Posted on 12/18/2007 7:07:16 PM PST by ellery
I write this Tuesday night from Waterloo, Iowa and I just finished attending a Fred Thompson campaign event. Folks, this is a very different Fred Thompson I saw compared to his rollout in September.
The expectations are gone. The slow start is a distant memory. It has been replaced by a much more crisp, energetic, focused stump speech. The crowd seemed more engaged and rowdy and Thompson had the enthusiasm to match.
He comes out at the beginning of the event an starts cracking jokes like this one:
“It was getting so cold in Washington that the politicians have their hands in their own pockets.”
Or this one:
“It’s wonderful to be in Waterloo and I aint here to play the role of Napoleon.”
Then he proclaims he’s the conservative horse in the race and says energetically, “Saddle me up”
Now, it would be at this point in September where he would begin to ramble a little bit and lose focus. Not this time. Fred Thompson is on top of his game. No rambling. He’s focused on substance and determined to prove he’s the logical conservative choice. But he’s doing it all with a smile on his face. He seems very comfortable up there and he’s having fun.
Thompson told the crowd, “I know who I am and I know what I believe.” This statement is at the heart of his campaign. Thompson has always marched to his own tune. The song in December of 2007 sounds harmonious.
Light, camera, Action! Certainly works better for Fred.
I’m TELLING!!
Yeah. The guy who helped bring about the Clinton nightmare by siding with Perot, and then claimed that he purposely supressed the black vote in an election. That guy?
That guy. Perot pulled out by the way and as I remember Rollins noticed that Perot was a bit unstable and left too. Rollins helped engineer a 49 state sweeps for Reagan. Yeah, that guy.
Sounds like his “ethics” fit right in with Huckabee’s.
Right, forget Iowa, Clinton did awful in ‘92, recovered and sailed. You are analyzing this primary correctly IMO - past Democrat primaries are more like this GOP one - open seat, no clear favourite, elastic polling numbers, very soft core support,etc.
Thompson has revitialized and could actually clean up Super Tuesday - Romney will win Iowa and NH but stumble then.
Or, to read it another way, other than our last Republican President, all the other Republican Presidents back to 1976 didn't come in first in Iowa their first time running for the nomination. But that doesn't really fit what you wanted to say, does it? From your list, it doesn't appear that you have to win Iowegia at all. Just a decent showing and off you go.
You can't polish a turd.
Why? both were actor’s!
Mike Huckabee does have a degree in Religion. Seems like that is theology to me. What would you call it? A seminary degree is not a requirement to be a Southern Baptist pastor.
Pretty good analysis, and I think South Carolina is key.
I'd put Keyes standing next to Fred in photo ops—SC has a strong Christian countryside, black and white.
Don’t let them get you down Leni, many are DU/DNC plants. And you won’t hear a word from them or their screenname for a good long while should Fred take 2nd in IA.
A bunch of us got together a couple weeks ago for a dinner in New Port Richey. Freepers are full of life, energy, always rarin' to go.....and we have that fire in the belly!
Some of us are on the FRed'08 e-mailing list and we'll post any appearances by him on the state forum.
We won't ignore Hillary, either, if she's the candidate and pays an imperious visit to the Sunshine State.
Leni
Ah, but it is a magical time as well...
I did no such thing. I referred to those who fall for his phony religious posturing "retards"--not all Christians. You surely must know this, so your continued overreaction is baffling. I would hope that religious conservatives will all be appalled when they learn about the Huckster's horrendous record and Liberation Theology utterings.
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