Posted on 03/27/2007 3:51:49 AM PDT by Josh Painter
USA Today and Gallup offer their latest in polling for both parties in the extended presidential primary race, and a couple of changes have raised eyebrows. First, even the rumor of a bid by Fred Thompson has dented Rudy Giuliani's momentum, while John McCain's decline in support appears to have leveled off:
"On the Republican side, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson shook up the field with his announcement that he would consider getting into the presidential race. Thompson is familiar as the actor who plays District Attorney Arthur Branch on NBC's Law and Order. Chosen by 12% of Republican and Republican-leaning voters, Thompson is third in the Republican field. He trails former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, at 31%, and Arizona Sen. John McCain, at 22%. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich is at 8%."
"Thompson's support seems to come largely from voters who had supported Giuliani. In the USA TODAY poll taken March 2-4, Giuliani's standing had been 13 percentage points higher, at 44%. McCain's support had been 2 points lower then."
"What does this mean? Conservatives who have supported Giuliani for his leadership and electability -- and plenty of them have -- would desert Rudy if a credible, consistent conservative entered the race... Thompson['s]... eight years in the Senate have left a more credible sense of consistency and center-right politics than Giuliani brings to the race. And according to the Post's blog The Sleuth, Thompson has begun seriously considering a run -- and has met with GOP powerhouse advisor Ed Gillespie."
- snip -
Romney fared poorly in this poll... That has to be disappointing, especially since Hugh Hewitt's political biography and Romney's appearance at CPAC should have set the stage for a significant boost. Has Thompson's potential disrupted Romney's momentum as well? Possibly.
(Excerpt) Read more at captainsquartersblog.com ...
Giuliani was getting a boost from folks who are conservative, but are willing to bite the bullet, b/c they believe that he will rain hell onto Islamofascists and that he can win the general.
With Thompson, they get someone just as tough, and who can have just as good a shot at winning. Difference is that he is also a conservative.
So this data makes sense to me.
Fred Thompson being an actor and all, comparisons to the original conservative actor president (Ron Reagan) will be but natural. Besides, the war against izlamofascism is just as critical and dangerous as the one against communism.
There are tons of us that NEVER supported Rudy, that might just vote for Fred!
I notice that the Rudybots are really quiet!
Oh how we love the smell of panic in the morning...
Just as tough? All I remember of Fred, unfortunately, is seeing him get rolled by John Glenn on the Senate Committee investigating illegal campaign contributions during the 1996 election season. Tough? Senators by their very nature aren't "tough". And that's why only one in our lifetime has been elected President.
Give them time, the thread is still young.
and that's his job.....what fools the GOP is
Thompson is a plant to hurt the GOP against the beats.....what fools.....
Good for you....I knew there were some brains here
Good, because the scumbag giuliani doesn't even deserve to be in the race.
Oh, it will develop. Gingrich has been "not running yet" for months now. Fred Thompson's appearance on Fox News Sunday was just two weeks ago. The Fred Thompson grassroots movement is still in its infancy!
Ohhhh I'm a shakin LOL. No matter what happens, as long as chuck hagle ain't the nominee, I would be happy with the outcome of the primaries. My preferred candidate is still beating the pants off of all comers, but if that were to change the worst thing that would happen is another republican would get the nomination, oh lordy the horror! Your the ones whom if your candidate doesn't win the primaries who will go apoplectic.
Many of the rudybots are hiding in their new anti-freeper cave of a website.
EXCELLENT!!!!! I hope he pulls them all
In my case, I am looking for a leader, and leaders are usually defined by how there followers act. Why can't we all agree to look at all candidates, point out the areas where we agree, or disagree with them, and move on. I know many will claim that it is the Rudy supporters do the same thing, yet what I see is Rudy supporters defending their guy, while I see Thompson and Hunter supporters spending more time putting down Rudy instead of encouraging them to look at Fred.
Conservative Dude, I posted to your post because you did make a reasoned point, without the Rudy flames, and for that I am grateful. Keep up the reasoned debate.
He seems to be the perfect candidate. He pleases the country club Republicans, who simply want lower taxes, he pleases the social conservatives, who trust him to support their pet issues, and he pleases the "just don't let any Democrat win in 2008" voters who wouldn't back an unknown like Hunter or Brownback in the primaries.
Did I leave any category out?
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