GOP Nominee
Former Candidates
I’m not usually going to spend my time arguing with other commentators, or posting a bunch of rebuttals, but there is some misinformation going around about Fred Thompson from his rivals.
A. The powerline article linked here on this site was a plant. The story is false. The writer, who has been critical of Thompson from the beginning, said that a recent meeting had been scheduled to take place in Washington, and that Representatives and Senators came away unimpressed. I hate to break it to you, but the story was false.
Lots of people sending me this. A deflating blow, landed by one of Fred?s three favorite blogs? Say it ain?t so.
Is this event attended by sixty-odd congressional Republicans the same as ? this event attended by sixty-odd congressional Republicans? Because (a) that wasn?t all that recent (link to the mid April meeting) and (b) by all available reports, Fred was exceedingly well received (note: Thompson came away with 10 endorsements that followed shortly, including proving to one Marsha Blackburn that he was serious and would be a force.) Maybe it was another, more recent event? If so, how often do they throw campaign shindigs for dozens of House GOP members? (note: there hasn’t been any recent events)
This event was covered here and nobody brought up these complaints then, and nobody has backed off their invitations to an upcoming meeting.
This is the story: In two weeks, Thompson will be meeting with most of the leaders from the GOP leadership, and there will be some major endorsements following. You don’t have to take my word for it, but don’t be disappointed or in disbelief.
B. Somebody wrote an article about Thompson’s trip to New Hampshire. I wonder if they were attending the same event as the other reporters who attended, like this one from politico:
Fred rising
This week’s reports: Who’s hot in South Carolina? Who’s living large in Las Vegas? And can anyone impress the rock-hard Granite Staters of New Hampshire?
Right now, the answer to that last question seems to be yes. Fred Thompson hasn’t even declared his candidacy yet, but Republican officials in New Hampshire welcomed the actor and former Tennessee senator with open arms, and South Carolina is delighted to have a Southerner in contention.Obama returns to New Hampshire on Monday, but this week belonged to the former senators from Tennessee. (Gore and Thompson)
Or the news reporters:
Please watch this news report if you want to get the full story from New Hampshire. It has not been posted on youtube, so to watch it, you must click the link here.
Reactions from the clip
?Tonight in New Hampshire, Thompson did nothing to drop those numbers?
-News Reporter
?Today, he was really impressive?
-Jennifer Bandy
Dartmouth College Republicans
?Fred?s got a chance to really come in here and taking the New Hampshire Primary over.?
-Representative Mark Clark
Bedford, New Hampshire
I am posting this so that you are not in disbelief, or getting any false impressions. This is the easiest chance to attack Thompson because he has formed a committee, jumped into first or second place in almost every single national and state poll, but is still not officially in.
So you’re going to see little shots taken at him, and that’s fine, that’s the way the game is played, but don’t believe every little ‘inside scoop’ you read.
Yes, Hillary is after him too…. figures, but hey, that will probably help him.
Point C:
Here is the review from the South Carolina event:
COLUMBIA, S.C. ? After watching from offstage and seeing his poll numbers soar, actor and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson on Wednesday made his first public appearance in a state that could help him star in a new role, as a presidential candidate.
The former Tennessee senator, 64, and a star of TV’s Law & Order, spoke to more than 300 South Carolina Republicans at a Columbia hotel. Invoking Ronald Reagan and what he called his party’s “underlying principles,” he gave many what they came for.
“He really galvanized the room,” said David Woodard, a Clemson University political scientist who attended the event. “It was clear they were looking for somebody else” than the current crop of candidates “and they were attracted to him.”
“He hit every one of the points that conservatives want to hear,” said York County Republican Park Gillespie. “He’s speaking to the base, no doubt about it.” Thompson, accompanied by his wife, Jeri, and their 2?-year-old daughter, Hayden, worked the room at the luncheon, where he got a warm reception
Update: Here is a link to the Wapo’s coverage of the meeting:
Several lawmakers who were there said Thompson indicated that while he was seriously considering a candidacy, he had not decided whether to run. They said he talked about his life and answered questions. A handful of lawmakers said they encouraged him to run and told him they’d endorse him if he officially enters the race.
“He was called presidential, and he was. He was told he was electable, and he is,” Wamp said.Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., said: “there was a breath of fresh air in the room today,” while Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., added: “he spoke as though he was a president.” Rep. David Davis, R-Tenn., said people are looking for a candidate with a proven conservative voting record and “Fred Thompson’s the man.”
Even those congressmen who wouldn’t yet commit offered praise.
“Very impressive,” said Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla. “He has the charisma and the fortitude to lead our nation at what is a very difficult time.” And Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., called Thompson a straight shooter, and said: “I’m looking for somebody that can excite America again.”
Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, called Thompson a candidate who “Americans can get behind” but said there was one “glaring error.” “It’s nearly impossible to get elected if you’re bald-headed,” Gohmert quipped.
From the ABC News article covering the event in April:
The welcome for Fred Thompson wasn’t just warm, it was effusive. The former Tennessee senator and actor is still weighing whether to run for the GOP presidential nomination but House Republicans who met with him Wednesday gushed over the prospects of Thompson candidacy.
Another article from the Washington Post about the event, this one from Perry Bacon Jr.:
Many of the members said they left the meeting impressed with the “Law and Order” star and are eager to see him run, believing he would capture the excitement of some Republicans who are not content with the current field of candidates.
the Republicans he visited were eager to rave about Thompson after the session. Several said they will support Thompson the moment he enters the campaign if he decides to run. “He’s ready, and I want him to run,” said Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.).
June 30th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Tommy, John H. of Powerline has posted an update where he says that he talked to one congressman that was unimpressed with Thompson and that same congressman said that many others felt the same way. http://powerlineblog.com/archives/018079.php. Now, do you really think the story was a plant? It seems very likely that what John H. reported was what the congressman told him. Now whether that represents reality is another question in itself. But to suggest it is a plant or the result of some nefarious scheme with other candidates, is really far fetched.
June 30th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
I’ve got a hunch that there is definitely some selective reporting by the “Fredheads.” Every interview or speech that I have seen Fred give in the last few months has been uninpressive. “Fredheads” are notorious for hearing only what they want to hear. Every time that Fred gives a bad speach or interview, it is always “He’s rusty” or “He’s warming up.” This is another reason why Fred is using the web so much, because then he can script everything he says. Otherwise he comes across as slow and inarticulate. Point in case, Fred’s speech in England was posted by Matt Lewis at Townhall.
http://townhall.com/blog/g/c39fa860-a308-4d97-89c2-5531692f8c4b?comments=true#comments
The speech was terrible, so boring…and lacking in eloquence! The unabashed “Fredhead” gets in the first comment and raves about how wonderful it was. But wait….read the rest of the comments. Fred gets ripped apart. That’s how the non-Fredheads see him. Fredheads are very vocal and so they inflate the supposed “great reviews” that Fred gets after interviews, appearances, and speeches.
June 30th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
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June 30th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
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June 30th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
I don’t see any evidence that John Hinderaker has any anti-Thompson bias. Paul Mirregoff (sp?) seems to be fairly pre-disposed towards Romney, but Hinderaker seems relatively uncommitted.
June 30th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
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June 30th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Give us a break. Thompson’s people have been planting stories everywhere and now one wasn’t favorable to him, we get the whine.
Thompson is NOT an impressive speaker — he mumbles and has no grasp of what is going on without a script — cannot believe that some of you buy into the koolaid of Rove and his puppets once again. Thompson is being propped up right now and anyone with a sense of honesty can see what is happening. Afraid to get in the debates it looks like because he is afraid to look even worse is what most people are guessing.
We live in dangerous times and Fred is not up to the job. He is backed by the Baker boys, Rove, Frist, Matlin, George P. Bush — all people supporting the WH on Immigration.
June 30th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
New Hampshire Republicans were less than impressed with Thompson as well: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/17514.html
June 30th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
“But to suggest it is a plant or the result of some nefarious scheme with other candidates, is really far fetched.”
I am not allowed to say, at this time, who sent representatives of their office to the fundraiser last week, or who is coming out to support him at this time, but this article is false. I don’t remember the exact day, but in a few weeks, Thompson will be meeting with many members of Congress, and during this meeting, you can expect more than a few major endorsements.
I am posting this because at that same meeting in April, Representatives attended who were already commited to othere candidates were in attendance, and not all were interested in switching their endorsements, in the first place. How do you think they’d spin it, and Hinderaker knows that. Read my update at the top from the Washington Post.
June 30th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
DaveG,
Did you read my whole post? Watch the news link.
June 30th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Tommy,
Maybe you should just accept the fact Thompson isn’t made of gold. Nothing you wrote about the Powerline article directly refutes it. Other than you not liking it.
Thompson people have a problem. On one hand he’s an outsider who if he doesn’t get the endorsements it’s because he’s too conservative. but on the other hand if he does it’s because he is such a strong candidate.
IF Thompson is really doing fine in this department why the need to press this thing? After all his list will be coming out shortly right?
June 30th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Tommy, I said nothing about the falsity of the underlying claim that congressional republicans weren’t impressed with Thompson. Rather, what I am saying is that Hinderaker spoke with ONE congressman and reported the content of that conversation. Maybe the congressman was part of some scheme to smear Thompson (haven’t seen any evidence of that yet), but I don’t believe for a minute that Hinderaker is. He just reported what he was told.
June 30th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Jason,
I don’t think that Thompson is made of gold.
On the other hand, why would the Powerline article cite a recent event that took place two months ago. It’s non sensical, and I don’t think everyone is going to hold hands and sing songs in support of the Fred. I am also aware that some of you pick up on any small post and run with it, while Romney is in deep doggy doo doo at the moment, and also is starting to get called out on the fundraiser in Utah (which, as an afterschool counselor for seven years,, I have serious reservations about), and getting hit hard in Iowa?
Do a google news or blog search on Romney, and you’ll learn all sorts of fascinating information. Is much of it relevant, or believable? And some of these are usually reliable sites. I don’t jump and run with any little post that might give me an advantage.
June 30th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
dbleagent,
I don’t disagree with you there. I have a problem with some trying to make it bigger than it is (as in meaning that all of a sudden congressional support is going to start pouring in for Romney).
June 30th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Tommy, “doggy doo doo”, that’s a good one! Yes, I am amazed at how media tried to gasp on something against Mitt. Anyway, sorry about being off the point here. When it comes down to Congress men and women and media, we can pretty much forgot about it. Media have painted Hillary and Obama as moderate, when their voting records have them among the most liberal ones. The media have painted up McCain because he has done things that they liked. There are plenty more where it comes from. It is enough to say that we cannot trust MSM (mainstream media, the old boys, big news, etc) with their ability to report on the Washington leaders and so-called leaders.
June 30th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
I was at the SC event and Thompson was less than impressive. With him being an actor, I expected a tighter, more controlled delivery. What he did was ramble and shift points, clouding his central message.It may have been because he has just started and the others have been at it for so long, but I expected a more impressive performance from an actor. He can develop a better, sharper stump speech, but he had better hurry.
He should be happy that there aren’t any debates scheduled in the next couple of weeks. He would look really bad in comparison to Rudy, Romney, and McCain (and Huckabee et al for that matter.)
June 30th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Tommy, okay then I think we can agree that it was not a plant by Hinderaker. I suppose it is still possible that the congressman told him that on purpose, knowing it was false, and knowing that Hinderaker would report it. Maybe its just me, but that seems like a stretch. As for other people latching onto Hinderaker’s post and taking it too far, that is entirely plausible.
One last thing about why Powerline would cite an event that took place two months ago, Hinderaker explains that in his update. He says he was got the impression that the event was more recent. He doesn’t say how he got that impression, but it seems implied that he got it from the congressman that he spoke with.
June 30th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
dbleagent,
fair enough. I think you are probably right.
I do think Hindraker should’ve checked his sources before reporting something like that. Whenever I post on the front page, I always check for backup sources. I speculate in the comments section. I’ll also occasionally sit on information before it breaks to make sure I got the facts in order.
I post my own little theories in this part of the site.
June 30th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
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July 1st, 2007 at 8:03 am
Wow Tommy,
You still have said nothing that actually disputes the powerline article. The article never says it happened yesterday. I think he was reporting the facts.
And the fact that some people walked away from Thompson really seems to hurt your feelings. I thought your skin was a little thicker.
I am laughing about the claims about Romney. Oh wow, he is against farm subsidies? How terrible. I didn’t know Thompson was for them. Oh he tied his dog in a crate to the top of the car, oh man, that is really some tough stuff on Romney. Keep it coming Tommy…