The Candidates
From “advisers” who are “close to the campaign” - according to Politico.
1. The red pickup truck will be back.
Organizers say the red pickup truck that was a hallmark of Thompson’s first Senate race will begin showing up in Iowa and New Hampshire as an emblem of what they consider his folksy, populist appeal.
2. He will announce on the 4th of July or on that weekend.
Fred Dalton Thompson is planning to enter the presidential race over the Fourth of July holiday…
3. He will make the formal announcement that he is running from Nashville, TN.
Thompson’s formal announcement is planned for Nashville.
4. He will most likely skip the Ames straw poll, citing a lack of time to organize for it.
Similarly, several Thompson advisers are urging him to skip the Iowa Republican Straw Poll in Ames on Aug. 11, since his campaign will have such a short time to prepare. Instead, Thompson could campaign 30 miles away in Des Moines at the Iowa State Fair, which will be taking place at the same time.
Very interesting… so you tell us - what do these revelations mean for the campaign in general? Is the red pickup truck a good idea? Is skipping Ames a good idea? Will Ames even matter if Fred and Rudy both skip it? Discuss away.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:36 am
Red pickup? Good.
Skipping Ames is bad, but going to Ames and losing is much worse. Thompson’s making the right call here.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:40 am
red truck good in Iowa, bad in New Hampshire…leave it home in the general election. Of course I think he should write off NH…I don’t think he has much a chance there.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:49 am
McCain skipped Ames in 2000 and look where that got him. If either Fred or Rudy (or both!) skip Ames, they don’t have a chance to win the nomination.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Skipping Ames - very bad! At the least, Fred will show us that he is willing to walk the Republican walk. And besides, Ames is a very important event for Iowans, and his being there will mean a lot for those Iowans. They, and the others who follow the 2008 race this early, won’t hold his losing against him because of his late entry. Most of us are aware of his media obligations. I think he will gain much going there and everything to lose if not.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Red Pickup is a great idea! But i think he should participate in the straw poll, and i dont think
he will do to bad in it at all to, he has a good chance to do very well if he starts to get mobilized
there, as he is already doing decent in the polls and he hasnt even announced he’s running yet, so
i wouldnt skip the straw poll.
Bryan
May 30th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Thompson will not announce 4th of July. The initial news sources got it wrong.
May 30th, 2007 at 11:03 am
will announce within a day or two of that, didn’t read your post close enough.
May 30th, 2007 at 11:14 am
I don’t know whether skipping Ames is a good strategy in general, but it is definitely the wrong move for Fred. FDT will have the next two months as a honeymoon period, where he’s the new face, shaking up the old lineup, and everyone gets to learn about a “new candidate.” His appeal, as he apparently recognizes with the red truck comment above, is in his demeanor: folksy, comforting, fatherly. He hasn’t been an intellectual leader or an executive at any level, so my guess is that his campaign will focus on the comfort food: generalities like “low taxes,” “strong national defense,” and the like.
That said, he’s timed his entry perfectly to take advantage of some free media coverage, garner some momentum and dollars, and be peaking in a few months. He could springboard to a first place finish in a rural setting like Ames (if not Ames, then where?). Only a first or second place finish would cement him as a first tier-frontrunner candidate, but such a finish would ensure that he had staying power through the early primaries. By ducking the straw poll, he adds credence to the “no fire in the belly” attacks and leaves himself vulnerable to being upstaged by Gingrich’s entry this Fall. Not particpating at Ames also increases the chance that a second tier candidate like Huckabee or Brownback makes a surprise showing, builds some mo, and takes the conservative mantle away from him.
May 30th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Thompson in, then Romney out. Thompson will be the worst news for Romney. It will be a battle royal between Thompson and Rudy…and Rudy will win.
May 30th, 2007 at 11:28 am
The red pickup truck is going to be an interesting theme. It could definitely resonate with voters IF USED CORREDTLY…but it reminds me of his buddy Lamar Alexander’s 2000 campaign, which featured the candidate criss-crossing the country in an SUV in an attempt to rebel against the circus like campaigns of frontrunners ad make it look like Lamar was th only candidate who really talked to voters…that campaign flopped BIG TIME.
Thompson could use that tactic at times, but only as part of a bigger campaign strategy. However, it would be a VERY bad idea for him to run an Alexander-esque campaign - I certainly hope that his advisers aren’t telling him that such a strategy would work.
May 30th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Good. Thompson’s been needing to get in this thing. I was afraid he’d wait it out too long and all the buzz would wear down. If he can show his force monetarily right off the bat, then I think he’ll be in good shape.
In terms of skipping the straw poll, it’s a mixed bag. On the one hand, he really won’t have the ground troops there to pull off a whole lot, so it would look like a major letdown if he’s there and fails to generate enough support. Also, this allows him to really work on stumping and outshine others at the State Fair he’s purportedly going to instead. He’s good at getting press while the rest of the GOP field is doing something of import.
On the other hand, this is an important straw poll — perhaps the only one that REALLY gauges the primary itself. Skipping it in the past has hurt other candidates and could hurt him in Iowa. But, we shall see…everything at the moment is all up in the air in terms of Thompson so…who knows.
May 30th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
I had been looking for this, and just found it….
Texas GOP lawmakers favor Fred Thompson for president
Clay Robison, Houston Chronicle
April 29, 2007
(Excerpt)
AUSTIN Don’t underestimate the political power of stardom, even in the state Capitol.
Fred Thompson, the actor and former U.S. senator from Tennessee, officially is only mulling a race for the White House, but he already has snagged support from at least 58 Texas Republican lawmakers.
No other presidential hopeful from either party is close.
Much of the credit goes to state Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, who have been promoting a Thompson candidacy and securing lawmakers’ signatures encouraging him to run.
They like him, they say, because he’s conservative, independent, well-spoken and comfortable before the camera. And, yes, some backers, including Talton, admit to watching Law and Order, the NBC series on which Thompson plays a district attorney, following several movie roles.
Patterson, who claims the only television he watches are the History Channel and cable news, said 54 House members and four senators Kyle Janek and Dan Patrick of Houston, Chris Harris of Arlington and Jane Nelson of Lewisville are on the pro-Thompson list.
“I think he is the only true conservative in the race,” said Patrick, perhaps only slightly prematurely.
“From a presentation standpoint, I think he will be Reagan-esque,” he added, evoking memories of another actor elevated to a much bigger stage.
The House members represent two-thirds of the chamber’s GOP members…
(More)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/4759616.html
May 30th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
and this is brand new…
Handful of SC lawmakers urge Fred Thompson to run for White House
JIM DAVENPORT
Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. - A handful of South Carolina legislators on Wednesday urged Fred Thompson toward a formal presidential candidacy and said groundwork for a campaign was being laid in this early voting state.
State Sen. Larry Grooms said conservative voters in South Carolina are looking for something more than what the current field of Republican candidates has to offer.
“They’re all good guys, but there’s something lacking in every one of them,” said Grooms, who was flanked by six other legislators and U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-S.C., at a Statehouse news conference. “I think Fred Thompson is the type of candidate that many people in this state are looking for.”
People close to the former Tennessee senator and “Law & Order” actor say he will form a “testing the waters” committee that will allow him to raise money and that he plans a campaign swing through various early primary states in late June before an official campaign launch around July 4.
Barrett said the supporters were simply trying to build excitement for Thompson in South Carolina.
Other presidential candidates have been raising money and soliciting support in South Carolina for months. Arizona Sen. John McCain enlisted a majority of Republican legislators here earlier this year for his exploratory campaign.
But some, like state Rep. Mike Pitts of Laurens, have said they are considering taking their endorsement elsewhere. Pitts was particularly upset because of McCain’s support for the illegal immigration bill now being debated in the Senate.
Joining Grooms at the news conference Wednesday were state Sens. John Hawkins and Ray Cleary and Reps. Michael Thompson, Brian White, Eric Bedingfield and Jeff Duncan.
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/17299675.htm
May 30th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Everyone saying that FDT entering the race knocks Romney out completely is completely off the mark. Romney as much more money and MUCH more organization. Also, look at the polls - even with FDT included, Romney is still fairing well.
I have yet to see a poll that shows Romney losing 10-15 points to FDT. In my mind Rudy have the most to lose from an FDT entering the race and maybe McCain. Those who are saying it is Romney who will lose are scared that Rudy and McCain will lose.
May 30th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
I see more similarities between FDT and Rudy than I do FDT and Romney. FDT and Rudy are both hard-nosed, take no crap, prosecuting attorneys. They are both very much - pardon the pun - “Law and Order” Republicans. Romney has shown flashes of that, but also has shown his business background, his managment talents, his governing abilities, etc.
I think Romney will only lose nominally from FDT being in the race, but that the real battle royal will be between Rudy and FDT. The last one standing will be facing Romney.
Or I could be completely wrong……
May 30th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Sorry for all the posting. But after I opined earlier, I found this article.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18439416/
May 30th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Since Thompson has been included in polls, Giuiani’s been the one who’s polling numbers have suffered the most. Romney has lately been seeing a boost in all polls, so the Thompson effect can’t really be determined for Romney as of yet. In terms of McCain? He’s been polling all over the map lately, so it’s also hard to judge how Thompson would impact his candidacy — BUT, the previous endorsement of McCain shows the type of people which may join a Thompson camapaign and could show where some might jump ship. Then again, you never know.
I think initially he’ll detract from Giuliani’s support as he has in most current polls — after he’s in, I think any new support he gains will come from all the major camp’s supporters with no one group losing supporters from a larger margin than the other.
May 30th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Romney is welcoming Thompson into the race. I think the Romney team knows that Thompson pulls from Giuliani. There are two times that Giuliani’s poll numbers really drop (in relation to the other three forerunners). The first is when Thompson is added onto the polls, and the second is after the first debate when he came out pro-choice.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070530/NEWS/70530019
If Thompson really enters, I suspect that Romney will be leading in the national polls by August.
May 30th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Am I the only one who doesn’t like the red truck idea? I’m a farm girl from a small Idaho town, and the idea that he can rent a truck (which is what he did the first time - rented it) and drive around pretending to be a regular ole’ farmer or whatever seems very…fake, I guess, is the best word for it.
Tommy, no criticism, just telling you what I think. To Fred: Be who you really are. If you own a red truck, drive it. If you don’t, don’t rent one and pretend you’re something you’re not. This is something that got Romney a lot of criticism a while back with the hunting thing. He tried to pin himself as a lifelong hunter when he had only gone hunting two times: Once as a boy in Utah and again last year in Georgia. Technically, that is lifelong (once at the beginning and once at the end) but the media still had a heyday with it, which I don’t blame them for doing. I’m obviously a huge Romney fan, but I’ll say it when I think he messes up. I did like this article on the subject, however.
So I hope Fred learns from Romney’s mistake and doesn’t pretend to be something he isn’t. That staged effect will not do well, in Idaho at least, although I don’t have a clue about other states.
Hava
http://mittforpresident.wordpress.com/
May 30th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
great points Hava…fred don’t do it…if he didn’t in fact rent one, it won’t matter that he used to own one, that he does now own one, the MSM will link on to the fact that “he rented it” and go with it…
May 30th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Fred owns the truck.
May 30th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
the idea that he can rent a truck (which is what he did the first time - rented it) and drive around pretending to be a regular ole’ farmer or whatever seems veryfake, I guess, is the best word for it.
Doesn’t matter to me.
May 30th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
HAva,
I think the Redtruck idea is a joke. He might have some fine qualities. But think about it, is he going to drive himself to Iowa and NH in his truck? My guess is no, he probably will have it towed with all his staff in a semi trailer.
bjalder, good point.
If you were to assimilate who’s style is Thompsons most like, it’s Guilianis. In Romney you have an executive, well spoken, intellegent person, a real ambassador. With Giuliani and Thompson their mime is to be a everyday guy who’s tough as nuts, they may very well be. Personally if I were a political strategist and could pick my candidate I would not choose the down-home-awe-shucks guy. We already had that, and most are sick of him. This has nothing to do with his Achievements but purely on a superficial level.
That being said, I look forawrd to Thompson entering. Hemight very well have some good ideas to bring to the table. I am really not to concerned about him, I think he will not really stand too well in a debate, and I think his power thrust upon me thing is kind of a dishonest line when you consider Lori Morgan and him were discussing running for the presidency in 99 and he already has money raised.
May 30th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
On second thought I don’t fault him for the truck thing, it’s a campaign after all they all need to put on a show. I guess I just wonder about those who fall for soemthing like that as proof he will make a good president, and they do exist just read Redstate.
May 30th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Fred is going to make a great VP - he’s got the temperament for it - don’t ask much from him, cause he don’t give much. I see a Romney / Thompson ticket as a winning ticket for the republicans.
May 30th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
KevinP…I have been saying that for some time now….a Romney/Thompson ticket is near perfect.
May 30th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
I don’t think the red truck is particurally appealing, but it probably won’t hurt. I am afraid Thompson is too similar to Bush…folksy, slow talking, and Southern. I feel that people are going to make a break from Bush and I would rather it be in style than ideology.
May 30th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
KevinP & JohioW, agreed. Not only does FDT fit the appearance of a VP, I’d argue that he’s actually gunning for that position.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
David Ensley, I agree. The red truck thing and the “southern man, common folk, Im like you” will look to much like W Bush. Thats why I like Romney is because he has the leadership and management that this president doesnt have, or doesnt show.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
I don’t care whether or not a candidate has a New York accent, a Boston accent, a New Jersey accent, a Texas accent, an Appelation accent, a Hawaian accent, or a MidWest accent. I am not impressed if he tools around in either a red pickup truck, a luxury touring bus, or a G5 aircraft. I could care less if the man insists upon $400 haircuts (as long as he is paying for it), or has his wife cut it to save money. The bottom line for me is, “Can the man do the job?”
I find statements like #9 hard to swallow. It completely misreads Romney’s support.
I can certainly see Thompson taking sizable support from other name-recognition candidates — Giuliani, McCain, and Gingrich — but I don’t see him stealing much of Romney’s support, who is anything but a name/face recognition candidate. They are two different groups of people.
Romney supporters are more resume oriented than name/face oriented. Of the candidates from both parties, only Giuliani’s resume comes close to Mitt. He is burdened with a great deal of shallow name-recognition support, as well, but at least he has a resume of fairly solid executive accomplishment to fall back on. I’m not too sure it translates well into Presidential calibre leadership, but at least it is worth debating it.
Thompson is all face/name recognition with hardly any resume to speak of. Romney has little to fear from him. In fact, he has gone out of his way to welcome Thompson into the race. Romney is no fool. He knows whose support Thompson’s entry will cut into, and it won’t be Mitt’s.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Not only does FDT fit the appearance of a VP, I’d argue that he’s actually gunning for that position Doubt it. Though I do think that Thompson’s particular talents could be effective in a vice-president, whereas Mitt’s would be wasted there. If Mitt becomes VP, its only because (1) the nominee thinks Mitt has enough strength that its necessary to heal the party and (2) because Mitt thinks becoming the heir apparent is worthwhile.
I am afraid Thompson is too similar to Bushfolksy, slow talking, and Southern. I feel that people are going to make a break from Bush and I would rather it be in style than ideology
I don’t know. I generally don’t like making my decisions based on either cosmetic factors or predictions about how other people will react to cosmetic factors.
May 30th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
“Fred owns the truck.”
Really? I read he rented it for the first campaign. I’m not quite sure what terms to Google to find out for sure either…
“I generally don’t like making my decisions based on either cosmetic factors or predictions about how other people will react to cosmetic factors.”
Heavy Heavner, I know what you’re saying, but everyone I’ve been talking to has been saying the same thing that David Ensley said. I have a friend who says every time Bush comes on TV, she has to turn it off, because his accent drives her crazy after listening to it for the last 8 years. Like it or not, this will be a liability in the race. And she lives right here in Idaho, so she’s fairly used to cowboy talk.
I don’t think she would be very excited about another 4 years of listening to a drawl. 
When politicians put on a checkered red shirt and drive in an old beat up truck that they rented or borrowed or bought just for the race, it makes them look like they’re pandering to the rednecks and hillbillies who are too stupid to know that it is all an act. I really don’t see how that can go over well from anyones point of view.
My two cents,
Hava
http://mittforpresident.wordpress.com/
May 31st, 2007 at 12:05 am
After eight incompetent years of “good ol’ Bubba” followed by another eight years of sorta competent ‘W’, I am ready for a candidate who is clear and away a competent leader first and a folksy “man of the people” second.
May 31st, 2007 at 5:00 am
“After eight incompetent years of “good ol’ Bubba” followed by another eight years of sorta competent ‘W’, I am ready for…”
Huh?
Maybe what you are ready for is a session with the dictionary to grasp the meaning of “competent”.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:18 am
Tano,
Okay, I just check out my dictionary’s definition of “competent”. Your point?
May 31st, 2007 at 1:15 pm
LOL!!! marK, Tano is a Democrat. His views on GWB is obviously going to be a bit…slanted.
I know what you’re saying, and I agree. He was “sorta competent” although we obviously could have wished for a bit more. 
Hava
http://mittforpresident.wordpress.com/
May 31st, 2007 at 7:10 pm
[...] document.write(”"); } )() The Politco’s Mike Allen had the scoop on Fred Thompson yesterday. Race42008’s HeavyM pulled out a couple of important points but did not really elucidate. So let’s work on some [...]
May 31st, 2007 at 8:08 pm
[...] Politco’s Mike Allen had the scoop on Fred Thompson yesterday. Race42008’s HeavyM pulled out a couple of important points but did not really elucidate. So let’s work on some [...]