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May 02, 2007
Fred? - UPDATED
Fred Thompson is getting serious about running for president. In admitting that he was a bit of a ladies man when single, he's just removing another potential weapon from the hands of his political rivals.
Instapundit says the internet will allow Thompson to enter the race "late" and still have a significant impact. He quotes a New Hampshire reader, who says "If Fred doesn't suck up to us like we spoiled voters have come to expect, then he doesn't have a chance."
Okay, the reader didn't really say that, but it's basically his/her message. To which I reply - "pah." New Hampshire's desperation to be the first has made them increasingly irrelevant in the primary process - John McCain and Pat Buchanan both won in New Hampshire, but went on to lose the nomination. The reason for that is because New Hampshire-ites tend to judge candidates not on their qualifications for president, but instead on how much time they spend in New Hampshire.
In 2000, John McCain won the New Hampshire primary because he engaged in some shameless pandering to the voters of that state. His campaign signs featured an outline of the state, as though he were running for governor. He spent more time in that state than he did in the Senate. And the voters rewarded him for his fealty.
Instapundit quotes some Fred-doubters who don't seem to realize that Thompson has been campaigning for months. His slow release of potentially damaging information, his radio commentaries and his columns online have raised his profile and made a lot of conservatives, including me, start to consider him as a potential candidate for the presidency that I'd support. He's letting the other candidates burn out before he throws his hat in the ring, which seems like a sound strategy.
For now, I'm still a Rudy guy, but open to the idea of a Thompson candidacy. Romney is a maybe and McCain is a no, and the rest are simply not on the radar screen. I know the MSM is trying its best to make it seem as though the Republican bench is shallow, but this is one of the best slates of candidates I've seen in awhile, and I look forward to the debates to come.
UPDATE - This is interesting.
Posted by slublog at May 2, 2007 12:08 AM
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Comments
You know, a Rudy/Fred ticket would be good, too. or the other way round.
Posted by: Aaron at May 1, 2007 11:47 PM
That's my hope, actually. It would cover all the bases - north/south, conservative/moderate, etc.
Posted by: Slublog at May 1, 2007 11:52 PM
Rudy & Fred - I like em both and the idea of a dual ticket in the end would be tremendous. But at the primary level, it would have to be Fred for me.
Run Fred, Run.
Posted by: Kris, in New England at May 2, 2007 12:51 PM