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Thompson using governor's script
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 9/4/7 | Carla Marinucci

Posted on 09/04/2007 8:40:11 PM PDT by SmithL

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson's current political playbook - a high-profile visit to the "Tonight" show, a splashy bus tour, the efforts to take a familiar actor and reintroduce him in a new political role - contains pages that look eerily familiar to California voters.

Maybe that's because the former Tennessee senator now has at his side some of same key aides who - in nine short weeks - helped transform Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger from "The Terminator" into the chief executive of the Democratic-leaning most populous state in the nation.

Thompson plans to formally kick off his presidential bid - shaped around the themes of "security, unity and prosperity" - beginning today with a blitz that reflects his media savvy and his advantages as an actor better known to many Americans as District Attorney Arthur Branch on TV's "Law & Order."

Thompson's campaign includes two veterans of another whirlwind effort - the 2003 California recall election starring Schwarzenegger - who know first hand at least some of the challenges ahead.

They are Todd Harris, who was Schwarzenegger's campaign communications director and will hold the same title for Thompson, and veteran Republican strategist and Fox News commentator Karen Hanretty, the former press secretary for the 2003 recall effort, who will be Thompson's deputy communications director.

Adam Mendelsohn, the governor's current communicators director, said the pair provide Thompson a "a big picture thinker out of the box" - Harris - and "one of the most effective political spokeswomen in the country" - Hanretty.

Both are "seasoned in translating the benefits that someone has from working in entertainment into a political reality," he said. "For Fred Thompson, it's a very smart hire: there's not a lot of people who understand taking a national entertainment figure and translating that into political value."

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: electionpresident; elections; fredthompson; karenhanretty; runfredrun; schwarzenegger; toddharris
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1 posted on 09/04/2007 8:40:19 PM PDT by SmithL
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To: SmithL

OK, is he in the debate or not? Was gone over the holiday, but last I heard was Chris Wallace on Fox said they had been told he would debate.

What the scoop?


2 posted on 09/04/2007 8:42:55 PM PDT by roses of sharon
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To: roses of sharon

I wouldn’t debate as long as it remains a freak show with Paul, Hunter, Tancredo...taking up valuable time for the voters to get to know the next President.


3 posted on 09/04/2007 8:45:40 PM PDT by Patrick1
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To: SmithL

This kind of bothers me. How much of the Arnold script is he going to follow?


4 posted on 09/04/2007 8:46:08 PM PDT by Duke Nukum (...no more I follow, no more obedience pay.)
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To: SmithL


A P. Diddy Fred Tour on the horizon?
5 posted on 09/04/2007 8:46:47 PM PDT by CheyennePress (Tennesseean for Romney)
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To: SmithL; trussell
Thompson plans to formally kick off his presidential bid - shaped around the themes of "security, unity and prosperity" - beginning today with a blitz that reflects his media savvy and his advantages as an actor better known to many Americans as District Attorney Arthur Branch on TV's "Law & Order."

He's an actor???

I thought he was a Senator!

I'm going to have to reevaluate my political mindset for the up and coming '08 election cycle.

Where did I go wrong?

Thank you SFC for slapping me into reality.

Last night I thought I saw a pig fly....

6 posted on 09/04/2007 8:48:19 PM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: CheyennePress

Being governor is obviously different than being President and there is nothing in Fred’s record to show he would go mush if the polls fall.


7 posted on 09/04/2007 8:48:25 PM PDT by Patrick1
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To: SmithL

This confirms some of my fears about Thompson.


8 posted on 09/04/2007 8:50:10 PM PDT by B Knotts (Tancredo '08!)
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To: EGPWS

Last actor I know of that got into the Presidential seat did a heck of a job! I think this one would too!


9 posted on 09/04/2007 8:50:23 PM PDT by trussell (Prayer is good for the soul)
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To: SmithL
Thompson, he said, "has the ability to connect with everyday working Americans."

That is as succinct a mission statement as anyone could propose. That was what Reagan did and no one has mastered it since Reagan. I do not believe Thompson is a Reagan, but no candidate in either party has really connected with the American people yet, though the MSM with its endless chatter and constant polling would like us to believe otherwise. Whether Thompson can connect with the American people remains to be seen, but whether he does or doesn't, it will not be about strategy or money raised, he will either connect or he won't and it will take but a few weeks to find out.

10 posted on 09/04/2007 8:51:16 PM PDT by Biblebelter
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To: trussell

Better Fred than Dead!


11 posted on 09/04/2007 8:51:58 PM PDT by Patrick1
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To: Duke Nukum
"How much of the Arnold script is he going to follow?"


Probably the part about getting elected.
I don't see him using the part about governing.

12 posted on 09/04/2007 8:52:14 PM PDT by dixiechick2000 (There ought to be one day-- just one-- when there is open season on senators. ~~ Will Rogers)
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To: Patrick1

>>>Being governor is obviously different than being President and there is nothing in Fred’s record to show he would go mush if the polls fall.<<<

Does this mean he will not be making an appearance with P.Diddy? :(

I was kind of liking the idea of ole Fred with big gold necklaces on. :)


13 posted on 09/04/2007 8:52:43 PM PDT by CheyennePress (Tennesseean for Romney)
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To: trussell
Last actor I know of that got into the Presidential seat did a heck of a job!

There's still more walls that need tearing down.

14 posted on 09/04/2007 8:53:19 PM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: dixiechick2000

I hope not and I certainly hope someone asks him about it several times.


15 posted on 09/04/2007 8:55:21 PM PDT by Duke Nukum (...no more I follow, no more obedience pay.)
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To: EGPWS
There's still more walls that need tearing down.

And, one very important wall to put up! I hope Fred is up to that task!

16 posted on 09/04/2007 8:57:02 PM PDT by trussell (Prayer is good for the soul)
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To: Duke Nukum

Thompson 2008!

Kill The Terrorists
Secure The Borders
Punch The Hippies


17 posted on 09/04/2007 8:57:04 PM PDT by Patrick1
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To: Duke Nukum

I couldn’t agree more, and hope this is clarified soon.


18 posted on 09/04/2007 8:57:14 PM PDT by dixiechick2000 (There ought to be one day-- just one-- when there is open season on senators. ~~ Will Rogers)
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To: Patrick1; trussell
Better Fred than Dead!

Sadly enough there are some who honestly prefer death to leadership with freedom.

19 posted on 09/04/2007 8:57:16 PM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: trussell
I hope Fred is up to that task!

Of what?

Maintaining the political status quo?

20 posted on 09/04/2007 8:59:36 PM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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