Tommy Thompson on Principles & Values Former Secretary of H.H.S.; former Republican Governor (WI)

Declines debates because opponents "want to shoot at me"

Bring into administration Dems, Republicans, & independents

A: I would open up the East Wing. I would open it up to bring in the best minds--Democrats, Republicans, independents across America--that want to get something done with this great country. Instead of tearing it down, start building, pro-America. And by bringing in the best minds, the best people, we can change the direction and really start building America a stronger and healthier and better tomorrow than ever before.

THIS Thompson is the reliable conservative, not the actor

A: I think that anybody with the Thompson name should get involved if they want to get involved. It will help the Republican Party to have him in. But talking about conservatism there isn’t a candidate on either side of the aisle that has had as many vetoes as I have. Nobody has reduced taxes as much as I have. And if you’re talking about a reliable conservative, it is THIS Thompson--Tommy Thompson, not the actor--that’s the conservative.

Send Pres. Bush on lecture tour; but not to U.N.

A: I certainly would not send him to the United Nations.

I would put him out on a lecture series talking to the youth of America about honesty, integrity, perseverance, passion, and serving the public. George W. Bush believes very much in public service. I think he could be a wonderful spokesperson.

Bush’s & GOP’s mistake: we didn’t come up with new ideas

A: Because we went to Washington to change Washington and Washington changed us. We didn’t come up with new ideas. We got to transform health care. We got to wind down the war in Iraq. We got to make sure that we really are conservatives. If we’re going to spend money as foolishly as the Democrats, the voters are going to vote for the professional spender, the Democrat, not the amateur spender, the Republican.

For strong state governments, not federal power

I am not an "anti-government" conservative. I served in the Wisconsin State Legislature for 20 years--it was a part-time job--before being elected governor. From both a philosophical and a practical perspective, I draw a major distinction between the roles of state governments and the role of the federal government. I believe the framers of the Constitution recognized a strong role for state governments, the level of government closer to the people. I do not believe they created or quite envisioned the level of federal power and authority that exists today.

1966: Beat 16-year incumbent state representative

As fate would have it, the incumbent made the mistake of taking a two-week cruise to Alaska shortly before the primary election. With a $100 car and $10 a day from my father -- $5 for gas and $5 for food--I spent twenty-one days knocking on every door in the district. By the time my opponent returned from Alaska and realized what was happening, it was too late.

I spent the next twenty years serving in the assembly of Wisconsin's part-time legislature and practicing law in the district.

WI tradition of progressive governing to get things done

Religious affiliation: Catholic.

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