Posted on 08/30/2007 6:49:36 PM PDT by gpapa
Fred Thompson will formally announce his candidacy for president next Thursday September 6th, via a webcast, political director Randy Enwright just told supporters on a conference call. Thompson will then head out on a "grass-roots tour" of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. He'll then do a second round of stumping the following week in Florida before returning to his hometown of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, on the 15th. The Thompson campaign will file their papers with the FEC on the 6th, making his candidacy official and bringing an end to his "testing-the-waters" stage.
On the night of the 6th, Thompson's campaign will hold a "national home party" to rally supporters across the country, Enwright said. Having already announced his bid, the candidate will call in from the road to tell supporters how the first day has gone. Among his first stops that day will be to Des Moines, Iowa. The night before his cyber-debut, Thompson will tease his announcement one last time in an appearance on "The Tonight Show."
“The announcement and the campaign are being built around the senator’s strengths," Enwright explained on the call, "his consistent mainstream conservatism, his ability to powerfully deliver his message, and of course his strong grassroots support, which you all are a very shining example of."
"If it were not for the grassroots support that’s been out there, I don’t believe we would be here today."
Enwright also used the call to allay any concerns from Thompson backers that they've lost their opportunity in the race. “We think we enter this campaign in a very strong position," he said. "We’re consistently number two in the polls, with the closest thing to a draft of a candidate in recent presidential campaign history."
Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), who was among the leaders in the House to push Thompson in the race, said that Thompson's annoucement of an announcement today will provide a needed spark.
"it allows us to go ahead and firm up all these commitments from people who have said, 'if he runs I'm with him,'" Wamp said excitedly in a telephone interview from Tennessee after getting off the conference call.
Wamp, who took a turn firing up supporters on the call, dismissed questions that Thompson's wait had harmed his prospects, but acknowledged that some Republicans had held back this summer.
"[The delay] caused certain people in grassroots and fundraising to say 'I want a commitment,'" he said. "Well, now a commitment has taken place." Among those new supporters, Wamp predicted, would be members of Congress who had previously not endorsed.
Also, Wamp confirmed what was plain to me when I interviewed Thompson last weekend -- he's lost significant weight. The former senator has been working out with a trainer, Wamp said, and is ready to answer skeptics who say he may not have the energy for the punishing nature of a presidential run.
"There's an old adage that a lean dog hunts best," Wamp quipped in his thick Chattanooga drawl. "Well, he’s a lean dog and he's ready to run."
Asked to comment on the news that Thompson will indeed launch a campaign, representatives for two of his top rivals effectively let him have his day.
"All candidates and their ideas are welcome to the race," said Kevin Madden, spokesman for former Gov. Mitt Romney. "The voters will witness a great debate on the issues."
Katie Levinson, a spokeswoman for former Mayor Rudy Giuliani said, "We welcome Senator Thompson to the race."
I’ll be watching :)
....yawn....
stick a fork in him, he’s done.
Much as I like Fred, this ain’t workin’ for me.
Ain’t working for my vote either.
Needs to get the peri- Menopausal wife out of his doings.
She’s either on board or she’s not.
I should know, I am like her!!!
Sounds a bit anti-climatic to me.
He's pretty much lost this first time voter with all the little games.
Hoep he takes his Gertol. His dirge of a speech to the VFW could have knocked out a speed addict.
You all can keep the Rinos, I will vote for Fred.
Go FRed
Go Fred go!!!
Conservatives get your checkbooks ready. Can you say landslide. Goodbye Hillary.
Why not ask her what she thinks, and get back to us. Its a good question, and being a young man my self, one I can not answer. Personally I don't think old ladies vote for the First Lady, they are voting for the POTUS.
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