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For Thompson, Delay Is Costly [Money, Support Head To Declared Candidates.....]
WSJ.COM ^

Posted on 04/08/2007 7:04:41 PM PDT by Sub-Driver

For Thompson, Delay Is Costly Money, Support Head To Declared Candidates In Run for White House By CHRISTOPHER COOPER April 9, 2007

WASHINGTON -- If Fred Thompson decides to run for president, he will have some powerful supporters: The self-described "Tennessee Mafia," a group of Republican politicians from his home state well-versed in the craft of national campaigns. What the actor and former senator may lack is the financial juice that fired the group for more than a quarter century, driving local and national campaigns with astonishing amounts of cash.

"Mafia" members include Howard Baker, a former Republican senator, ambassador and White House chief of staff, who himself ran for president in 1980; Sen. Lamar Alexander, a former two-term Tennessee governor who ran for president in 1996 and 2000; and Bill Frist, the former Senate Republican majority leader, who considered, then rejected his own run for the White House for 2008.

Egged on by a campaign to draft him and buoyed by polls that suggest he would be a serious contender even though he hasn't declared, the conservative and blunt-spoken Mr. Thompson has said he is considering jumping in and may make a decision as early as next month. But in a presidential campaign that is likely to be the most expensive yet -- three candidates have already banked over $20 million in donations -- dithering would seem to be a liability.

Mr. Thompson's deliberations have already cost him a natural ally. Ted Welch, a wealthy Nashville businessman with an uncanny knack for raising political cash, has long been the go-to guy for Republicans seeking the highest office.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
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To: Luke21

Fred will crush the opposition.


81 posted on 04/08/2007 9:52:09 PM PDT by Stayfree (**********straight from the horse's mouth at www.FredDThompsonforPresident.com)
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To: ROSCOE SWACKHAMMER

Great observation about the word rate. He also hits me with a Reaganesque delivery. Not only that but my due diligence shows he has an intellect that is unmatched in the entire field today.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1811892/posts

But back to the subject of word rate delivery, I notice that HRC is also very slow in her speech, much too slow IMO. To me she is condescending as well as repulsive.

So although word rate is important, I think content based on sound values and character is vital.


82 posted on 04/08/2007 9:56:49 PM PDT by Hostage (Fred Thompson will be President.)
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To: Arizona Carolyn

” he gets a pass and Rudy doesn’t? “

Because he was misquoted and Rudy wasn’t. Besides, he doesn’t wear women’s underwear like Rudy...


83 posted on 04/08/2007 9:58:02 PM PDT by babygene (Never look into the laser with your last good eye...)
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To: You Dirty Rats

If you have been on FR the past few weeks and have seen the mounting lame and weak attacks on him from all directions, demorats and repubicats alike, then yes you would understand the following:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1813677/posts?page=34#34


84 posted on 04/08/2007 10:02:34 PM PDT by Hostage (Fred Thompson will be President.)
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To: Luke21

The people who have been trying to paint FDT as a former prochoice candidate have been verified to be supporters of Romney and directed by the Romney campaign.

So far FDT has been bulletproof. But these con artists keep shooting their BB guns at FDT’s armor. They just don’t see how ridiculous they look.


85 posted on 04/08/2007 10:07:04 PM PDT by Hostage (Fred Thompson will be President.)
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To: Sub-Driver

But from the beginning, all this was understood about a possible Thompson candidacy.If he becomes the nominee he is going to be the nominee by virtue of a grassroots groundswell from a real and sizable mass of voters, and if that groundswell is big enough, it doesn’t much matter what the RNC has decided.


86 posted on 04/08/2007 10:11:55 PM PDT by supremedoctrine
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To: babygene

“Besides, he doesn’t wear women’s underwear like Rudy...”

Easter nite...real nice. No lows for the RudyHaters.


87 posted on 04/08/2007 10:14:04 PM PDT by Blackirish
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To: Arizona Carolyn

Already debunked by several credible sources on several FR threads and websites beyond.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1811076/posts?page=166#166


88 posted on 04/08/2007 10:14:19 PM PDT by Hostage (Fred Thompson will be President.)
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To: Arizona Carolyn

The only problem with your angle is he never said those things.

Argue all you want but here’s the real test:

Show one, just one FDT vote in the Senate that was prochoice.
Answer: Difficult because none exist.

Show at least one FDT vote in the Senate that was prolife.
Answer: Easy as there are numerous such votes.


89 posted on 04/08/2007 10:18:08 PM PDT by Hostage (Fred Thompson will be President.)
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To: Blackirish

“RudyHaters”

Don’t hate Rudy... He’s just a liberal after all. I would have no problem with him running as a democrat.


90 posted on 04/08/2007 10:23:14 PM PDT by babygene (Never look into the laser with your last good eye...)
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To: traderrob6
"Many reports are giving the impression that the biggest fundraiser was Mitt Romney. In pure dollars, that's true. But from where I sit, the biggest single group of Republican donors appears to be the folks who chose not to give. By my count, a good $15-$25 million in Bush money from early '99 and '03 has yet to show up in any bank account belonging to McCain, Romney or Giuliani.

These are folks that appear to be waiting for an alternative (say Fred Thompson?) or a better sales pitch from one of the active frontrunners.

If you're Fred Thompson, the fact that there is a bunch of unaccounted for GOP money has to be an intriguing enticement. Seed money won't be hard to find for any Republican who makes the case they can win."

- Chuck Todd, "In search of a frontrunner"

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1813690/posts

So much for the money strawman...



Fredipedia v2.17: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
91 posted on 04/08/2007 10:28:06 PM PDT by Josh Painter (Draft Fred Thompson: the grassroots "surge that will transform the Republican race." - The Hill)
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To: babygene

“Don’t hate Rudy...”

Then why go so low..?


92 posted on 04/08/2007 10:38:59 PM PDT by Blackirish
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To: Arizona Carolyn
He has never made that statement.

Please provide a source, or retract your accusation.

:O)

P



Run, FRED, run!

93 posted on 04/08/2007 10:43:43 PM PDT by papasmurf (Join Team 36120 Free Republic Folders. Folding@Home Enter Name:FRpapasmurf)
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To: Blackirish

“Then why go so low..?”

What I said was true. How is that low?

In the picture floating around, he is seen in a dress. Either he gas a hormone problem or he’s wearing a bra. Same pictures, he’s wearing pantyhose...

Are they not women’s underwear? Clearly what I said was factual.


94 posted on 04/08/2007 10:48:18 PM PDT by babygene (Never look into the laser with your last good eye...)
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To: babygene

Thanx for making my point.


95 posted on 04/08/2007 11:02:16 PM PDT by Blackirish
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To: Blackirish

“Thanx for making my point.”

To that I would say, If these kind of jibes at this point are too tough on him he should get out of the race.

How do you think he would be treated by the dems and the MSM in the general elections?


96 posted on 04/08/2007 11:13:28 PM PDT by babygene (Never look into the laser with your last good eye...)
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To: Sub-Driver

Maybe my money doesn’t mean anything, but Fred’s the only one who’s getting any of it. And the minute he declares, he’s getting all of it.


97 posted on 04/09/2007 1:09:03 AM PDT by WhistlingPastTheGraveyard
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To: zarf
There are plenty of political crooks in Tennessee, but they are Democrats, mostly named Ford.
98 posted on 04/09/2007 1:28:18 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek (President Fred Thompson will finally give the University of Memphis the respect that it is due!)
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To: oceanview

I don’t care what the age difference is, as long as, Fred hasn’t cheated on her.


99 posted on 04/09/2007 1:31:44 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek (President Fred Thompson will finally give the University of Memphis the respect that it is due!)
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To: concretebob
Referring to Lamar and Bill as Mafia types is the biggest laugh of the year.
100 posted on 04/09/2007 1:36:38 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek (President Fred Thompson will finally give the University of Memphis the respect that it is due!)
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