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]
Look...I don't want to crush your man. But he overplayed the delay game and then he got off to a unimpressive start, considering the anticipation.
Fred has a big job ahead. He has lured a large contingent -- perhaps a decisive one -- to buy into a political shadow. Fred is not well-defined, although he attracts people's hopes and belief, which is an important political ability.
But now it will be much tougher. Fred will probably have to make some choices and tell us who he truly is. I hope he does...I have no appetite for a candidate who merely looks conservative and sounds folksy. And please spare me the canned rebuttal: Fred does not have much of a political resumé. He especially does not have much indication of an ideological posture.
Taking positions, choosing sides means offending some potential supporters. Fred has already milked Law and Order for all it is worth.
Sugar (no syrup) is the law in some places, I think in Mexico for one. Maybe it’s just cheaper in Hawaii.
“his speeches are dull, listless and full of cliches and few real idea”
That is my early impression of Thompson too. I almost slipped into a coma the first time I heard him speak. I would definitely vote for him were he the nominee. But, we need someone who can convincingly articulate a message of bold change based on conservative principles..... and I’m not so sure Thompson can do it. The only candidate out there that is truly impressive & knowledgeable on all subject matter is Newt Gingrich. Is there any way to transplant Newt’s brain into Thompson’s head???
Just one man's opinion Take it for what it's worth.
A lot of people thought our former governor, Dubya, with his ranch and pickup and Texas accent, would govern like another Reagan. Instead we got the "new tone," a budget-busting Medicare drug expansion, Ted Kennedy writing education bills, uncontrolled spending, and no vetoes, not even of McCain-Feingold. You can't judge a book by its cover, or by its Southern drawl. As Ben Stein says, "Any Republican is better than any Democrat," but I've yet to see any "perfect" candidate in this race for a Reaganite like me, and I'm not fooling myself that I will. I think after the brouhaha dies down, some of the shine will come off of Fred and people will see that there are other, perfectly electable candidates with more energy and principles, better records and more experience.
Yeah, sure. And Tuesday's Rasmussen poll showing Fred 7 points ahead of Rudy threw us into an even darker depression.
Who? I surveyed the field far and wide before Fred was a speck on the radar. Mitt, I'd vote for, but I think his Mormonism is good for losing 3% of the vote and his flip floppedness another 3%, which means President Hillary...plus the guy's too slick and really does remind me of a polished TV weatherman.
Rudy? Puuulleeze. The guy's about as conservative as Mondale for chrissakes. McCain? Naaa. Nobody else is worth even mentioning.
a) liberals believe
or
b) the agenda they wish to promote
?????
“I don’t understand the fervor with which so many fellow conservatives have embraced Fred.”
In contemplating Thompson’s place in the current race, I’ve boiled it down to three words: Genuine. Electable. Conservative.
That’s what many base voters have been looking for. Everything else you say may be true, but GOP primary voters were being forced to overlook some ideological issues or jump on board practically unelectable candidates. when it comes to perception, especially perception of southern state primary voters, it has looked like there was a hole in the field. As I described it to a friend, it’s like being in a car showroom and seeing different models and liking something from each model, but not liking any of the models entirely.
The GOP base needed someone who is all of the above (genuine, electable, conservative), who can defeat Rudy and then Hillary. Newt can’t be the man, he’ll never beat Hillary; nor did any of the dwarf candidates get traction against Rudy or McCain - Brownback, Huckabee, Gilmore, Hunter, Tancredo haven’t quite got the juice; Rudy has sold himself as a strong leader who should be given a pass on social issues because he’s, well, a leader; but the New York mayor story becomes a bit thin after a while. McCain - immigration fiasco - ‘nuff said, not acceptable. Mitt Romney, despite stellar resume of executive experience and running as unifying conservative that hits all the Reaganesque spots and running an energetic and well-organized campaign, is bedevilled by flip-flop charges and the ‘too good to be true’ label; Romney leads in early states but not national-level momentum.
Now, there may be holes in the Fred Thompson story, but still, it’s a pretty good story, and some folks are going to want to WILL it to be true because we are desperate for the Reagan-on-the-white-horse. Fred’s played other roles, why not this one?
I too have been taken aback not by Thompson’s support per se but by the fervor surrounding it. Fred has all the negatives you mention. But it wont matter to the voters if he did little in 8 years in the Senate, if in those 8 years he was conservative enough to be trusted and get the ‘genuine electable conservative’ label.
Thompson is ahead in Florida. I posited last week that if Romney won some of the early states like IA and NH, then Thompson won SC and FL, Rudy and McCain both would be toast. Thus, Romney and Thompson land a 1-2 punch on both Rudy and McCain. If Thompsons national lead solidifies in coming weeks and doesnt recede, he’s the new frontrunner.
I’d say that just based on the Cali and Florida polls alone, where Thompson is now ahead, and looking at internals where that lead among the core conservative voters is much larger, that Rudy is in big trouble and the nomination is Thompson’s to lose if he runs his campaign right.
Who are you rooting for that Fred gives you such heartburn?
Off topic but...Wasn’t Serge the queer in the Eddie Murphy movies? Beverly Hills Cop?
My aunt, husband, mother and I are voting for him. (I'm working on my cousin.) We have one hold-out in the family for Hillary. The dems are afraid that we may actually have a candidate that can beat the b*tch. Gotta kill him in the cradle.
Each and every family has at least one idiot (politically speaking). To me voting for Hitlery is like voting for satin.
Everything that’s being said about Fred now was said about Reagan in ‘80.
Now there are a pair of disappointments dating WAY back. Will has had the opportunities for years to do some good.....hasn't YET ! 'Has-beens' or 'never-wases'?
Nam Vet
That's ok. Truthful and Dims don't go together anyway.
You are exactly right. While Fred is not Reagan and is his own man, the Dem play book is the same as it was then. The only difference is that they have grown even bolder and control an even more blatantly partisan MSM.
I've been hearing that same old song, sung off-key, since at least March. So far not one day has gone by that Fred hasn't impressed me more. And please don't embarass yourself by claiming I haven't been paying attention...The Daily FRead
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