OHMYGOD, is Thompson NUTS?!!!

[rodeodrive1]

Ascending Kilimanjaro

Still trying to figure out why it was that our pal, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, was required to hang out in Tanzania for 10 days in order to attend a three-day meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

A piece of the answer came last week from Wisconsin media reports, which said that the former governor, whose second-term job prospects apparently are still up in the air, could be found today on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Yes, Thompson's daughter said, he had long-standing plans made before Nov. 2 to climb at least part of the famous mountain yesterday and today. The conference was scheduled to end on Friday, so Saturday likely was spent stretching and getting ready for the hike, which, while it doesn't necessarily include ropes and pitons and such, can still be plenty strenuous.

That explains why he won't be back at work until tomorrow. Still unclear is why he was there three days before the conference was to begin. An aide said that Thompson was to visit some program sites -- surely not for three days? -- and that he was not aware that Thompson had any plans to visit one of the country's magnificent game parks, but we're checking with game wardens and others there just in case.

The media accounts -- one with a headline, "What, Me Worry?" -- suggested Thompson's time could be better spent working on a job in the Bush second term, perhaps replacing Tom Ridge as head of Homeland Security.

A Wisconsin supporter noted somewhat archly that just because Thompson was in Africa didn't mean he was out of touch. "They have phones in Africa," he said.

But whether Thompson stays in the Cabinet or not is, in the end, not really his call to make. That's up to President Bush. Besides, if you were looking at all the money he would make if he takes a hike and goes private sector, you wouldn't be worried either.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2685-2004Nov21.html

[Ardee]

1. Well isnt that wonderful

We the taxpayers get to pay for Tommy's jaunt up the mountain because he did go there on business after all......

[elfin]

2. Doesn't surprise me a bit - Tommy has been famous

for his "trips" - at others' expense. Just wanted to get in a good one before his charge card paid for by US is cancelled when/if he quits.

If you could peek at the passenger list I bet you would see some big donors. I know one from Milwaukee who burbles "Tommy's trips are so much FUN!"

[rodeodrive1]

3. He's not quitting

Tommy is not quitting the Cabinet. If he doesn't stay at HHS, he will go to DOT, AG, or Energy. Guess the CEO job offers are just not rolling in. Heard he's having a blast tracking down flu vaccine. Didn't he always say that "this is my last term as Governor," FOUR times?

[rodeodrive1]

33. Here's another example

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/krmilwaukee/20041202/lo_krmilwaukee/doylethompsonstaffsbattleovertravelbills

[htuttle]

4. Did Tommy have his Singing Nun with him up on the mountain?

"High on a hill was a lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo"

[rodeodrive1]

6. God, his wife is a former nun, lol

Don't think he has a singing nun now, but I PERSONALLY saw some his TOTALLY improper conduct. A friend of mine took me to a private party of his, during the GOP convention in NY, and there was no girlfriend there, but he WAS all over a gorgeous brunette, who looked like a young Elizabeth Dole. Everybody said he had gone nuts about her, she is from California, and a Bush and GOP Senate insider. It was REALLY OBVIOUS, and everybody was shocked and embarassed. Some of the press was there, and for some reason, kept quiet. This may be the reason he wants to stay in DC. People at the party were saying the wife had FINALLY had it with him. I wonder why.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

8. Thanks for the dirt ;)

Why anyone would go for that turd is beyond me. I remember during the 1994 Rose Bowl festivities, an LA reporter went to a "high end" Wisconsin party with a Wisconsin reporter. Thompson walked in and the LA reporter (not knowing who he was) said, "You can tell that guy is full of $#*@ just by looking at him". And the Wis. reporter told him it was our governor...We LOVED that one :headbang:

[rodeodrive1]

9. We were shocked

All of us were totally shocked at the way he behaved, and were wondering what on earth a beautiful, classy woman would see in him. Everybody felt we were watching a sex act. Did you hear about it? Why wasn't any of this reported?

[eowyn_of_rohan]

10. Perhaps she isn't as classy as you thought!

money. That is the only reason I can think of. No i didnt hear of it, but if the media doesnt report presidential election recount news, why would they report this?

[rodeodrive1]

12. Money?

I don't think it was money, because I don't think TT has any, lol. There is no accounting for taste, but she was ENTHRALLED by him. And, she looked like Jackie Kennedy. Go figure. :-)

[eowyn_of_rohan]

14. well it had to be either money, power or some kind of sick electra complex

[rodeodrive1]

15. Electra Complex

Excuse me, but what do you mean by sick electra complex? Since that yokel does not have any money, I don't think it was that? All I know was that even the Wisconsiners there were taken aback.

[rodeodrive1]

16. Sorry, I know what you mean

Probably not an electra complex, as she was not young, was obviously a mature, well-preserved lady, who in no way looked liked his daughter.... thank God for small favors, lol. Everybody DID wonder what on earth someone like that would see in that yahoo, though. He was TOTALLY enthralled by HER, and NO ONE was shocked. The Wisconsiners said his marriage was a disaster, and that he had never lived with his wife, ad nasiem.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

17. Well it must have been QUITE entertaining!

Would love to have seen it. I don't care what he does--just hope he stays out of the Wisconsin political scene...SO SICK OF HIM.

[rodeodrive1]

18. ROTFLMAO!!!!

Can you imagine staid Mid-Westerners watching what was basically a sex act... with clothes on, lol. The beauty and the yokel were holding hands and STARING at each other, WITH EVERYBODY WATCHING. The two idiots didn't seem to care... or notice. The PRESS was watching, and no story. Why does this clod get a pass? Has something like this ever happened before? How in the world did he get elected FOUR times with LANDSLIDES? Geesh, the Washingtonian magazine gave him the "social ineptness" award, and that performance proved it. They later gave him the "clueless, friendless Secretary" award. All these months later, I STILL can't forget it, because it was the most shocking thing I had ever seen, as it was RIGHT OUT THERE in front of everybody, and obvious.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

19. You've asked the GOLDEN QUESTION: HOW did he win 4 times by a landslide?

THAT would be worth looking into.

[rodeodrive1]

20. :-)

AND, the dork left office with an 82% approval rating, and could come back and win again. He may run for the Senate in 2006. Everybody at the party was saying how much "everybody in Wisconsin loves him, he is a man of the people."

[sybylla]

22. I disagree with the party goers

Thompson coming back and winning again is a pipedream. Tommy Boy left when the leaving was good. He left a mess behind which the boy wonder, his lt. gov, was unable to even admit existed.

And he doesn't exactly have a clean HHS record in DC. Not to mention what the Washingtonian thinks of him. I think there are plenty of reasons Tommy Boy wouldn't have an easy job of returning to Wisconsin and trying to win an election.

[htuttle]

21. I always figured it was absentee ballots that did it

He'd often lose many of the cities -- almost always lost Madison -- but he used to get a LOT of absentee votes from 'up north'.

[rodeodrive1]

23. Dear God

How did he win, with the obvious mess in his family life. The partygoers were talking about it, but they are Republicans. What is the real scoop? Does the state have any idea about his private life?

[htuttle]

24. He faced a long succession of truly pathetic challengers

The Democratic ran a lot of really bad candidates for governor over the Thompson years. Only Ed Garvey was good (IMHO), but didn't get much support from the party (at least that's how it seemed to me). I was delighted when Doyle finally threw his hat into the ring.

[rodeodrive1]

25. Gotcha

But what really confuses me is why the press never reported his antics. How could he have ever possibly been elected in the first place? Could someone answer THAT one for me? What I saw should have been in the tabloids, lol.

[AllyCat]

29. I agree...Garvey was awesome

Frankly, I didn't like Doyle much and voted for TT's brother Ed (Libertarian). Now that Doyle is in the office, I think he has done a good job with a huge mess left by Thompson/McCallum.

I will vote for Doyle next time around.

[rodeodrive1]

30. Senator Thompson?

Word is that if TT goes back to Wisconsin, he would run for Senator in '06. It looks like he will stay somewhere in Bush's cabinet for the time being.

[rodeodrive1]

31. What a clan

Hasn't Ed been in trouble with the law? Anyway, he IS a HOOT!!!! And, isn't another brother a priest, and wasn't another brother arrested for sexaul assault? Please, get me up to speed, lol.

[ewagner]

32. Agree Garvey was great

I worked in his Senate Campaign which turned out to be one of the dirtiest the repubs could throw at him......

to this day he speaks the truth on hard issues......

[MessiahRp]

26. Classy?

This was a woman at the GOP convention right? :)

Rp

[Guy Fawkes]

5. Maybe he'll go back and check out Kitem Cave....

and get ebola...

[rodeodrive1]

27. :-)

Yes, but I didn't hold it against her, as she looked like Jackie Kennedy. AND I didn't say HE was classy. He was acting like a perfect yokel, lol.

[ewagner]

7. I'd love to see

the passenger manifest for that trip.........

[gizmo1979]

11. why yes

yes he is nuts

[rodeodrive1]

13. HOW nuts?

Other than this weird happening.. plus the bizarre episode I saw, why would you say he'e nuts?

[eek]

34. Must be a R party trait

This is so very like the shenanigans ol Kkkarl gets up to.

He runs around with his long time girlfriend - a TX lobbyist who gets cushy appointment after cushy appointment - so blatantly that alotta DCers thisnk he is divorced. He ain't.

AND he and Lobbyist Gal still try to get "Three's Company" entertainments going. Maybe Tommy and Lil Lizzy will join them !


Need I mention how absolutely vomitous it is picturing KR nekkid?
:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[rodeodrive1]

35. KR?

Who is KR? Worst of all, it seems Tommy is going to run for Senator in 2 years. Bet he won't get a CEO job, lol.

[sybylla]

36. KR = Karl Rove n/t

[rodeodrive1]

37. Dear God

Rove... with TT and Little Lizzie. HEAVEN HELP US!!!!

[RetroLounge]

28. Yes.

RL