Posted on 09/02/2007 4:18:47 PM PDT by wagglebee
Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson officially joins the presidential race on Thursday, and Rudy Giuliani and his team are watching closely to determine how much of an impact his candidacy will have on Giuliani.
"He's a Southerner, and he's a senator, and that gives him credibility," Barry Wynn, a top Giuliani adviser in South Carolina, tells Newsday. "He's certainly weaker today in terms of the level of enthusiasm of his supporters than he was a month ago ... but I certainly see him as serious competition."
Giuliani currently sits atop every major national poll, and is leading decisively in states like California and Florida. But he still faces deep skepticism from conservatives who drive the nominating process. Those are the same people who are likely to be Thompson supporters, analysts say, and that could mean Thompson won't fade any time soon.
"I was totally dismissive of his chance to get the nomination, and I'm not dismissive anymore," Stu Rothenberg, a Washington political analyst, told Newsday. "He's hung in there."
The worry for Giuliani is that Thompson could prove just as appealing to conservatives on tax cuts and terrorism -- with the added bonus of agreeing with them on social issues like abortion and gun control. It's a theme Thompson's advisers already have suggested they will play up, the importance of nominating a candidate who embodies every part of the party's beliefs.
I never did quite understand how it can be a “moderate conservative” party, it’s one or the other.
There were some rather strange posts before the general clean-up. The previous twelve months revealed a growing number of pro-abortion, pro-euthanasia, anti-second amendment, anything-goes kind of philosophy types. Many of those are now on alternate sites. Some remain members here, although I have no idea of their numbers.
Why is that such a hard concept to understand? If the numbers work out for Rudy, it will be Rudy. If they work out for Fred, it will be Fred. I hate the way we try and smear one candidate over the other.
Personally, I have trepidations on Freds health, and up to this point, he has not seemed, to me, that he really wants it. A lot of those perceptions could easily change when he starts campaigning, so I am not writing him off yet, but those are my reasons.
The trepidations I have for Rudy are also many. I am not 100% committed yet, but as of today he seems the strongest to me. These are my perceptions only, but I think 2008 will be a huge year for the War on Terror, and my gut tells me Rudy could handle it.
I am not trying to tell others how to vote. I respect everyones each individual reasons for supporting who they support, why can't you respect mine?
I am looking forward to a vigorous campaign season, and I think the strongest will survive. I don't have my crystal ball handy right now, so I don't know what will happen, but I do know that we have a strong selection, and out of the three leading candidates Rudy, Fred, and Mitt I will enthusiastically support them all. I also know Rudys liberal traits are a huge turnoff, so I don't need to be reminded of them, so there is still a chance that Mitt or Fred could seal my vote. But disparaging comments from others supporters don't help sway me.
I guess that's one of my problems with the logic of the Rudy-apologists. It's absolutely outrageous to think that Rudy is the ONLY Republican who will aggressively and successfully fight the WOT. I feel strongly that ALL the Republican candidates (save one) will handle it well.
In fact, Pres Bush is doing a pretty darn good job right now,,,and will leave in place a formidable bureaucracy to continue the that fight regardless who is elected. To insinuate that Rudy is the only Republican (or even the best one) to fight the WOT is ludicrous.
You will be happy to know that since my state doesn't vote until a few weeks after "Super Duper Tuesday", my choice may not count anyway. I also think that looking at the demographics of the country that Rudy has a very good chance of winning the electoral college. I have not yet been convinced that Fred can pick up any states that President Bush lost in 2004, and Ohio has been leaning more and more to the left. If he can't hold those States, or pick up additional ones, we are toast. I think we have a better chance with Rudy. We may even pick up New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. Wisconsin, and Minnesota are not out of reach either. What makes you think Fred could do that? (I truly don't know the answer, so I am not trying to be snarky)
I don't know the answer to that either, but I DO know this. First, we do NOT need a LIBERAL bully to fight the WOT,,,and second, a conservative like Fred will unite and energize the base. A liberal like Rudy will do just the opposite.
And that is exactly why I pledge to do everything in my power to elect anyone but Hillary. :>
I've been accused of being a Giuliani supporter because I don't hold him in total contempt and have stated that I would vote for him if he were the Republican nominee. I'm sure the Giuliani people are concerned about Thompson. In terms of the threat to Giuliani's winning the nomination, I think the Rudy people see it this way: Thompson >>> Romney > everyone else. I'm not sure there is anything to refute.
“I wonder why not -no dissenting newbies to gang-tackle & mau-mau off the board?”
I think they do that to each other if someone don’t think Rooty will win in a landslide.
Hi codercpc. I’m with you. Funny how this works. There’s another thread going on right now where people are having a reasoned discussion. Several posters pointed out their preference for Rudy, especially if he’s up against Hillary. And the funny thing was, nobody was getting hassled for their views.
Then I come over here and....
My main point was that primaries are the times to sort out each candidate that is running, and in the end the most "popular" will win out. I understand for idealogical reasons some may never support others, but for me, I will vote for the eventual nominee, but in the primary I am voting for who I feel safest with, and who I have the most confidence can win the general election.
I was also just pointing out that the article really didn't have any "meat" to refute.
I am going to check out that thread now. Thanks.
In fact, altura, there’s very little discussion of TOS over there anymore. Someone pointed out that they have a “secret” thread. While there is a members only thread, there’s no bashing of FR there either. The moderators actively discourage any such talk.
Exactly. The first debate that Fred participates in will show what whiney little wimps the others are. They will no doubt make snide remarks and petty jabs as they try to pile on. This will only make them look smaller.
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