Why is Fred Thompson Crushing Mitt Romney ?
On paper Flipp should be running away with the nomination, but he continues to lose ground to this second rate actor. Why?
Digby is reading a book which lays it out.
Reductively speaking, Thompson stands as the Daddy Party’s dream Daddy–although a Daddy of a very particular type. Forget the nurturing, “compassionate conservative” model of Bush’s 2000 candidacy, which has been roundly discredited on the right. Forget, too, the blustery, “Bring it on!” swagger that W. adopted after September 11, a little-guy machismo one also sees in Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. Thompson’s manliness is laconic rather than feisty, a style more John Wayne than Jimmy Cagney. “He’s a big man,” says Duncan. “He has a way of filling or dominating a room.” And, as all of us recall from our schoolyard days, big guys like Thompson don’t need to run around picking fights, talking smack, and constantly reminding us of how tough they are because, well, look at them.
The main stream media has a “daddy complex” as well – so all of the positive attributes that Republicans project onto Thompson because of his height are picked up and amplified in the press.
Among more serious journalists, The Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes has developed a particularly intense man-crush on Thompson, penning a series of breathless valentines about the fledgling campaign, starting with a 6,000-word profile in April that gushed: “As we spoke, I was struck by the fact that Thompson didn’t seem to be calibrating his answers for a presidential run. On issue after contentious issue, I got the sense from both his manner and the answer he gave me that he was just speaking extemporaneously.” Nor is it only the conservative media getting high on the smell of testosterone. The creepiest musings about Thompson’s “sex appeal” thus far have come from NBC’s Chris Matthews, the machismo-obsessed id of the Washington media, who recently cooed: “Can you smell the English leather on this guy, the Aqua Velva, the sort of mature man’s shaving cream, or whatever, you know, after he shaved? Do you smell that sort of–a little bit of cigar smoke?”
Yuk. If I were reading this without having read the News Journal and Celia Cohen for the past few years gushing about the intangible manliness of our local trio of political giants I would have been a little wary of the premise. Afterall, how could people be so gullible and stupid? Right?
Wrong.
Because he’s fat?
Maybe because Mitt is a third-rate actor?
I think the FredHeads are people disappointed Cheney isn’t running.
I’m with Fred.
Learn more.
http://www.imwithfred.com/index.aspx
Can’t wait for the Fall, things are going to get very interesting. Every Republican invokes Reagan in their attempt to garner the nomination.
Fred doesn’t have to, his demeanor and overall love for our country, does the job for him.
Go Fred!
“I think the FredHeads are people disappointed Cheney isn’t running.”
Can’t stand Cheney…love Fred.
Fred doesn’t have to, his demeanor and overall love for our country, does the job for him.
And he smells nice, too.
Question: What Bush policies does Thompson oppose and plan to reverse?
Actually, that’s not a bad question for any of the candidates.
“Question: What Bush policies does Thompson oppose and plan to reverse?”
Once he announces and his platforms are layed out I’ll revisit this question. In the interim I hope you don’t mind my minimalist response and slight spin.
The Bush administration folks are unquestionably the leaders of mismanagement. Therefore I don’t know if it’s opposition or reversals that are needed, but qualified administration officials who sense the pulse of our nation and alleviate its concerns with sound judgement and decision-making.
“Actually, that’s not a bad question for any of the candidates.”
Agree…but I’m confident you’ll get responses from Democrats that lack real solutions, i.e “All of them”
Therefore I don’t know if it’s opposition or reversals that are needed, but qualified administration officials who sense the pulse of our nation
Please, please let the election be about which candidate is most in touch with the pulse of the nation.
and alleviate its concerns with sound judgement and decision-making.
“Trust me, I’m a Republican. We’ll get it right this time.”
True Fred moment from 2003:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq9HHJjlEyo
49,268 have viewed this video, I think that might explain why his base is so large so quickly.
According to this news report, his base isn’t coughing up much dough, however.
But, I also don’t know how much trust to put in this reporter and this story could be part of an expectations management game.
So Fred is in favor of supporting the troops. See? There’s one Bush policy he opposes.
Thanks J the video gives me a Thompson bumper sticker idea:
Thompson ’08
It is time for more vacuous nonsense!!
OR
Thompson ’08
Boy can he act!!
Support the troops – bring them home! Thanks Fred for your compelling video in support of this position.
“Thompson ‘08
Boy can he act!!”
Maybe Barack Obama should take some lessons before he goes on his overnighters to Iran, Syria see Obama foreign policy here:
http://lastminutedeals.com/ hopefully he’ll at least bring some talking points.
Fact is Fred is not acting, you guys have a big problem if he’s the nominee.
I think I see the Laffer curve in the furrows on Fred’s brow.
Local draft effort
http://draftthompson08.blogspot.com/
Fred peaks the day he announces. Too many people are trying to paint him as the candidate they want him to be, not the candidate he is. As soon as he comes out as the candidate he is, his support will fall off.
oedipa maas Says:
“According to this news report, his base isn’t coughing up much dough, however.
But, I also don’t know how much trust to put in this reporter and this story could be part of an expectations management game.”
I believe that his not needing money for the pre pre pre primary activity will offset the cash requirements for now.
He will however need to start spending big in the late Fall/Early winter to pull it off.
It’s amazing to watch how much $$$ all the rest have spent to get in the same or worse position. I can safely say no one is ahead of Fred, and that’s just a fact:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2008__1/presidential_tracking_polling_history
I’m not afraid of Fred. In fact, there’s no possible GOPer candidate that could frighten me, or should for that matter. The positions they’ve seceded to the religious freaks, the corporate monolith, and the war-mongers have made them a laughing-stock and losers in the eyes of moderates, independents, and the American youth.
Get ready for the long hibernation, Freeperland…and good riddance.
http://media.pfaw.org/pdf/cav/YouthVote.pdf
You will become the victim of your own hype.
Hillary will be your candidate. Check this out again this time pay attention to the Democrats. Hillary Crushes!
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2008__1/presidential_tracking_polling_history
Hope you can live with a Republican President other than Bush, cause that’s what your gonna get.
Without him on the ballot and her as your candidate…well you know the rest…
Hillary is the only slim chance you have. If she is in – she wins, but it is a horse race – otherwise hang it up.
The GOP spent a year beating up on Flip when his name was John Kerry. They can’t turn on a dime.
“The positions they’ve seceded to the religious freaks, the corporate monolith, and the war-mongers have made them a laughing-stock and losers in the eyes of moderates, independents, and the American youth. ”
Uh, check out Ron Paul. He is the only TRUE liberal in the race from either party. All the others are Socialcrats and Fascicans spouting the same old crap.
Ron Paul appeals to the moderates, independents and American Youth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmKwlE3fO-Y
Didn’t I read on one of the DE blogs that Mr. Thompson was nothing if he wasn’t lazy….as evidenced by his stint in Congress? And are there health problems?
I don’t know how much chance a less than stellar actor will have and survive when it’s not one ‘take’ after another…we’ll see if the big gallut even formally announces…talk about slow on the uptake…..
“talk about slow on the uptake…..”
He hasn’t spent a dime and he’s in first or second in most polls. If anything it shows you he didn’t buy into this pre, pre, pre, presidential primary bullshit. He’s running at just the right time.
Yeah Allen, good luck with Ron Paul. I don’t think many of the zeitgeist would appreciate some of the racist statements he made in the past.
Once you get past the anti-war sheen, all that’s left is something similar to Pat Buchanan. And again, why worry about someone pulling 3% in his own party’s primary.
“Socialcrats and Fascicans” – very clever; you must have thought real hard!
“Socialcrats and Fascicans”
I’m trying to get Allen to agree that right now we have more to fear from the (very right wing) Facicans than the (not very far left) Socialcrats currently running for office.