Slippin' Rudy [Undeclared candidate Fred Thompson now in the lead]

New York Press ^ | July 3, 2007 | John DeSio

[2ndDivisionVet]

We now have incontrovertible evidence that former Mayor Rudy Giuliani is losing his front-runner status.

For the second straight Rasmussen Poll Giuliani is finishing second behind former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, who has not even officially entered the race. Thompson's lead is small, 27-24, but it still represents a turn in the Republican electorate to the more conservative candidate.

The poll also finds Arizona Senator John McCain falling behind his rivals to fourth place, behind former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

[2ndDivisionVet]

More bad news for Giuliani and Juan McCainez.

[Darkwolf377]

While this is good news, this type of lead can disappear when the candidate actually gets in the race. I don’t think it will, but it’s been known to happen.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I’ve never seen a campaign where the candidate comes from behind and takes the lead BEFORE HE DECLARES, have you?!
I think it is almost unprecedented in our political history. We may be witnessing something unique here, an actual grassroots groundswell of support to draft a president.

[Doofer]

We may be witnessing something unique here, an actual grassroots groundswell of support to draft a president.

[Darkwolf377]

I’ve never seen a campaign where the candidate comes from behind and takes the lead BEFORE HE DECLARES, have you?!

I don't have the data handy but it seems that Howard Dean may have done that.

I am struggling not to catch your enthusiasm, but it's hard! If there's this kind of support behind Fred, and it is sustained after he declares, it's POSSIBLE (not probably, but possible) that the party can get behind him early on, and we can push a conservative agenda through someone who (to me at least) comes across as honest, intelligent, with no BS about him. He isn't "scary" the way some conservatives can be portrayed by the media, and he would have no problem with ANY of the democrats running. He makes Obama seem like a kid and will reveal Hillary's flaws as a thinker and communicator.

I think he's playing this situation perfectly. I don't understand those who are whining about him not getting into the race yet--we always complain about how long these primaries are, and yet when someone doesn't play the game, people bitch. Reagan got into the race only one year out from election day.

[Asclepius]

Giuliani is not slipping. He’s fallen, and he can’t get up.

[2ndDivisionVet]

The Howard Dean and earlier Gene McCarthy phenomena were mostly driven by teenagers and very young adults; enthusiastic, but woefully inexperienced and naive. I think Senator Fred Thompson’s movement and campaign will be radically different and unique. Did you know that Fred already has many congressional & legislative endorsements, just signed up the head of the Tennessee GOP, and has many experienced politicos already on-board? Many conservatives and strong-on-defense moderates have been wishing that someone other than Rudy McRomney would come along, and when no one showed up, we went shopping...

[Jim Robinson]

Run, FRed, Run!!

[Darkwolf377]

This is great news. Putting aside what I think of them as people and what I think about their politics (I am not nearly as critical of some of them as many conservatives), McCain is just tired with nothing new to say, Rudy seems to have too much personal baggage for comfort, and I know someone who works for Romney and you don't see me singing his praises.

Thompson would be the first Republican since Reagan--the first person I ever voted for when I got the vote--who I was really enthused about, to the point where I would work for his campaign. The rest of the Republican field is just tired or nuts.

[Doofer]

Fred ping a ring....

[CCGuy]

I hope this really pisses Juan McCain off!

[HEY4QDEMS]

Pretty amazing considering that his non-campaign has yet to spend dollar one.

[gridlock]

So what ever happened to the Conventional Wisdom that Fred Thompson was going to announce on July 4? Fred continues to ignore the playbook his opponents and the MSM are writing for him...

[wolfcreek]

“Pretty amazing considering”

Not really. The top tier lack a shred of Conservatism.

The GOA hates Rudy McRomney.

[samtheman]

McCain and Guiliani were always media candidates. There’s a limit to how much lift a Republican candidate can get from the media. Unlike the RAT party, which votes exactly the way the media tells them to vote most of the time.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Fred who? That guy everyone seems to want to run, but won’t officially declare?

Today is July 5th. Rumor was that Mr. Thompson would declare his intent to run yesterday. Buh bye Fred, hello Duncan and Tom.

[kevkrom]

If there's this kind of support behind Fred, and it is sustained after he declares, it's POSSIBLE (not probably, but possible) that the party can get behind him early on

This is actually what I hope for -- it will allow for more primary candidates in a similar mold to be successful, so that not only does the GOP put up a winning ticket, but a ticket that takes the House back, and gives Thompson solid conservatives to work with down there.

I'd love the Senate too, but while Reid seems to be trying his hardest to make it easy on the GOP for 2008, the math involving the number of seats contested just makes it too hard, short of a complete, total national blowout.

[kevkrom]

Rumor was that Mr. Thompson would declare his intent to run yesterday.

A rumor consistently denied by Thompson's representatives. If you want to make yourself a slave to media perceptions and timetables, go ahead. As for myself, if I'm going to trust the man to be President, I can trust him to set his own schedule.

[TheSpottedOwl]

I don’t pay too much attention to MSM, unless it’s the daily arson report, or the local weather forecast.

I get my news here, on FR. The beauty of our system, what’s left of it, is that you can vote for whomever you choose. If you want to vote for a fence sitter, more power to you ;)

[ken5050]

The MSM is rejoicing in the large discrepancy between the fund-raising efforts of GOP and Dem candidates, according to the numbers through June. In reality, this just confirms the thesis that Fred is way ahead..because it means that most of the base is waiting for him to declare, and THEN they’ll start to write the checks..