Thompson's AWFUL Busy for Being So Lazy
By haystack Posted in 2008 — Comments (4) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
There's a debate coming up. Fred has made it pretty clear in the past that these little dog and pony shows don't do much for him as far as anyone getting any REAL chance to speak up and speak out. In fact, not so far back I mentioned his quote about accepting the fact that he needed to "be a good boy and stand in line and wait for them to throw me a fish just like everybody else."
He continues to field the pot-shots about being lazy...that's fine-no one seems interested enough challenge his policy positions or his general outlook with respect to the country-so be it.
Now comes THIS piece (in USA Today no less) telling us about the team he has assembled, all known quantities with a wealth of diverse experiences. Seems to me Fred's been VERY busy of late-an awful lot more busy than someone who is lazy, indifferent, uninspired, and is suffering no belly fires:
Just in time for his first appearance at a presidential debate -- tomorrow in Dearborn, Mich., -- Republican contender Fred Thompson has unveiled a campaign "leadership team" with some names that should be familiar to conservative Republicans. The Thompson campaign has e-mailed reporters that:
"Sen. Fred Thompson announced today the members of his National Campaign Leadership Team: Sen. Howard H. Baker will serve as honorary chairman of his presidential campaign and Sen. Spencer Abraham, Sen. George Allen, and Elizabeth Cheney will serve as campaign co-chairs."
Not bad. Not bad at all.
The official Campaign Presser is here, and basically gives background on the newly-announced Senior Team. Fred's introduction of them is worth noting:
Howard Baker is my longtime mentor, advisor, and close friend, and I am very grateful that he will serve as honorary chairman of my campaign," said Sen. Fred Thompson. "I am also very pleased to announce that former Senators Abraham and Allen, as well as Liz Cheney, will serve as co-chairs of my national leadership team." Sen. Fred Thompson added: "These distinguished individuals bring wise counsel and invaluable experience to my campaign leadership team, and they will play a critical role in helping spread my consistent conservative message across America."
"Wise council," "invaluable experience," "helping spread my consistent conservative message across America." These words are things to remember, while the next several days in the media will bring attempts to shred and destroy each of them in kind-personally and professionally.
So let's see of I have this right:
New Leadership Team. Check. Doing the debate in spite of its inherent flaws. Check. Achieving second place in Iowa without having spent a great deal of money there. Check. A speech about Uniting America here, a speech about Defending the Dream there, and articles HERE, and HERE, and elsewhere that now cozy up to scenarios where he might actually pull this thing off. Check. A TV interview with Hannity - Jeri by Fred's side. Check.
For, perhaps, the first time ever I will actually have to agree with MSNBC. Lazy Like A Fox just about sums it up.
I am also not that impressed with this group, but still think Fred has some time to put it all together.
Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were up all day and night "working" because they were bad time managers.
The idea here is to win. Fred is first or second in the polls. Duh
good blog guy
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
I predicted sometime earlier that Fred could easily ditch the whole laziness rap by getting out more often. He check that one off, as long as he continues to try, and works on improving his stump speech.
The problem he has to solve now, is winning big in a cattle call debate. The format makes it easy to punch yourself out and really step in one, but hard to TKO an opponent or shine above and beyond the others. Fred needs to impress people and stand apart; without looking cheesy or wierd.
It's a tougher proposition than I just made it sound like, and it's his next challange, if he wants to go into the primaries favored to win.
Freedom Fighter in Occupied VA
I'm not at all impressed by Thompson's team. Howard Baker's run for the top spot was lousy and Allen lost a safe senate seat. Spence Abraham lost his seat as well, though in all fairness, that was a toss-up seat. We'll see, but so far Fred is making all the wrong moves.