Fred, Opting Out of a News Cycle? Wait, Guess Not

The National Review ^ | October 31, 2007 | Jim Geraghty

[2ndDivisionVet]

Fred has his own plan, and the MSM hates him for not dancing to their tune.

[lesser_satan]

Bump!

[jonathanmo]

It’s a good strategy for Thompson not to attack Clinton. He needs to break away from the guys he’s tied with, Romney and Huckabee first.

[dirtboy]

Fred seems to have realized that the anti-illegal-immigration hill is the one with the best view to the White House. If he takes it, RudyMcRomney won't be able to dislodge him, given their respective histories, and Hillary is too beholden to the illegal lobby (witness her Spitzer dodge last night) to be able to attach him as well.

Despite what the nitwits at Gallup claim, the war, the economy and other such issues will not decide the election. Fighting illegal immigration will. It is the one issue that can draw labor Dems away from the party to vote for a pubbie.

[Petronski]

Speaking the blunt truth about Slick Willard’s REAL record/agenda is a pretty damn good plan.

[lesser_satan]

lol, I thought immigration was the ONLY thing Slick Willard hasn’t flip-flopped on. Guess I was wrong! Guns, taxes, abortion, gay “rights”...and now immigration. How special.

[Incorrigible]

 

 

 

[kevkrom]

They're skipping Hillary and going straight for Romney.

Of course he is. He's not running against Clinton. Yet.

Making the primary campaign about Clinton plays into Giuliani's hands -- compared to her, even Rudy looks marginally acceptable, at least to enough people. Thompson is running for the GOP nomination now, the general election is a year away. Step one is to create a two-tier race, with only himself and Giuliani in the top tier. Then he can take Rudy down without worrying about his own base of support being fragmented.

[ejonesie22]

[Reagan Man]

This endorsement from Tom McClintock definitely caught the media off guard.

Time for Fred to go over the media`s head more often.

Go Fred go!

[Rick.Donaldson]

Fred doesn’t need to “attack” Clinton. She’s doing enough to ruin her own self.

Besides, Fred doesn’t have to beat Clinton in the primaries, just the rest of the guys running on the Republican side.

With luck, Clinton will cut her own throat and someone else will get the nomination, but that’s doubtful.

Then, Fred will have his chance to rip her to shreds in the General election.

I’m thinking that unless something happens to Fred, he’s going to be going into the Battle against Clinton, with Hunter as his running mate.

[jonathanmo]

Hunter would be an interesting choice for VP if Fred makes it that far. I'm thinking he would need someone with more pull, like McCain, if McCain is willing.

I've been wondering why Thompson is not getting much traction...he's been declared 2 months and can't break away from Romney, McCain, and Huckabee. Why are socons not lining up for him?

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Haha...you thought there was in issue that he DIDN'T flip-flop on?

[Rick.Donaldson]

I think McCain would be “just ok” as VP. I don’t want him to be President, mostly because of his drivel about meeting in the middle on some things, like McCain-Feingold... stuff like that. Otherwise, he’s a good guy I think. I mean a “Good Guy” with a white hat kind of good guy. If he is nominated I’ll vote for him for President over anyone the Left can throw at us.

However, I’d much prefer to see Thompson in there. I’m not 100% dead on with Hunter, but close enough that’d I’d vote for him over McCain if Thompson weren’t in the race. The rest... well... No to Rudy for sure.

[LibLieSlayer]

Here is how I see it...

MSM: “Senator Thompson, what is your statement on Hillary’s debate faux paux last night”?

Fred: “Conservative primary voters know what I think of her... they think the same thing. I’ll get around to her soon enough. Right now... I am running against other Republicans for our Party’s nomination. Her statements of last night have been critiqued to death... we know she is not qualified... Next question”.

LLS

[George W. Bush]

Interesting strategy, albeit a bit ad hoc.

Fred's mixing it up with Romney and he'll have to go after Giuliani too. Fred's a little weak on guns and went along with McCain-Feingold (but repented it). But he has a good enough record in the Senate and the persona to overcome both Mitt and the leftwing mayor.

I still think his campaign doesn't have it together the way they should. I wonder if his organization can win or if we'll ever see Fred campaigning to maximum effect. I don't think we've seen what he's capable of yet.

[ellery]

I hadn’t realized that Romney originally spoke out in favor of the Bush “comprehensive immigration reform” plan.

How can Romney rationalize being for the original version but against the final version? The original version of that dead duck plan was actually even worse than the stinker that ultimately and thankfully was voted down. ???

[Petronski]

He doesn't have to rationalize anything. His army of supporters just believe!

[ellery]

I just posted the same thing — I thought Romney had been at least relatively consistent on immigration. Then again, he didn’t do anything about sanctuary cities in Mass., so I guess it’s not surprising.

Did you know that Romney once advocated not only hiking the minimum wage, but indexing it to inflation?? That was another surprise for me — I didn’t realize he had advocated liberal projects on the fiscal side...

[2ndDivisionVet]

"..Fred's mixing it up with Romney and he'll have to go after Giuliani too. Fred's a little weak on guns.."

Please illustrate where Fred Thompson is "weak" on guns. Many NRA members embrace Thompson candidacy http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070921/NEWS0206/70921059