... At that point in time, Mr. Thompson simply forgot the word "recession."
No biggie. But don't tell me it was a "dramatic pause" or imply that it was deliberately done.
A dramatic pause, that's cute.
What does he think he's doing? Doesn't he realize people take that the right way, that is for how stupid it is.
This is a face only a mother will love. Boy he looks...u..
Ahh, yeah. This probably wasn't the best idea.
I am going to create the Ann Coulter bat. Three swings for a dollar.