Sparse Schedule for Thompson on Trail

The New York Times ^ | September 16, 2007 | Julie Bosman

[Plutarch]

LAKELAND, Fla., Sept. 15 — At his second campaign stop of the day on Friday, just after 2 p.m., Fred D. Thompson was deep into a riff on the benefits of high-quality American health care.

“It’s allowing us to live healthier lives and to live longer,” Mr. Thompson said at a Jaycee park here. “That’s good news. But we have more retired folks. I hope to become one of them one of these days.”

Nervous laughter from the audience.

“Not too soon,” he added hastily.

So much for dispelling the idea that he is too lazy to run for president...

His critics, already pointing to what they call Mr. Thompson’s skimpy Senate record, might find even more ammunition in his campaign schedule... Mr. Thompson has made a languid three-day swing through Florida ending Saturday. The pace has kept him on a jumbo air-conditioned bus far more often than he is actually campaigning.

Since Thursday morning, when the tour began, Mr. Thompson has made no more than three campaign stops a day, with long stretches in between. In recent spins through Iowa, he kept a similarly relaxed schedule. Mitt Romney, by comparison, often does six town-hall-style forums a day when in Iowa...

But once off the bus, Mr. Thompson has shown occasional signs of discomfort. In a speech here on Friday, he sweated profusely under the afternoon sun, breathed heavily and, while struggling over a question, asked no one in particular if his microphone was on. (It was.)

Some audience members winced as Mr. Thompson sweated through the question-and-answer session.

“I’m surprised they didn’t pull him out of there,” said John Chambers of nearby Punta Gorda, after the speech ended. Suzanne Miranda, who watched the event from a lawn chair, said, “I felt bad for him...”

[Plutarch]

Barbara Fernandez for The New York Times

Fred D. Thompson in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami on Friday, as part of a three-day swing through Florida.

[MittFan08]

I really don’t care if Fred isn’t the most energetic guy in the world- I believe in small government anyway so if the pres isn’t running around doing a whole lot that’s probably for the best.

The photos I’ve seen of him drenched in sweat do worry me a bit, though since heavy sweating (including night sweats) is a symptom of active lymphoma.

[Popman]

The pace has kept him on a jumbo air-conditioned bus far more often than he is actually campaigning.

Since Thursday morning, when the tour began, Mr. Thompson has made no more than three campaign stops a day, with long stretches in between. In recent spins through Iowa, he kept a similarly relaxed schedule. Mitt Romney, by comparison, often does six town-hall-style forums a day when in Iowa...

The NYT's just can't help themselves can they?

Florida is a big state, with long stretches between cities

[Clara Lou]

LOL—you and the dying NYT are sure afraid of FRed! You’re so transparent. We have FReepers who have attended his appearances on this campaign tour. I’ll take their description over the NYT’s any day.

[Clara Lou]

The photos I’ve seen of him drenched in sweat do worry me a bit, though since heavy sweating (
Let's see.... Heavy sweating is also a symptom of standing outdoors in Florida in 90+ degree weather. You are unbelievable!

[Plutarch]

Florida is a big state, with long stretches between cities.

Verily, that is true, however....

In recent spins through Iowa, he kept a similarly relaxed schedule.

[deport]

Since Thursday morning, when the tour began, Mr. Thompson has made no more than three campaign stops a day, with long stretches in between. In recent spins through Iowa, he kept a similarly relaxed schedule. Mitt Romney, by comparison, often does six town-hall-style forums a day when in Iowa...

---

Got to keep the anticipation level up and not let Fred over expose himself.... If you are around the top, one or two, then let the challengers do all the work. Come Super Tuesday time he’ll have spend some time outside the bus.

At least this week all the other candidates got a bump up the polling ladder with the entry of Alan Keyes into the race.

[trisham]

Go Fred! Go!

Don't you just love this photo?

[Clara Lou]

That is a great photo! I haven’t seen it.

[MittFan08]

Fred is not a healthy-looking man, and the simple FACT is that he has lymphoma. I am not imagining this, it’s a fact. That being the case, do you not think it’s a valid point to wonder if his lymphoma is active or in remission?

The American Cancer Society webpage states that:

Possible signs of adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma include fever, sweating, fatigue, and weight loss.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/adult-non-hodgkins/patient

There are a lot of published stories out there saying Fred has lost weight recently, is sweating a lot and doesn’t have energy. That’s 3 of the 4 signs up there, and there’s no way for us to know one way or the other if he has a fever. Does that not concern you? It should.

I want a candidate who can go toe-to-toe with Hillary and right now Mitt Romney looks like that man to me. I make no apologies for that, nor should I have to. He’s far from a perfect candidate, but he’s way better than McCain and Rudy and Fred’s health looks too suspect to me.

[engrpat]

My word, the convention is what 11 months away, the primaries don’t get started for another 3 or 4 months for the early ones, why go crazy now? This whole election cycle is way too soon and out of wack. Fred, stay cool and take it easy, let the others knock themselves out.

[trisham]

What a good looking couple. Imagine having the White House with them and with their adorable children playing about the place.

[trisham]

Check out post #8. Fred looks just fine.

[Clara Lou]

Fred is not a healthy-looking man,
Take your self-serving, heavily-biased-for-Mitt opinion and put it in your ear. He looks just fine--unless, of course, YOU don't want him to.

[JohnBovenmyer]

OK, it is the NY Slimes. Take everything they say with sufficient salt to melt Hillary! Still a candidate entering the race, if not too late then later than everyone else, who excused his entry time by saying he wanted to get everything right first, and who’s been oft accused, by those he’d like to convert to supporters, of not wanting to work hard enough to win the nomination should at least make the MSM work for their slime. The GOP candidate will need to overcome the NY Slimes as well as Hillary to win. Where is what pre-announcement supporters promised, a shock and awe debut? He’s spending most of his time reading briefing books and conferring with advisers, says his spokesman, Rich Galen. I’d been told variously that a) Fred was waiting to get in until he had all the details done right and b) that Fred had bedrock solid conservative instincts and predictably solid conservative positions on everything. Fred already had all the right answers we’re told, so why does he still need all this briefing now?

[Clara Lou]

Oh, my God! There’s something wrong with FDT! His lips are pursed as he climbs off the bus! [in this photo carefully selected by Plutarch].

[GLDNGUN]

In recent spins through Iowa, he kept a similarly relaxed schedule.

You know, you have convinced me. I was all for Fred Thompson. Until now. You have exposed him for doing "only" 3 campaign stops a day, as opposed to 4 or 5, or even 6 for Mitt Romney (how does he do it without diet Coke???). Thompson may be the best guy out there and could make mincemeat of any of the dems in a presidential debate, but I'm sorry...I just can't pull the lever for someone who only makes 3 campaign stops a day. /sarcasm

[SteveMcKing]

Fred is living out a dream- to run for president.

Then he can say that he gave it a try, no regrets, yadda yadda...

He’s not going to win.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

I bet the bus causes far much less pollution than cris crossing the state in say a Gulfstream jet. And even between stops folks in the highway see the bus cause the danged thing is painted like a traveling billboard. Go Fred Go!
And don’t forget to drink your Ovaltine before bedtime!

[MittFan08]

The hostility is uncalled for. I suspect we want the same thing- to find the candidate best poised to beat Hillary. And to do so, it is to our benefit to actually look at our potential candidates CRITICALLY during the primary phase.

And there is simply no argument that Fred has been sweating profusely in his campaign appearances- photos were posted here last week of his shirt drenched in sweat in Iowa. If you could manage to scrape up a bit of objectivity, you would acknowledge that this is a CONCERN in light of the fact that he has non-Hodgkins lymphoma and heavy sweating (and weight loss and fatigue) are classic symptoms of active lymphoma.