Mitt's Divided Strategy (Thompson Rumors Traced to Romney)

Townhall ^ | 5-Jan-08 | Robert Novak

[Jay777]

Published reports that Fred Thompson soon will withdraw from the Republican presidential contest and endorse Sen. John McCain have been traced in part to Mitt Romney's campaign, trying to stir up strife between McCain and Thompson.

There is no question, however, that McCain strategists would welcome Thompson's endorsement if and when he drops out. It could help McCain in the Jan. 19 South Carolina primary.

[Jay777]

Blog Reactions...Developing...

[Domandred]

Does anyone even have any kind of evidence yet other then Fairyboy...er I mean Shep Smith suggesting it on Fox News

[CharlesWayneCT]

Of course, they have not been “traced” or in any way found to be from the Romney campaign.

Nor is any evidence presented for the claim, which is not surprising because there is no evidence.

[NavVet]

Yeah,

Thompson finished ahead of McCain in Iowa, is skipping RINO friendly NH and you think he would drop out before the first Southern Primary. Dream on. NH is McCain’s only realistic shot at a win, at least until the Vermont primary.

[Politicalmom]

Once again the lie that FRed is out of money is repeated by the lamestream media.

[Khepri]

Damn...I was convinced it was a Huckastunt...

[LexBaird]

After the Plame fiasco, I have no trust in the words or motives of this antediluvian crap-stirrer.

[Diogenesis]

Myth Romney taking credit for Duncan Hunter's fence, in Romney's flier.
The information of Hunter's fence should have been in ..... Duncan Hunter's flier, etc.

Americans await Romney to apologize for this, or his fake badges, or fake troopers, or socialized medicine, or .....

---

Romney caught awarding himself an 'award'.

"Behind the empty gestures and deceptive rhetoric, Romney was not pro-life
or a defender of marriage by any stretch of the imagination.
He was a disaster," said O'Gorman, of the board for Massachusetts Citizens for Life.
He said Romney "deceptively" claims to have been awarded
a pro-life award from the group.

"The award Romney arranged for himself with the local Pioneer Valley Chapter
was the Mullins Award for Political Leadership, not a pro-life award
and not approved by MCFL's state board of directors," he said.
"We're blowing the whistle to warn voters…"

[Family leaders call Romney 'disaster' - Letter criticizes 'deceptive rhetoric' around candidate]

[Khepri]

Once again the lie that FRed is out of money is repeated by the lamestream media.

Yeah, I noticed that too...last I saw he had the third most cash on hand...

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

More Mitt sleaze...

[CharlesWayneCT]

The blog reaction makes an important point that the politico would be foolish to take a rumor the day before an election.

Of course, if the rumor is from people who are known to be supporting the candidate for which the rumor is about, they would give it more credence. The political specifically said that the the people telling the story were close to Thompson’s campaign.

So unless the Romney campaign is “close to Thompson’s campaign”, they weren’t the source.

BTW, did anybody ever think that the leak might have been a stupid ploy by people who support thompson?

There are two ways a person who wanted to help thompson might have thought this would.

First, the rumor could be immediately denied by the candidate, getting the candidate widespread news coverage, and if they could then leak a false claim that it was done by another campaign, it would hurt that campaign. And certainly there was a lot of effort to hurt Romney by associating him with the leak — something that probably would have worked if the politico hadn’t specifically identified the source as “people close to Thompson’s campaign”. (I bet the sources asked to be anonymous).

Second, the rumor may have been intended as a warning to fred supporters who might stay home — that if they didn’t show up in big numbers, Thompson might quit.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Romney's results in Wyoming should be annulled.
Romeny should be forced to drop out.

[Baladas]

Novak doesn’t substantiate this claim at all, but I also suspected McCain and Paul supporters, the latter’s spamming the column with yet more Paulestenian talking points.

[Politicalmom]

Right. Explain the other blatantly false hit pieces coming from Politico.

[org.whodat]

Damn...I was convinced it was a Huckastunt...

Most of the dirty tricks seem o have come from the willard crowd. But I would not put anything past some of fanatical hunter supporters either.

[enewsreference]

I don't think Thompson has been mentioned in the media in about 2 weeks

[CharlesWayneCT]

Well, he is running an e-mail campaign claiming that he needs a half-million new dollars contributed to put an ad on the air in South Carolina.

Maybe he already has a half-million in the bank and could put the ad on any time he wants, and is just using the “I need money” as a ploy to raise more money? But I can see how someone might be confused as to whether he already has money, when he keeps asking people for money so he can run ads.

[org.whodat]

But I would not put anything past some of fanatical hunter supporters either.

Forgot to add,

but if anybody starts starts shooting dogs for none support we may have an ideal where that was coming from. :^)

[arbee4bush]

*Pffft*

Nice try....

[Servant of the Cross]

This was posted on another thread as possible evidence of a 'trace' to the Romney campaign:

blog post of Fred rumor by 'Jason Bonham' on 1/2/08

mymanMitt co-founder 'Jason Bonham'