Posted on 12/08/2007 4:06:27 PM PST by cotton1706
Des Moines, Iowa FORMER TENNESSEE SENATOR Fred Thompson has decided to take his campaign and virtually all of its resources to Iowa in an all-or-nothing attempt to register a strong showing in the caucuses here on January 3. "We're getting ready to make this not only our second home, but our first home," he told a small gathering of supporters at the Polk County Convention Center on Friday night. Thompson and his wife Jeri chatted with the crowd before making their way through the exhibits at the Iowa Farm Bureau's annual meeting in downtown Des Moines.
Beginning Monday, December 17, Thompson will launch a bus tour that will take him throughout the state. From the beginning of that trip through caucus night, Thompson will essentially live in Iowa, taking only a one-day trip out of the state to celebrate Christmas at his home in Virginia.
Thompson has said publicly that he needs to finish in the top three in Iowa. Campaign officials say that a strong third place finish--presumably behind new frontrunner Mike Huckabee and former frontrunner Mitt Romney--would likely give them enough momentum to survive New Hampshire and compete in South Carolina and beyond. A second place finish would be a victory. "Just when the interest is there the greatest, is when we'll be here the most."
Neither McCain nor Giuliani appears to be making a major effort in Iowa, though there are persistent reports that Giuliani is doing whatever under-the-radar things he can--like mail--to keep his name in circulation without looking like he's trying too hard. That leaves Thompson alone to compete with Romney and Huckabee, two candidates without national security experience, in Iowa.
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
Too little, too late.
On other thought occurred to me. They maybe seeing the possibility of a Huck implosion on the near horizon, much sooner than they had hoped, so maybe it has forced a move in a way. No need to go backwards just because Huck could not sustain.
Awesome, this is how I thought he should play it.
Huckabee’s loaded with baggage and flying high. Let’s see if Fred can shave 10 points off him the next month.
“Just when the interest is there the greatest, is when we’ll be here the most.”
Basic psychology 101. 3 parts 1.. gets lot of attention 2. gets muddled.3 last is retained longest and being closest to gate will be remembered better when the hands go up/// gotta love that guy.
The folks in Iowa and just now paying attention and they are tired of Romney and Juliani, don’t want McCain, so they resort to Huckabee. When FRED gets their attention, there will be no contest. FRED will sweep Iowa, screw New Hampshire, sweep Michigan then Wyoming, then South Carolina, and Florida. Optimism is the name of the game now. The DB MSM will NOT choose our President.
WE THE PEOPLE asked him to step up and now WE THE PEOPLE will elect him as our President!
Now is the time for all Fredheads to send in fresh contributions! Spending this month in Iowa could come close to depleting his coffers!
Huck can't beat Obama. That is where it's heading unless Fred can kick some butt.
Let’s see if Fred can shave 10 points off him the next month.He's got 26 days to do it.
I think he’s concluded he must make a showing in Iowa to do well in SC. With all the buzz going to Huckabee, folks are flocking to the Huckster without thinking.
I’m guessing he also thinks he can pull off a decent showing, claim to be the comeback kid, and get a closer look in SC before leading into Florida.
If he’s in the top 3 leaving Florida, then I think he has a real shot at being the anti-Rudy, which is where most of the votes are.
If Fred doesn’t break Hucks momentum early, he’ll never win SC. He’s showing a weak second there now
Study your lines, speak plain and simple, lay off the cigars for a week, get your nose off your notes and look to the crowd, crank it up a notch, and go Fred go, make a good showing, Fred. Am rooting for you to shine and to ooze conservatism. Otherwise, will vote for the Repub. nominee whoever it may be. You couldn’t possibly do any worse that Obama did today. Relax up there, and enjoy the show. Lot’s of us behind you.
Thompson seems to have been trending steadily downwards both in South Carolina and nationwide ever since he declared to run.
Back when he was at 28 or 29% in the Rasmussen polls, all the Fred supporters proclaimed that as the only poll worth taking note of. Well now he’s nudging single figures in the same poll.
If this is a tactical masterplan, it’s a very strange one. Suddenly shifting all resources to Iowa looks like a desperate last move.
While I am NOT a Fred Thompson fan, this is good news for the Republican Party. A robust Thompson campaign would make ALL of the candidates look better as Thompson (like him or not) is on the right side of virtually every issue.
If Thompson starts to act like he ACTUALLY CARES about winning, then he might still have a chance at the nomination. Personally, I’m still not convinced that he DOES, or CAN, care in the traditional sense of the word, but this ‘all-in’ effort in Iowa is a huge step in the right direction.
Having ANY candidate appear lackluster and sluggish is a major drain on the overall discourse, so I will be very happy to see Thompson get his butt in gear and start to act like he really wants to be President.
You seem like a skeptic. Who are you supporting if I may ask?
Watch the MSM turn against Huck now.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071208/ap_on_el_pr/huckabee_aids
Huckabee wanted to isolate AIDS patients
That is the key question. If Fred has some scientific evidence which strongly suggests it, then Iowa would be the place to be now. But I still have a hunch that he would do better in the long term if he invested his time in South Carolina right now.
For a couple of years, I've been telling my colleagues on FR Arkansas forum that Huckabee was going to run an Iowa strategy, and he would run strong there. So far, that prediction has been accurate.
He will be more likely to gain strength in SC if he improves his position in Iowa. SC needs to believe he is viable. If they do, I think he’ll take the state.
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