Thompson Cancels Date With the Press

The Caucus (NYT Blog) ^ | October 5, 2007 | Jim Rutenberg

[SuziQ]

Did Fred actually have a presser set up, or did the staff simply tell the press that he’d try to make himself available to them if he had time? The story isn’t clear; it only talks about the fact that he didn’t show.

[W04Man]

BRAVO! FRED MAKES A GREAT DECISION TO SPEAK TO US VIRGINIANS:

VA Atty Gen Bob McDonnell introduced Fred:

See some more photos:
http://flickr.com/photos/7630621@N06/sets/72157602274679066/

FRED VETS, SIGN UP TODAY AT:

[Clara Lou]

BTW, Plutarch, do are you have NYT stock?

[LowOiL]

Yes, best I can gather, he is also "married" and adopted three kids.

I don't think the married is to the opposite sex.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

“Unfortunately FT is doing a good job of that himself as of late. Schaivo, Soviet Union, oil in FL, etc.”

I’d rather a candidate be truthful with his comments than BS their way through it and attempt to tell me what they think “I want to hear”.

Besides anyone who thinks that any land is permanently sacred from eventual oil exploration is naive, Schiavo might be a campaign issue to an infinitesimally minute fraction of voters and a strong military has kept the “Soviets” at bay for 60 years—I haven’t seen Fred indicate any appeasement in that direction.

[uncbob]

I am sure that many FDT fans will applaud Fred for sticking it to the Washington Press corp

When they start asking Hillary the hard questions then they can complain about being stiffed

[org.whodat]

Low IQ, Fred attack.

[uncbob]

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.

WITHERING CRITICISM EH ?

If that line doesn't tell you just who the liberals fear nothing will

[Clara Lou]

I understood from a thread here at FR that Mr. Traynham was not "openly" homosexual, that he was "discretely" homosexual, and that he was "outed" by one of those homosexuals who thinks it's his job in life to "out" homosexuals who are discrete. Mr. Traynham is only "openly" homosexual because someone else made it known. [I haven't got the foggiest notion how to search for the article, because it wasn't about Traynham. I'm sure Google could bring up the truth, if you're interested in truth. Maybe Petronski or Ellery will have some link.]

It's a matter of degree, but an important one, I think.

[Mr Rogers]

Fred WILL need to show good knowledge and positions in the debates - but no one I’ve ever met would make a decision based on a press corps Q&A. Those exist to pamper the self image of the press corps, not to get out the news.

[trisham]

Well done.

[Owen]

Okay, wait a minute, folks.

Does Thompson not know his press secretary is openly gay? If he does know, then what exactly was the point of that hiring?

Is the GOP not supposed to be a family values party? Are the true conservatives going to get so invested in this guy that they will start ignoring rather loud warning sirens like this?

Now, let’s be sure we understand this . . . there is nothing illegal about putting openly gay employees on your senior campaign staff. And there is nothing “wrong” with having signs of not being purely conservative. After all, Romney has such signs in his background, and certainly Guilliani has many liberal aspects.

But I don’t think there are any “openly gay” press secretaries on Romney’s senior campaign staff. Maybe not on the other GOP candidate staffs either. This makes no sense.

[pepperdog]

Your comments really gave me food for thought. I had never considered the long term assignments of the Wash. press corp. In a venue like the beltway it is not a good idea for them to remain on the job for years and years. They are going to build friendships and allegiance to people which will cause impact their ability to remain above the story. Perhaps this is why we have such lopsided reporting. And perhaps, and probably more importantly, this is why we have terrible leaks that jeopardize the safety of the country. Wouldn’t it be a good idea for the media to be cycled through kind of like the college aids? Not as young and untrained, but with a fresh perspective, maybe some from middle America. Perhaps journalists that have lived in real circumstances rather than the thin air of New York and LA and the large cities. JMHO.

[Doofer]

Screw the media.

I think it is smart of Fred not to bother with the MSM much. Especially THIS early in the campaign.

And can you tell me who has a lower approval rating with the general public than Congress, who's at 11% or so?

No need, I'll tell you.

The MSM...

[BunnySlippers]

Yes, best I can gather, he is also "married" and adopted three kids.

I don't think it's eerie at all. You find a lot of gays either divoriced or currently married simply because they don't like the gay lifestyle. They still like men but try to live in a traditional marriage and suppress their urges.

It can't be easy but they do it.

[COgamer]

“Screw the media.

I think it is smart of Fred not to bother with the MSM much. Especially THIS early in the campaign.”

THIS early in the campaign is just 3 months away from the first primaries. 21% of likely voters are STILL undecided. When, exactly, should Thompson start helping them decide?

[papasmurf]

The article DID NOT say he "scheduled" a presser. It says he was supposed have a "press availability". Yeah, and who says so? The press. But, of course, you believe everything they tell you, right?

now it looks like he is ducking

Only to lib.

BTW, I like (/sarc) the way you italicize folksy. You and I both know that-that term is used to imply a "knuckle dragging, dumb, redneck".

Nice to know what you think of Southerners.

I respect FRed even more for respecting his OBLIGATION to the DELEGATES, not the Conservative hating press corp.

Obviously, you respect the press more than you do FRed.

Prosperity. Unity. Security Fred Thompson in '08

[billbears]

Fred is known as a brilliant campaigner.

Yeah that's it. I've watched the man speak 5-6 times, either on the Giuliani News Channel or the few videos I've found posted online of his speeches. Fell asleep everytime. The man is boring. He rambles and his speeches don't actually offer much meat. A bunch of thrown together catchphrases that lead to nowhere.

but trying to feed the grassroots first to continue the bottom up momentum

What grassroots? I've read posts elsewhere from supporters that are questioning him. If that's what big government 'conservatives' chose as the better choice than St. Rudy they made a mistake. I really believe the only reason the man is still up in the polls is because not too many people have heard him speak on a widescale.

[Clara Lou]

Would you read my post #69? This guy doesn’t do the “openly gay” routine. He was privately gay until his privacy was violated.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Does this subtract out the money Romney gave to his own campaign??? I doubt it.”

NOTE: Romney never “gives” his campaign money. He simply
loans it so he can get it back later from the pockets
of his supporters, sparing him having to pay for what he
says he believes - or write it off as a bad loan when
he fails to capture the nomination...

Give? Never.