It's Time For An Intervention
By Erick Posted in 2008 | Fred Thompson — Comments (46) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Dear Fred,
You know, I really like you. I think you are great. I like your wife and I like the team you've built. I hope you're the GOP nominee for 2008. But if you don't pay attention to this, you are going to be a footnote in history. So pay attention.
Fred, I've run a lot of campaigns in the past decade. I may have never run a Presidential race, but by God what I'm seeing from you are classic novice mistakes. Fred, you've bought into the hype. You thought people really wanted a guy who was too cool to care. You really seem to think people want a guy who really seems uninterested in the job.
Well buddy, I've got to tell you, the reason you're in this race is because people can't get psyched about Romney. He wants the job too much. And people don't want to give the job to anybody who wants it that bad. Just ask Al Gore. But Fred, people don't like the opposite extreme either. And right now you are squarely at the opposite extreme, whether intended or not. People are getting the impression that you don't want the job at all, or at least you seem that way. You're not even trying Fred. And if you think you are trying and that's your best effort, then get on out of the race because you're starting to waste our time.
Fred, we want you. But you've got to show us you understand that. We're not happy with the other guys. They all suck, remember? And now you're acting like you've embraced the suck. You were an awesome non-candidate, but now you're failing to stand out from the pack.
So, what do we do? Go below the fold to find out.
How do we get you in the game again? It's not that hard. You're an actor for Pete's sake! Get somebody good to write a solid speech for you. You know, you're still the only guy to avoid putting out x-point plans and instead put out principles on which you are running.
Write a speech around those principles. Make it a twenty minute speech. Memorize it. Learn the applause lines and the punch lines. Fred, again, you are an actor. Here's the role you are cast in. You are the guy who the dissatisfied look to for leadership. A dark time has come to the country. And the people running for office do not inspire. They talk a good game, but the people are deeply suspicious. Enter Fred Dalton Thompson. He didn't ask for this leadership. It was thrust upon him. After a few stumbles, he rises to the occasion. He reminds people about how great their country is. He reminds them that the world, whether it knows it or not, depends on America to keep being that shining city on the hill.
Fred, your character is the guy who tells everyone that the opposition has embraced the fact that the sun is setting on America. And Fred, your character is going to stir them back to reality, back to the reality that the world is not a safe place, the European model the opposition lusts after has failed, and we only become second to China if we want to. And you're going to do it with big speeches to big crowds in crowded halls and small talks with small crowds online. You're going to the factories in Ohio and Michigan, you're going to Silicon Valley, and you're going on down to Florida where the free Cubans came to stay free and want to hear a guy who understands why American must remain big and strong and ass kicking great. Free trade, freedom, and federalism -- that's what you're about.
So memorize your damn lines Fred. Be the actor. Be the candidate we expected you to be. Or get out now.
Oh, and Fred, here's the plot for your script. The party in which you have enlisted to run for the Presidency has no chance of winning. The nation has aligned against it because the leader of your party stopped being about the party and started being about his legacy. He's a good man, but the nation is tired of him. He can't communicate and while the nation thinks he's a good man, he just can't convey the message and he's not quite who they thought they were getting.
So now your character, let's call him "Senator Thompson", realizes that neither he nor anyone else in his party is going to win. But by God there are some hard and serious and real truths that must be spoken and must be spoken now — without nuance. Those truths must be spoken because the people around you in your party have forgotten that your party is about life, liberty, and a government of the people that should leave the people the hell alone. It's either Senator Thompson or no one.
Now, the end of the story and the end of the plot is that your character, Senator Thompson, delivers the lines just like everyone imagined he would. He says the hard truths that needed to be said that no one else was saying. And the party that should not have won the White House did win the White House because the people saw he wasn't like the last guy and all the other guys would have been.
Now go work on the lines. The stage is lit. The audience is in its seats. It's show time and there is no understudy.
All the best,
Your Friend,
Erick
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And that's the thing. He does really well in the debates, but between big events and debates, there are a whole lot more non-debate events. He's doing well in debates, but he absolutely must improve his stump performance.
I agree - he was great last night.
But I also know he hasn't been as bad on the stump as the pundits say, despite some obvious initial rustiness ... In fact, I've seen him stumping in Iowa (via C-Span), and it's impressive to see him communicating big, important ideas to the people. Ditto for some of the speeches that the pundits have panned, many of which have received rousing ovations from their intended audiences.
That said, can he get better? Absolutely. Is he working on it? He must be, considering his stand-out performance last night. Does he need to really step it up, as Erick suggests? Again -- absolutely.
I'm guessing that's exactly what he and his campaign team are doing. And if that's the case, then this race is about to get so much more interesting.
I've been debating whether to even vote in the upcoming election (I barely voted in 2006 and the Republicans have only gotten more liberal since than). I was very upset that there was only one candidate talking about cutting gov't. Thompson is finally reminding us that Republicans are about CUTTING gov't, not growing it.
And I was pleased as punch that SOMEONE finally called out that abortion-loving, liberal-judge-appointing, gun-grabbing liberal Rudy. Everyone knows Romney isn't a conservative (and McCain has done a great job pointing that out), but I've been amazed how no one has pointed out Rudy's liberal record...I'm glad Thompson finally had the guts to do it.
Admitting there's a problem is the first step to fixing it. Until Repubs admit that they've been big-spending gov't-growing libs these last 4 years, nothing will change, no matter how much you attack Hillary.
I'm glad Thompson is finally doing it.
--
"Liberty in your lifetime"
We don't want a rehearsed package from a bunch of speechwriters. We have that now, and he has dragged the GOP down to a level of near-embarrassment.
Dear Fred, we (some of us anyway) don't want a well-rehearsed man who, on a good night, has hit all the applause lines and gotten the robots in the audience to stand up and sit down on cue.
Dear Fred-if you don't want to be President, step out now. If you do, than continue being who you are, and let the voters decide.
Some of us are sick of packages and vote-for-me brochures.
Respectfully,
he who will follow you only until you worry about being someone other than who you are.
haystack's 12th:
Conservatives (and Presidential Candidates especially) shall offer no aid and comfort to the opposition in times of legislative conflict (and ensuing political campaigns).
were coming for ME.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
for a while. I'm probably overdue.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
I have Franz.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071022/ap_po/thompson_ap_interview
Thompson will ' campaign the way I want'
By LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer
Defending his campaign work schedule, Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson said Monday his strategy is working and "I'm going to do it the way I want to do it."
His absences in early-voting states have been noticed. Thompson hasn't been in South Carolina in more than a month, he scrapped a recent trip to New Hampshire and then canceled a news conference Saturday in Florida.
"You can name a lot of places that I haven't been, and you can name a lot of places that I have been several times," Thompson said in an interview with The Associated Press.
"I've been to Florida three or four times," he said. "The mainstream media, with all due respect, likes to concentrate on the process game on a daily basis, and I can't get caught up in that. I'm going to do it the way I want to do it."
Thompson pointed out he comes in second among Republicans in most national polls and has more than 100,000 contributors, despite making decisions that defy conventional wisdom.
He addressed the same issue at Sunday night's Republican debate in Orlando, answering a question about whether he is lazy. Thompson described his trajectory from teenage father to factory worker to federal prosecutor to Watergate counsel and senator, saying, "If a man can do all that and be lazy, I recommend it to everybody."
some group's strings. He has run an unconventional campaign from the get-go, Erick. Why should he change now? Much as I want him to win, I don't want to see him morph into one of the other professionals who are endlessly coached, rehearsed, and focus-grouped to death. If Fred becomes someone other than himself, why would I continue to support him?
That this is exactly wrong. His nonchalance, the devil-may-care attitude, the whole "I'll do it my way" bit is totally rehearsed. Of course it is. That's why he mentions it at every possible turn. That's why his staff mentions it at every possible turn.
If the other candidates are not genuine because they are openly rehearsed, what does that make Thompson, who rehearses about how unrehearsed he is? It's not a big deal, but makes his campaign look a little silly every time they bring that line up.
Now, apparently, it's even wearing thin with his True Believers.
At the Illinois Straw Poll Fred's state chair gave the whole bit about being drafted, a man who doesn't want the presidency, doing it his way.
All I could think of is what a funny talking points memo to get that says tell everyone Fred doesn't want to be president and he will do things his way on his own time. It's silly image making.
Fred, you need to display some of the fire in your belly. Notch it up a bit, quite a bit. Tell folks WHY they should vote for you. You are extremely capable.
Rudy, you are still a bit too liberal for me, but if you get the nomination, I will support you.
McCain, you did fine and are one of the best in the field.
Huckabee, you are great too, but you have a lot of work to do to get your message out and better recognition.
Last, please make up after the nomination is set, we need all of you to pull in the same direction to defeat the unprincipled.
they don't all suck, there are lots of good candidates, not just mine. None of them are perfect, but none of them really suck.
This whole fascination with Fred was premature. He has plenty of inconsistencies himself, and frankly if the guy runs a campaign like this, how could he manage the executive office.
A lot of the hype was found here. I think we were told on this site, many times Fred would "suck the air out the room" would be our next Ronald Reagen, etc. He hasn't been. We were told all the other candidates were raising no money because it was all saved for Fred. We were told he is the best communicator, we were told a lot of things.
It's like finding out your hot girlfriend stuffs her bra.
That said, I was mildly impressed with Fredlast night. I think he can do better even then he did last night, and he think he showed he could still end up being a player. But it leaves you wondering if people would care so much if he was the former senator from New Jersey.
things. First, I have noticed that there are a lot of sensitive Fred heads/site moderaters who get tyrannical whenever anyone dares to even come close to criticizing Fred. Thus, if any of you are that way at least warn me not to do it again, if you find this post that way.
One, there are plenty of candidates in the field that inspire plenty of people in the party. I am one hundred percent inspired in Rudy. He was one of the greatest mayor's of all time and before that one of the greatest prosecutors of all time, and frankly if you can't be inspired by that then that is your problem, but plenty of people look at Rudy and get inspired. I think you will find supporters of plenty of candidates here that are inspired by their candidate. McCain inspires plenty of people with his principles, straight talk and courage. There are plenty of SoCons inspired by Huckabee who not only agrees with them but is one of the greatest ambassadors of the SoCon messsage in a long time. Bush may agree with the SoCons on policy, however Huckabee is able to verbalize their policy in an eloquent way. I was incredibly moved by his answer to the inane question about creation versus evolution, and I reference it every single time whenever anyone tries and snicker at the thought that Creationists are some sort of fanatics that can't accept science.
Third, it isn't merely that Thompson looks a bit disinterested but frankly he is. He came to Florida and wasn't prepared for any of the Florida related questions that they offered. I think Dick Morris is right when he says the reason he doesn't do tough venues is because he is simply not prepared and would just get destroyed in them. I just don't believe that he has the focus to be President. If he did, he wouldn't constantly take time off, and be so unprepared at times. You guys can dress this up all you want but he really hasn't ever worked as hard as he would as President. Now, if that gets me banned so be it, but that is my opinion.
I think he is a straight talking solid conservative type of a guy. He has served this country and lived a fairly remarkable life, but that is frankly not enough to be President.
Third, he did well in the debate, but I believe everyone did well in the debate. Heck, Ron Paul had a few moments of brilliant eloquence, none of them foreign policy related, but whatever. That was a good debate for all the candidates, and so while your guy did well, he did no better than any of the other front runners. Everyone had a few lines that will be memorable. Frankly, McCain had the most memorable with his I was tied up during Woodstock line. I thought Rudy had a great line regarding education.
I think Thompson answered the question about him being lazy in an excellent manner and it will calm some people down about him, however just because he has a nice answer about him being lazy doesn't make it not so.
We are men of action, lies do not become us
E -- Did it ever cross your mind that maybe he sucks, too?
__________________________________________
First State Politics
I think he needs a new nickname 'Flameout Fred' - though that implies a meltdown and I think it's going to be more like sands just quietly running out of an hourglass. Put him in a box with Phil Gramm.
I'm a McCain man, but I don't dislike Fred. He just has totally failed to raise any emotion in me whatsoever. I think he'd very, very dull - I can't imagine him beating any of the Dem's top three. I just don't think he's that good of an actor - he always seems to play the same part and I just don't buy the role he's playing now. If James Woods was running there might at least be some excitement there (in terms of acting skills) but Fred? As an actor, he's very unexeptional. The same as when he was a Senator.
Not to change the subject, but Hillary is getting a free pass not just from the press, but inexplicably by her major Democratic opponents! If I were an Obama donor and supporter (and since I'm not perpetually tore up with guilt or suffered a recent brain injury...I'm not!), I would be severely upset that my donation to Obama has apparently gone towards him playing nice with Hillary in hopes of securing a VP nomination. If I were a major Democratic candidate's advisor (and I'm not, see above), I would advise him to tear into Hillary the next time she does the "I'm ready from day one" line that incredibly goes unchallenged by the rest of the group.
Say what you want about Hillary at least she works out and knows the issues. Fred is Lazy and is making a full of himself.
Senator Thompson was a great Senator for Tennessee. He was an excellent trial attorney. The constant glancing down at his notes does not become him. Does this disqualify him from being POTUS? Defintely not. But those are the type of "annoyances" that can and should be corrected.
I know and respect his wife. She is a tremendous person. she would not be my first choice to be his primary advisor.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
Did you see Bob Hahn's diary? He has to be able to fire up activists, too. Arguably that's even more important than these stupid television debates.
HTML Help Central for Red Staters
Let's nominate the Nash Equilibrium for President.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
HTML Help Central for Red Staters
Let's nominate the Nash Equilibrium for President.
My thoughts exactly; cannot understand what anyone sees in Mr. Thompson. I've watched his endless charade during the summer running up to his entering the race, and wondered, what the hell is this guy thinking. There's plenty to not like about Rudy and Romney, as well as the others. However, if you're going to be in it, then look like you're interested, sound like your committed, and stop pissing around and get in their face when you debate. And if that's asking too much, get the hell out.
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
I ma a big time Fred supporter here in Florida. I like you feel Fred is that man to lead the way to victory.
But its time for Fred to man up! If the best the MSM and the opposition has got is to call him lazy well then he is in very good shape indeed. However, its time for him to start killing that criticism. This race needs a true Conservative front runner soon and Fred is the perfect man for the role.
I love Law & Order and have for years, when the show needed a Conservative DA they called upon Fred because he plays that role so convincingly, not because he is such a great actor(Clears Throat) but rather because he IS a Conservative.
Fred your laid back folksy charm is fine, it does play well. But we need to see more the combativeness you should with Allen Colmes after the debate. That was great stuff. You where to the point, tough, in command of the facts, and just condescending enough that it did not make me cringe but instead made me go "YOU GOT HIM FRED!"
I want more "YOU GOT HIM FRED!" moments. Thats how winning is done!
But he is not THIS guy, and hopefully we will take a more deliberate approach to all the candidates:
Fred, playing Jim Robinson of American Express, prepares for a costume party in "Barbarians at the Gates"
e
See the above post on the main page
Tommy Oliver
www.race42008.com
As Romney looks as slick and processed as a hamburger happy meal and Thompson looks dazed and confused he is positioning himself as the electable conservative to foil Rudy.
-My policy positions-
Non-Interventionist.
Unrestricted Free Trade.
Abolish the Fed.
Abolish IRS and use Sales Tax.
Privatize Social Security.
Government out of marriage.
Pro-Choice.
No Amnesty.
Absolute sep"A"ration of Church and State.
You go to war with the candidates you have, not the candidates you wish you had. If somebody needs to be "drafted", they're not your man.
Fire Phil!
-My policy positions-
Non-Interventionist.
Unrestricted Free Trade.
Abolish the Fed.
Abolish IRS and use Sales Tax.
Privatize Social Security.
Government out of marriage.
Pro-Choice.
No Amnesty.
Absolute sep"A"ration of Church and State.
I thought Fred's performance last night was admirable. And while I agree with many of Erick's assessments, I don't with the premise. Fred does have some problems, most of which would be for the most part solved if he can find a way to win the nomination. There's plenty Fred can still do wrong, but keep in mind he didn't enter to enter. He was polling second or third before he even announced. Yes, now he must perform. But what I saw last night wasn't a lack of agenda, it was a lack of presence. This can be corrected.
*
The Show...
People forget it wasn't until a few months before the primaries that Reagan began to move out. Fred may have miscalcualted the timing ...
I think Fred did quite well last night and showed some of the spark needed. I do agree with a few of your points Erick, notably he has to show he wants it, I still believe Fred can win. Fred needs to kick it up a notch or two in the coming weeks if he is going to make a real run for the gold.
A Rudy -- Hillary Matters race isn't going to do it for me. Two liberals with little daylight between. See Florida's Crsit for how that works out. It will be much better to have Hillary Matters win and the Republicans unite the anti-socialist voters and take them down in 2012. The opposition will be furious.
Several months ago I remember reading from some of the experts that if Fred didn't get in over the Summer it was a foregone conclusion that he would lose. When he did finally get in, there was some head shaking from the "real pros" who said he waited too long and would be unable to raise money.
Now it's mid-October and he's run the early gauntlet and is a solid second in most of the polls. On subtantive issues, he's barely been nicked. Those rummaging through his skeleton closet haven't found much either.
Of course I'm not an expert in these things, but I'm thinking of the tortoise in a race with several hare.
I just don't understand the objections here. To win the Presidency, Fred has to reach beyond just you. People like to be inspired. It's something that has been lacking in President Bush. The last great thing I can remember him saying was with or us against us.
Erick makes an excellent point. The folksy touch is great. I have more than once at Redstate cheered Fred's direct, to the point correctness. But sometimes, people want something more. We expect our leaders to be one of us, sure. But we also expect them to be something more than us. We expect them to be an improved us, an exceptional us.
I like Fred's style in debates, and in interviews. But he has to appeal beyond me. People like to be inspired!
absentee
The percepton I have of Fred Thompson is a man with a down home, folksy way of speaking and saying the right things conservatives want to hear.
Then, we're left with the impression that after all the laid back style and homilies, there will be no follow through. You wait for the firecracker to pop but it just fizzles.
There just doesn't seem to be any passion behind the speeches. It's almost as if he doesn't believe what he's telling us.
I still like Fred better than Mitt, John or Mike.
---
(Formerly known as bee) / Internet member since 1987
Member of the Surreality-Based Community
What in the world in the GOP electorate coming too when we don't want the most qualified, best prepared, most intelligent and most interested person to be our nominee?
You guy can write all the pleading letters you want to your Weekend at Bernies candidate and the very worst thing that will happen is you get a guy nominated your simply cannot close the deal.
Your motivations are suspect and your destination is failure for the GOP and for the country.
If Fred does not have what it takes to RUN for President he sure as heck does not have what it takes to BE President. "Fake it unitl you make it" is far to risky a strategy in these dangerous times.
I am a proud member of the Republican Party, the old Republican party, where MERIT and TALENT and DESIRE meant everything.
Fred is just being who he is. It's interesting that reading this diary all the supposed "problems" with Fred is that he is not more like Romney. He should want the job more, he should rehearse more, he should have better lines.. did it ever occur to you all that maybe you are supporting the wrong candidate? Oh yes, Romney rehearses too much so he is not good either. People can never be satisfied. The problem with Fred is that he is not committed enough to the process to make the necessary changes that he needs to make. For him, win or lose he'll be just as happy. So don't expect him to do anything differently.
That is an overblown sentiment. Hoping a candidate might show the ability to talk to you like a normal person (Fred does, Mitt doesn't) AND show the ability to lead and inspire through great oratory (Mitt does, Fred doesn't) is not exactly an unreasonable hope.
I do not get the resistance to this idea around here. Except inasmuch as the various candidate pushers around here are deaf and hostile to any and all perceived criticism, however mild.
It's not like Erick challenged Fred to become a transcendent being of light, levitating above the Earth as an eternal font of wisdom and truth. We aren't asking that much. Make a few speeches. Get people revved up. It's part of being elected.
Yeesh!
absentee
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
He has to work on his speeches, but last night, he hit it out of the park. Fox News has a bias towards a certain candidate, but on Fox & Friends this morning, Luntz said what he didn't say last night. Among the group watching, Fred did the best. He was on his game last night. Some people might not like his style, but who cares? He played the game last night, and he played to win.
Tommy Oliver
www.race42008.com