Posted on 01/11/2008 6:16:46 AM PST by commish
To be honest, it can be traced back all the way to early in 07 when Fred first started being mentioned.
Fred made a comment that he was distressed that there were no true conservatives in the race, and he also said that the fact his "Good Friend" John McCain, who he considered the leading foriegn policy candidate, was fading was a factor in him deciding to run.
So, now that McCain is showing strength, it is only normal that the supporters of other candidates will look at those early statements and conclude that Fred is only in this now to siphon votes from thier favs for McCain.
Dan Rather, is that you? /kidding
ROFL! I love the witiness on FR. I come here for my daily chuckle as much as for the news.
If he’s so despised in the South why is leading the frickin’ state? Sorry, your logic just doesn’t jive. If McCain wins MI - I believe Thomspon, Huckabee and Romney will split the conservative vote and McCain will get enough crossover votes (like MI - Democrats and Independents can vote) and carries enough veterens he’ll carry SC which will give him momentum to Super Tuesday.
The fact is, Romney is the ONLY CANDIDATE taking on McCain who is the biggest RINO in the field. Explain that.
Does the SC primary allow cross-overs or does it not?
Joe Scarboro’s guys this morning said that Fred was going after Huckabee to help McCain. (for what that’s worth).
‘He lost last time because he was one of only three serious candidates left at that point. It’s more divided now.’
Good point.
I am a 24 year retired AF who now works as a contractor for the Air Force. You could not be more wrong on this. McCain is probably the single most hated candidate on base here.
I’ve been thinking much the same thing. Assuming McCain wins Michigan, he takes care of Romney so Fred didn’t need to go there.
But a McCain less-than 30% showing in SC will give Fred ammunition to spin that as a pitiful showing in the GOP’s strongholds. He can credibly argue that, without a divided conservative bloc, he can beat McCain.
Going after Huck made the most sense. If he can knock out Huck he will finally get some badly needed media credit. Had he taken on McCain, he could have cut into his lead but it’s unlikely he could make up enough ground to beat him. Then the media would have reported that he failed in his goal. Better to beat Huck right now.
He also had to figure that a Reaganesque challenge to Huck would have the side benefit of peeling off a few McCain/Mitt voters.
It’s late and risky. But I agree with you that it was his best strategy for SC. If the stars align correctly, he could come roaring into Florida.
Sort of. You have to declare which primary you are voting in 30 days prior to the election.
I doubt many Dems decided 30 days ago to cross over and mess with the Rep nomination in SC.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: “Last night it was so painfully obvious that Fred Thompson went to John McCain yesterday morning [affecting deep Thompsonesque voice] “if I can stay awake through this debate, I’ll attack Huckabee for you.””
He sees it as an affront, as we all do.
I doubt there was any thought of McCain at all.
That is exactly correct. Thompson is a stalking horse for McCain. Thompson and McCain are old friends and if Thompson doesn't win SC, he will promptly endorse McCain. Remember: it was the McCain-Feingold-Thompson campaign finance law. Mitt Romney is still the best of these imperfect candidates. Seeking perfection (Thompson) over the good (Romney) is going to deliver McCain.
Going after all of them at once would be counter-productive and come off as desperate. Pick the one with the biggest potential return, take him on, and only then go on to the next.
It was clear to me. I said as much to the wife last night. Fred was battling the other Southern candidate, that’s it.
“After the debate, McCain supporters seemed thrilled to have seen Thompson weakening the candidate [Huckabee] they believe is shaping up to be their top rival here.”
Joe Scarborough? no comment..
http://corner.nationalreview.com
Fred Thompson, Riled [Peter Robinson]
Just got off the line with someone close to the Thompson campaign—and, more to the point, to Thompson himself. His reading of what took place tonight? Fred Thompson was riled.
“Nothing ever upset Fred Thompson more than the story [on the day of the Iowa caucuses] that he was considering dropping out to endorse McCain.” Thompson, my friend explained, has a kind of Reagan-like innocence about him. He can’t understand why anyone would circulate such a rumor—or how the rumor has remained alive. “He’s just not the sort of person who would drop out. He likes John McCain, always has. But endorse McCain? Are you kidding? He took a swipe at McCain tonight. Didn’t everybody see that? That’s not how you get to be somebody’s running mate. Anyway, the idea that Fred is the kind of person who would run for vice president is just absurd.”
01/10 11:19 PM
You are correct, you can win a huck supporter with conservative logic. If they were conservatives, they wouldn’t be supporting a guy that grew the size of the AK government and budget by 60%. Notice when Chris wallace called him on it, he reverted to the “I brought HOPE” answer, didn’t try to tell wallace he cut taxes 94 times because Wallace had just read the ACTUAL DOLLARS to him in the question. But don’t let that bother you, all politicians are liars, the ones with bibles in their hands included! So by all means, vote for the man that lies with his bible in his hand.
I agree, Romney is the best fit for President. McLame and Rudy wouod both be a disaster. Instead of endorsing Mclame, I wish Fred would cut a deal with romney to be his VP.
I think...let’s say that I really hope...that Huckabee loses it in the south, with SC being the whipping board. He’s become very arrogant and thinks the more controversial he becomes, the more people will like him...like Obama. But Huck is no Obama.
However, if Obama pulls this out, he’ll win nationally, and this will go for the 8 year stretch. I think that what has hurt the Republicans has been very well-known evangelicals coming in for one of the more liberal candidates, thinking that the whole election depended on whether they could beat Hillary. Now, b/c these people have already weighed in, their following is swayed against people like Duncan and Fred. How else can you explain real conservatives getting behind McCain, Huckabee, Romney, Giuliani...? They have truly missed the mark, and may cost a good guy the election, if Fred wins the nomination.
Conservatives need to stick to their guns and hold the values they tout higher than ever, and demand a leader who will morally lead. The job, itself, will demand some give and take, so we don’t need to look for the one who looks like they’d be the most appealing ot the left.
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