Fredipedia v2.26: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
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Posted on 04/30/2007 2:48:19 PM PDT by Politicalmom
Advisers to Fred Thompson have begun exploring a range of staffing options -- including talking to potential campaign managers -- as the actor and former Tennessee senator firms up his plans to enter the Republican presidential contest, according to people involved in the conversations.
Thompson has not made a final decision but is on track to be ready to announce his candidacy in June or July, his advisers say. Thompson has already been polling better than some of the announced GOP candidates, and his entry would shake up a field that has left many Republican faithful dissatisfied.
Thompson also has begun inoculating himself against potential attacks from rivals. During a question-and-answer session with House members on April 18, Thompson was asked about his colorful dating history from 1985 to 2002, while he was divorced.
"I was single for a long time, and, yep, I chased a lot of women," Thompson replied, chuckling, according to an attendee who took notes. "And a lot of women chased me. And those that chased me tended to catch me."
The remark drew laughter from men and grins from women, according to witnesses. Said Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Thompson, when asked about his boss's alleged comments: "Fred went up to the Hill to have a serious and open discussion. He answered every question, including the personal ones. The folks that heard his answers were touched by them. I don't think any of the members of Congress or the American people are concerned about the dating habits of a single man."
At the Capitol Hill Club session, most of the 63 House members implored Thompson to run, although some were spies for rival campaigns. During the discussion about his past, Thompson said he had recently spoken to his ex-wife, Sarah, and said she would campaign for him. He also spoke lovingly about his "partner for life," his wife, Jeri, and their two small children.
Thompson said his operatives had run across other campaigns doing opposition research on his personal life. "I guess they thought they were going to deter me, and you can see what kind of effect that's had," he said, according to the attendee who took notes.
Thompson, his wife and advisers in Washington and Tennessee also are drawing up plans for a new style of campaign that would rely heavily on technology and his celebrity status to avoid some of the slogging through the snow in Iowa and New Hampshire that is normally required of White House hopefuls.
The advisers say Thompson, who plays District Attorney Arthur Branch on NBC's "Law & Order," is researching ways to use technology -- including the Web, videoconferences and teleconferences -- to harness the enthusiasm for his candidacy among grass-roots bloggers and activists. The campaign also would rely on large events, such as those that have in part supplanted country-store campaigning for some in the Democratic field.
"Well-known candidates can do things a little differently," explained one adviser. "You show up, you're accessible, but you don't have to go to every county seat several times."
Originally, the idea of a late-start campaign for Thompson looked like something of a lark, but the phantom candidacy is accelerating. "The question is: Can he do it the way he wants to do it?" said another person helping plan the potential campaign. "With each passing day, he realizes that the answer is yes."
When asked by the Weekly Standard about his Social Security plan, Thompson gave the teasing response: "I'll roll that out at the appropriate time." This month, HBO is putting significant promotion dollars behind "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," which features Thompson as President Ulysses Grant, complete with Oval Office scenes. Thompson wins a new straw poll just about every weekend and has a heavy spring speaking schedule.
Thompson disclosed several weeks ago that he suffers from lymphoma, after keeping it secret for three years. His doctor said Thompson is in remission.
Thompson is even mapping out an issues menu heavy on national security, including restraining nuclear proliferation. He plans to say that fixing Social Security and Medicare for the baby boomers is a more urgent problem than global warming, and he plans to speak frankly about the need for sacrifice in order to fix those programs.
On Friday, he'll have his political coming out (but won't announce) at the annual dinner of the Lincoln Club of Orange County, Calif., a booking in the heart of Reagan country that declared GOP presidential aspirants sought aggressively.
So just how practical is a low-impact presidential campaign? Thompson's floundering campaign for Senate in Tennessee took off after he got his red pickup truck, and now he wants to bring a similar dash of showmanship to the '08 race. "Because of his name ID, he doesn't have to go diner to diner and church to church," said one adviser.
On the day Thompson revealed he has cancer, he hinted at an unorthodox blueprint when he said that he thinks it's possible to join the field without abandoning his family.
"Going on the road for months at a time, and for all practical purposes, just checking [in] every once in a while, I wouldn't do that," he told Fox's Neil Cavuto. "I don't think it has to be done that way. I know people will expect that of everyone -- to run frenetically around for years. And I don't do frenetic very well."
Fredipedia v2.26: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
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More time for the dimwits and rino’s to go down in flames.
You can’t do much better than THIS:
Thompson said he had recently spoken to his ex-wife, Sarah, and said she would campaign for him.
“Thompson said he had recently spoken to his ex-wife, Sarah, and said she would campaign for him.”
Guess this puts the illegitimate child claims to bed.
Gee, I wonder if Rudy’s cousin/first wife, or Donna Hannover (wife number two) will campaign for him. Also, can he get Judi the Tart to shut her mouth? ;-)
Ok. Now we’re channeling each other.
OMG! That is a luxury that Rudy sure won’t have!
Wild speculation: If he does win the presidency, do you realize what happens to the value of all those episodes?
beat me to it. LOL
“Better Fred, than Dead”
LOL! Hang in there, mom. He's going to announce. :-)
July will work, but I’d prefer June, myself.
Fred knows how to handle questions.
My check will be in the mail to Fred the day he announces.
Get ready for Freddy.... BRING IT ON!.....
What a refreshing change from some of the other candidates in the race.
Ex-wife is going to campaign for him? Yowza!
Fred is going to wipe the floor with the the Gang of RINOs.
"I was single for a long time, and, yep, I chased a lot of women," Thompson replied, chuckling, according to an attendee who took notes. "And a lot of women chased me. And those that chased me tended to catch me."
What a refreshing change from some of the other candidates in the race.
It's like waiting for the iPhone! ;-)
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