Bad News For Those Insisting And Hoping That Fred Won't Run

Race 4 2008 ^ | March 24, 2007 | Republius

[Josh Painter]

Robert Novak reports in his latest syndicated column that former Republican United States Senator Fred Thompson is being encouraged to run for president by his wife, Jeri, and that he is “seriously interested” in doing so but “does not plan to announce his candidacy in the immediate future.” So it very much sounds as if Senator Thompson eventually gets in to the Republican presidential contest for 2008. Add Speaker Newt Gingrich in October and the GOP field should be set.

[Josh Painter]

Excerpt from Novak's column:

Close friends of Fred Thompson say his wife Jeri is urging him to take the plunge later this year and run for the Republican presidential nomination.

The former senator from Tennessee and current actor on "Law & Order," in private conversation, makes it clear that he is seriously interested in launching a candidacy that has attracted extraordinary attention over the last two weeks. However, he does not plan to announce his candidacy in the immediate future.

realclearpolitics.com

[NoGrayZone]

Run Thompson, Run!!!!!!!

[Marine Inspector]

Run Thompson, Run!!!!!!!

Needs repeating.

Run Thompson, Run!!!!!!!

[bayliving]

He has my TOTAL support.

It's been so long since we have had a TRUE conservative run for anything.

I too say run Fred! Run!

[GeorgiaDawg32]

I'd put a "Run Fred, Run" bumper sticker on the REAR of my truck opposed to the "Run Hillary, Run" bumper sticker which is on the FRONT of my truck..:)

[massadvj]

There is nothing in this that suggests he will run, in fact it supports what I have been saying all along. Thompson is working for Giuliani. He is teasing conservatives with the prospect of running in order to keep Romney or another conservative from getting any traction.

My contention from day one was that Thompson cannot win, knows he cannot win, but wants the Veep spot or some other high post, such as AG or SCOTUS. So his deal with Giuliani is to provide a smokescreen to stall others.

New Hampshire will likely hold its primary in 2007. The longer Thompson can drag things out, the less likely it will be that a conservative alternative to Giuliani will emerge.

[abclily]

Have a link to that explanation?

[mkjessup]

Novak has as much credibility about this story on Thompson running or not running as Joe Wilson has on the issue of yellow cake uranium.

[TomGuy]

Those who jump on the Thompson bandwagon and jump on John McCain for McCain-Feingold should investigate Thompson's involvement in the development of McC-F. Thompson, during his Senate tenure, chaired the committee that was responsible for writing McC-F.

Also, Thompson seemed to vote lock-step on immigration issues. He has since been a bit stronger, but stronger only in generalizations: 'something should be done about illegal aliens'.

When Thompson starts giving more specific plans on dealing with illegals, etc., his candidacy may take on more significance.

Until then, he is just another wannabe star basking in his hollywood name recognition. He, so far, is just another Senator who thinks he can be president. And we have plenty of those in the field of contenders already.


===

On the other side, we have Giuliani flopping all around like a flounder on dry land on various issues, trying to appeal to differing audiences.

[Moonman62]

Do people need links for contentions?

[Moonman62]

With the front loaded primaries there isn't any time to wait.

[Tennessean4Bush]

The longer Thompson can drag things out, the less likely it will be that a conservative alternative to Giuliani will emerge.

Has anyone ever diagnosed you as paranoid?

[rogue yam]

There is nothing in this that suggests he will run...

Yes there is; the report that his wife is encouraging him to run. There has previously been talk that he promised her he'd stay out of politics. Now this issue appears moot.

...in fact it supports what I have been saying all along. Thompson is working for Giuliani. He is teasing conservatives with the prospect of running in order to keep Romney or another conservative from getting any traction.

Why do you accuse Fred of dishonesty? How does this story support your accusation?

My contention from day one was that Thompson cannot win...

Why not?

[jellybean]

Close friends of Fred Thompson say his wife Jeri is urging him to take the plunge later this year and run for the Republican presidential nomination.

Sign the Fred Thompson for President Petiton

Join the Draft Fred Thompson Bandwagon

▲ Click the pic to see where he stands on the issues. ▲

Draft Fred Thompson

If you'd like to be added to the Fred Thompson list, let Howlin or me know.

[Paco]

I recall (poorly) back when Thompson was in the Senate, he was heading up one of the investigations of Clinton (I believe). Both my wife and I thought, alright, now we'll get some truth and some answers. And, what we got was the run around...even with Thompson presiding. He let the Dem's run all over him and accomplished nothing. We were totally disappointed in him. That is my recollection...ok, I know I'm not giving anyone any hard info here, but know many of the bright minds on FR know what I'm talking about. This is my concern with Fred...is he a paper tiger?

[Hornet19]

Huh?

[Iowa Granny]

The longer he waits to become engaged in the process, the less his chances of success.

I personally doubt he is running a smoke screen for Guliani or anyone else.

The suggestion that he's 'out there' to prevent Romney from gaining traction is laughable. The Romney effort is running on bald tires already.

[massadvj]

Thompson cannot win because Giuliani and McCain have already pretty much locked in the money, endorsements, campaign expertise, media time, etc. With the primaries front-loaded the way they are, it will take $20 million immediate and $100 million over the course of the primaries just to be competitive. Thompson cannot raise that much money in that amount of time.

Just think about who benefits from a long, drawn out Thompson pondering of the presidency. Look at the article. It's a tease. Wife wants him in but no decision for a long time.... sheesh. If he were really getting in, he'd be in by now because there is precious little time to raise the funds, put the staff together, develop the media and copy strategy, etc.

I am very much on the inside of things in the Republican Party. There are virtually no overtures being made to campaign staff or fund-raisers from Thompson right now. If he were really running, phone calls would be made to potential staff and fundraisers to see who might be available, etc. Nothing like that is going on.

So my conclusion is that Thompson is running for Veep or SCOTUS, but not president. You'll know I am wrong when he announces, which isn't going to happen. In the meantime, keep looking for more articles like this. They help Giuliani and give Thompson that much more leverage.

[rogue yam]

With the front loaded primaries there isn't any time to wait.

I think Fred's already running. He's very visible in conservative circles, staking out his conservative bonafides. I don't know for sure, but I expect he and his "draft Fred" friends are talking to potential staff and donors. I think he's being smart and theatrical (and I don't mean this in a bad way). Get ardent conservatives thinking and talking about him, develop his platform and introduce it to the very politically-minded conservative public via the internet and talk radio, let prominent supporters come forward to praise him and encourage his candidacy, etc. Why announce now when everything is working in his favor and the ongoing story of the Republican primary so far is the dissatisfaction of the conservative base with Rudy-Mitt-McCain? As soon as Fred announces, the whole MSM will be ginning up and promoting "shortcomings" of his candidacy and trumpeting Fred's low poll numbers as compared to Rudy. That part can wait.

[LibKill]

If Senator Thompson would just stop teasing us and throw his hat in the ring no one on earth would be better pleased than I.