Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
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Posted on 12/16/2007 4:41:18 PM PST by jdm
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Republican Fred Thompson, Hollywood celebrity and former Tennessee senator, went from hot to not in short order.
Now, he's trying to create another popularity burst in the presidential race, this one perfectly timed.
His voice and expression serious, Thompson told Iowa voters this past week: "I would ask people to think of one thing _ when our worst enemy's thinking about what he can do to the United States of America, who do you want sitting on our side of the table representing you? That's probably the guy you ought to elect president."
It was Thompson the lawyer presenting his closing argument for the Iowa caucuses, now less than three weeks away.
Rhetoric aside, the obstacles to his goal _ at least a third-place finish to propel him forward _ are daunting.
Financially, Thompson essentially is living hand-to-mouth. He hardly has enough money for TV ads and mailings. He's lagging his rivals badly in polls, and his light campaign schedule has been undercutting his argument that he's a strong leader.
He hopes to change all that with a caucus homestretch strategy that begins Monday. That's when he opens a five-event-a-day bus tour planned through the Jan. 3 caucuses, save for a Christmas break. It's a last-ditch push and is geared toward local TV coverage to maximize free exposure. Aides say he will not only talk about his vision but also will draw distinctions with his rivals, albeit carefully. His low-key personality and Southern drawl could soften the sting that could turn off Iowans who are prone to dislike negativity.
The bus tour theme: "The Clear Conservative Choice. Hands Down!"
That's a play on last week's debate just outside Des Moines when Thompson _ in a moment that showed the real man _ refused to cooperate when the moderator asked the candidates to raise their hands if they thought global warming was a serious threat caused by human behavior.
"I'm not doing hand shows today," Thompson said, dispensing with what he's wont to argue is political gimmickry that just gums up what should be a substantive process of picking a president. "You want to give me a minute to answer that?"
"No, I don't," said moderator Carolyn Washburn.
"Well, then I'm not going to answer it," Thompson said, to the audience's delight.
At another point, he chided rival Mitt Romney, who's worth $190 million to $250 million, during a tax question, saying: "My goal is to get into Mitt Romney's situation, where I don't have to worry about taxes anymore." When Romney countered the comment, Thompson shot back: "Well, you know, you're getting to be a pretty good actor."
Thompson's straightforward style shone through when he said: "I'm going to take a chance on telling the truth to the American people. Our entitlement programs, by 2040 or so, we're going to eat up our entire budget." Then he said he would fix the problems.
Looking like he's right out of central casting, the towering Thompson with his deep baritone and conservative Senate voting record charmed restive Republicans in the spring with talk of a presidential bid. But his star faded as he waited until fall to enter the race and then, once in, saw his poll numbers drop.
"The expectations were so high in Iowa that he was going to be the savior of the social conservatives. Then he came here and fell flat," said Dianne Bystrom, an Iowa State University political science professor.
Nevertheless, Iowa Republicans don't dispute that Thompson still has a chance to rise.
"It might be too little too late, but with it being so fluid, you never know. Everything breaks late here," said Chuck Laudner, the Iowa GOP's executive director. "Getting to first place is going to be near impossible, but he certainly could exceed expectations, and finishing third would be that."
Thompson hopes to do well enough to be able to raise money to continue in states beyond Iowa. Unclear, at this point, is whether he would try to compete in next-up New Hampshire, which he's all but ignored the past three months, or skip that and Michigan to head to South Carolina, where his Southern populist appeal could resonate best.
With polls showing Thompson behind just about everywhere, aides acknowledge the uphill nature of his bid but say they see an opening in Iowa. They argue the volatile race, the large number of Republicans still willing to change their minds and the skirmishing between front-running rivals Romney and Mike Huckabee could give Thompson a chance to re-emerge as a favorite among those on the party's right flank.
They argue that Thompson would be the main beneficiary of what they expect will be Huckabee's fall as more voters get to know the former Arkansas governor. They say those voters won't go to Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, because they've had more than a year to do so and haven't.
Thompson has run a moderate-to-small level of TV ads in the state and doesn't have enough money to ensure he'll be on the air at full-bore, or even every day, in the final stretch. In recent weeks, Thompson sent Iowans a few mailers criticizing Huckabee, but it's not certain he can afford any more.
"Maybe (Thompson's plan) will work, but it seems to be the timing may be problematic," Mike Mahaffey, a former Iowa GOP chairman, said. He speculated that the holiday season could interrupt any momentum Thompson could get. "I'll tell you what's going peak in the next two weeks in Iowa _ Christmas!"
A lot of unfounded, pessimistic BS in this article but the above makes a good point, IMO.
"Well, then I'm not going to answer it," Thompson said, to the audience's delight.
That last part is pretty telling too. Even the audience (for the most part) figured out it was a set-up.
Any of the candidates would like to boost their popularity. That would mean somebody is listening.
IBdano1/dane/whomever
Romney earned his money honestly, through hard, intelligent effort that created tens of thousands of jobs. Fred should have more class than to stoop to such populist manure flinging.
And the "you're a good actor" line is a tired retread. It was clever and funny the first time, uninspired and nasty the second. Mitt should have replied, "I guess the Hollywood writers are still on strike, huh?"
Fred, I like you, but get with it and NOW.
You’re kind of several days too late and more than a dollar short.
I wish you well, but hurry up.
I hope I’m wrong.
Nice try, JC, but weak.
Better luck next time.
This was posted earlier, in which the author’s name was listed as Liz Sidoti from AP.
There sure are a lot of people out there who don’t want Fred Thompson to do well. Funny thing is, they aren’t regular Americans. They’re biased reporters and agenda-driven power brokers.
To all of them I say just sit back and watch your agenda go down the toilet.
I agree that supporters who leave Mike Huckabee will most likely go to Fred Thompson. I also believe that when Duncan Hunter and John McCain drop out they will endorse Fred. And when Mike Huckabee folds, I bet he endorses Guiliani.
ping
shoo.
For instance: If I email Fred Thompson Utube adds to all my email contacts, and the recipient mails them to their contact list, the number of email’s goes up exponentially. Just send the utube URL for the add of course to keep the bandwidth as low as possible.
The numbers look like this if it is sent out to 5 friends with 100% compliance. Of course, everyone won’t resend, but you can start with 100 contacts instead of five:
5
25
125
625
3,125
15,625
78,125
390,625
1,953,125
9,765,625
48,828,125
244,140,625
As you can see, after twelve iterations, the number is huge... And it doesn’t cost anything.
Next time you see a good utube Thompson add, try it. Just send the URL with a personal message for them to send it on to their address book.
Did you see how Romney responded to Thompson’s lead during the debate?
First Romney tries to raise his hand in total deference to the moderator, then he does a 180 and falls in line with Thompson.
Romney is not a leader, not compared to Fred Thompson.
I support Hunter, Tancredo, and Fred in that order. If Hunter and Tancredo or out, I will have to go for Fred. If the MSM just gives me Guliani, Mitt, and McPain to vote for, It will most likely be Hillary or Osam....Ahh...Obama.
As a foreigner I must admit, I quite don´t understand what happened. I mean I followed Fred´s process before he declared his candidacy and he is promising, he had great support and then announced, but what exactly happened then?
I mean, it is obvious Huckabee is someone the MSM want´s as the GOP candidate, the so called glass-jaw wich they are surely not criticising right now. And I can´t stand how phony Romney is (f.e. how he switched from raising his hand to applauding FDT´s word when he sensed its popularity), do you (and rest of rightwingers in the world) want a man so desperately looking for approval that he flithers like leaf in the wind when its direction changes, and what is the wind in the political world? Of course the MSM media.
If either of these is going to be conservatives candidate, the socialist big goverment Huckabee or the robot Romney, I can´t but hope that Rudy wins the nomination. Because the GOP MUST win next presidential elections, and I beliewe they can with Fred and/or Rudy, but surely not with Romney or Huckabee (it would in either case not be so much different from a liberal anyway in way to many issues), especially against Hillary. I also beliwe Fred could win Obama, not as sure with Rudy.
So please someone who knows what happened, why don´t you guys support Fred, he is so cool and ok I admit lacks a little executive experience but he is not wet behind his ears like Obama though.
As governor Romney provided a “guarantee that Planned Parenthood would have a representative on his MassHealth Payment Policy Advisory Board.”
http://christiannewswire.com/news/532485099.html
If you heard the entire debate you should know this was not really about Romney’s money or how he go it. It was a skillful way to bring focus to an answer that Romney had given earlier. Mitt basically said he was not concerned about the taxes the rich pay. He thought the middle class deserved tax relief. This is not a conservative view. Fred was drawing attention to it and making it clear he does not agree with Romney’s very poor answer.
If he wants popularity, he better get out in front and lead with a positive message, instead of relying upon reactionary, negative campaigning.
You ask a very good question. The media’s portrayal of Thompson, whether through polls or through pundits trying their best not to mention his name, just never smelled right to me.
Where was Fred’s leadership when, after a struggle, Clinton was impeached and the Senate decided to trash the impeachment and,under the leadership of Lott, the former cheerleader, trashed the impeachment effort. Where was Fred’s leadership when we tried to get near the controlling hand of the ChiComs behind the Clintons through the Riady connection?
That’s what I recall, as well!
All of the little whipped Pubblies were going to be dutiful little New Socialist men - until Fred stopped it cold, and ONLY THEN, did Mitt say, “I’m with him!”
Mitt’s a joiner.
Thompson voted in favor of impeachment on one count. Did you not know that?
I don’t think you can make a case regarding your second claim.
“And when Mike Huckabee folds, I bet he endorses Guiliani.”
Guiliani is too conservative for Huck. There is a rumor he is trying to position himself as the VP candidate for another Ralph Nader run.
Checking through your posts, I couldn’t find any endorsement of a Republican candidate. I’ll assume you’re merely holding back your enthusiasm, saving it for some good reason.
If I overlooked it I apologize for implying you’re not supporting the Republican side.
Please, you Romney supporters out there. I know you mean well. Just see Romney for what he is. Honest he is not.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1940448/posts
How the part where Romney claimed he’s a “small varmint hunter.” Pretty funny.
Yah, nothing is more fearsome to them "varmints" than noreastern liberals with guns......scaaaawwwwwwwy.....bwhahahahahahaha!
So you are saying he declined in polls and support because not mentioned or only a little in the media? Well than can be, I mean I didn´t learn about him in the MSM until after knowing about his possible candidacy (f.e. by reading this site) for nearly a month. But after that there was, maybe not a lot, but at least some media coverage at least in those US (and tiny in my countries) media I get here. But it is far from the huge discussion in like Newsweek and Time (and The Economist) about at least Romney, strangely (or maybe not as he is someone they fear) a little less about Rudy but hell of a lot though.
I mean initially I didn´t think either Huckabee or Romney had the slightest change of winning, of course I don´t know the situation in the US well and maybe my own from afar views colored my judgement, but what is it with those guys that is so charming? Ok I admit both of them were governors and have executive experience, but neither Obama nor Hillary have (or was she maybe that much involved in decisionmaking that she is considered with experience)? Not either had Kerry and in fact neither Al Gore.
So I thought it would be between Fred and Rudy, or maybe McCain, but after reading here a lot about him I dismissed him. I admit I had trouble deciding between Fred or Rudy, either the cool strong Law & Order type, conservative and deep voiced or the hard succesful law and order type experienced and broad appealing with a great successtory behind him.
But Romney (wich strangely one of my favorite media to understand conservatives in the US, National Review is now endorsing) and Huck, what have they to offer? I mean seriously can anyone explain it to me?
And also why Fred slipped in support and pols?
Fred should have more class than to stoop to such populist manure flinging.
It was Mitt who was using the Dem class warfare "I am concerned about the middle class" tactic.
I've got five bucks that says he'll endorse Obama.
This lackadaisical approach just doesn’t cut the mustard.
Oh, I’m not worried, they’ll vote for me. yea right.
If the voters really considered this question and gave an educated answer, Duncan Hunter would have about 45% support in the polls.
Bill
Romney earned his money by having rich parents.
A couple of things happened. Fred didn’t follow the media prototype of how a candidate is supposed to run a campaign, and they’ve smacked him for it, hard. When they mention his name, which isn’t often, they almost always accompany it with negative personal attacks like “lethargic,” “lazy,” “old,” “no fire in the belly,” etc. In the absence of any counterargument, people believe what they’re told, so a lot of voters don’t think Fred wants it very much.
Coupled with that, Fred is having problems with the evangelical vote because he didn’t get out in front of the issue of his faith and abortion early on. He should have played up his faith a bit more and not let others like James Dobson define it for him, and he never should have said that he wasn’t going to push for the Human Life Amendment. That’s kryptonite to socons. His federalist approach makes sense, but it doesn’t lend itself to ten-second soundbites, so a lot of social conservatives have the mistaken impression that he’s not solidly pro-life.
A conservative Republican who doesn’t get the evangelicals on board early is going to have trouble. Fred didn’t court their vote soon enough and vigorously enough. If he had, people would be asking, “Huckabee who?”
It’s still not too late for Fred to pull it off. The voters have taken a long, hard look at Romney, who’s been campaigning hard and sepnding a fortune for almost a year now, and he’s sitting dead in the water in the polls. Giuliani is on a slight downward trend. His support is with the “country club” Republicans, fiscal conservatives who aren’t particularly concerned with social issues. Huckabee has the evangelicals right now, but not very many other Republicans, and he is a deeply flawed candidate and not very media savvy, which is going to start hurting him soon.
We’ve got three weeks ‘til the caucuses. Three weeks can be a long time in politics. We shall see.
Lackadasical? BS. He slapped that moderator bitch with the force of 10 men with that comment.
If that’s not fire in the belly I don’t know what is.
Oh, right. “It takes one to know one” was inspired and statemanlike.
*Rolling eyes*
Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
WARNING: If you wish to join, be aware that this ping list is EXTREMELY active.
Is Fred gonna pull this off or not?
Or will we find that the MSM really does have us by the “short and curlies” if you pardon the expression?
Fred, “Sh** or get off the pot”
I’m hanging in there. I will be left with nobody to vote for for the first time since I turned 18, otherwise.
Well apparently only you and a few friends support him, cause he ain’t projecting presidential attributes to sell himself in the polls.
He’s been campaigning hard if you haven’t noticed. I don’t know what else you people want from him.
LOL! But maybe I shouldn’t laugh. He just might do it!
Thompson is a plodder. This is a tortoise/hare race. He will rank at the bottom until everybody has destroyed everybody else and their numbers are lower than his. Then watch.
He has a little more money now. I sent him some yesterday.
Okay, it was a pittance, but a lot of pittances add up.
I think another issue to consider is that the media love a horserace, and tend to build people up, then tear them down. During primary season, the trick seems to be to be being built up at the right time and being torn down when it is either early enough to recover or too late to matter. If there were two good candidates (one from each party) available now, the media would turn themselves inside out trying to create some drama.
I agree with your analysis. The problem is Fred has to last longer than them to get their supporters. His firewall is So. Carolina and then head into Fla. with sme momentum. Forget NH.
Fred in ‘08
Fred in ‘08
After graduation Romney went to work for the Boston Consulting Group, where he had interned during the summer of 1974. From 1978 to 1984, Romney was a vice president of Bain & Company, Inc., another Boston-based management consulting firm.
Of course he earned everything honestly. However, Mitt certainly got a huge head-start in life, being the son of a millionaire governor. He also went from intern to Vice President in 4 years? Not too shabby, I wonder how that happened.
I don't question Romney's honesty or work ethic. I do think that people like him certainly get opportunities that a middle to lower class kid from the neighborhood would never get.
I'm also sick and tired of people from wealthy and influential families "inheriting" their political office and business careers. Chelsea Clinton has a 6 figure job waiting for her the minute she graduated college at the age of 21. I"m sure the Bush girls will get the same treatment.
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