Posted on 09/13/2007 4:43:19 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
The Reviews Keep Coming In: Unimpressed by Fred Thompson's Campaign Roll-out, Conservatives Are "Still Looking"
It's been only one week since lobbyist turned Senator turned actor Fred Thompson announced his candidacy for president, but it's been plenty of time for conservative commentators to see what they need to and call him unimpressive. Today two prominent conservative columnists criticized Thompson and said Republicans were unenthusiastic about his presidential prospects and would keep on looking for a candidate to rally behind.
According to the columnists, conservatives' worst fears have been realized. Fred Thompson is just not the candidate they've been waiting for. George Will called Thompson's campaign a "belly-flop" and wondered if voters would ask "Is this product necessary?" Will criticized Thompson for being "unfamiliar with the details of his own positions" and botching his record during interviews. [Indianapolis Star, 9/13/07] Robert Novak goes further, writing that Thompson is not the "white knight whom worried Republican loyalists desperately desire" and that the "Republican electorate is still looking for the forceful, dynamic conservative many have thought Thompson might be." [Washington Post, 9/13/07] In addition, Thompson has failed to win the support of prominent fundraisers in Florida because of the "former Tennessee senator's unimpressive early organization and late entry into the presidential race." [New York Sun, 9/13/07]
This bad news for Thompson comes just days after news of his poor performance his first day of campaigning in Iowa was dubbed boring, unimpressive, rambling, and low-energy, as well as stories saying that a Thompson aide chided the role of Iowa's "first in the nation" status and that Thompson accepted donations from a family charged with ripping off state and local government Medicaid funds.
"After just one week of campaigning, the reviews are starting to come in on Fred Thompson's presidential prospects, and they're not good," said Democratic National Committee press secretary Stacie Paxton. "If Fred can't convince conservative commentators he's worthy of their support, how can he ever convince conservative voters? After years of failed leadership, Americans are looking for a president with a vision for our country, but Thompson has shown he's just another pandering, flip-flopping Republican candidate who doesn't have what it takes."
Thompson's First Act Disappoints Conservatives
After Thompson's Campaign, Conservatives Still Looking for Candidate. Conservative columnist Robert Novak thinks Thompson's campaign leaves much to be desired. "â|[I]it had been conceded in party circles that when Thompson finally became a candidate, his beginning needed to be memorable. It was not. While Thompson offered obligatory conservative slogans in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina, he was not the white knight whom worried Republican loyalists desperately desireâ| The Republican electorate is still looking for the forceful, dynamic conservative many have thought Thompson might be." [Washington Post, 9/13/07]
Thompson's Campaign a "Belly-Flop." Conservative columnist George Will calls Thompson's rollout a "belly-flop." "Fred Thompson's plunge into the presidential pool -- more belly-flop than swan dive -- was the strangest product launch since that of New Coke in 1985. Then the question was: Is this product necessary? A similar question stumped Thompson the day he plungedâ|New Coke was announced on April 23, 1985, with the company's president piling on adjectives usually reserved for Lafite Rothschild -- "smoother, rounder yet bolder." Almost 80 days later, the public having sampled it, the company pulled the product from stores. Perhaps Thompson's candidacy will last longer than New Coke did." [Indianapolis Star, 9/13/07]
Thompson Not Winning Over Prominent Supporters: Thompson has lost support from prominent Florida fundraisers, including a Bush Ranger, because of the "former Tennessee senator's unimpressive early organization and late entry into the presidential raceâ|Explaining his and his colleagues' choice, Mr. Rood cited Mr. Thompson's late entry into the race as a key factor. 'Many in the group were eager to make a decision,' Mr. Rood said.
'Thompson not being a candidate means that, you know, we really looked at the top three, which included Senator McCain and Governor Romney and Mayor Giuliani, as announced candidates that we were going to pick between.'" [New York Sun, 9/13/07]
Novak and Will. *spit*
I know democrats.org is the first place I go to get an unbiased and objective critique on Republican campaign efforts.
Barf Alert implied. ;)
Oh. I left out truthful.
I love the smell of fear in the morning.
Didn’t the pundits say the same thing about Reagan in 1980?
They’re crappin’ in their boots, knowing Fred will only continue to rise in support as he gets his common sense, Federalist positions out in the public, without the assistance of MSM whatsoever.
It has been a long time... since I took any of George Will's opinions as being conservative. He's drank way too much at Cokie's and Stephanopoulos' horsesass troff for me to care!
PING!!
Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
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Man, does he scare them or what?
And with Will and Novak taking shots at him I’m 100% convinced that I’ve picked the right man for the job... and the times.
When polls are showing Thompson leading!! pretty damn funny.
“It’s been only one week since lobbyist turned Senator turned actor Fred Thompson announced his candidacy for president, but it’s been plenty of time for conservative commentators to see what they need to and call him unimpressive.”
Yet Thompson has stormed to first place in the polls. His competition must be REALLY unimpressive. ;-)
Fred Thompson ‘08!
Dem.org?
Must mean Thompson’s The One.
“Novak and Will. *spit*”
BUMP
Save this article for a few months from now when the Fredster is kicking ass. It’ll look even more ludicrous than it does now, if that’s even conceivable.
If it’d so laughable, why the f$%k did the dhimmiKKK-Rats bother writing this vapid shill piece?
Oops, that should have been: If itd so unimpressive, why the f$%k did the dhimmiKKK-Rats bother writing this vapid shill piece?
I’d bet that they would pay attention if Newt was Fred’s Vice-President.
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