Is Thompson Too Late?

Real Clear Politics ^ | September 04, 2007 | Jay Cost

[gpapa]

Fred Thompson will announce his candidacy this week - but many pundits think that it is over before it started. Thompson missed his "moment" by holding out through the summer.

I could not disagree with this more. Without commenting on the likelihood of Thompson being the GOP nominee, I think it is wrong to argue that his chances to acquire the nomination have decreased because he has waited.

Thompson's problem is not the late announcement. It is, rather, the fact that his campaign has been poorly run. But this poor management may not be what you think. Changing staffers early, giving speeches that fall flat, fundraising that is a little weak - all of these are normal for a candidate who is just starting out, who up until recently never contemplated being president. Holding this against Thompson fails to take into account the learning curve that comes with these sorts of affairs. Instead, Thompson's problem has been that he has allowed the media to interpret all of these events as problems of his campaign, rather than as its natural and expected birth pangs. Thompson has failed to manage the expectations of the media. This is something that a candidate at any stage needs to do - and Thompson has not done it as well as he could have.

[LexBaird]

Are you sure?

As last I heard, WY moved to Jan. 5. By state law, NH must be at least 7 days before any other primary. That puts NH between Christmas and New Years at least. I'm thinking they will go earlier to miss the holiday week. Say Dec 20. That's 107 days away.

Merry Christmas.

[hocndoc]

Thanks for this info.

[Fred]

[crazyshrink]

It is just my opinion, but I beleive the Dims started the early campaigns in order to increase the pressure on Bush. They could castigate his every move under the rhetoric of being in a campaign.

[mnehring]

This has been rehashed over and over.. the original source of the bad information seems to come from NumbersUSA, an anti-immigration (all immigration) that was started by a leftist environmentalist who used stopping immigration as a way to get into negative population growth to help the environment. NumbersUSA isn’t just incorrect on Thompson, it is wrong on pretty much every candidate. OnTheIssues.org is a far better resource because it takes actual bill votes, not simply votes moving a bill around for editing or review. It also takes into account if a Senator proposes a competing bill or amendment (as with the Exon amendment here) so it doesn’t falsely place someone as opposing an issue simply because they are proposing an alternate amendment.

[crazyshrink]

And what you point out is exactly why I labeled my post as only the facts of which I was aware. 6 months ago all primaries were a go based on ‘04 timetables. Neither Fred I believe, nor myself I am sure, had any knowledge of this fiasco of musical primaries.

[mnehring]

I agree with that. It gives them a platform to have their opinions about the issue deJour in the media every night.

[ejonesie22]

Man ttlhis is really going to be an uphill battle ;)

[hosepipe]

2008 will be won or lost on the internet.. Unless the voting machines have be totally compromised.. OH! and the 20+ Million illegal and Legal Aliens are registered to vote.. You know, like in Mexifornia, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Washington State, and Texas..

[ejonesie22]

For John its all or nothing...

[VideoDoctor]

I am positive that John Cox will kick FDTs Butt!

Isn't John Cox Gay?

[teekaycee]

The articles premise appears to be that people have already made up their minds. Pure nonsense. We have a year and a month yet to go. We will be hearing about how Fred “blew it when he waited” for the next 13 months.

[ejonesie22]

Frail hell he died 6 months ago. If not for the evil scientists at thee CFR he would nt even look as good as he does now...

[A_Tradition_Continues]

I’m going to run in 2016 but I’m changing my name first... I’m thinking “Who’s That”.

[ejonesie22]

Hell if I know.

But come to think of it, his name does have kind of a gay porn star like sound to it...

[FreedBird]

Thompson will at least become a candiate before Newt Gingrich!

[ejonesie22]

Hell I’ll vote for you.

[FreedBird]

Wasn’t Law and Order re-run running till the end of August?
Maybe he wanted his face on in Law and Order.

[Tarpon]

No, the others are way too early and have wasted their money.

[A_Tradition_Continues]

Ewe B. Me is going to be my running mate.