Posted on 11/25/2007 12:23:47 PM PST by dano1
Fred Thompson attacked Fox News on Sunday for what he called a "constant mantra" that his floundering campaign for president is troubled, and he accused the network of skewing things against him.
Thompson certainly isn't the first politician to make that accusation, but he's the first high-profile Republican to do so.
The assertion was arresting because Fox News was frequently Thompson's forum of choice when he was contemplating a campaign and as he tried to find his footing after he announced.
Where did Thompson do it? On "Fox News Sunday," in a heated exchange with host Chris Wallace, who played clips of Fox commentators saying his campaign had been a disappointment.
"It's a lot of the same kind of stuff that I heard when I first ran for office, when I was 20 points down. And fortunately, I wound up 20 points ahead on election night," Thompson said.
"This has been a constant mantra of Fox, to tell you the truth. And I saw the promo ... for this show, and it was kind of featuring the New Hampshire poll. Let's put things in context a little bit, to start with."
Thompson was referring to a CNN/WMUR poll that showed his support in the Granite State had collapsed to 4 percent, putting him in sixth place among the Republican presidential hopefuls.
Referring to Fox commentators, Thompson said: "From Day One, they said I got in too late, I couldn't do it ... wouldn't raise enough money, and that sort of thing. And that's their opinion. They're entitled to their opinion. But that doesn't seem to be shared by the cross section of American people. If you look at the national polls, you'll see that I'm running second and have been running second for a long time."
The latest Real Clear Politics average of national polls does have the former Tennessee senator in second place, far behind former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and slightly ahead of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
"They're entitled to their opinion," Thompson continued. "But for you to highlight nothing but the negative in terms of these polls, and then put on your own guys, who have been predicting for four months, really, that I couldn't do it, you know, kind of skews things a little bit."
In April, when Thompson wanted to reveal that he had battled lymphoma, now in remission, he chose Fox anchor Neil Cavuto. Last month, when his wife, Jeri, was being criticized in the press, the two of them went on Fox's "Hannity & Colmes" for a respectful joint interview.
Now, though, he's none too happy with Fox. Here's a bit more of the exchange between host and candidate:
WALLACE: Do you know anybody who thinks you've run a great campaign, sir?
THOMPSON: It's not for me to come here and try to convince you that somebody else thinks that I've run a great campaign.
WALLACE: Well, but that's why I ...
THOMPSON: I'm talking about — no, let me ask you ...
WALLACE: ... I'm just asking you the question.
THOMPSON: When you get past New Hampshire and look at some of these other states — states that I'm leading in in the South, for example — and straw polls that I've won, endorsements that I've got — I've got more endorsements in the state of Georgia than all the other candidates put together. So I understand the game of buildup and I understand the game of takedown. And we all go through it. And I'm perfectly willing for you to do that with regard to me as you do the other candidates.
WALLACE: I was going to say, senator...
THOMPSON: But you have the right to put in your one side, and put in the Fox side, and I have the right to respond to it. And thankfully, you've given me that opportunity.
WALLACE: I was going to say, senator, I'm glad I asked the question, because I got a heck of an answer.
i completely disagree. Voters like me are thrilled to see his “spunk” and his drive and desire showing itself, to go up against a known “ally” like Fox News. Great for him!
In the end it will just be Huck an ol Jim.......
“This is one of the things I like about Fred. He does not go looking for trouble, but he is not afraid to address bias and misrepresentation of facts as they arise. We need this in a candidate and in a President.”
Balls like Reagan!
Get ready for a new neighbor. The West sucks : )
I still feel very sorry for Brit having to go through what he went through with his son "Sandy" back nearly a decade ago. Brit has never been the same since that time. He's become much more quiet, I think. Basically, I think he's just doing his job and saying the lines they give him to say.
“Thompson attacks Fox News”
Good. It’s about time that he lit up the media wing of the Rudy08 campaign.
Looks like you'll be staying home election day. Hillary is delighted.
And "Bill-Obscene-Oil-Profits-Tax-O'Reilly" is dumber than sh'ite... not to mention his lousy grammer.
It's a shame these jerks never took any Economics, Accounting, and Finance courses in school.
My thoughts too ! I don't watch FOX anymore. Just can't take it. Chris Wallace is trying to be Tim Russert, and he fails miserably, imo.
I hope Fred is letting the rest kill one another, and laying back. There is a year to go.
Maybe it is just me, but while everyone else is running around trying to be th Rock Star, and being all things to all people. Fred is gathering what he needs , and when he speaks....it touches me deeply. ! To me, he doesn't T R Y to be someone he is not. He is real. STEADY, and STANDS FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES, and lets the chips fall where they may.
My kind of guy.!
“Fox:’the media wing of the Rudy08 campaign.’”
X-ring. Dead nuts on the money.
“It’s a shame these jerks never took any Economics, Accounting, and Finance courses in school”
O’Reilly did. He also holds a Masters Degree from The JFK School of Excrement : )
Lookin for 1/2 acre on the lake or 10000 acres in Montana : )
Actually, if there was any “attacking” going on...(I get so sick of media-ese!), it was Wallace/Fox initiating it.
Also, Politico is biased toward RATS.
We quit watching Fox News Sunday last year, got tired of Levin and Biden.
Anyway we heard Fred would be on this morning and watched the whole thing yelling at the TV almost throughout the segment “SHUT UP CHRIS, AND LET THE MAN RESPOND”.
It was obvious Wallace was on the offensive. Doubt we’ll ever watch the program again.
“I hope Fred is letting the rest kill one another, and laying back. There is a year to go.”
Exactly. The other candidates and the MSM are terrified that we just may have the real deal here. ;)
Huck is above Rudy and below Romney.
Conservatives only have Fred Thompson, that’s all we have.
Right now:
1. Fred
2. Romney
3. Huck
4. McInsane
5. Rudy.
;o)
If Fox News continues to push the candidacy of Rudy Giuliani, Fox News will be one of the worst things that have ever happened to this country. Whatever good they may have done in the past (and that is debatable), it will pale in comparison to this effort of theirs to make Rudy our Commander in Chief.
It is hard to fathom the evil that lies behind an attempt to force our troops to salute a man like Rudy Giuliani. Rudy will never gain their respect just as he never gained the respect of New York's first responders. He is a draft-dodging coward.
Duncan Hunter?
Looks like another thread that didn’t turn out as you expected!
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