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 It has been replaced by a much more crisp, energetic, focused stump speech.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:
Its wonderful to be in Waterloo and I aint here to play the role of Napoleon.
Then he proclaims hes 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. Hes focused on substance and determined to prove hes the logical conservative choice. But hes doing it all with a smile on his face. He seems very comfortable up there and hes 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.
Hey, eyedigress, you gonna shoot left-handed all night?
If Fred wins Iowa, Mitt and Mike are toast. It'll be Fred versus Rudy, and I don't see Rudy winning South Carolina or Florida.
Are you deliberately ignoring GHWB's THIRD place finish in 1988? Gee, if memory serves me right, I coulda swore he won not only the GOP nomination that year but the presidency.
Of course WINNING is always preferred to 2nd or 3rd, but Fred certainly is not "finished" if he doesn't win. Do you expect everyone to drop out of the race except for the winner after Iowa? LOL
Romney will probably win Iowa. Huckabee has peaked and is on his way down. I can easily see him imploding and fading to 3rd while Fred moves up into 2nd.
You’ve met my Mom, then ?
I've been duking it out for weeks here against all the nay-sayers, doomsters and those of little faith in the Fredster. Getting all worn out from it, by golly.
However, I'll be revived after Iowa.....and I'll be looking for all the boo-birds to sheepishly do some about-faces.
"No fire in the belly", my ash!
Leni
If that’s the only way to get wager?! You betcha!
Nice try. But I am not fooled by Huckabee or his supporters as they attempt to shield his atrocious history with his Christian posturing. He is a fraud. And the statements he made regarding illegals when Governor were positively leftist. Sorry, pal, I don't believe in a place called Hope.
"Mike's a nice enough fellow, can't say 'no' to anybody. That's why he's against a fence on the border and against fences around our prisons."
Gotta laugh at the "Hands Down!" slogan on the side. Was that added right after the last debate?
The Clear Conservative Choice. Hands Down!
I love it!!!!! Was that slogan written after the latest debate in which the candidates were asked to “raise their hands?”
I'm an evangelical Christian, but am no fan of Huckabee. Your anti-Christian comment was very offensive.
A lot of people are aggravated that the campaigning has to begin so early. Thompson is the ONLY candidate that stands to benefit from this sentiment.
Once again, it was not an "anti-Christian comment". It was a comment about the possibly well-meaning but deluded folks who fall for Huckabee's routine. Remember...he lied about the theology degree. His record on illegals is identical to Dick Durbin's. And his rhetoric on those critical of illegal immigration has been positively leftist.
I also do not appreciate my original comment being removed. It was not abusive nor offensive to Christians and FR policies should not be abused themselves for politically partisan purposes.
The media views him as dangerous to their cause. Therefore it is best for them to pretend he doesn't exist.
Its a tough situation, but only Fred can change it.
FRED THOMPSON: the thinking man’s and sensible conservative’s choice.... all other Presidential choices is just monkeying around.
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