Well. In the first 48 hours anyway. From The NY Sun:
Even better, this is all money that John McCain needs to stay alive. It's an impressive start but even more than that it's a sign to the rest of the political establishment that Fred Thompson is real and it's definitely OK to align yourself with him. Think about it. He's raised more in a couple of weeks than some of the 2nd Tier candidates have raised in four months. Those second tier candidates could not convince anyone that they are for real and are denied the resources they would need to break through. I'm specifically thinking of Brownback and Huckabee.According to the Thompson campaign, these are the results of the first 48 hours since they launched imwithfred.com and announced it on "Hannity & Colmes" after the GOP debate:
In 48 hours since the Web site launch (with no paid advertising, or pre-oorganized push by donor operation):Or: $7,340 an hour. If they could keep that up for a month (just as an admittedly silly mathematical exercise), they'd have $5.3 million by early July.29,463 registered supporters
$352,323.00 in donations
3,360 contributors
Stephen Hayes in the Weekly Standard has a great column tracking Fred Thompson's 0-60 rise showing that there was a little more planning than is generally credited.
Thompson's wife Jeri, a savvy Republican strategist with Capitol Hill experience, asked Mark Corallo, an old friend and public relations guru, to see what he might do to raise her husband's profile in Washington. Thompson had not altogether retired from politics when he left the Senate in January 2003: He was serving as chairman of the State Department's International Security Advisory Board. He was a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a member of the U.S.-China Economic Security Review Commission, and a commentator for ABC Radio.Sounds like Mrs. Thompson has already proven to be a big asset to the campaign and was the one who first kicked this little snowball down the hill.Corallo had left his job as spokesman at the Justice Department to open a media consulting firm and agreed to take on the low-intensity work as a favor and without pay. He quietly began to highlight Thompson's activities, in particular calling attention to Thompson's radio work. When the provocative radio commentaries were published on National Review's popular website beginning in January 2007, other conservative websites began to link to them with some regularity--viral marketing, as they say in the online world, and arguably the informal beginning of Thompson's campaign.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 2)
16. I have tried three times and hope this makes it. GO FRED, I like him because he is not one of the Washington club. They don't like him and say he was lazy. His laziness was not hanging around, BSing, and doing nothing. And that came long before he was thought of presidential. Maybe he should hook up with Rudy. What a team. But who would be number one. First things first, first we have to politically
bury the rest of the junk on both sides who want to be pres.
JohnDelia at 3:31PM on Jun 12th 2007
17. A light is beginning to appear at the end of the tunnel.Both political parties in america have rendered themselves basically impotent.The odd part is,neither party seems to represent the majority of the people.That so-called silent majority.I see nothing but a bunch of wannabes in both parties.Egos and agendas.By the time fred thompson allows the media to scrutinize everything he does or might do,it just may be too late for the egos and agendas.He just might have already become what america wants and needs, one more good man.
bob at 5:57PM on Jun 11th 2007
18. The only real conservative that is running would be Congressman Ron Paul of Texas. You probably don't believe me? Check his voting record. The neo-cons like Thompson want to increase the size of government. Tommy Thompson wants to microchip us. Google it!
John Jackson Warne NC
John Jackson at 11:03PM on Jun 11th 2007
19. GOOOOOOOOOOO MR. FRED THOMPSOM..........YOUR THE MAN FOR PRESIDENT..........AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT.....YOU HAVE MY VOTE AND MANY OTHERS!!!!!!!!!
DEE at 11:37AM on Jun 13th 2007
20. Fred is rather reluctant to join the race, this makes him very attractive to me as a canidate. I have been voting since 1980 and I cannot remember any canidate who was not motivated more by ego then wanting to truley do something for this country.
Arthur C Clarke in the book 3001 refering to politics of the past said "anyone who actually wanted the job was disqualified because anyone who would want the job was insane". This makes a ton of sence to me.
Fred Thompson has almost been drafted into running for president, even with all the popular support he is getting he is still reluctant. This tells me that he is the least insane of all in the race
Matt at 6:19PM on Jun 13th 2007
21. Just what the country needs, more Hollywood.
lee at 11:10PM on Jun 13th 2007
22. Is Fred a globalist? Is it true that he is a member of CFR? I can`t support someone who is a globalist.
DJ Johnson at 12:19PM on Jun 15th 2007
23. There is a backlog of 15,000 immigrants still waiting for their legitimacy as a citizen of the USA from the 1986 Amnesty bill. Last year congress authorized the building of 750 miles of border fence of which only 3 miles has been built. Now all of a sudden congress has confidence that government bureaucrats will protect our borders and do the right thing for the American taxpaying citizens who have to finance all the benefits going to the illegals, not to mention the jailed illegals we are supporting? When will the members of congress start thinking about what is good for America and not what is good for the special interests of our representatives? When will congress stop the cheapening of US citizenship? When will congress do something to stop the instant citizenship of babies born to illegal aliens? We must stop the giveaway of our hard-fought-for, greatest nation on God`s green earth!
DJ Johnson at 11:03AM on Jun 19th 2007
24. He can never pass the Hustler test. What about the coaine issue the last time in DC.
Reed at 8:12PM on Jun 17th 2007
25. Yes Fred should be the president of the Office of the Aging..oh you meant president of the United States?? Yes please we haven't had a second rate actor as president in a long time.Maybe he could sleep through most of his term too.
Rock at 9:23PM on Jun 19th 2007
26. a great plain talking american that would make a great president, run hard fred america needs you not some of these mealy mouth candidates.
delcogw at 12:44PM on Jun 29th 2007