Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
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Posted on 05/29/2007 8:53:59 AM PDT by Politicalmom
What do you call a person not running for president who keeps getting endorsements from political leaders?
If it is 2008, it's Fred Thompson, the actor and former U.S. Senator from Tennessee, who keeps getting nods and prods to run for the Republican nomination.
"I think people are still looking," said Chip Felkel, a Greenville-based political consultant and long-time Republican politico. "That is why Thompson's name keeps getting mentioned."
While Thompson has not officially announced he is running, a recent string of endorsements from members of Congress, including U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-S.C., has led to rampant talk in South Carolina political circles that Thompson is close to making a decision either way.
"Middle America can relate to Sen. Thompson's common sense values," Barrett said in a recent statement. "He is a statesman and a leader who appeals to a cross-section of American voters and I am excited about the prospects of his candidacy."
Previously, Barrett told Campaigns and Elections he believed Thompson was the kind of person he felt should be president, but was unavailable for further comment on his recent endorsement.
None of South Carolina's five other U.S. representatives have made an endorsement but the state's two Republican senators have -- Lindsey Graham is backing John McCain, R-Ariz., and Jim DeMint has been campaigning for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. However, Felkel said Barrett's endorsement along with those from U.S. Rep. Steve Boyer, R- Ind., U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, R-Ill., U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr., R-Tenn. and U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., speak volumes about the possibility of a Thompson run.
"I am not privy to what they hear, but I would say it is pretty significant," Felkel said. "Congressmen are closer to the ground when it comes to activists. I guess where there's smoke there is fire."
The possibility of a Thompson push keeps growing. Republican candidate and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, said on "Fox News Sunday" said there is room for Thompson in an already crowded field.
Earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. also endorsed Thompson. She had been co-chair of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and a national co-chair of Women for Romney. Previously, she said she would only leave Romney if Thompson had decided to run.
While Thompson is building a leadership network, it remains to be seen how he will draw amongst voters as recent poll results have been mixed in recent weeks. An online poll on one pro-Thompson Web site only had the former senator as number two amongst users falling behind announced candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas.
The latest InsiderAdvantage survey, which was conducted for the Southern Political Report, showed Thompson polling at 13 percent nationwide, behind former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani who had 18 percent, U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona had 17 percent, and fellow non-candidate New Gingrich had 17 percent as well.
American Research Group shows him at 6 percent nationwide as of May 14 as opposed to 8 percent on May 8. He was at 10 percent in South Carolina on April 30.
Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
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Most-Brilliant-Campaign-Ever
I like a guy who can make so many pro-abortion types SO uncomfortable. It's a joy to read.
As long as he runs, I think it is an excellent strategery!
Duncan Hunter is the real deal. He is a Reagan republican, the only one running. Check out his website gohunter08.com
Go pimp your candidate elsewhere. This is a thread about Fred Thompson, not Duncan Hunter.
NO.
Reagan wouldn't have voted for No Child Left Behind or Medicare Part D.
Hunter's a pork-barreler.
Yeah, Yeah... wake me up when Thompson shows any REAL interest in running.
GNATS!
I sure hope he runs. He would get my vote.
In all fairness, it is really only a handful of those guys who are so blinded by cognitive disssonance that they just get ridiculous when discussing Fred. Their frustration at Thompson picking off support of Rudy tickles me pink to watch. Once Fred overtakes him, I truly worry about what some of these folks might do.
Of course. I did not say nor did I mean to imply that they walk in lockstep, only that those who fear Fred most are rubbing themselves raw whilst they play at whistling past the graveyard. It IS sweet to see.
LOL. I was thinking along the lines of "WAambulance," myself.
Glad to hear it.
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