Posted on 10/05/2007 11:16:43 PM PDT by Plutarch
Fred Thompson, appearing at the Americans for Prosperity event today, was supposed to give a press availability, which would have been his first big question-and-answer session with the national press corps in Washington. The availability never happened, and the campaigns description for why has a decidedly, anti-Washington press corps bent which probably wont hurt him too much with key constituencies. (That is, outside the one with all those barrels of ink, television viewers and Web readers.)
Todd Harris, a campaign spokesman, said Mr. Thompsons speaking engagement ran later than expected and it came to a decision between doing a media availability or spending time with the Virginia delegation, adding, We opted to spend time with the delegates as opposed to the Washington press corps.
For good measure, Mr. Harris added, Its not all about the D.C. press corps. Though, he added, Mr. Thompson whose performance on the stump has come under withering criticism that continued through his appearance at the Americans for Prosperity event has held plenty of press availabilities out on the road.
(Excerpt) Read more at thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com ...
ROFL!
“As far as grassroots for Thompson, I cannot get enthused about him until I see him in a debate or some other intense forum and hear his responses. Not seeing him out there is uninspiring and gives me pause. He will have to reel me in whenever he decides to take it up a notch. But I must say, the more time that lapses, the less confident I am he can do it.”
His first debate is coming up Tuesday.
Here is a magazine article about him (Newsweek)
http://rss.msnbc.msn.com/id/20546334/site/newsweek/page/0/
Read this, it tells you much about the man.
I am praying that, if Fred Thompson becomes our president, he will begin rotating the media field involved in his press conferences. That is, to rotate in more conservative journalists, and rotate some of the old standard ones out. I’m not talking about banishment, but about rotation, unless he wants to build a much larger press conference room, and triple the time he spends answering questions.
Yea, yea, I’ve been told how the White House Press Corps work and how they are set up. But I keep asking where this is enshrined in law, and of course it is not.
I hope a President Thompson will make the announcement that the White House Press Corps have got to include a much better representation of conservative reporters, or else he will begin a rotation system based on a list developed by an independent source.
It is time that, while we honor the freedom of the press, the “press” itself must also allow more freedom in the WHPC — allow a wider field of journalists.
The First Amendment guarantees freedom of the press, but, in my opinion, does not mandate that anyone have to work for them by bending over (in either direction) to dump news stories on them. A rotation system allowing a much wider range of journalists in the WHPC should enhance freedom of the press, not hinder it.
Fred has the “affable but prickly, folksy but curmudgeonly” vote in the bag. From what I’ve seen of the man so far. I’m just speaking of how he comes across. For everything else (except for his voting record, of course), I’m waiting and watching.
I don’t know why the link posted to me. I’m not searching for articles about Fred Thompson. I remember Fred from Watergate days, and from when he won Gore’s seat and served in the Senate. I haven’t watched him in the movies or on tv shows, so that’s not in my mix. I know something of his voting record. I’m saying that he’s coming across to me as an affable but prickly, folksy but curmudgeonly man and candidate, so far. I need lot’s more that I’m waiting to SEE AND HEAR from him. Not articles. Thanks anyway.
Fixated on gays much?
Do they fascinate you?
Do you like to decorate and help friends with their fashion choices?
Screw the media.
I think it is smart of Fred not to bother with the MSM much. Especially THIS early in the campaign.
LOL!
Do you wear tap shoes?
We opted to spend time with the delegates as opposed to the Washington press corps.
Of course! Wouldn’t anyone? :)
Perhaps when he's not slurpin' the salami he does a good job.
I don’t blame him.
If the other Republican candidates had a 1/1,000,000 ball between them they would all withdraw fom the debate that chris matthews is supposed to moderate.
But I suppose a better question to ask would be, “Why did they agree to matthws in the first place?”
Yuh, right, like NO ONE KNOWS already what Fred's position is. Just because a reporter wants his or her face time on camera asking a question, or wants to be quoted in his or her own news story, doesn't take precedence over a candidate's time with actual state delegates. I'm glad he's spending time with the delegates who are the ones who will be helping get his ideas out to their fellow voters in time for the primary.
LLS
What? You’re Fred’s press secretary?
One of the best RNC Chairmen ever was gay. He was never outwardly gay... but that is a fact. He served honorably and with dignity. If he does not make an issue out of it... then his sin is between GOD and himself. Are you willing to cast the “first stone”? Apparently.
LLS
“Orrrr Thompsons openly homosexual press secretary is shielding him from the disastrous position on the Federal Marriage Amendment.
It is not just about the candidate, it is about the staffers the candidate surrounds himself.”
Apparently this staffer was quite unhappy with Fred’s opposition to FMA. I wonder if he was unaware of Fred’s position when he accepted the job, or, if he was aware, why he took the job in the first place?:
Thompson also doesnt support the FMA, which this week prompted one of his key campaign consultants, Bill Wichterman, to walk out. Wichterman, who previously served as conservative outreach director for former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., had been considered an important get for Thompson.
“And exactly wheb has Hillary made herself available to the press to answer questions? Where is the article about her not speaking at a press conference to aswer unscripted questions.”
When did Hillary arrange and agree to a Q&A, and then cancel?
BTW, Plutarch, are you have NYT stock? I'm sure that your cruising for trash day after day is raising them a pretty advertising penny. Just wondering.
Would you rather something be DONE about states having homosexual marriage forced on them by edict, or would you rather folks sit around and yammer about it for years? The former is what you get when you work at getting legislation that would not hamper the individual states’ abilities to do something about the issue, including not allowing judges to monkey with the voters’ decisions. The latter is what you get when you rely on a Consitutional Amendment, which would likely take YEARS to approve, if it ever happened.
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