Fred Thompson's Death Throes: The New Republic: On The Trail In Iowa...

CBS News ^ | Michael Crowley

[rface]

And so this is the way the savior's campaign ends - not with a bang, but with an empty signup sheet..........

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This is what a disaster looks like: Fred Thompson, the former future "savior" of the Republican Party, looking droopy-eyed and jowly in a black leather jacket and tan ten-gallon hat, wandering like some lonesome lost cowboy through the snows of southeastern Iowa in search of voters - and not finding many.

A few minutes earlier, the former U.S. Senator, "Law and Order" star, and would-be conservative hero had emerged from the Smokey Row coffeehouse, where, in his endless search for the only kind of media he can afford - free - he'd sat down with the local newspaper. Otherwise, Smokey Row held at most two dozen largely disinterested patrons. Thompson famously loathes the grip-and-grin side of politics and smiled wanly through his chit-chats. As he staged a handshake with one woman, the photographer had called out, "Look at each other!" Thompson couldn't resist mocking the artificiality of the forced smiling eye contact. "That's the hardest thing in the world to do," he chuckled.

At least someone cared enough to get her picture taken with him. Many of the folks in the quiet coffeehouse ignored Thompson.........

[ snip ]

Perhaps defensive about the wan crowd at the Smokey Row, Thompson's press secretary took care to note that this visit was an unannounced drop-by; nothing should be read into the head count.....

[ snip ]

Out in the hallway stood three campaign workers holding clipboards. "Would you like to sign up to caucus for Fred?" they called to the departing voters. Few stopped.

"That's it. The room's empty," one worker reported back to the others. I could see the signup sheets from over their shoulders. One had two names recorded on it, another just a single name. The third was entirely empty. And so this is the way the savior's campaign ends - not with a bang, but with an empty signup sheet.

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[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

"I love the smell of Fred Fear in the morning"

GARRY OWEN

FEAR THE FRED"......

[JennysCool]

I VERY much doubt Fred cares about what CBS News and the New Republic think of him.

If you haven't seen Fred's message to Iowa voters, you need to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VblJq4j0_SE

[Khepri]

In order to get anywhere near a national election to present your ideas and what you have to offer, you HAVE to be a wealthy individual — a person of means. That is the reality. It’s rather simplistic, don’t you think, to be “concerned” about the “rich” buying the White House?

That's he "conventional" wisdom spewed by MSM. They's love to see the race for the White House turned into a pissing contest with their candidate backed by Soros.

Fred's tried to get in on campaign reform to break that mold...and in that there's no spurprise he's running his campaign the way he is...

What is it with peeps from Mass. thinking they can buy the WH anyway? How mnany times do they have to lose before they catch on?

[snippy_about_it]

but...but...he's so cute. /sarc

I'm a FREDNECK!

[Caipirabob]

This thread should stimulate some comment at Fred’s HQ here at freerepublic.

LOL!!!!

Call in the Kittens!!!

[lonestar]

If a man like Fred comes in 2nd to any of the other candidates, it says a lot more about Iowa than about Fred.

[K-oneTexas]

I agree. And McCain seems to be the most popular amongst the folks here ... it’s a shame cause his conservative values are politically expedient values ... compromising values. While Rudy and Mitt are truly liberal Republicans in the Rockefeller mold.

[sweet_diane]

"The truth is, Fred Thompson is the last candidate they want to run against. The lazy no fire in the belly lies won't be enough to keep their candidate afloat and they won't have anything else."

I agree. The whole fire in belly thing is all they have to throw at Thompson and they know that he is the only Republican that can beat Mrs. Bill Clinton.

Picture this... a Thompson - Clinton Presidential Debate! Now THAT would be must see TV, IMHO.

[3niner]

The media is doing more to kill FDT’s campaign then anyone else.

That's because the's the candidate they fear more than any other.

[imd102]

Thompson is now saying he HAS to come in at least second in Iowa. I suspect he will drop out soon if he doesn’t.

Drop out or drop dead - This guy looks like a walking corpse at the debates. Where's an NBC makeup artist when Fred needs one? Hard to vote for a guy who doesn't look like he'll make it to the inaguration!

[pillut48]

I think Fred looked GREAT in his leather jacket, hubba hubba! :-)

And for the poster who said he doesn’t poll well with woman because of his wife and kids, PBBBBBBBBBBBBTTTTTTTTTT!!!
(big raspberry)

[ANGGAPO]

That could be true. But Fred, jowls and all makes more sense of the current world condition than any of the polished dudes that appear on CBS. I really don’t care what he looks like, I care where, as President, he takes the country.

[hellbender]

Fred is the only candidate that does not act or look like a circus actor, or a phony plastic banana

Duncan Hunter doesn't look like one either! These two guys are the only candidates conservatives should be considering.

[devere]

Count the votes, and keep that lying Liberal flip-flopper away from me.

[ANGGAPO]

I agree.

[karnage]

I suppose. But there’s a difference between having some dough - and being the primary source of funding for your own $100-million presidential race.

[Khepri]

George W. Bush faced the same hostile media Thompson does. Bush made a commitment to excellence in organizational management (the Presidency is part of the Executive Branch, remember?) and his staff did what had to be done to maneuver the media to report. Thompson has failed to do that.

Mary Matalin (Team Rove), a Bush player all the way, running this show, as she was in on Bush's first run and later, as well as GHW Bush's run (both successes BTW)...

In that light I believe you mis-read the tea leaves....She has stated plainly it's the late game for them (Super Tuesday)...

Thompson is right where he needs to be at this point in the game.

This nonsense about having to come in second is campaign speak trying to motivate the troops to shoot for second and not settle for third (which is the real target)....

Use the force Luke.

[Route66]

Drop out or drop dead - This guy looks like a walking corpse at the debates. Where's an NBC makeup artist when Fred needs one? Hard to vote for a guy who doesn't look like he'll make it to the inaguration!

And there are those who would say that your candidate, Ron Paul, has an almost constant facial expression which seems to convey "clueless". Hard to vote for a guy who doesn't look like he is smart enough to find the inauguration.

I guess what we see is strongly influenced by our stated preference, huh?

[Owen]

Better check on what Mary is being paid and whether or not that check bounces. That, in campaigns, determines the winner. When the checks start bouncing, there is no campaign. Odds are that happens before South Carolina.

[Strategerist]

That's because the's the candidate they fear more than any other.

The nature of our system is that the most feared opponent is the most centrist candidate of the opposite party.

Neither the Democratic candidates nor the media are trembling in fear of Thompson, regardless of what people fantasize.