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Monday, 09 July 2007
 

2007.07.09 Decision '08 Roundup

McCain's Pain -- Fred's Gain?
Ed Morrissey

The New York Sun reports that the recently terminated staffers from John McCain's campaign may not collect unemployment for long. Fred Thompson, supposedly disadvantaged in organizational strength by his late start, may benefit from his friend's electoral struggles:

The downsizing of Senator McCain's presidential campaign is coming at an opportune time for Fred Thompson, the former Tennessee senator who is likely to jump into the race officially any day now and seeking to build a campaign staff in the early primary states. ...

See also:

Contributed by Bill Faith on July 9, 2007 at 01:52 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Sunday, 24 June 2007
 

2007.06.24 Decision '08 Roundup

Republican Fred Thompson aims for blogger-in-chief

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - If Republican Fred Thompson enters the presidential race next month as expected, the actor and former senator will be aiming to add another title to a crowded resume -- blogger-in-chief.

Thompson has been contributing frequently to conservative Web sites as he gears up for a 2008 presidential bid, posting thoughts on topics ranging from the French election to the Middle East and the immigration debate.

While the Internet and blogs are a basic cornerstone of any modern campaign communications strategy, Thompson has been notably enthusiastic about expressing his thoughts online.

"The guy actually likes blogging. Before he decided he was going to take the plunge on a presidential race, he cruised the blogs. It attracted him," said Roger Simon, co-founder of the Pajamas Media Web site, where Thompson frequently wins a weekly Republican straw poll. ...

See also:

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 24, 2007 at 11:55 AM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Tuesday, 19 June 2007
 

2007.06.19 Decision '08 Roundup

Thompson Hits #1 With A Bullet 
Ed Morrissey

Rasmussen's latest polling shows that enthusiasm continues to build for a Fred Thompson candidacy. In fact, Fred pushed his way to the top of the poll, dislodging Rudy Giuliani from the top spot for the first time:

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson earning support from 28% of Likely Republican Primary Voters. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani attracts support from 27%. While Thompson’s one-point edge is statistically insignificant, it is the first time all year that anybody but Giuliani has been on top in Rasmussen Reports polling. A week ago, Thompson and Giuliani were tied at 24%. ...

Rasmussen has this as essentially a four-man race at this point, with two front-runners and two struggling to stay in the top tier. They eliminated Newt Gingrich from the polling this time, which undoubtedly helped Fred surpass Rudy, as most Newt voters want a solid conservative alternative with national pull. John McCain and Mitt Romney didn't get helped at all by that change, both losing slight ground instead and remaining tied for third place at a distance. ...

See also:

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 19, 2007 at 01:54 PM in Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Saturday, 16 June 2007
 

2007.06.15-16 "Forty Four!" Roundup

(Updated and bumped. Original timestamp 2007.06.15.22:13)

See previous: 2007.06.13 "Forty Four!" Roundup 

As burned out as I am, I can't just quit blogging about my favorite presidential candidate. If the piece of shit Bush-Kennedy No Illegal Left Behind bill ends up passing we're going to need a President who'll push the enforcement part of it big time. Rudy might but I don't have any doubt that Fred will.

Media fear of Fred Thompson
Melanie Morgan (Hat tip: Thomas Lifson)

Can you see it? Can you feel it? The excitement over Fred Thompson's potential candidacy for president is capturing the imagination of conservatives across the nation.

The "Run Fred Run" phenomenon is important to talk about not because of Thompson himself, but more because of what it says concerning the mood of this nation and the public's frustration with a lack of leadership in both the conservative movement and the Republican Party.

The allure of a Thompson for President campaign is even evident among some Reagan Democrats who are weighing in on the blogs – and feeling the heat from their liberal colleagues for even considering the notion of crossing party lines.

Unlike the current crop of declared Republican and Democrat candidates, who have spent years plotting and scheming about how they could win their way to the White House, Fred Thompson is truly being drafted to run by people who are sick of abandoned principles and lack of a moral center. ...

Below the fold:

  • Fred Thompson and Plain Speaking

See also:

Fred Thompson and Plain Speaking
By Ray Robison

Fred Thompson is a small town guy who made it from the agricultural communes of south-central Tennessee to Capitol Hill and our TV sets. And while we admire the accomplishments of this distinguished lawyer, Senator and actor, we admire the man even more for seeming to remain grounded to his roots.

Faced with a media establishment that has heightened its opposition to presenting news that makes Republicans look good, Fred Thompson has that rare and invaluable quality of speaking directly to ordinary Americans, saying what needs to be said.

He has ties to Hollywood but is not of Hollywood, which adds legitimacy to his insider knowledge of our media based culture. He is giving voice to that which vexes many of us, that liberal politicians and media elitists increase the risk to this country by downplaying the tyrannical and terrorist enemy in order to win political power. Pointing this out is a talent that has long failed President Bush.   

Can anybody imagine President Bush saying what Fred Thompson did a few days ago? ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 16, 2007 at 12:01 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack


Tuesday, 12 June 2007
 

2007.06.12 "Forty Four!" Roundup

See previous: 2007.06.11 "Forty Four!" Roundup

*** Don't Miss Fred's new blog! ***

Fred Thompson Catches up with Rudy Giuliani 
Kim Priestap

This is according to two polls: LA Times/Bloomberg and Rasmussen, who writes this:

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has to share his spot atop the field of Republican Presidential hopefuls this week. The newest face in the race, former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, is now tied with Giuliani. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds each man earning support from 24% of likely Republican Primary voters. A week ago, Giuliani had a six percentage point lead over Thompson, 23% to 17%.

It is not unusual for a candidate to gain ground in the polls when they first announce their intentions. However, Thompson's rise has been meteoric. It remains to be seen whether the reality of his candidacy can measure up to its allure as an alternative for those dissatisfied with the other candidates in the field. At the moment, 59% of Republicans have a favorable opinion of their newest candidate. Just 14% hold an unfavorable opinion of Thompson while 27% are not sure. ...

See also:

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 12, 2007 at 03:20 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Monday, 11 June 2007
 

2007.06.11 "Forty Four!" Roundup

See previous: 2007.06.08-10 "Forty Four!" Roundup

I just stopped by Robert Bluey's place and found out about a great new site I'll be visiting and linking often. Don't miss out on FredHeads USA.

New poll puts Fred Thompson just behind Giuliani in the GOP race
McCain and Romney far behind, battling for third. Clinton holds strong with an 11 point lead, while Gore, unannounced, beats Edwards. ...

George Will has his head up his elitist Ivy League ass again. Allahpundit's doing his best to help. At least Geraghty still has his head on straight.

***

Will Swings And Misses
Ed Morrissey

George Will attempts to pop the Fred Thompson boomlet in his latest Newsweek column. Unfortunately for Will, Fred Thompson is not the lightweight cipher he dismisses so casually, and the normally excellent Will winds up looking a little bit of a lightweight himself: ...

[...]

First and foremost, Will has both Reagan and Thompson wrong in the same manner that people dismissed Reagan in his political career. Thompson has a long career as more than just an actor. Thompson's acting career was accidental; his political career was much more deliberate. He made his name as a reforming activist lawyer, first with Watergate, and second in exposing corruption in the Tennessee governor's office. And like Reagan but in a much shorter time frame, he has spent the last several months delivering speeches and papers on issues.

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 11, 2007 at 02:03 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack


Sunday, 10 June 2007
 

2007.06.08-10 "Forty Four!" Roundup (Updated and bumped)

Friends and neighbors, I'm still runnin' way behind, tryin' hard to catch up but not havin' all that much luck. The original timestamp on this post was 2007.06.08.14:26 but I didn't get much done with it on the 8th. Depending on how much I do or don't find to add to it I may run it through Sunday or even longer. I'm with Fred!, all the way.

The Zero-to-60 Thompson Run 
Fred gears up for 2008.
by Stephen F. Hayes 

In early March, only a handful of Fred Thompson's good friends knew that he was even thinking about a bid for president. Three months later, according to several polls, Thompson is in second place nationally, trailing frontrunner Rudy Giuliani. He spends his days raising money and assembling an increasingly sophisticated campaign operation. His advisers hold daily conference calls to discuss issues and to craft a schedule that includes visits to states with early caucuses and primaries. Rival campaigns are adjusting their strategies to account for his inevitable entry into the race.

Ask people closest to Thompson how this happened and they often give you the same story: The former senator was simply minding his business when out of nowhere there arose a powerful Draft Fred movement, the likes of which have rarely been seen in American politics. "The groundswell for Fred is the closest thing to a real, genuine draft that I've seen in my 40 years of politics," Senator Lamar Alexander said recently in Chattanooga. ...

... The Draft Clark movement did lead to a campaign--which went nowhere. And this is worth bearing in mind as a worst-case scenario for Thompson. The Thompson effort feels different, though. It does have more of a real bottom-up, voter-driven aspect. But that doesn't mean Thompson and his small team--three or four close advisers--sat by passively and waited for a groundswell.

On November 29, 2006, Tennessee senator Bill Frist said that he would not be running for president. The same day, the Wall Street Journal noted that the announcement "leaves a Republican void in the South, and underscores the absence of any major center-to-right Southern figure in the Republican Party's presidential field thus far."

Others saw the same void. ...

Ed Morrissey has a good post discussing the Hayes article here.

Below the fold:

  • Silver Lining in GOP's Dark Cloud

See also:

I know Jack didn't really write this about Fred! in particular but beauty's in the eye of the beholder, as they say, so I'll excerpt the parts I find most beautiful and you can go read the rest of it if you want to:

Silver Lining in GOP's Dark Cloud
Jack Kelly

President Bush has cast a huge, dark cloud over the Republican party. But in that cloud's very size there may be a silver lining for the GOP. ...

Unless something truly remarkable happens between now and then, it's safe to assume that 99 percent of those who go to the polls in November of next year will want to vote for someone who is very different from George W. Bush. Democrats will try to hang the president like an albatross around Republican necks. Under normal circumstances, they would succeed.

But in Mr. Bush's uncanny ability to alienate Republicans nearly as much as he does Democrats may lie the GOP's salvation. Since so many of the president's heretofore loyal supporters are now furious with him, the Republicans vying to succeed him are free to join in the criticism, as all ten did in their debate in New Hampshire Tuesday night. ...

While voters will want an un-Bush in 2008, it's by no means clear they'll want a Democrat. The challenge for the GOP nominee will be to extend the dissatisfaction voters feel with President Bush to dissatisfaction with business as usual in Washington, a task that may be made easier now that Congress' job approval has fallen back to where it was just before the 2006 elections. ...

The front-loading of the primaries makes it more likely the GOP will nominate the least Bush-like of its serious candidates. Because of his pro-choice stance on abortion, I doubt former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani could win a head to head match-up with either former Sen. Fred Thompson or former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney....

Mr. Giuliani and Mr. Romney turned in stellar performances in the debate Tuesday night, as did undeclared candidate Thompson in a lengthy interview with Fox News. Where were these guys in 2000? ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 10, 2007 at 01:35 AM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Thursday, 07 June 2007
 

2007.06.07 "Forty Four!" Roundup

Aside, in case anyone was wondering: Yes I grew up in a little town in Illinois. A little town 270 miles from Chicago and 213 miles from Nashville TN (and 295 from Lawrenceburg).  Dad's people moved to this area from Kentucky shortly after The War of Yankee Aggression.  Hell yes I'm with Fred!

Video: Luntz on Fredmania and the McCain implosion
Allahpundit

It’s a double dip today thanks to H&C. He touched on McCain’s meltdown this morning during his appearance on Fox & Friends but here’s where he puts some meat on the bone. Or rather, the focus group does — it’s their withering comments about McCain, not Luntz’s, that summon the reaper. He also pays due homage to the new conservative godhead from Tennessee and to the lone emerging standout from the second tier of candidates. I had to cut the latter part in the interests of fair use but suffice it to say they were as impressed as we were. I’m starting to think a Thompson/Huckabee ticket might not be too regional after all.

[video link]

Below the fold:

  • Fred Thompson's Web Wiz

See also: Fred! Grabs Lead in NC Primary Poll

Fred Thompson's Web Wiz
By Bluey (at RedState)

The launch of Fred Thompson's website last night was welcome news for his legions of online supporters. Now comes word that Jon Henke, the newest hire at New Media Strategies, will be working on Thompson's account for the firm. The Henke hire is a major coup for New Media Strategies, which wanted someone of Henke's stature to manage Thompson's online operation.

Henke has posted more details about the job on QandO, his blogging home before taking a job with the George Allen campaign last year. Henke was brought on board to clean up the mess created by the "macaca" incident. His work was praised by both liberals and conservatives, and despite Allen's defeat, Henke played a pivotal role to keep the race tight.

Earlier this year, Henke came to Washington to work for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R.-Ky.) as his new-media director. It was a surprising move for the traditional McConnell, but it paid many dividends. With the exception of the immigration bill, McConnell has managed to keep Republicans united and beat back several Democrat bills. Henke deserves credit for keeping bloggers informed and alert.

Henke's new job puts him in the middle of Thompson's exciting campaign,  ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 7, 2007 at 02:09 AM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Wednesday, 06 June 2007
 

2007.06.06 Fred! "Forty Four" Roundup

See previous: 2007.06.04-05 Fred! Roundup. (This post is backdated. Please scroll down for newer content. Original timestamp 2006.06.05.23:36.)

Enough with the "Fred!" stuff. Time to start calling the man by his proper title: "Forty Four." 

That's just a sample. The whole interview's available at http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html. Go there. btw, I'm with Fred!. Update: MsUnderestimated has the Fox videos as .wmv files here.

Below the fold:

  • Thompson Leaps to Second Place

See also:

Thompson Leaps to Second Place

An internal poll conducted for former Sen. Fred Thompson's prospective presidential campaign, finds that Thompson is now running second nationally among likely Republican voters.

Rudy Giuliani leads with 24%, followed by Thompson at 18%, John McCain at 17% and Mitt Romney at 7%.

Key finding: ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 6, 2007 at 11:57 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack


Monday, 04 June 2007
 

2007.06.04-05 Fred! Roundup

See previous: 2007.06.02-03 Fred! Roundup

Key Bush backers rally to Fred Thompson 
By: Mike Allen 

George P. Bush, a nephew of President Bush, has contributed to the prospective presidential campaign of Fred Thompson and signed an e-mail asking friends and associates to do the same, The Politico has learned.

"In a field of candidates without a clear favorite among our fellow Republicans, my sincere hope is that you consider joining us in this effort to encourage Fred to run," the e-mail says.

The involvement of a Bush family member highlights a stream of former Bush-Cheney aides and supporters who are signing on with Thompson, in some cases quietly. Thompson, the "Law & Order" actor and former Tennessee senator, filed papers Friday that allowed him to begin raising money. Aides say he remains on track to formally announce his candidacy the week of the Fourth of July, although they say no date is set in stone. ...

Below the fold:

  • Right Said Fred
  • Thompson's First Test: Raising Funds Fast

See also:

Right Said Fred
John Fund

RICHMOND, Va.--He lacks the compelling story of Rudy Giuliani during 9/11. He isn't a war hero with a 24-year record in Congress like John McCain. He doesn't have the M.B.A. smoothness and business success of Mitt Romney. But what Fred Thompson demonstrated to an enthusiastic Virginia Republican Party dinner Saturday is that he has gravitas, a presence and the ability to make people comfortable. Most importantly, many at the dinner saw him as a conservative who doesn't alienate or cause angst with any element of the GOP coalition.

University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato says the failure of any of the current candidates to excite chunks of the Republican base has given Mr. Thompson an opening. Conservatives "seem to look for reasons to like Thompson," Mr. Sabato told the Roanoke Times.

They certainly got some from Mr. Thompson's Saturday speech. After slightly ragged tryouts before audiences in California and Connecticut, he hit his stride with a speech that mixed warnings about the state of the country with optimism that the American people can overcome the challenges facing them.  ...

Thompson's First Test: Raising Funds Fast 
After a Late Start, Campaign Targets Web, Fence-Sitters
By Christopher Cooper

As a late entry into the crowded, expensive, presidential campaign, Fred Thompson's first big test of viability will be his ability to raise money quickly.

A major part of the former Tennessee senator's strategy is a heavy reliance on the Internet to get his message out and to raise funds. He is also trying to tap into the large number of well-heeled Republican financiers who have yet to commit to a 2008 hopeful, amid widespread disaffection among party loyalists with the current field.

Yet a late start and signs that Mr. Thompson may adopt an unconventional campaign style -- limiting in-person appearances by making extensive use of blogging and online video -- could crimp the television actor's ability to raise money over the long haul. He has suggested he isn't enamored of leaving his family for long stretches of campaign travel. The question is whether an Internet campaign will help him raise money quickly or leave big donors cold. ...

Don't miss Ed Morissey's related comments here.

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 4, 2007 at 10:38 AM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Sunday, 03 June 2007
 

2007.06.02-03 Fred! Roundup

See previous: 2007.05.31 Fred! Roundup. This post is backdated; please scroll down for newer entries. Original timestamp 2007.06.02.04:28.

Thompson sees fence between Congress, voters
By Stephen Dinan

RICHMOND -- Former Sen. Fred Thompson yesterday said there is a giant disconnect between voters and politicians in Washington and that the immigration bill is the chief reason.

Speaking to Virginia Republicans, Mr. Thompson, who is considering a run for president, drew a standing ovation when he said voters don't believe Washington politicians when they claim they are trying to secure the border as part of the bill.

"You've got to secure the border first, before you do anything," he said. "The members say it's right here in this bill: the border. The response is, 'We don't care what's on a piece of paper -- secure the border.' This piece of paper doesn't secure the border." ...

Read on.

Stall for time, friends and neighbors, stall for time. The best possible outcome we can hope for on the immigration front is to keep the illegals illegal till we get a good man in the White House. 

Below the fold:

  • Thompson runs as a back-to-basics conservative
  • Republican Thompson says U.S. battling "evil"
  • Jonah Goldberg: Better Off Fred?
  • Thompson Establishes Campaign Committee

See also:

Thompson runs as a back-to-basics conservative 
David Brooks (H/T: Lucianne)

This week Fred Thompson gave a speech in Connecticut during which two words did not cross his lips: George Bush. But that's all right.

Thompson recently gave speeches in Virginia and California during which he scarcely mentioned Bush either. In the world Thompson described, the current Washington players are most notable for being trapped in that undifferentiated swamp we call Washington politics.

That's because the divide that engages Thompson most is not the ideological one between liberals and conservatives or between this or that brand of conservatism. It's the divide between concentrated power and decentralized power.

Thompson's core theme is that there is a disconnect between Americans and their rulers. He campaigns against concentrated Republican power almost as much as he does against concentrated Democratic power. Though a Republican, he's able to launch a reasonably nonpartisan attack on the way government has worked over the last 19 years.

This suspicion of concentrated power in general and Washington in particular is not some election-year conversion for Thompson. It stretches back his whole life. He began his career investigating the Nixon White House. As Stephen Hayes reminded us in The Weekly Standard, as a staffer on the Senate Watergate committee, Thompson asked the question that revealed the existence of the White House tapes. ...

Read the whole thing.

Republican Thompson says U.S. battling "evil"

RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) - Republican Fred Thompson, making his first appearance since his late entry into the 2008 White House race, criticized the immigration pact in Congress on Saturday and said the United States was battling threats from "forces of evil."

In a speech at a Virginia state party dinner, the conservative former Tennessee senator and Hollywood actor made only passing reference to his presidential ambitions but took a jab at Democrats while praising limited government and lower taxes.

"There are all kinds of threats out there in America," Thompson said, citing a disrupted plot at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York as the latest example. He said the United States must send a message to its allies about the dangers of terrorism.

"This is a battle between the forces of civilization and the forces of evil and we've got to choose sides," Thompson said. ...

He won a standing ovation from the dinner crowd of more than 450 in Richmond with a call for stronger borders and an attack on the immigration compromise pending in Congress, and backed by President George W. Bush, that would give 12 million illegal immigrants a shot at citizenship.

"This is our home and we get to decide who can come into our home," he said.

He said Washington's partisan politics had bred cynicism about government and there was a "disconnect" between Washington politicians and Americans.

Thompson, a supporter of the Iraq war, also criticized the Democratic-controlled Congress for its debate on bills that would set withdrawal deadlines and timetables for U.S. troops in Iraq.

"The only real debate going on in Congress is what our surrender date is going to be," he said. "This is what passes for policy in the Democratic Party." ...

Read the whole thing.

See also: Thompson Generates Buzz in Richmond

Better Off Fred?
We know Thompson can play one, that's for sure.
By Jonah Goldberg

Here are just a few little-known facts about Fred Thompson:

  • Every night before going to sleep, Osama bin Laden checks under his bed for Fred Thompson.
  • Though Fred Thompson left the Senate in 2003, Harry Reid still hasn’t stopped wetting his pants. ...
  • Only two things can kill Superman: Kryptonite and Fred Thompson.
  • Fred Thompson once stood on our south border and glared at Mexico. There was no illegal immigration for a month. ...
  • Fred Thompson can open clamshell packaging without the slightest trouble.

As the old proverb goes, there’s truth in jest. Obviously, I don’t mean to say that it’s possible for anyone to open clamshell packaging easily. I nearly lost a thumb recently while trying to extricate a cowgirl doll for my daughter from its plastic cocoon.

But there’s no denying that Fred Thompson has one of the most profound personality cults we’ve seen in politics for a long time. While traveling around the country in recent months, I’ve been amazed at how many rank-and-file Republicans see Thompson as a secular savior, as if Thompson were designed by GOP-friendly alien scientists as some sort of Super Candidate. ...

Read the whole thing.

Thompson Establishes Campaign Committee
By Liz Sidoti (H/T: Kim Priestap)

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican Fred Thompson took the first formal step toward a widely expected bid for the presidency, establishing a preliminary campaign committee on Friday.

The "testing the waters" committee allows Thompson—a former Tennessee senator and actor best known for his film and television roles, including as a prosecutor on NBC's "Law & Order"—to raise money, hire staff and gauge support without officially committing to a White House bid and without having to publicly disclose donations or expenditures.

The "Friends of Fred Thompson" committee was incorporated in papers filed with the Secretary of State in Nashville, Tenn., to "promote the potential candidacy of Fred Thompson for the office of president of the United States."

Thompson, 64, a Southern conservative with a right-leaning Senate record, would shake up an already unsettled race for the GOP nomination led by Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney. Many conservatives have expressed dissatisfaction with the current field of 10 candidates.

By creating the committee now, Thompson, an advocate in the Senate of a campaign finance reform bill requiring greater disclosure of contributions, avoids having to report to the Federal Election Commission his fundraising totals, donor identities or expenditures on July 15. That's the filing deadline for the second quarter of the year, and the top-tier GOP candidates, as well as seven underdog contenders, must abide by it.

Thompson's timing could significantly dampen the fundraising ability of his potential GOP rivals during the homestretch of the second quarter financial reporting period. Donors who otherwise would have contributed to other Republicans, instead, may choose to give to Thompson.

Officials close to Thompson say he's more likely than not to formally enter the race, perhaps as early as July, and open headquarters in Nashville and the Washington, D.C., area. However, they caution, he's made no final decision about going forward. ...

Read on.

Contributed by Bill Faith on June 3, 2007 at 11:57 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Thursday, 31 May 2007
 

2007.05.31 Fred! Roundup

See previous: 2007.05.30 Fred! Roundup

Below the fold:

  • Fred Thompson to take step toward candidacy
  • Barone: Fred Thompson Is In
  • Novak: Why Fred Thompson?
  • Thompson Gets Serious

See also:

I included this in yesterday's roundup but I added it so late in the day you probably didn't see it so I'm moving it here: 

Thompson wants to be 2008's outsider
By Susan Page, USA TODAY

STAMFORD, Conn. — Politician-turned-actor Fred Thompson has been coy with audiences as he flirts with a bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

In an interview with USA TODAY, however, the former Tennessee senator not only makes it clear that he plans to run, he describes how he aims to do it. He's planning an unconventional campaign using blogs, video posts and other Internet innovations to reach voters repelled by politics-as-usual in both parties.

"I can't remember exactly the point that I said, 'I'm going to do this,' " Thompson says, his 6-foot, 6-inch frame sprawled comfortably across a couch in a hotel suite. "But when I did, the thing that occurred to me: 'I'm going to tell people that I am thinking about it and see what kind of reaction I get to it.' "

His late start carries some problems but also "certain advantages," he says. "Nobody has maxed out to me" in contributions, he notes, and using the Internet already "has allowed me to be in the hunt, so to speak, without spending a dime."

Thompson could reshape a GOP contest in which each of the three leaders has significant vulnerabilities and none of the seven second-tier contenders has broken through. Without formally joining the race — he's preparing to do that as early as the first week of July — Thompson already is placing third and better among Republican candidates in some national polls.

Dissatisfaction among one-third of Republicans with the 2008 field has opened the door for the candidate whose folksy tone, actor's ease before an audience and conservative credentials drew comparisons to Ronald Reagan at the annual Connecticut GOP dinner here. Thompson addressed the dinner last week to a sold-out audience.

"People listen to him and see someone who's very comfortable with who he is and confident about what he believes in," state Republican chairman Chris Healy says. "That's a skill that, obviously, Ronald Reagan took to great heights." ...

Read the whole thing. Exit question: Will the first time Fred tells Hillary "There you go again" occur during a formal debate or in a Breitbart TV video?

Fred Thompson to take step toward candidacy 
'Testing the waters' papers to be filed with FEC on Monday

By Chuck Todd
Political Director, NBC News

WASHINGTON - Enter Number Eleven?

Fred Thompson makes it (more) official. According to a campaign source, the former Tennessee senator and actor on NBC’s “Law & Order” will file his FEC papers officially on Monday June 4.

In FEC parlance, Thompson is opening a "testing the waters" committee, a technical term that allows Thompson to forgo filing a detailed report on June 30 – though once he's an official candidate, he'll have to file retroactively.

The June 4 filing will be coordinated with a first-day fundraising blitz with 100-plus "First Day Founders" raising a significant one-day sum in order to send a we're-in-the-first-tier message.

The campaign tells me the "first day" blitz totals they report will be "cash" actually raised, not pledges. The source didn't dispute the notion that the one-day goal would be north of seven figures.

As for his "why I'm running" announcement, it is set for sometime later this summer, in July.

A campaign source wouldn't confirm the public reports of a July 4 weekend date.

This source explained that nothing about the formal declaration is in stone because they want to see how fundraising goes in June.

Assuming the campaign raises, say, $5 million or more (a goal that seems to be within reach), then more formal steps will take place.  ...

Read the whole thing.

Fred Thompson Is In
Michael Barone

That's what Stephen Hayes is reporting in the Weekly Standard and Mike Allen in Politico. Last night I attended an off-the-record American Spectator dinner with Thompson and his wife, Jeri; George Will and Robert Novak were also there. I'm not supposed to say what was said there, but nothing I heard inclined me to think that Hayes and Allen have gotten it wrong. Thompson's exploratory committee will go into action June 4, collecting money and hiring staffers. ...

What can I say about the Thompson candidacy? From what I've heard from him in the past, and uncontradicted by what I heard last night, he tends to focus on big issues—the threat of Islamist fascism and the need for overhauling the tax system. He is fluent and sounds folksy, but his statements also suggest a pretty solid base of knowledge. He speaks like an outsider from beyond the Beltway, not a Washington insider. That's a plus. ...

Why Fred Thompson?
Robert Novak

WASHINGTON -- Fred Thompson sat at the end of a long table in The Monocle restaurant on Capitol Hill Tuesday night for dinner with some 20 fellow conservatives, mostly journalists. He sent two signals. First, he sounded like a man who has decided to run for president. Second, his candidacy will be something different from other Republicans, in both substance and style.

This was one of the irregular sessions of the Saturday Evening Club, which is not a club and never meets on Saturday. The name was purloined from H.L. Mencken's Baltimore discussion club by R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr., editor-in-chief of The American Spectator. Tyrrell arranges and presides over these events, always featuring a guest newsmaker -- usually a Republican presidential hopeful over the past two years. Former Sen. Thompson was the most intriguing of them because he has become a leading prospect for president even though he has not announced his candidacy and has no real campaign. ...

... Beyond ideology, Thompson envisions a 21st-century campaign, utilizing the Internet more and spending less money than his opponents. When speaking to a friendly audience or ruminating off the record, the 6-foot-7 actor-politician does not look or sound like the GOP's announced candidates for president. His challenge will be to convey that impression when he appears with opponents on the same stage in the immediate future.

Thompson Gets Serious
Ed Morrissey

[...]

Earlier this week, I noted that Fred seemed to be staging a philosopher's campaign for the Presidency. Rather than declaring and then opining about issues on an individual basis, he has remained out of the fray, concentrating on issues to support the grander theme of federalism and smaller government. So far, that has worked, and he tells USA Today that his campaign themes will reflect that: "tighter borders, smaller government, lower taxes". While that's not exactly an unknown combination among present Republican presidential candidates, Fred bets that his consistency -- and his persona -- will lend greater credibility to his claim to those themes in the primary campaign.

He may be right, but he's going to have tough competition. Mitt Romney sounds those same themes, although the "smaller government" portion tends to get buried in discussions of health care, where Republicans tend to mistrust any mention of that issue as a stalking-horse for expansion of entitlements. Romney rejects that approach, but some Republican voters may remain wary. John McCain also hammers the same themes, but his record on the Bush tax cuts hurts. Rudy Giuliani also lays claim to those principles. So do Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, Mike Huckabee, Sam Brownback, and Ron Paul takes them to the extreme.

It will take the next coming of Ronald Reagan to break out of the pack. Thompson will have to convince GOP voters that he gives the party the best opportunity to actually put those principles into action -- something that twelve years of GOP control over Congress and six over the White House didn't accomplish. Can he do that? Fred makes it clear that he will grasp the opportunity to convince us.

Contributed by Bill Faith on May 31, 2007 at 01:53 AM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Wednesday, 30 May 2007
 

2007.05.30 Fred! Roundup (Sticky)

I'm hanging this at the top of the site for the day or until something bigger comes along. Please scroll down for newer content.

See previous: 2007.05.25 Fred! Roundup

Below the fold:

  • Fred Thompson will run, advisers say
  • No July 4 Announcement For Fred Thompson

See also:

Testing the Waters 
Fred Thompson, candidate-in-waiting.
by Stephen F. Hayes 

FRED THOMPSON IS RUNNING for the Republican presidential nomination. In a conference call Monday, Thompson addressed a group of more than 100 supporters and fundraisers whom the campaign has dubbed First Day Founders. He told them that he would be setting up an organization that will allow him to begin raising money and recruiting staff.

In official campaign finance parlance, the move represents a shift from "giving serious consideration" to a presidential bid, as Thompson said he would do back in March, as a non-candidate, to a "testing the waters" period where one is, in effect, a candidate-in-waiting with a campaign-in-preparation. Thompson advisers point out that the new testing-the-waters entity is not quite a campaign committee, though it will officially begin accepting contributions on June 4. On that day -- the First Day, as it were--the campaign will take in donations that it can then tout as an impressive one-day haul. A corollary benefit will be that news reports about Thompson's non-entry entry will run on June 5, when the declared candidates will meet in New Hampshire for their third debate. (Thompson won't be required to disclose his donors and the amounts they give to the Federal Election Commission until September.)   

No one thinks Thompson would have set up this entity if he had not decided to run, and there were apparently no serious qualifications or hesitations expressed on the conference call yesterday. The testing-the-waters committee allows Thompson to recruit and hire staff, which  he intends to do. And he now has an entity that can collect campaign cash. For nearly four months, would-be Thompson supporters have been frozen in place, unable to contribute to Thompson even as they have been hounded by other campaigns. ...

Do read the whole thing.

I haven't made it any secret for quite a while now that I want to see Fred Thompson in the Oval Office. If it comes to that I'll vote against any Democrat who's likely to be nominated, even if that means I have to hold my nose and vote for McCain, but Fred's the only one in the race I'd feel good about voting for.

See also: Another sign of his intentions? Fred Thompson is raising money (H/T: Don Surber)

*** Update and bump. I'll hang this at the top of the site for the day unless something bigger comes along. Original timestamp 01:08

Fred Thompson will run, advisers say
By: Mike Allen 

Fred Dalton Thompson is planning to enter the presidential race over the Fourth of July holiday, announcing that week that he has already raised several million dollars and is being backed by insiders from the past three Republican administrations, Thompson advisers told The Politico.

Thompson, the "Law and Order" star and former U.S. senator from Tennessee, has been publicly coy, even as people close to him have been furiously preparing for a late entry into the wide-open contest.  But the advisers said Thompson dropped all pretenses on Tuesday afternoon during a conference call with more than 100 potential donors, each of whom was urged to raise about $50,000.

Thompson's formal announcement is planned for Nashville. Organizers say the red pickup truck that was a hallmark of Thompson's first Senate race will begin showing up in Iowa and New Hampshire as an emblem of what they consider his folksy, populist appeal.

A testing-the-waters committee is to be formed June 4 so Thompson can start raising money, and staffers will go on the payroll in early June, the organizers said. A policy team has been formed, but remains under wraps. ...

Allahpundit has comments and related links here.

No July 4 Announcement For Fred Thompson
Jim Geraghty

Just talked to a Thompson source I'll call "TA3" (Thompson Associate 3). Much more coming shortly, but the first word was, there will not be a presidential announcement from Fred Thompson on July 4.

(The Politico got it wrong, it appears.)

TA3: "There will be no July 4 announcement... There was some discussion of a June 4 beginning of fundraising; that's the date checks will be collected. I suspect that's where there was some confusion."

The forthcoming announcement will be that Thompson is "testing the waters." While Thompson is in that not-quite-announced-candidate stage, he will be able to complete previously commmitted paid appearances and speeches and continue work his work on ABC radio and  filling in for Paul Harvey. He is not lining up additional paid speeches or appearances. ...

I've moved an item that was here to my 2007.05.31 roundup.

Contributed by Bill Faith on May 30, 2007 at 11:59 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack


Friday, 25 May 2007
 

Fred Thompson remembers on a Memorial Day Weekend

I Remember
Fred Dalton Thompson

I remember when I was a kid; one thing was clear to me. The more I learned about the rest of the world, the luckier I felt just having been born in America. The more I learned about America, the more I appreciated what those who came before us built; and how exceptional they were.

Not that there aren't other great places to live, but America is unique. It's not just that we are the freest and most prosperous county the world has ever seen. America has also freed more people than any other nation in history.

A lot of people have done their part to see that we are blessed with the advantages we enjoy -- from hardworking pioneer mothers to the Framers of the Constitution. Memorial Day is coming up, though, and I'm thinking more about American soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice -- those who died to protect our way of life and make the world safe for democracy.  ...

Read the whole thing, or listen to Sen. Thompson read it, here.

Contributed by Bill Faith on May 25, 2007 at 09:27 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson, Memorial Day | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Wednesday, 23 May 2007
 

Fred !!!!!

See previous: Fred!, Fred!!, Fred!!!, Fred!!!!

Below the fold, newest items at the top:

  • Thompson Courted to Seek GOP Nomination
  • Ask his exes

*** *** *** Fold (but please don't spindle or mutilate) *** *** ***

Thompson Courted to Seek GOP Nomination 

There was a time when Fred Thompson suggested that he couldn't see himself running for office again.

"For me, the George Washington example of serving eight years and riding out of town on a horse and never returning has great appeal," the Tennessee Republican said in 2002, the twilight of his Senate career.

Now, five years later, he is a well-known TV actor who finds himself on the verge of a real-life presidential bid, seemingly recruited by activists hungry for someone to fill what they call a conservative void among the top-tier GOP hopefuls.

Numerous signs point to a Thompson candidacy, and a summertime announcement is widely expected, although people close to him caution that he has not made a final decision about running.

Thompson is hiring staff, speaking to conservative groups, writing online columns on topics of the day and staking out positions on issues like the Senate immigration overhaul. He also is testing his pitch on the Internet.

"It's important to the future of this country that (Republicans) have somebody that can win in November," Thompson said in a recent online interview. "People are looking for somebody who can talk straight to them. That's what I hope I bring to bear."

His expected entrance into the already crowded GOP field could dramatically shake up the race, ...

Ask his exes
Don Surber

If you want to know more about a man, ask his exes. Which can only mean disappointment for Fred Thompson’s opponents.

GAC interviewed one of his exes, Lorrie Morgan, for the dirt on Fred. (Her big hit was “Something in Red,” but I resisted punning it.) Ex-girlfriend Lorrie said he’s presidential material:

“I always thought it. I used to beg him to run for president. I used to say, ‘If you were in the White House, I would be so safe-feeling. I could go to sleep at night and know that everything was taken care of up there.’ “

She also said: ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on May 23, 2007 at 07:14 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Tuesday, 22 May 2007
 

Fred !!!!

See previous: Fred!, Fred!!, Fred!!!

Below the fold:

  • Fred to announce on Leno?
  • Fred Thompson predicts immigration reform bill will fail
  • Tolerating Trafficking

*** *** *** Fold (but please don't spindle or mutilate) *** *** ***

Fred to announce on Leno? 
Don Surber

Fred Thompson will announce in June that he’s running for president, reported Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post.

The buzz continues to grow that Thompson will indeed join the race sometime before the end of June. At last week’s Republican debate in South Carolina, flyers were handed out in the media filing center that had a glossy picture of Thompson and touted endorsements from the likes of Reps. Gresham Barrett (SC.), Jeff Miller (Fla.), Don Manzullo (Ill.) and Steve Buyer (Ind.). The flyer was sponsored by the Draft Thompson effort.

Hmm. And as previously reported he’ll appear on the Tonight Show on June 12.

My advice: Pull a Schwarzenegger and announce on Jay Leno. That way, people will actually be watching the show. It will generate more buzz. And best of all, no meddling reporters to ask annoying questions at a press conference. ...

Fred Thompson predicts immigration reform bill will fail 

CHICAGO - The immigration reform bill worked out late last week by Senate Republicans and Democrats likely will fail, former senator and possible presidential candidate Fred Thompson said here Sunday.

Thompson, speaking at the National Restaurant Association annual show, said the bill will not win the support of the American people because they don't trust senators' promises to block illegal immigrants from crossing the Mexican border into the U.S.

"Nobody believes them. It goes to the bigger issue of the lack of credibility our government has these days," said Thompson, who was greeted with hoots and applause from the 2,300 convention attendees who filled a ballroom at the McCormick Place convention center. Thompson also was harshly critical of China, saying the military and economic threat the country poses is among the critical issues - along with untamed growth in entitlement spending - that are not being dealt with while the U.S. is fixated on the war in Iraq.

"I call it 'The Day After Iraq,' " Thompson said. "It's not a pretty picture." ...

Tolerating Trafficking
Fred Dalton Thompson

I'm never particularly surprised when the United Nations seems to oppose human freedom rather than promote it. At least a third of its member nations aren't democratic themselves. Many that claim to be, are only barely so.

An organization that treats democracies and dictators equally cannot be expected to be a pure force for good. When Fidel Castro and Kim Jong Il have as much say in U.N. matters as the entire populations of Poland and New Zealand, you're going to have problems.

One was the Oil-for-Food scandal. We ought to remember that the U.N. let Saddam steal tens of billions of dollars -- money meant to be spent on food and medicine for his own people. Much of that money was used to pay off U.N. officials and buy support for Saddam's regime. 

Still, people keep telling me that the U.N. is a force for good -- and I'd like to believe it. The world could use an organization capable of dealing with international problems like slavery. According to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 people are sold across national borders annually. More are enslaved within nations. Most are women; about half are children, and the majority are sexually abused.

That's why accusations made by former U.S. ambassador John Miller are so disturbing.  ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on May 22, 2007 at 12:38 PM in Decision '08, Fred Thompson | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Friday, 18 May 2007
 

Fred!

Below the fold:

  • First Blogger?
  • The Man Who Wasn't There
  • Reagan 2.0

See also The Immigration Bill: Comprehensive or Incomprehensible?, which I excerpted and linked here.

*** *** *** Fold (but please don't spindle or mutilate) *** *** ***

First Blogger?
PJM Hollywood

Since the ‘04 Howard Dean campaign, the Internet has been seen as fertile ground for presidential candidates. But the advent of a possible candidacy by former Senator Fred Thompson could take online politics to a new level. In this exclusive article for Pajamas Media, Thompson reveals a respect for the ‘net and its importance to democracy that could only come from a true web surfer. If the six-time weekly winner of the PJM Presidential Straw Poll is actually elected President, are we looking at … the First Blogger?

To PJM and Friends
By Fred Thompson

So, I hear you all have been talking about me.

It seems that I ought to respond, at least briefly, to all those who have expressed confidence in me — both here and in other forums. I do not take that confidence lightly.

The Pajamas Media poll is certainly good news, especially when, for a lot of politicians, encouragement to run from three relatives and an unemployed campaign consultant is considered an unstoppable groundswell. When people are saying nice things about me, I try to remember the proverb that compares flattery to a net at your feet. To be sure, the Pajamas poll results are very flattering, so let me return the favor and throw a net at your feet.

Whether or not the Internet can elect any particular candidate in any particular race, it’s clear that all of you and our many friends across the blogosphere and the Web are part of a true information revolution. That’s why so much of my effort has been focused on talking to Americans through this medium. By empowering individuals and building communities, the Internet provides a way of going around the inside-the-beltway crowd to reach people in numbers unheard of not that long ago.

I believe this direct communication and discussion is going to have an enormous impact on our political process. Our nation is facing unprecedented threats, and the challenges of globalization. ...

The Man Who Wasn't There
Fred Thompson isn't yet running, but he's running a great campaign
Peggy Noonan

Having watched the second Republican debate the other night, it's clear to me the subject today is Fred Thompson, the man who wasn't there. While the other candidates bang away earnestly in a frozen format, Thompson continues to sneak up from the creek and steal their underwear--boxers, briefs and temple garments.

He is running a great campaign. It's just not a declared campaign. It's a guerrilla campaign whose informality is meant to obscure his intent. It has been going on for months and is aimed at the major pleasure zones of the Republican brain. In a series of pointed columns, commentaries and podcasts, Mr. Thompson has been talking about things conservatives actually talk about. Shouldn't homeowners have the right to own a gun? Isn't it bad that colleges don't teach military history? How about that Sarkozy--good news, isn't it? Did you see Tenet on Russert? His book sounds shallow, tell-all-y.

These comments and opinions are being read and forwarded in Internet Nation. They are revealing and interesting, but they're not heavy, not homework. They have an air of "This is the sound of a candidate thinking." That's an unusual sound.

***

Reagan 2.0
Dan Riehl

Instapundit referring to this note at PJM from Fred Thompson:

No wonder Thompson's paying attention to the Internet: "As of Wednesday afternoon, Thompson’s video, in which he suggests that Moore might look into a mental institution, drew 598,600 viewers on Vimeo, YouTube and Google Video. That dwarfs the most views from any moment during the debate."

It was easier, too. It probably took a half hour or less to make that video. People sometimes say that Thompson's lazy, but I'm put in mind of the Robert Heinlein short story, The Man Who Was Too Lazy to Fail.

Many have said that Reagan's greatest strength was his ability to talk over the media and connect directly with the American people. The mis-characterizations of his intellect, ability and effort never really hurt him much while he was in office because, in a sense, people felt they had a relationship with Reagan. You didn't need the media to tell you who Reagan was, or that for which he stood. His communication skills were so solid, he told you, you sensed he was telling the truth, and a vast majority of the American electorate very much liked what they heard.

We often hear partisanship being blamed as the big problem with getting effective leadership from Washington. But it's interesting to consider Reagan, his ability to skirt the media, and wonder if the media hasn't been the biggest challenge for Presidents since the Kennedy/Nixon debate.

To the extent that might be true, at least for now Thompson has found the same method around the media we bloggers use. It's powerful and, for a candidate, or a President, it could be Reagan on steroids aka Reagan 2.0. ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on May 18, 2007 at 08:54 PM in Fred Thompson, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack


Saturday, 05 May 2007
 

2007.05.05 Decision Fred! '08 Roundup

See previous: 2007.05.04 Decision '08 Roundup ...

Below the fold, newest items at the top:

  • Fred Thompson — ‘I’ve never casually run for anything’
  • Some remarks I left on the Power Line forum
  • A Second Helping of Fred
  • Fred's Debut

Some Thoughts On Fred!'s Lincoln Club Speech

I'm not sure if C-Span had problems at the last or if I did something wrong but I managed to watch almost all of Fred Thompson's speech at The Lincoln Club. He kinda sorta followed the prepared remarks posted here but they don't begin to do justice to his podium persona. He's not quite Reagan's equal as a communicator but he's the closest I've seen in a lot of years and he said all the right things.

btw, I just bookmarked The Fred Thompson Report on ABC's web site and spent some time in the archives. How about if you do the same?

Fred! '08! Fred! '08! Fred! '08!

***

Via Real Clear Politics, watch some short excerpts from Sen. Thompson's speech at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae7EfXqNO4Q. *** *** Update: Watch the whole speech here (Hat tip: bnelson44 in this PL Forum thread) It's just over a half hour long so you might still want to watch the excerpt if you're pressed for time.

***

Better yet, watch that clip here then go watch Fred Thompson on Hannity & Colmes Part I and Fred Thompson on Hannity & Colmes Part II

*** ***     *** ***     *** ***     *** ***     *** ***     *** ***

Fred Thompson — ‘I’ve never casually run for anything’

***

I posted this on this Power Line Forum thread but since it's alreay typed up I might as well post it here to. (The whole thread's well worth your time.)

(With a salute to IronDioPriest for kinda/sorta bringing this up earlier.)

Second, the last five years have been a critical time in our nation’s history. From 2002 to the present, men like George Bush, John McCain, and many others have been fighting a very difficult battle on behalf of our country. Not Fred Thompson: he preferred to leave the Senate to live the very sweet life of a minor television celebrity. There’s nothing wrong with that, necessarily, but it’s not exactly heroic, either.

John, go reread A Second Helping of Fred, which Scott linked to from The Fred factor, part 3. Sen. Thompson didn’t feel particularly needed in 2000.

Thompson says before 9/11 he thought the United States was in “an era of caretaker presidents"-that the American people did not want to talk about some of the more difficult issues. Although Thompson credits Bush for campaigning on Social Security reform, such bold policy proposals were the exceptions after eight years of Bill Clinton. “George Bush comes along and talks about compassionate conservatism, it seemed like a perfect thing that fit the times and I’m sure his advisors thought so. And that’s not worth it. I was wrong. September 11 happened. We realized, everybody realized, that the eart