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Thompson run remains an enigma: Candidate's harsh reviews clash with polls
The Boston Globe ^ | September 21, 2007 | Michael Kranish

Posted on 09/23/2007 8:20:41 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

The dueling perceptions of Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson are vividly displayed on a political website. "Thompson Is Clearly In Over His Head," an opinion column headline says - right next to national polls that suggest he is near the top of the GOP field.

Two weeks after he entered the race, Thompson's candidacy is as much of an enigma as it was during his summerlong "testing the waters" phase. He has not fizzled or run away with the lead, yet there is evidence that either possibility could happen.

Some of the initial reviews of Thompson's entry have been harsh. The Des Moines Register called his Iowa kickoff "underwhelming," and the influential conservative columnist George Will called his campaign entry a "belly flop." But Time magazine said Thompson had been "mugged" by insiders who don't understand his appeal.

Over the last week, Thompson's statements have created controversy, fueling the perception among some that he is not fully engaged.

--snip--

Even as Thompson is heavily courting religious conservatives, James Dobson, head of the evangelical group Focus on the Family, sent an e-mail to friends that said Thompson had "no passion" and was "not for me." Dobson questioned the extent of Thompson's opposition to gay marriage and wondered why Thompson "can't speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail."

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; conservatism; conservatives; doma; electionpresident; elections; federalism; firstprinciples; fred; frederalism; fredthompson; gaymarriage; gop; homosexuals; issues; jamesdobson; reaganesque; religion; republicans; thompson
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It's hard for the Boston Globe to "get" Fred, since they can't understand why anyone would vote for a republican conservative. As for the Des Moines Register; it was once a fair & balanced paper (before I was born, perhaps--and I'm no Spring chicken!). The MSM is making a big stink about James Dobson and his rejection of Fred Thompson, as if all conservatives march in lockstep and take orders from a cabal of televangelists and other religious leaders, just like al Qaida, whom they compare us to on a regular basis. We're not that simple and one-dimensional (I hope!).
1 posted on 09/23/2007 8:20:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Liberals can’t conceive of the idea that someone would simply say what he thinks or state what he believes. They look for covert and hidden “meanings” where there are none. They expect Fred to be as sneaky and devious as they are with as many bad intentions as they have. This is why he confuses them and they completely misread him. They can’t figure out what his hidden agenda is. He’s gotta have one right?


2 posted on 09/23/2007 8:25:07 PM PDT by Seruzawa (Attila the Hun... wasn't he a liberal?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

yo be right.

so, predictably the liberal media will hafta re-mold fred into a liberal hate image.


3 posted on 09/23/2007 8:27:00 PM PDT by ken21 ( people die + you never hear from them again.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Thompson, unlike Romney, opposes a federal constitutional amendment barring gay marriage. Instead, Thompson said he supports legislation that would prohibit one state from imposing its marriage laws on another state.”

Interesting.


4 posted on 09/23/2007 8:27:06 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Don’t feel bad, the Dobson’s have rejected my guy, too.


5 posted on 09/23/2007 8:28:36 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Polls are a lagging indicator.


6 posted on 09/23/2007 8:29:16 PM PDT by mbraynard (FDT: Less Leadership Experience than any president in US history)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If the Stone Age Press attacks him, he’s got to be good.

Pray for W and Our Troops


7 posted on 09/23/2007 8:29:19 PM PDT by bray (Think "Betray U.S." Think Democrat)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Liberals don’t understand why Republicans don’t micromanage everything and have 10-point solutions to every single problem.


8 posted on 09/23/2007 8:29:20 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Hillary Clinton is the most corrupt presidential candidate to ever run for office)
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To: Saundra Duffy

What, that Fred has read the Constiution?


9 posted on 09/23/2007 8:29:35 PM PDT by ejonesie22 (I don't use a sarcasm tag, it kills the effect...)
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To: Saundra Duffy
I agree with that position wholeheartedly. And, who does Dr. Dobson (who I normally respect a lot) endorse?
10 posted on 09/23/2007 8:31:04 PM PDT by BKerr (Swap principle for power and you'll end up with neither!)
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To: ejonesie22

I think the Constitution could survive defining marriage as between one man and one woman.


11 posted on 09/23/2007 8:31:33 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
It’s really hard to take a socialists candidate like Hillary seriously in a modern free society. Who wants to dress in a Mao suit with a gray ball cap every day just so you can listen to her preach to you.

I guess the Boston Globe never will get it, why 50% of the people say they won’t vote for Hillary at the start. Sad, but liberals are that way, logic is their enemy and truth is their terror.

12 posted on 09/23/2007 8:32:25 PM PDT by Tarpon
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To: Saundra Duffy
>> “Thompson, unlike Romney, opposes a federal constitutional amendment barring gay marriage. Instead, Thompson said he supports legislation that would prohibit one state from imposing its marriage laws on another state.”

> Interesting.

It appears to me that Thompson is a Federalist, at least in this regard and a few others. Kind of refreshing, actually.

13 posted on 09/23/2007 8:32:42 PM PDT by dayglored (Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!)
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To: BKerr

Who do the Dobson’s endorse? I don’t know. They only tell us who they don’t like and what’s wrong with them. For Fred I guess that it’s because he doesn’t attend Church regularly. For Mitt I guess it’s because he goes to Church too often. You can’t win with those two.


14 posted on 09/23/2007 8:33:35 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
In the last week or so there have been numerous attack pieces on Fred. From the likes of James Dobson, Bob Novak and George Will. According to these yahoo`s, after just 2-1/2 weeks Fred`s campaign is dead. Its all over folks. LOL

Fred said he would be running an unconventional campaign and so far he's held to his word. Fred has hit all the hot button issues and expressed his politics in conservative terms. We aren't nominating the best debater, the smoothest talker, the slickest liar or the best looking candidate around.

Conservatives are looking to nominate the best qualified conservative candidate available. Right now, that is Fred Thompson and I seriously doubt that is going to change.

15 posted on 09/23/2007 8:33:53 PM PDT by Reagan Man (FUHGETTABOUTIT Rudy....... Conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: dayglored

I like Thompson’s stand on guns.


16 posted on 09/23/2007 8:34:01 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!!!)
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To: Saundra Duffy

Has Dobson specifically said he won’t support Romney?

I hadn’t heard that.


17 posted on 09/23/2007 8:34:06 PM PDT by RockinRight (Can we start calling Fred "44" now, please?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
We're not that simple and one-dimensional (I hope!).

We're not.........

I could not care less about the MSM position on any of the canidates at this point, and Dobson's opinion means even less to me.

18 posted on 09/23/2007 8:34:24 PM PDT by Gabz (Don't tell my mom I'm a lobbyist, she thinks I'm a piano player in a whorehouse)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Dueling perceptions?

You meant the MSM trashing him at every opportunity is in opposition to his rapid surge upwards in the polls?


19 posted on 09/23/2007 8:34:26 PM PDT by Pikachu_Dad
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To: mbraynard

Nice tagline.

Liar.


20 posted on 09/23/2007 8:35:07 PM PDT by RockinRight (Can we start calling Fred "44" now, please?)
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