FRED THOMPSON, IN OR OUT? (Mother in hospital)

PowerLine ^ | January 19, 2008

[restornu]

Fred Thompson just spoke to his supporters in South Carolina, where he appears headed for a weak third or fourth place finish. Thompson thanked everyone and then spoke about America and conservatism's contribution to it. He did not talk about Florida or being in the race to stay.

Word is that Thompson will return to Tennessee to visit his mother in the hospital. While he's there, presumably, he'll consider his options. Frankly, and I say this with regret, it's difficult to see the case for him remaining in the race.

Posted by Paul at 7:07 PM | |

[taildragger]

It should be the other way around....

[gpapa]

With Hunter gone Fred is the only conservative worth supporting. The others are hopeless RINOs.

P.S. This primary cycle has so far been a mess, no thanks to the powers that be at the RNC. Fortunately the RNC has not seen a dime from me since we last heard read my lips.

[Brandie]

Prayers for his mom and also that he stays in the race. America needs Fred Thompson, there is no other to vote for.

[SoConPubbie]

Fred Thompson, co-chairman of the McCain campaign for President in 2000, has not pulled any other candidate one iota to the right of where they stood on any issue before he entered the contest in September.

Wrong!

Try Illegal Immigration and take a look at all of the candidates including Rudy, Mitt, McCain, and the Hucksters' positions before and after Fred put out his position paper on this issue.

And quit lying about being a Fred supporter before tonight, that last statement of yours proves that is a lie.

[lone star annie]

LOL. I hate him too—more than any RAT and that says a lot. The man is a backstabber and worthless to the GOP.

[SoConPubbie]

It’s not a sporting event and it’s not sitcoms. There is a point to it all beyond mere entertainment. When that point disappears, that’s when a candidate has to face the reality that he is spending money people are sending to him that is hard earned money on an exercise that he realizes cannot succeed. That starts to edge towards unethical and no failed candidate ever wants to leave the arena like that.

It’s over. He knows it. He has to work through the process of shutting down the campaign.

Your boy has 50% NEGATIVES, the same level as Clintons.

This makes Mitt unelectable.

Mitt needs to pack it in and endorse Fred.

Fred needs to stay in as the only electable consistent conservative in the race.

[TheThinker]

I don’t think anyone’s dropping out. I do think Fred can win Texas. He’s the closest thing to a real Texan that Tennessee’s ever seen.

[COgamer]

“Rush has no agenda other than promoting conservatism regardless of political ramifications or political parties.”

Gosh, makes you wonder how things might be different today if he’d endorsed Fred Thompson instead of lumping him together with Romney and Giuliani, doesn’t it?

[Anti-Hillary]

AMEN!!! I totally agree!!!

[ansel12]

“He’s the closest thing to a real Texan that Tennessee’s ever seen.”

---

I’m a Texan, remember that Davy Crockett and 40 or so of his fellow Tennesseans are also pretty well known as real Texans.

[Ol' Sparky]

Huckabee must be stopped so McCain can be handed the nomination? Not a chance. Your cure is worse then the disease. With Huck we at least get good Judges.

Exactly. Huckabee is far better than the other three RINOs. And, he likely would have beaten all of them if he hadn't be singled about by the "new" media and Republican hierarchy.

[Bizhvywt]

“Is it possible that Fred out foxed the MSM tonight? All the networks covered his speech in anticipation of him dropping out. Instead, he gave the best speech of the season, all on live, prime time TV.”

That’s what I’m thinking.

[arturo]

Still won’t vote for McCain if Fred is his running mate.

That's the spirit!

[calvo]

I don’t think you appreciate what a master you are dealing with. Someone said Mitt is playing chess and everyone else is playing checkers. I don’t know who said that or I would give them credit for it.

Fred reminds me of quarterback that was good 15 years ago and people really like him. Then comes a big game and they wake him up and throw him in the game with a bunch of guys that have been working hard on their game. He makes a valiant effort but he hasn’t seen the ball since the kick-off.

I think Mitt is really playing a very good game. He knew it was going to get nasty in SC and that McCain had advantages there that he probably couldn’t overcome without losing a lot of blood. So he lets the others go at each other, and he goes to Nevada and picks up the low hanging fruit. Sounds like a smart move to me.

Watch Florida, Mitt moved in and he has been working it quietly for a long time. He is going to make a big stand there and I predict he will win or take a really big second that will further reduce the field. McCain will be gone and Rudy will be hurt. Mitt is the only one with the organization and money to go hard at Super Tuesday.

[womanvet]

amen!

[Warrior Nurse]

It should be but that is not how it’s playing out is it?

[A CA Guy]

Would be nice, but I have seen no movement.

[9YearLurker]

How about Mitt’s got gobs of money and he’s willing to spend it on massive media and organization buys in each state. When his polling showed he wasn’t near victory in SC despite all the time he’d spent there as well, he pulled his adds for 3 days and signaled that he wasn’t really competing there? Still a viable strategy, but a more accurate narrative.

[KTM rider]

"Frankly, I am sick of the GOP and where it is heading. Fred Thompson should have cleaned those bozo’s clocks tonight in S.C. I fear for the Republic"" ditto,

Why is the GOP race like a NASCAR race ?

.....it's turning left in a hurry

[WoofDog123]

“Is it possible that Fred out foxed the MSM tonight?”

Would have been better with better numbers in SC. He lost, came in 3rd, and unfortunately is going to suffer as a result.

Seriously, when I see posts about x person having suffered a negative event and it is depicted as having as having outfoxed the MSM, I know it is worse than I think.