Wife gives foot-dragger Fred Thompson a shove in White House race

The Sunday Times, UK edition ^ | 10/28/2007 | Sarah Baxter

[Saundra Duffy]

“Now watch as his supporters trash you for posting this article, and me for giving an honest testimony.”

Been there.

[ought-six]

I like Fred, but he doesn’t seem to have the “fire in the belly” that is needed to inspire and get people excited about his candidacy.

[Kimberly GG]

"I can confirm the lack of enthusiasm on the part of Fred Thompson. I have seen him gut punch his own supporters in front of the entire RPOF by spending five minutes onstage when his supporters had laid out 100,000 for the right to be on that stage.

He has been the beneficiary of a campaign of Republican grassroots to draft him, he now enjoys a level of support which is unsupported by the facts. Fred’s appearances in Florida this last week have been the weakest showing of a candidate since Sam Brownback. As a Presidential candidate, Sam Brownback can sell out a Christian Fund-raiser weeks in advance. Fred cannot. This is a reluctant testimony that I give. I would love for Fred to be the great white hope. Now watch as his supporters trash you for posting this article, and me for giving an honest testimony."

In a nutshell and worth repeating. What irks me is knowing that, admittedly, some of those grassroots recruiters are right here at FR. And frankly, the fact that "the level of support which is unsupported by the facts" has, for me, made the promotion and rapid success of his campaign suspect. The blackout of Conservative Duncan Hunter by the media and his dismissal by FR 'conservatives'.... and the adamant justification of Fred, at, imo, any cost to conservatism.... is at the very least, troubling.

[codercpc]

Thank You.

Actually it was your post about the Florida rally that got me to finally stop beating around the bush. I do not share the same candidate as you, but I see the charisma of Mitt and would proudly support him in the general election.

As for my disclosure, I have been an early Rudy supporter, because I truly think he can win. In 2008 I am looking for a leader that will keep me, my family, and my country safe. All other issues will take a back seat for me.

In the spring, I was really looking forward to Fred getting in the race. On paper, he was my ideal candidate. I agreed with almost everything he said, but reality sunk in when I saw the lack of passion that I really think will be needed to beat the Beast. Every one kept telling me to wait until he busted out, well that time never came. I thought that there must be something wrong with my perception, since everyone here was telling me over and over again how America would love him, and that he would demolish Hillary. I waited and waited, and waited. Still waiting.....

During that time I started watching Mitt, and he does impress me, but to tell the truth in the past few weeks I find myself leaning more and more towards McCain of all people (the flames will really come out now), I don't know if I am ready to switch my loyalties, but now I have 3 top contenders for my vote, and Fred keeps slipping further and further down the rung.

When I read your essay last week about his uninspiring (to put it lightly) campaign appearance, everything the MSM had written, and most importantly my gut feeling gelled, and I decided that I could know longer keep quiet. I hope since I have been very careful to keep it civil, and only write my feelings down without slamming anyone else that I will not be the latest casualty on Free Republic, which is becoming all Fred all the time.

[mission9]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1917521/posts

More complete diary of the Fred shooting star candidacy here.

Not to be repetitive, but Mitt is the best hope for uniting the party. The NRA wing would be better served by cutting a deal with Mitt prior to a fractured election cycle that hands the nomination to the real gun grabber - Rudy.

[SheLion]

Great picture!

[LibLieSlayer]

I would support McCain before I would vote for rootie or mitt. I will have to wear a gas mask to do it... but I would do it. I see your activism all over FR. I see you claim to be such an expert on what is in men’s hearts. You are a political activist for mitt... nothing more and nothing less. Your credibility goes no further than that.

I will not attend any event for mitt, rootie, dodd, biden or hildebeast. I despise ALL LIBERALS... I will NEVER support a liberal... I don’t care if he or she has an “R” beside their name or not. Give it up... millions of us will not roll over to grant your wishes.

LLS

[Honeybunch]

And you joined FR less than a week ago just to post this?

[codercpc]

I do agree with your trepidation of Rudy (although he did say that even the blind should be able to own guns the other day, so he is moving in the right direction,LOL) and that would be the number one reason I would chose not to vote for him. As I said, I came into this election with an open mind, and I wanted to like Fred, it just hasn't happened. He is slipping further and further down the pike.

Rudy is just so strong on other things, and he has been the strongest against Hillary. Mitt is a close #2 in my book, with believe it or not, McCain climbing that ladder.

I am one of those "unprincipled" conservatives that will do anything to win, and whoever I feel has the best chance when it is my turn to vote in the primaries will get my vote, and McCain has been blowing everyone else away in the head to heads, so he has once again got my attention. Early in the 2000 primaries I was also backing McCain so this isn't a stretch for me, but during the past 8 years that support faded due to his attitude, but it is slowly coming back. We will see where that leads.

[Caipirabob]

Hi Ken21, the media is doing a great job of painting Fred as "lazy". Really, don't fall for it.

Either way, it's great to see we have so many choices in the primary as opposed to the socialist democrat party, who's idea of a primary is the coronation of their "dark queen" followed by some high-profile human sacrifices of the likes of Hussein Obama and "talk to my wife" Edwards...

[Caipirabob]

So far Fred has been a huge disappointment!

Welcome to FreeRepublic!

PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THE SILVERWARE...

[mission9]

Funny, McCain and Thompson have two opposite problems, McCain needs to romance the base, and Fred needs to romance the RINO, and independent voter. Each one, in his own way, is systemically incapable of doing either.

McCain, is an intensely compelling speaker, but his record is the turn-off. Fred is only a mildly interesting speaker, and so lacks the persuasive tools to get the job done.

[mission9]

Funny, McCain and Thompson have two opposite problems, McCain needs to romance the base, and Fred needs to romance the RINO, and independent voter. Each one, in his own way, is systemically incapable of doing either.

McCain, is an intensely compelling speaker, but his record is the turn-off. Fred is only a mildly interesting speaker, and so lacks the persuasive tools to get the job done.

[codercpc]

The media is doing a great job of painting Fred as "lazy". Really, don't fall for it.

I am not going to use the word "lazy", but I will use unenthusiastic, uninspiring, unfulfilling. What proof have we seen yet of anything but? He claims to be doing it "his way" but don't you agree that we need at least the appearance of passion if we want to beat Hillary? We do need a little charisma, because whether you want to accept it or not, we do live in an "American Idol" world. And all of the passion in the world on the part of his supporters, doesn't change the fact that Fred is not lighting up the voters imagination.

A very conservative talk show host in Milwaukee, Charlie Sykes 620WTMJ, summed it up perfectly for me the other day when he said, Imagine the movie made about the making of the first female President. The man that they would cast in the role as who she would beat would be a very laid back, southern Conservative, and that man would be Fred.

[codercpc]

I don't even think that McCains record is as much as a turnoff as his attitude towards the GOP for the last 8 years. If I can get over that, he will be my pick.

I can see him as a strong competitor against Hillary, something I can not see Fred doing, so that is what is coloring my opinion. I do know for sure that if we could roll all of our top candidates together, and pick out the strong points of all, we would have a winner!!!! Why couldn't Haley Barber have run?

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

"We Ents don't say anything unless it is worth taking a looonnng tiiiime tooo saaaay."

[tioga]

OH, Michelle Obama has been trashed. Try googling her for some amusement. ;^)

[tioga]

I thought Maria was retired from the news biz.

[tioga]

Come on strong against Hillary? Rick Lazio tried stepping towards her in a debate and it was his biggest misstep. He LOST! It will be tricky with the MSM securely stored in her purse for anyone to attack her - she plays the victim to perfection. I doubt it would take much for her staff to engineer a chance for McCain to show his legendary temper and throw the election her way right at the end.

On the other hand, does anyone think Fred would be anything but the perfect gentleman? Fred has the edge here in my book.

[cynwoody]

This is the first time all year that Huckabee has surpassed Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts Governor slipped another point and he is now at just 11% nationally.”

Here's what the Iowa Electronic Markets are predicting:

RConv08
2008 US Republican National Convention Market

After having been the front-runner for the first month after he got his own contract in the market, Thompson is on a real slide over the last month. The recent blip in the Rest of Field contract is probably Huckabee.

DConv08
2008 US Democratic National Convention Market

Meanwhile, over in 'Rat-land, Her Thighness rides high, trouncing the Magic Negro and the Silky Pony.