Posted on 07/18/2007 2:03:55 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Fred Thompson complicates life for Mitt Romney. Without the Tennessean in the race, Romney's folks had visions of a head-to-head match-up with Rudy, and all that entails, dancing in their head.
But it doesn't seem like they're going to have that option. So now they're trying to define Fred before he even gets in.
As I reported in my weekend piece on Thompson, Romney's top social conservative staff liasion has sought to cast doubt on the former senator's commitment to the pro-life cause.
"FYI -- wanted to make sure you were all updated as this story develops and we all seek to discern the truth of these allegations against Fred Thompson," wrote Gary Marx in a blast email atop Mike Allen's story pointing out that Thompson is now easing off previous flat denials that he ever representated an abortion rights group.
Now, Romney himself is getting into the act, voicing two of the most frequent knocks on Thompson in an interview with Bill Sammon: he's too lazy and too Beltway.
Of course he didn't say it quite like that, but nevertheless he made the point.
“Can he raise the money?" Romney asked of Thompson. "Will he do the work it takes to become the president?”
“To beat Hillary Clinton, you’re going to have to raise a lot of money. You’re going to have to work like crazy.”
Moreover, Romney continued, can a guy with D.C. baggage win in a change election?
“You’re going to have to show the ability to be distinct from Washington,” Romney said. “I don’t think America is going to elect a Washington insider the next president. So can he do those things? We’ll find out when he’s in the race.”
(Wonder if that last little note may have been a reference to Thompson's delay in formally entering the contest?)
Told of the jabs, a Thompson aide crowed, "All for a guy who's not even in the race."
Their arguments against Fred Thompson don’t sound like they derive from a real sense of self-confidence.
GO FRED!!!
This is going to get ugly. Romney knows he’s got to knock out Thompson to lay claim to the conservative manle among the top-tier candidates.
He’s gonna get lots more punches than that. But I’m sure Fred can punch back too.
He is biting off more than he can chew.
Yeah, I suspect there will be bloody noses all around.
Fred's eating his lunch.
It’s what makes politics interesting. It’s brutal out of necessity.
I remember the interview with Fred when he mentioned the people going through records to try and find stuff on him. The interviewer asked if they were Democrats like Hillary looking, and Fred said no, it was people in my own party...
This Jonathan Martin is a lib trying to play Romney against Thompson. I wouldn’t fall for that.
Over $5 Million? Now where did it come from?
Frankly, Mr. Romney’s attempts to paint Mr. Thompson in a bad light seem fairly hypocritical, considering that many of us still wonder whether Mr. Romney is really a fraud of a social conservative, or just an extremely recent convert.
Glass houses and stones, and all that.
Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
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That’s my favorite picture of Fred.
"If Thompson does not get out, I will send one of my own
private (pseudo-)police officers to arrest him."
I suspect there will be bloody noses all around.You're probably right, but I hope not. I would like to see the disagreements amongst Republicans handled with grace and civility. I don't want to see bloody noses, just honest debate... and let the best Fred win.
Judging from that picture, Romney could just as easily be Same Malone from “Cheers.” Maybe it’s just me, but I find the resemblance a bit unnerving.
Anyway,...Romney knows he has to take out Fred to get a real shot at taking out Rudy. One of the problems Fred has by continuing to be an unnanounced candidate is that it gives these other guys more time to define him. Of course, one of the benefits Fred has by staying out a bit longer is that his spectre can hang over the next debate on 8/5 - and he won’t have to take any direct hits from his (future)opposition.
Ultimately, Fred gets in. Fred wins the primary. And Mitt can change his views a few thousand more times...
That is the most polite political attack I have ever seen.
I never really noticed it before, but you're right! I see the resemblance, too!
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