http://Vets4Fred.net It's time for Vets to sign up!
Posted on 08/24/2007 8:28:36 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Where's the Red Pick-Up Truck When You Need It?
The following release was issued today by the Democratic National Committee:
Fred Thompson, an undeclared candidate for the GOP nomination will be in Indiana this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway trying to jump start his non-campaign. But Thompson is already running on empty as he faces an FEC complaint that his testing the waters campaign is violating campaign finance laws. Thompson, who wore Gucci loafers usually seen on K Street on his first campaign stop to the Iowa state fair, is also facing questions about his lack of substance, his conservative credentials and his flip-flops on abortion. In addition, Thompson failed to make his own fundraising goals, falling short of the $5 million the campaign had predicted. A glance at national polls also shows that Thompson's approval ratings continue to dip the longer he waits to jump in the contest.
"If Thompson was a NASCAR driver, he'd be sitting in the pit with four flat tires and no engine," said Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Amaya Smith. "The race has begun and everyone else is in, yet Thompson can't get past the starting line. Americans want a real candidate who can address the issues important to them and not someone who hides behind a shadow campaign in order to avoid the tough questions."
THOMPSON'S CAMPAIGN SPUTTERING TO GET STARTED
Thompson's First Trip to Iowa, Lackluster. "But Thompson's TV star bravado could not disguise the fact that with nearly four months left until voting begins in the Iowa caucuses, he is facing major organizational hurdles in his plan. He has none of the machinery in place to win the first contest, a labor-intensive process that typically favors candidates with strong campaign structures. He has one full-time Iowa staff member; other Republicans have opened up multiple offices around the state. Even on this trip, Thompson was only in town overnight, barely long enough to introduce himself to key party players."[Washington Post, 8/17/07]
Thompson Has Trouble Relating to Rural Voters in Iowa. Thompson During Thompson's whirlwind tour of the fair Friday, he wore Gucci loafers and rode a golf cart. That set him apart from other candidates visiting this week, such as Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who took his two young daughters on rides and sat down to eat a pork chop."[Washington Post, 8/17/07]
Thompson Campaign Slapped with FEC Complaint. "Fred Thompson has been 'testing the waters' for weeks, operating officially as a non-candidate but seeming very candidate-like indeed. Trips to New Hampshire. Speeches. Even a howdy at the Iowa State Fair. Now it may have caught up to him. Lane Hudson, the former Democratic staffer who posted the e-mail that led to Florida Republican congressman Mark Foley's resignation in the congressional page scandal, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Thompson is "ignoring the letter and spirit" of the law.
The complaint argues that Thompson, a former Republican U.S. senator from Tennessee, is running a full-blown campaign and should be held to the same regulations as the other candidates." [Washington Post, 8/22/07]
Fundraising Tanking with Endless Delay of Announcement, Falls Short of $5 Million Goal. According to the Washington Post "two sources said Thompson's fundraising has dropped off significantly since the early excitement that surrounded what seemed like an imminent entry into the race." MSNBC.com reported that "fundraising is down 'markedly.' One claimed it has 'slowed down big-time.' The pace is described as a consequence of the delayed announcement to enter the race. The announcement that the campaign had raised only $3 million dollars, far short of the $5 million goal the campaign set for the end of July, was "met with some disappointment inside his camp," according to The New York Times. ["The Trail," WashingtonPost.com, 07/25/2007 (http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/07/25/post_1.html); First Read, 07/25/2007 ( http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/25/289502.aspx ); The New York Times, 7/31/07]
Campaign Shakeup as Manager, Research Director Leave. Questions about his wife's management style are widely attributed to the reason Tom Collamore left as campaign manager. J.T. Mastrandi also just left after less then two weeks on the job as research director. Sources inside the campaign told MSNBC.com that Mrs. Thompson was "running it like a congressional campaign" and from the "kitchen table." ["The Trail," WashingtonPost.com, 07/25/2007 (http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/07/25/post_1.html); First Read, 07/25/2007 ( http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/25/289502.aspx )]
Pesky Facts, Clumsy Denials Raise Questions About His Record. "Fred D. Thompson, who is campaigning for president as an antiabortion Republican, accepted an assignment from a family-planning group to lobby the first Bush White House to ease a controversial abortion restriction, according to a 1991 document and several people familiar with the matter." The Thompson campaign denied that Thompson lobbied for the family-planning group but...a colleague of Thompson's at the firm said it was, 'absolutely bizarre' for Thompson to deny that he lobbied against the abortion counseling rule." [Los Angeles Times, 7/7/07]
Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, http://www.democrats.org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Was the Dallas Examiner the only paper this was published in and why...
Most papers aren’t so openly biased as to publish a DNC press release. Besides, they have reporters and columnists who received DNC talking points the night before.
>If Fred Thompson is doing so poorly, then why do they care? They’ll never have to face him if that were true.<
The same can be said about Ron Paul, (doing so poorly, then why do they care?) here on FR.
That’s for entertainment purposes only....
My point is I find it odd that a man who has never been a leader in anything - not even a boy scout troop - would presume have his first management position as president of the United States.
Since we are asking questions, why, not long after September 2001, when the world needed leadership, did he decide to go to leave his Senate seat and go to Hollywood?
You do not have to be hostile. I'm certainly not.
Yeah I have. They like whining about Romney the most.
Did you see where Reagan is listed on the Greatest Presidents? A few under JFK and directly under LBJ! How bogus.
He was an officer - a captain - in the state's military. No, he didn't see combat - but he did step up and was a leader of men.
Further, he was the leader of the forerunner of his state's Republican Party. Further he led the fight against the MExican American War.
And eventually, he was a founder of the actual Republican party.
That's leadership, boys.
Now, please tell me when Thompson was ever a leader? I know he wanted credit for McCain Feingold.
I look at your qualification that there must be leadership. Both Carter and Clinton were Governors and had leadership experience, and especially in the case of Carter it did not seem to help much. I think we can agree his tenure was mercifully cut short.
I think dumping such things as “TV personality” and “Empty Suit” on a man that has accomplished more in life than most is a bit of a cheap shot. Has he served directly in an executive government position, no, but he has taken lead in his life, doing the things he thinks are right and building a solid wide range of experience. I like that, and so do a lot of other people.
I think you will find very few were “sweet talked”
The DNC does one of these every day against Romney. They’re not scared of Fred, just bored. Look at their crop of candidates. I’d waste my time slapping the opposition too. All you have to do is scan the threads here for smackdown threads of Hillary, Edwards, and Obama.
Oh wait, you’re a Mitt guy, who has been dogging FDT as an empty suit and saying his is a “closet” (I guess) pro lifer...
You almost got me there...
You need to add a disclaimer like Pissant has the decency to do...
Looks like they pulled out their “top guns” to write this one!
BWwaaaaaaaahhhaaaaaaa!!!!!
I never used the term empty suit.
Comparing him to failed presidents is irrelevant because there are many people with more leadership experience who are similarly aweful. May as well bring up Hitler.
The question I am raising with my signature is that someone not only with less leadership experience than any president ever elected - but zero leadership experience - no matter how much I might agree with him on issues or charismatic I might find him - to make him the nominee of our party - is a disaster.
The rest of your post - 'doing what he thinks is right', etc., is just rhetoric.
You can have a wide range of experience and still be leader at some point in your history. Thompson has never, ever stepped up and been one. Ever. I'm just shocked that the only reason people are supporting him is because of his acting ability - because on paper he's indistinguishable from, say, Brownback, other than Brownback having a longer record in office.
You know, jonesie, I was reading this piece thinking it was your work until I got to the end and realized there had been no mention of Fred’s recent death and impending demise. I think you could get a gig with the DNC if you want one. They don’t use sarcasm tags either, though for different reasons I suppose.
Because Paul threads are so entertaining.
I SMELL FEAR.........
They must DESTROY FRED, and do it quickly, or Hillary is toast in the General, AND THEY KNOW IT....
http://Vets4Fred.net It's time for Vets to sign up!
Nothing like fear in the a.m.
Saying that, we now have to see whether we're going to drown or not :)
FR is not the DNC. It is difficult to find a reason for your comparison.
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