Fred Thompson continues to "test the waters" of a presidential bid. He's taking his time, you see, for a very good reason. It's just that nobody seems to know what that reason is. Consider Thompson's weekend stopover in Iowa. Now, why else would he go to the state fair, if not to show people he is serious about running? And yet, his trip lasted all of a single day. From Friday's Des Moines Register:
If Fred Thompson wants a place in an already full-blown campaign for the Iowa caucuses, he will have to begin hustling today to explain who he is and why he ought to be president, Republican leaders and undecided GOP caucus goers say. But by the looks of the former Tennessee senator's schedule for this first day as a presidential prospect in the leadoff nominating state, he will have hardly begun that task by the time he leaves Iowa this afternoon.
The "lazy" label has been with Mr. Thompson since his days in the Senate. And Friday's brief golf-cart tour of the Iowa State Fair did nothing to quell the notion. Gucci loafers aside, this is no way to impress voters in the heartland. Especially when the other candidates have been working hard for the past several months to impress them.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1.
It looks like he is using this time to put together a forward looking, real, political program to solve some of our most pressing problems. That is what is important. When he declares and puts his views out there, that is what people will decide on. Not handshakes.
cdnbirch at 12:36PM on Aug 20th 2007
2. He was right on the money when he said roe vs. wade was the worst descion ever made. I live in MA and I know how MItt Romey doesn't care about the disabled..so how can he care about the unborn.
Debra at 1:03PM on Aug 20th 2007
3. Fred Thompson -lazy! Just cuz he's not out butt kissin' and rival dissin' doesn't mean he doesn't have what it takes. If "Bed Time For Bonzo" can be a success "IMAGINE" (John Lennon reference) what "Law and Order" could do for this country. We should be begging him to run. I'm scared this country is too far gone for him or anyone with honorable intentions and no hidden motives to want to take on on such a mess. Let's let Fred lead, Rudy be in charge of national security and Hillary be our diplomatic representative in the Middle East. How bad do you think the terrorists would want to blow us up if we put a woman in office. She might score points for letting her man get away with adultry from them but I doubt it would be enough for them to take her seriously. I can't support a woman, especially one that has the same name as me, who let her husband publically world wide humiliate her and she stuck by him. If you can't keep the sanctity of marriage how the hell are you going to uphold the constitution.
Hilary Foster at 2:06PM on Aug 20th 2007
4. The reason he has waited is simple, because of Law and Order and re-runs on NBC. If he entered now then NBC would be required by law to air "equal time" for ALL the other candidates. That all ends Aug 31 when the re-run season ends.
ImForFred at 4:54PM on Aug 20th 2007
5. Hurray for Fred Thompson, A simple name for an uncomplicated candidate. How nice it would be if the entire complicated, extremely expensive and full of hype political process would be limited to a total of 6-9 months. Maybe Fred has something worth saying in fewer words than all the rest trying to convince us they're the best. By the time the elections come I am so sick of all the lies, stretched truths and half truths, attacking others and belittling I could just SCREAM.
linda at 6:39PM on Aug 20th 2007
6. Give Fred a break. Google Fred Thompson and its all negative news and he has barely said anything or done anything yet. He is wise to wait until Labour day, when people are actually paying attention. Many candidates have not declared until then. Hillary has been campaigning for 8 years now and in full campaign mode for a year already. 10 years of campaigning for a 4 year job.
John at 8:32PM on Aug 20th 2007
7. WHO WANTS HIM: HE LOOKS LIKE DEATH WARMED OVER: GOT TO BE ON SOCIAL SECURITY ALREADY: CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE HE FARTED AT LAST: GO BACK HOME AND TAKE ALL THE REST OF THOSE BASTARD MURDERING REPUBLICANS WITH YOU STRAIGHT TO HELL AND STAY THERE.
BRENT at 9:57PM on Aug 20th 2007
8. I love the continual barrage from the leftist media. Hey stupid, yeah you, Knowles. If people are so unimpressed with Thompson and he just doesn't understand that he needs to be officially in the race, then why is he leading in many polls and almost always is in the top 3 republican leaders. Wow! Are you liberals really that insipid that you are now believeing your own propaganda?
Most voters, both Rep. and Demo. are disgusted with the early presidential candidate politics from McCain through Hillaryland. We don't want 24 months of lies and other B.S.
Fred is doing it right.
All the other candidates might as well continue to go howl at the moon and chase parked cars.
Gus Burk at 4:20PM on Aug 29th 2007
9. Almost everybody who knew FT in the senate agrees with the "lazy" label. More importantly, as a presidential candidate tho, what has he actually accomplished as a leader? He really has not been a leader of anything. He has never been an executive in any form. But we want to make him the executive of the largest enterprise in the history of the world? Yes, "lazy" fits. He is a nice Southern gentleman, certainly; just lazy. Watch him and you can see it easily.
It is widely known that FT hated being a senator and hated the senate. What happens if he becomes president and wakes up one morning and figures out that being president is harder than being a senator?
What has FT even accomplished? He is a bureaucrat (senator). Only 3 members of Congress (or former members) have ever been elected Pres. It is also widely believed that FT doesn't even want to be pres. Watch all the recent interviews of him. He is being drafted and he completely lacks any desire for the job.
How is FT even qualified for such an enormous executive job? Tho Huckabee isn't electable, he is far more qualified than FT has ever been. At least he has been a governor. Presidents are elected from the ranks of executives (VPs, governors, mayors of large cities...). It is fascinating to watch a man like FT whose ego makes him think he can do it tho.
Vic Lundquist at 12:20AM on Aug 21st 2007
10. HE IS NOT LAZY. HE IS PATIENTLY WAITING
THE RIGHT MOMENT TO POUNCE, LIKE A CAT IN
HIDING WATCHING THE 'PREY'
VOTE FOR FRED THOMPSON
NOTPC4U at 1:47PM on Aug 21st 2007