Posted on 11/25/2007 5:20:01 PM PST by Josh Painter
Former Tennessee Senator and presidential candidate Fred Thompson has been accused of lacking fire to run for the presidency.
Seeking to alter that image, Thompson fired away at Chris Wallace of Fox News this morning, accusing the network of being biased against his campaign:
Thompson said, "This has been a constant mantra of Fox, to tell you the truth." He noted that other conservatives have praised his bid for the GOP nomination and took issue with a Fox promo that focused on polling in New Hampshire, where Thompson is registering in the single digits.Thompson has a point. While his campaign has been universally criticized for gaffes and missteps early on, it is equally clear Thompson has righted the ship in recent weeks and is starting to generate some momentum.He said he is running second in national polls and has been leading or tied for the lead in South Carolina for "a long, long time." Thompson, in a firm, but measured tone, scolded Wallace: "...for you to highlight nothing but the negatives in terms of the polls and then put on your own guys who have been predicting for four months, really, that I couldn't do it, kind of skew things a little bit. There's a lot of other opinion out there."
His policy papers on social security and immigration have been widely praised on the right as being well rounded, thoughtful, and meaty. His tone on the stump has changed as well as he as begun to criticize both Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney for what he calls their "fake" conservatism.
The media, including Fox, have focused largely on the inside the beltway criticism of the campaign and the candidate himself while ignoring the fact that despite the bad start he is still polling in second place nationally among Republicans.
At the very least, this criticism of Fox shows Thompson to have some fire in the belly - something the media has criticized him for lacking. It also shows an independent streak that not too many candidates have demonstrated.
But I base my ‘unelectable’ comment on the way in which Fred is. He has dropped in the polls after every advantage was GIVEN to him. An attempted coronation. The fact that so many people have voiced disappointment and doubt when given the ‘real thing’. He doesn’t come across well. As opposed to Duncan Hunter when about the only thing you hear against him is ‘he isn’t known and doesn’t have name recognition’. He has not disappointed when given the opportunity to present himself. You hear just about everyone say how much they are impressed by him and how great he is. I just find it amusing the Fred people so obsessed with polls now find a candidate who has dropped in them and how they try to convince everyone else to how he is a ‘sure thing’ and we need to give him a coronation or we are to blame. No way!
Yes. My first vote(when I was finally eligible to vote) was for Dole. And that was settling. Not fun.
Did Fred say he refuses to go on the air on Fox? Did he accuse Fox of being the mouthpiece of the opposition political party and get the rest of the candidates in his party to refuse to participate in a debate on the Fox network? For that matter, has he suggested that they adopt the same strategy with regards to CNN? No, he has done none of that. To even compare Fred's verbal smackdown of a couple of reporters for their distorted reporting with the whining complaints of the dems about FNN is beyond ludicrous.
You really like to flatter yourself.
i have never said he’s a sure thing, but he is really the only candidate i can see winning the general election. if duncan can’t get known, he isn’t doing anyone any good.
Hunter isn’t even on the rails. He’s not electable, as anyone who is even minimally politically astute knows.
What attacks on Hunter? Do you homework. I’ve never “attacked” Hunter. Pointing out that he is barely registering in the polls is not an “attack”.
That is a reason to have him be the candidate. It is a point in Fred's favor. It is not a reason to oppose him.
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Exactly right.
I have nothing against Hunter, but his campaign is going nowhere. I would be for a place for him in Fred's administration, but I'm no longer sure he would even be the best choice for VP.
Read it again.
It says “anyone ATTACKING Fred after Dec 1”
I think you missed the “ATTACKING” part.
It did NOT say, “anyone NOT SUPPORTING Fred...”
Duncan, if he doesn’t start a huge, miraculous roll in just a few days, would do better to go after a larger role in California....governor or senator.
Not really.
I am but a mere observer of fact...
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Agreed. He just doesn't have the numbers to succeed in this campaign, and he doesn't really bring much to the table as a running mate. He's made a good effort, but some things are just not meant to be.
“Fred has that quiet Southern strength that won’t allow these guys to roll over him, “
You mean like the Dems did to him in the Chinagate hearings?
He’s still got ‘til the end of November....4 days.
Lightning could strike.
Lightning could strike.
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I suppose anything is possible. :)
key word in your retort is ‘fair’
I know what it said. The term "attacking" is rather subjective though, isn't it?
While I am directly opposed to Fred and have argued against him at times, I have largely left him alone in deference to the other half of the forum that do support him. I have mainly argued for Conservatism with an admitted tilt toward Hunter.
But I will speak my mind when I choose, and would prefer to do that without such a scurrilous charge hanging over my head.
To fabricate such an accusation does little other than attempt to pull the teeth of your opposition, especially so as the debate is boiled down into the two obvious camps that are now forming and will likely remain until the bitter end.
The worst part of the Hunterites here is the conspiracy theory segment among them.
Actually, my comparison was about us, not Fred.
It is wrong for a conservative to attack a conservative in a primary when the objective is to have the nominee be a conservative.
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