Posted on 07/31/2007 10:49:25 AM PDT by SunStar
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Fred Thompson needs to say in August if he is running for president because he has enjoyed about all the benefits he can expect from being a noncandidate, a key backer said on Tuesday.
The Hollywood actor turned White House contender announced he had raised more than $3.4 million in June -- less than the predicted $5 million -- for his presidential campaign-in-waiting, amid some concerns he has waited too long.
"The level of support and enthusiasm from people across this country is inspiring," said a statement from Thompson, who said donations came from 9,167 people from all 50 states.
Thompson's testing-the-waters phase has gone far beyond his original plans for a July 4 announcement and his candidacy to be the Republican nominee in the November 2008 election is now expected in September.
Tennessee Republican Rep. Zach Wamp, a key supporter of the 6-foot-6 conservative many Republicans are hoping will fill a void, said a September announcement speech by Thompson would be fine, but that the former U.S. senator from Tennessee needs to definitively say in August that he is a candidate.
He said Thompson is "approaching the apex of the benefits of being a noncandidate."
"His strategy and the use of noncandidate status has worked very much to his advantage to this point," Wamp said. "I believe we're approaching the point at which he needs to be a candidate -- I mean full-blown, 'I am running for president,' no holds barred."
Wamp said once Thompson says he is a candidate, the movie and television actor will be able to raise more money and pick up more endorsements from members of Congress beyond the two dozen Wamp has corralled for him.
"I've got horses in the gate like the Kentucky Derby and they've been there for a while. Horses in the gate are restless creatures. They've been stammerin' and snortin' and I don't want them spittin'," Wamp said.
Thompson's campaign, in announcing a staff shake-up last week, said it was preparing "to move on to another phase."
DOING WELL IN POLLS
Despite the delays, he has done relatively well in national public opinion polls, often placing second to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Fergus Cullen, chairman of the Republican Party in the early voting state of New Hampshire, said "it's not too late" for Thompson to enter the race, but noted it had been four weeks since the star of the hit U.S. "Law & Order" television show had last visited New Hampshire.
"I guess I'm surprised by it," he said.
With the New Hampshire primary expected to be in January, only five months away, Cullen said "at some point your elected officials and people who give endorsements and give a candidate credibility commit to another candidate."
An average of recent polls by realclearpolitics.com shows Thompson in a seemingly strong position, running in second place with 19.8 percent support behind Giuliani at 25.5 percent and ahead of Arizona Sen. John McCain at 13.5 percent and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at 10 percent.
Republican strategist and pollster Tony Fabrizio said he did not know whether the 64-year-old Republican who retired from the Senate in 2003 after serving eight years had waited too long.
But "every day that goes by where you're not in the race is a lost fund-raising opportunity, a lost recruitment opportunity, a lost definitional opportunity, and your opponents get to continue their strategies unfettered," Fabrizio said.
"I know that it takes time to put together a presidential campaign. But he has a problem now. The problem is the expectations have been raised so much by them, given the lead time they have taken to get into the race, that any missteps or any fumbles out of the gates are going to be magnified more than in a normal start-up," he added.
Truman Bean, author of a popular blog called "Tennesseans for Thompson," said grass-roots supporters are getting impatient but a September announcement would be fine.
"It's just a matter of time until it gets going full throttle," Bean said.
Too long? They do realize there are over 500 days until the election? That's 5 with two zeros.
Wait! Fred! Wait!
Funniest thing I have ever seen...
Averaging less than $400 per donor — a pretty broad base of support.
If it were closer to $2000 it would indicate mostly a few big-money donors and committees. This however, being approximately 1/6 of the maximum personal contribution shows a strong grass-roots support.
I am sure that once he makes his commitment, money will start to flow in bigger numbers from all quarters. Personally, I am saving my limited budget on a firm candidate. This would be the first significant contribution I will ever make to a Presidential candidate. I just cant afford to put it on a (?).
What I see is people who don't know much about Thompson's record projecting their lack of knowledge about him onto his supporters. If you want to know where he stands, go to Thomas.gov, look at his votes and his proposals, and read his senate floor arguments. What he's saying today is pretty much in line with what he was saying then.
On the other hand, if you don't know or care to know about his record, that's fine -- but don't accuse his supporters of being as unknowledgeable about Thompson as you are. Most of his supporters are well aware of Thompson's strengths AND weaknesses, and believe that the former far outweigh the latter based on a careful examination of his record.
Can you get me some t-shirts and yard signs? Huh, can you? Maybe one of really neat hats he’s got?
I am sure you can being such a close adviser and friend to Mr. Thompson...
But, but, that means he'd have to make an effort. And that just can't be done...nosiree! He might learn something that makes sense. This way he's safe. He can state whatever he wants and leave everyone else trying to prove a negative.
It's amazing how much of that's going on around here lately.
That is the rational response, and it is the wall Fred has hit. If it were final, and he were in, he would have blown past $5 mil without problem.
When he gets in, another blast of money will hit his coffers and this will be a faint memory.
I know I know. Both of your comments highlight the attempts by the writer to describe a faltering campaign.
Fact is FDT’s fundraising in June was great. A recent comparison of FDT’s fundraising with Romney’s has FDT about par with Romney and he hasn’t even declared yet.
If Wamp did indeed say FDT needs to state he’s running sometime in August and then formally announce it in September, then that makes sense. FDT could simply say I will be announcing my decision in September.
I would prefer he formally announce late August because I want him in the race before the 9/11 anniversary. Before that date, there will be alot of remembrance and discussion about the WOT and what the next crop of candidates have to say about it.
I know I know. Both of your comments highlight the attempts by the writer to describe a faltering campaign.
Fact is FDT’s fundraising in June was great. A recent comparison of FDT’s fundraising with Romney’s has FDT about par with Romney and he hasn’t even declared yet.
If Wamp did indeed say FDT needs to state he’s running sometime in August and then formally announce it in September, then that makes sense. FDT could simply say I will be announcing my decision in September.
I would prefer he formally announce late August because I want him in the race before the 9/11 anniversary. Before that date, there will be alot of remembrance and discussion about the WOT and what the next crop of candidates have to say about it.
How dare you challenge their right to speak from their arse...
The day he announces, I will send him a grand... and will continue as I can afford... until Victory!
LLS
Oh, I’m not challenging anyone’s right to speak from their arses (we all do it sometimes). I’m just exercising my right to point out from whence those sounds are emanating in this case.
When does Law and Order end the re-runs?
I would say that is the actual date he announces.
I suspect this artificial august push has DBM written on it.
What about the smell?
What about the smell?
Joe Six Pack won’t give a hoot about the 2008 Presidential Election until after the 2008 Super Bowl. Only when America’s favorite sport is over, will he concentrate on Washington’s favorite sport!
Yep. It infuriates political reporters and the like, but thats it.
And honestly, I don’t mind them being annoyed, lord knows they have caused me enough annoyance over the years.
I listened to his interview on the radio with Hanity.
It seems very clear he is going to run and has not announced due to some legal issue with his TV show.
This is the DBM fishing for news ANY NEWS.
Looks like we are going to have more “rocky the watersking squirel” stories in august.
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