Posted on 01/03/2008 4:35:10 AM PST by rightwingintelligentsia
DES MOINES, Iowa – Several Republican officials close to Fred Thompson’s presidential campaign said they expect the candidate will drop out of the race within days if he finishes poorly in Thursday’s Iowa caucus.
Thompson’s campaign, which last spring and summer was generating fevered anticipation in the media and with some Republican activists, has never ignited nationally, and there are no signs of a late spark happening here in Iowa, where even a third-place finish is far from assured.
This reality—combined with a fundraising drought—left well-connected friends and advisers of Thompson Wednesday evening predicting that he will pull the plug on hype and hope before the Jan. 8 New Hampshire primary.
Thompson’s departure could shake up the race more than his continued presence. Friends and advisers said they have long considered it likely that if the lobbyist-actor is forced from the race he would endorse John McCain his former Senate colleague who lately has been staging a political revival in New Hampshire.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Shades of Ross Perot.
Yes, but it’s from The Politico. Isn’t this the one that got miffed because Thompson wouldn’t let their reporter into an interview with a local paper?
It is always worth asking the motivation of folks who write things. In this case, who benefits?
This article hurts Thompson in Iowa and helps McCain. Hmmm...
Also, no rational person would expect a Thompson endorsement of McCain to help McCain...probably 90% of Thompson supporters loath McCain, and would rather cut off their hand than vote for him.
Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on the part of the media.
NOOOOO! America needs Fred.
I just saw Fred on CNN and said that this rumour was just a rumour and did NOT come from his campaign...
So just another attempt by the enemy to sink him.
Luckily Fred will be basically spamming the media today either on TV or the radio and will be able to at least try to set the record straight.
Hang in there, Fred!
Fred said that this is nothing but a rumor. He is not quitting.
Fred doesn’t want it enough. Nothing wrong with that. What drives me crazy is the talk that he’ll support McLame.
McLame is a back stabbing media candidate. That’s his constituency, the MSM. He’s on their Talk shows every Sunday. He’s a Democrat’s idea of a Republican nominee.
The Party had better understand, if it’s McLame, it’s Hillary as POTUS.
already posted,
already disproven.
A typical Politico hit piece.
Can’t have a reagan comparison.
NOOooo! Can’t they give it alittle more time? Maybe wait for a few more primaries? McCain? Yuck!
Someone is having fantasy dreams. McCainiacs maybe?
If Fred supports McCain, does that make Fred a RINO, too?
I actually can see this happening ...
I won’t like it ... but I can see ...
I can even see a McCain/Thompson Ticket... (heads would be exploding here on FR)
More disinformation from the enemy within.I’ll be go to hell before I will support mcnutts.
BS before, BS today, BS tomorrow.
Denial posted this morning plus he gained Tom McClintock’s endorsement as well.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1947543/posts
This is a sign that internal polling for Romney or Huckster are showing Fred surging. Late minute dirty tricks to try to deflate his balloon.
For the LOVE of god..
will the news, pundits, etc just let the #$@#$@# election happen?
everyone is trying to predict the results.. Weeks ahead of time.
Dean and Gephardt started throwing bombs at Kerry the last couple days in Iowa 2004 after ignoring him most of the campaign. They too saw the surge taking place in their internal numbers
It does look like an active attempt to scuttle Fred’s campaign from the Politico.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the media take such an active in manipulating campaign results until this election.
Thanks.
Moderator, please go ahead and delete my post since this appears to be a duplicate.
Years, even!
It also sounds like a Hill/Bill old school trick.
You mean like that POS candidate you support?
This rumor has been proven wrong in various other threads.
And, it seems that this whole rumor started from someone tied to your candidate's campaign. Typical of your 'backstabbing' candidate; get the minions to do the dirty work then deny, deny, deny.
BTW, welcome to FR. I'll be checking in from time to time to see how long you stay. I'd bet it'll be tied to your candidate's polling.
Sounds like the Romney Sleaze Machine at work trying to take down Fred’s candidacy with a whisper campaign.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Interviewed Live by John Roberts and Kiran Chetry on CNN’s American Morning. WHEN: 6:15 am CT WHERE: CNN, Check your local listings.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Interviewed Live by Harry Smith on CBS’s The Early Show. WHEN: 7:00 am CT WHERE: CBS, Check your local listings.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Interviewed Live by Brian Kilmeade, Steve Doocy, and Gretchen Carlson FOX’s FOX & Friends. WHEN: 7:35 am CT WHERE: FOX News, Check your local listings.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Live Interview on Morning Report with Dan Kennedy. WHEN: 8:20 am CT WHERE: WOC 1420, Davenport NOTE: Listen live at http://www.woc1420.com/main.html.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Live Interview on Schulte & Swann Morning Show. WHEN: 8:35 am CT WHERE: KZIA 102.9, Cedar Rapids NOTE: Listen live at http://www.kzia.com/HOME/tabid/36/Default.aspx.
WHAT: Meet Fred Thompson WHEN: 9:00 am CT WHERE: The Marriott 1250 Jordan Creek Parkway West Des Moines, IA NOTE: Doors open at 8:30 am CT. Please pre-set all equipment by 8:35 am.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Interviewed Live by Tim Russert on MSNBC. WHEN: 9:45 am CT WHERE: MSNBC, Check your local listings.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Participates in Radio Town Hall with KFAB’s Tom Becka WHEN: 12:30 pm CT WHERE: Quality Inn & Suites 3537 West Broadway (Hwy 6) Council Bluffs, IA NOTE: Doors open at 12:00 pm CT. Please pre-set all equipment by 12:10 pm.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Participates in Press Availability WHEN: 1:15 pm CT WHERE: Quality Inn & Suites 3537 West Broadway Council Bluffs, IA
WHAT: Fred Thompson Live Interview on Mac’s World WHEN: 2:40 pm CT WHERE: WOW 98.3, Des Moines NOTE: Listen live at http://www.983wowfm.com/default.asp.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Live Interview on The Sean Hannity Show WHEN: 3:05 pm CT WHERE: Check Your Local Listings. NOTE: Listen live at http://www.wabcradio.com/.
WHAT: Meet Fred Thompson WHEN: 3:50 pm CT WHERE: Luciano’s Restaurant 1019 4th Street Sioux City, IA NOTE: Doors open at 3:15 pm CT. Please pre-set all equipment by 3:20 pm.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Interviewed Live by Wolf Blitzer on CNN’s The Situation Room. WHEN: 4:20 pm CT WHERE: CNN, Check your local listings.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Live Interview on The Bob Bruce Radio Experience WHEN: 4:40 pm CT WHERE: WOW 98.3, Des Moines NOTE: Listen live at http://www.983wowfm.com/default.asp.
WHAT: Fred Thompson Attends Fred ‘08 Caucus Celebration WHEN: 8:00 pm CT WHERE: Des Moines Marriott Downtown 1019 4th Street Des Moines, IA NOTE: Doors open for media at 6:30 pm CT. Doors open for public at 8:00 pm CT.
It was when the DNCs MSM department of propoganda was running with it last night.
The hopes of the Drive-by-Media are spilling into these stories left and right.
Someone sure seems to be running scared of Fred :-)
today we have a wsj new hit piece too
I agree, this is a lie. It’s highly unlikely because all this would do would completely undermine his chances in today’s Iowa primary. Only someone trying to sabotage his campaign would say this at this point and time.
Dirty tricks BS from a rival campaign.
I believe this is BS, and I am really sick of it. Fred was on the Laura Ingraham show yesterday. He did not sound like a guy ready to drop out at all.
These are cheap attempts by the MSM to undermine the Thompson campaign to help Huck, McCain and Romney.
Yes, it is. And a nasty, calculated one at that. The "friends and advisors" this article supposedly cites are disinformation operatives. Oh yeah, they're "connected" all right, but not to Thompson. I suspect that if we follow that extension cord, we'd find it plugged into Huckabee. It fits his campaign's pattern; sow seeds of discord while smiling angelically and pointing the finger at someone else.
My theory is that Thompson was in this to divide the anti-McCain vote so McCain could make a breakthrough.
We’ll just wait and see what happens.
This is a desperate time where the stories get planted here, there and everywhere to serve political purposes.
Dirty trick time, in other words.
A Thompson endorsement of McCain would become a “see I told you so” moment for me.
But I jump to no conclusions for the moment.
Heard FRed on with Mark Levin ... he did NOT sound like someone who was about to drop out of the race.
lets see...
huckabee does sleazy cross stunt.
huckabee does sleazy anti-christian mormon stunt.
huckabee does presentation of sleazy ad he will not present.
now...
we have this sleazy news stunt.
Huckster is an EARNED moniker.
Someone said a while ago the Politico was founded solely for the purpose of getting Hillary elected President.
I guess if they are officially Republicans and they are in Iowa they would be considered close.
Don't you just love the B/S that emanates from these "reporters"?
If he's not drawn to the position out of personal ambition and he thought Mclame was good enough to endorse, then he wouldn't have given up his good job and seeing his wife and family in the first place.
Fred's not dropping out and he's not endorsing Mclame.
Post #58 (to which this directs you) has the interesting links. Jason Bonham was tied to the rumor.
If Fred would throw his support to McQueeg then he’s lost mine.
“Fred was just on CNN with John Roberts. He said this was BS.”
Fred was on Hannity yesterday and showed nothing but confidence. I think if he’s in the top 3 - Fred stays in.
Next,
A Thompson dirty trick no.
Someone counteracting Rush's comments at going up to the line but not endorsing Fred, YES.
He said yesterday there is one conservative in the race, hmmmm I wonder who :-).
It could be Huck, Mitt or McCain to halt Fred and get back at Rush.
Stupid move on their part, Rush will still hammer them.
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