I did.
I also factored in the terse, 45-word WRITTEN non-explanation issued by the Thompson campaign that made no mention of personal issues.
The sad fact is that sometimes situations arise that are tragic. Husbands on active duty in war zones lose wives back home to car accidents. Children suffer disease. No need to go overboard here, and no one should criticise Fred’s love for his mother or his concern for her health.
But Fred had pledged an undertaking of high importance to the nation. In his own words, a kind of marriage between the candidate and the electorate. Marriages are for better or worse, but Fred didn’t stick out the worse. He needed to give his mother what he could, but he also has to think about his children, and he said that he was.
Was that true?
Maybe I am easy to anger, and I certainly don’t know everything that Fred knows about the state of his campaign, but I am mad. I think that at the very least Fred thompson owes all of us who gave or ourselves, gave of our fortunes, and gave of our time ought to be given a full SPOKEN explanation.
What Fred did was the equivalent of telling your spouse you want a divorce by leaving a message on the answering machine.
I share some of your anger/resentment. In 35 years of voting, Thompson was the first candidate I ever gave my money to. I’m ticked. But I chose to take the chance, after all, knowing full well that he very well might not be the nominee.
And I think you’re right that we deserve more than 45 words.