[Plutarch]

Doug Mills/The New York Times

Fred Thompson addresses supporters and undecided voters Tuesday in Coralville, Iowa.

[pogo101]

Could be better, but (I tell myself) this is a group that’s pretty much made up its mind: it (the audience, in that state) has been pelted with stump speeches for 2+ years. FDT is the newcomer. It’s hard to make a dent at this point, THERE — but let’s not write off Fred.

[Saundra Duffy]

I will say this, he was pretty gutsy to stand there and take it. He’s a big man. Tough crowd!

[calex59]

Anyone who believes anything the NYSlimes has to say about a conservative they are terrified of(Fred in this case)needs to have their head examimed.

[linn37]

Laconic, is that the keyword for all journalists writing about Thompson?

[Rudder]

His performance caught the attention of the NYT. His rise in the polls since entering the race has been meteoric...now he’s the frontrunner, and the NYT hasn’t missed that. They’re thinking, “How does this guy do it?”

[Rembrandt]

Little NYT hit piece on Fred, but did they ever report the times when Hitlery walked out on a restaurant bill in “her” expectation that the restaurant would pick it up out of respect for her big a** having been there?

[FoxInSocks]

The New York Times would prefer candidates provide entertaining displays like Howard Dean’s meltdown.

[Petronski]

Posting from the Old Grey Whore to prop up Willard, eh?

Pity your obscene “beanie weenie” crap was pulled, wasn’t it?

How much are you paying James Carville for his advice?

[DTogo]

Iowans saw a candidate who is subdued and sonorous, a laconic presence who spoke in soft monotone, threw few elbows and displayed little drive to distinguish himself from his opponents...

Hard to disagree. Fred needs to get himself caffeinated.

[Petronski]

Willardian Profiles in
*ahem*
Courage:

In a statement to the Huffington Post,
Romney’s spokesman Kevin Madden
offered the following on Limbaugh:

“Governor Romney would disagree with the negative characterization of those men and women who serve with honor and distinction in the United States Military. There may be disagreements with individual opinions, but no one would ever dispute the fact that those members of the military who disagree with the war have earned the right to express that opinion.”

[SaxxonWoods]

I have no need for excitement. I need a man who will take what I consider to be the best actions for the country once in office. Fred looks more like that man all the time. Duncan looks good also.

[chaos_5]

I think the Iowans are just ticked off because he didn't try and kiss their _____ like some candidates did.

[rockrr]

BFD...

[Palladin]

Thompson is phoning it in.

He’d better pick up the pace if he wants to beat Giuliani and Romney in the primaries.

[HerrBlucher]

Fred just encountered a little bit of that “Iowa Stubborn”:

Oh, there’s nothing halfway
About the Iowa way to treat you,
When we treat you
Which we may not do at all.

There’s an Iowa kind of special
Chip-on-the-shoulder attitude.
We’ve never been without.
That we recall.

We can be cold
As our falling thermometers in December
If you ask about our weather in July.

And we’re so by God stubborn
We could stand touchin’ noses
For a week at a time
And never see eye-to-eye

[Kirkwood]

His heart isn’t in it. He should be having fun with this, but it is like he dreads every moment.

[berdie]

Of course, I always seek out the New York Times as a reliable news source.

[Republic_of_Secession.]

I have reservations about Thompson as well.

[jonrick46]

This description of the audience reaction to Fred Thompson's speech is wrong. Thompson's appeal is not through emotional rhetoric. I saw him with his wife, Jeri on Hannity and Colms tonight. He is brilliant and clear in his thinking. He is one to make his audience think. And when people are seeing ideas in a clear way, they don't want to interrupt the message with a lot of clapping and distraction. They want to hear all that Fred has to say.

[Enduring Freedom]

NYTimes is sliming Fred.

It is what lying whores do.