Late-Breaking Surge for Thompson

National Review Online ^ | 2 January 2008 | Peter Robinson

[big'ol_freeper]

The latest news from Iowa? According to Zogby’s latest—and I quote: “Sen. Fred Thompson…has seen a late-breaking surge.” (Rich notes the same poll below.)

What’s going on here? My guess is that there are whole lot of Iowa Republicans who have about the same attitude that David Limbaugh displayed in his column yesterday:

Fred is the only [candidate] I don't have major reservations about….I find his lack of "fire in the belly" refreshing. He strikes me as one of the few presidential candidates since Ronald Reagan whose primary motivation is not personal aggrandizement but rather serving and leading the nation in very troubled and dangerous times. I see him as almost being drafted into this project, and his refusal to drool publicly over the prospect of becoming the most powerful man in the world is positively delightful.

[bannie]

I could break a halo (boy, couldn’t I!)...but I’ll have to think about the underwear...I understand that they are rather plain?

[CAluvdubya]

What does ‘I need to come in Second’ mean? How about if Fred does not come in second, what does he need to do?? It is OBVIOUS.

You cannot put words in anyone's mouth. Your #10 stated that "Fred said...".

Fred just said he needed to come in third. He did NOT say if he didn't he would quit. You do know that saying about assumptions don't you?

Oh, and unlike at DU, we do not swear in our posts here.

[infowarrior]

The winner in Iowa does not become the Party’s nominee all that often :-)

In fact, the winner in Iowa usually doesn't even get as far as the nomination for the party. A second-place, or even a strong third place, is all FDT needs to remain competitive (and he is the least of evils that I have seen running...)

the infowarrior

[Cedric]

Did you used to write your own phony excuse notes while in grade school and then sign them, “My Mom”?

[counterpunch]

I have always supported Fred for president. I have just not supported his campaign strategy. I want to see him win, not lose, and I think that will require a change of strategy. Which is what I’ve been saying all along.

You seem to think the way to be “supportive” is to cheerlead for a misdirected campaign as it drives right off a cliff.

[LRS]

I don't claim to be the brightest bulb in the marque but I could see through the MSN ploy to put down Fred from the start.

One anti Fred item that has me cracked up (OK, it POes me too), is the way they always position guests on Hannity and Colmes so that the camera shots block Thompson's name on their montage of bumper stickers in the background. I don't know if anyone else has noticed that, and this is the first time I am mentioning it, but I have observed it for several weeks now..

[hellbender]

This is something I would like to see Thompson do a lot more: smile. I’m afraid he looked morose and almost unhealthy in the debate I saw. A successful candidate doesn’t have to have the lightweight foolishness of the Huckster, but it helps to be like Reagan—cheerful, optimistic, and principled at the same time.

[Route66]

I don't claim to be the brightest bulb in the marque but I could see through the MSN ploy to put down Fred from the start. And it was a really lame ploy. I don't understand how so many smart people can be duped by these idiots.

I'm with you. It wasn't hard to see from my perspective. But the press has had a lot of practice at what they do and they are relentless in repeating the same lie over and over again. Many soak it up like a sponge and that's what the MSM banks on.

Fred is not your average fare. When people actually get unfiltered exposure to him, it's always amazing to watch them act as though they just woke up. Most tell me he is not at all what they expected based on what they had heard about him.

[montag813]

Fred Thompson is heading back into the top tier. At this rate, he’ll finish at least a strong third place

If FDT finishes 2nd 3rd it is as good as a win. Remember Clinton lost his first 5 or so primaries, until it came South. Frankly these Iowa/NH contests are quite stupid. The South and the West determine the nominee and the President in this country.

[Bobbisox]

GOD is listening to our prayers...don’t stop now! Keep those prayers coming throughout the Primaries! FRED needs all the help he can get. I cannot wait to see the faces on the MSM tomorrow night when FRED wins it! Huckabee supporters will jump to FRED and no sensible person could believe the McCain is either Conservative or trustworthy. Romney is the same way.

I feel the surge in the air tonight! GO FRED GO!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

[NYC Republican]

Surge? Damn, I thought it really was... He’s still in 4th place, at 13%. Not exactly a surge

[greyfoxx39]

Don’t know if you have seen this thread yet PING

[Checkers]

If he’s awake, it’s a surge.

[Route66]

Feel the surge!

[Hey! You actually have something upbeat to say about Fred. you must be one of those REAL Fred supporters.]

:-)

Happy New Year!

[Clara Lou]

If there’s a politicat stance that he thinks will get him votes, Myth will take it.

[CAluvdubya]

LOLOLOL!

[estrogen]

Fred’s make or break state is probably South Carolina.

I went to a straw poll in Aiken SC and the Ron Paul people were out in force...seemed to be the only people there. Fred came in second by only 2 votes......so what I think is that the Fred followers aren't as vocal as the Ron Paul followers. Go Fred

[3niner]

Pollsters scrambling to bring their pretend numbers closer to the real numbers, so that people won’t know they’ve been lying all along.

[Checkers]

“If Fred finishes in 3rd with double digits loss, he will not be able to survive.”

On what do you base this?

[counterpunch]

I'm with you. It wasn't hard to see from my perspective. But the press has had a lot of practice at what they do and they are relentless in repeating the same lie over and over again. Many soak it up like a sponge and that's what the MSM banks on.

Fred is not your average fare. When people actually get unfiltered exposure to him, it's always amazing to watch them act as though they just woke up. Most tell me he is not at all what they expected based on what they had heard about him.

Sure, but Fred hasn't done anything to combat the MSM's attempt to railroad him. He's played into it.

A 17 minute closing argument web video for Iowa? You gotta be %@$!*& kidding me! And he took almost 10 minutes to get around to saying anything in it. Unbelievable. Hillary Clinton's closing argument video is 2 minutes. And she stays focused and direct. She hits all of her points. Fred hardly even touches on his national security credentials in his.

With closing arguments like that, I really wonder how he ever won a court case. He makes me angry because I feel like he's purposely sabotaging his own campaign — or someone inside his campaign is by deliberately feeding him bad advice. Perhaps it's his wife because she doesn't want to have to move to Washington, D.C...