Posted on 09/04/2007 8:40:11 PM PDT by SmithL
Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson's current political playbook - a high-profile visit to the "Tonight" show, a splashy bus tour, the efforts to take a familiar actor and reintroduce him in a new political role - contains pages that look eerily familiar to California voters.
Maybe that's because the former Tennessee senator now has at his side some of same key aides who - in nine short weeks - helped transform Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger from "The Terminator" into the chief executive of the Democratic-leaning most populous state in the nation.
Thompson plans to formally kick off his presidential bid - shaped around the themes of "security, unity and prosperity" - beginning today with a blitz that reflects his media savvy and his advantages as an actor better known to many Americans as District Attorney Arthur Branch on TV's "Law & Order."
Thompson's campaign includes two veterans of another whirlwind effort - the 2003 California recall election starring Schwarzenegger - who know first hand at least some of the challenges ahead.
They are Todd Harris, who was Schwarzenegger's campaign communications director and will hold the same title for Thompson, and veteran Republican strategist and Fox News commentator Karen Hanretty, the former press secretary for the 2003 recall effort, who will be Thompson's deputy communications director.
Adam Mendelsohn, the governor's current communicators director, said the pair provide Thompson a "a big picture thinker out of the box" - Harris - and "one of the most effective political spokeswomen in the country" - Hanretty.
Both are "seasoned in translating the benefits that someone has from working in entertainment into a political reality," he said. "For Fred Thompson, it's a very smart hire: there's not a lot of people who understand taking a national entertainment figure and translating that into political value."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Dream on. Fred Thompson is the ONLY candidate with an outside chance of stopping the Hildebeast in California.
That’s the guy I mean.
Bingo.
No idea, saw it yesterday on a thread here. But it still applies. He has done a masterful job of turning this whole thing into Fred, oh and those guys...
Yeah, um OK...
Guess that why he could barely get a date...
- Thompson is a showbiz performer first and a politician second. His first decision, right out of the gate, is to ignore the chance to put forward any serious ideas he might have as a Presidential contender and focus instead on a Leno smiles and chuckles Frick and Frack performance. His poor judgment in making what should have been a no brainer decision reflects badly on any serious Presidential qualities he might claim to possess.
Oh, well. Maybe he can do a soft shoe routine while playing the saxophone.
“Strong pro-family values! Mitt and his wife, Ann, have been married for 38 years. They have five sons (Tagg, Matt, Josh, Ben and Craig), five daughters-in-law (Jen, Laurie, Jen, Ande and Mary) and ten grandchildren”
Fred T on family values: I chased a lot of women and a lot of women chased me and those who chased me tended to catch me.
Back when she was Jeri's age?
LOL!
wimmen v WOMEN
desperation v CONFIDENCE
Fred and Jeri found each other and started a beautiful family.
When Ann Romney was Jeri’s age, she was donating to Planned Parenthood.
Interesting choice.
Both Mitt and Giuliani lose large groups that make up the Republican faction.
Fred doesn’t lose a single group, plus he appeals to many more conservative Dems.
I guess Mr. Lamination couldn’t get a date when he was SINGLE!
I didn’t realize that DATING wasn’t a family value. My kids aren’t going to be happy when they find out I am choosing their spouses by fiat. :P
Would you mind clarifying what you believe the issues are that are important to conservative dems, and why Fred appeals? I think there’s a serious misunderstanding amongst RNC types as to why blue dogs voted for Reagan. I’m curious to see if you’ve broken through that misunderstanding.
Good heavens. Maria looks like a ghoul.
‘A chicken in every pot’
Too many items. Also in conflict and contradiction with each other.
Hey, Fred's not married to a Kennedy, instead he's married to an RNC stragerist
We are talking about the Republican Primary here. What ever made you think Republicans in California are liberal? Don't use Arnold as an example because he did not win the office in a Republican primary -- it was a special election where everyone voted.
In fact the opposite is true. Republicans in California are quite conservative.
The winner take all thing is for the general election. The primary is still just Republicans — very conservative Republicans.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.