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I tell you what, as of right now I am off the sidelines and in the game right now! I formally declare myself a candidate for the President of the United States of America!

Moving?

As far as buying goes, we set it up that the winner will buy. AND the more I watch freddie boys non-campaign, the more it looks like I’m gonna be buying lots of drinks!

csdeven on August 27, 2007 at 12:36 PM

I thought you were moving a couple of weeks ago. Must be all this smoky air around here.

But I will take you up on the drinks next year. Cheers.

My point is…Bill Clinton started this.
It took a while for people to notice and start commenting on it, but Bill was campaigning for 96 back in 93. Everything he did was with an eye on how it would either help him, or hurt the opposition (not just those from the other party, either).
Witness the 95 “government shutdown”, spurious as it was, was only done for well calculated PR reasons, not as part of any principles stand against Draconian attacks on the Amercan people by the GOP. Clinton, principled? HA.

At any rate, pundits and wonks were quick to praise the brilliance of this strategy, using the somewhat suspect logic that IF every politician is beholden to their constituents, Then every action of every politician becomes part of the record they will run on in the future, Thus evey politician always does this. Bill Clinton simply did it more brashly and better than the rest.
The spinmeisters sold us this steaming bag, and while middle America may not have bought it, the beltway crowd sure did.
‘Spin doctor’ became the new high priests of politics.
Strategists who set party policy and agendas became back benchers, and have been there ever since.
And so the perpetual campaign goes on, to the point where all of the news networks, Fox and the rest of cable included, stated boldly and in unison, that the race for the white house began the DAY AFTER the midterm elections of last fall!
So when is too early or too late? Clearly, the campaign industry (yes, it is an industry now) has a different answer than the average American does.
And what ever happened to incumbents running on a record of achievement? It seems to have been replaced with running on a record of intentions, where the appearance of doing the work of a legislator trumps the actual doing. Where all of the energy is spent in the aquisition of power, rather than in the wielding of it, once gained.
How many thousands of posts on the righty blogosphere complained of the lack of action on the part of the GOP, despite having the POTUS, Senate, and House firmly in their possession? How many disgusted voters right here on HA stated that the Republicans deserved to lose, as they did nothing with their majorities when they had them? Now the democrats, didn’t they promise the moon and stars, if only they had power, only to do more of the same nothing as the repubs? All sorts of energy spent and no action. All with an eye on the next election.

So, “late” and “early” are ill-defined terms, as is the word “lazy”. We can have several candidates running for president, spending all sorts of energy and cash, or perhaps, one that moves steadily, albeit slowly, towards the same goal, saving that energy for actually doing the work of being president, not just becoming president.

Time will tell, and believe it or not, we still have time before the next election.

let the candidate campaign according to his strategy.

doriangrey on August 27, 2007 at 11:36 AM

Isn’t that the point? fred?, according to FEC rules, IS NOT supposed to be campaigning, but as you noted, he really is campaigning. Thus the complaint that fred? wants it both ways instead of running according to the FEC rules. It is also not a badge of honor to cheat the system just because you can. fred? has a history of breaking the spirit of the law if not the letter of the law and there are many of us who expect more from a potential candidate.

How was the moving, cs?

Texas Nick 77 on August 27, 2007 at 9:42 AM

Moving?

As far as buying goes, we set it up that the winner will buy. AND the more I watch freddie boys non-campaign, the more it looks like I’m gonna be buying lots of drinks!

He wants the opportunity to comment on everything and not be a part of the actual debates. He likes the benefits of the buzz and hype machine – somewhat faded as they don’t seem to run to him as often lately – but continues to drag his feet.

woodman on August 27, 2007 at 9:47 AM

OK if by dragging his feet you mean he refuses to campaign according to Shillarys rules. If by dragging his feet you mean he refuses to announce far earlier than historically normal. If by dragging his feet you mean by his running his campaign as he the guy actually running thinks he should and not you a guy sitting on the sidelines then ok sure you got a point. If not then the only point you have gets covered up every time you put a hat on.

How about you do this, try not to tell me my opinions, ideas or ideals and I won’t tell you what a sarcastic jerk you’re being for absolutely no reason whatsoever. OK? Thanks.

How about this instead, how about you accept the reality of the fact that you are not running for POTUS and therefore dont actually have any say what so ever in how or when someone who is running will run their campaign. How about you get over your narcistic need for instant gratification and let the candidate campaign according to his strategy.

Thanks for your genuine concern but my glasses are just fine. This has nothing to do with “traditional conservative values”. Being one I should know. He wants the opportunity to comment on everything and not be a part of the actual debates. He likes the benefits of the buzz and hype machine – somewhat faded as they don’t seem to run to him as often lately – but continues to drag his feet.

I am aware that Hillary has never stopped campaigning for President since she was first lady. The entire Clinton presidency was one long campaign.

You’re the one obviously shilling for Fred all over this page with your posts

How about you do this, try not to tell me my opinions, ideas or ideals and I won’t tell you what a sarcastic jerk you’re being for absolutely no reason whatsoever. OK? Thanks.

Beers, margaritas, 12 year old scotch…any excuse will do for me. lol

csdeven on August 27, 2007 at 7:28 AM

I’ll have a 18 year old single malt if you will be buying. I prefer Glen Morangie aged in port wine casts.

How was the moving, cs?

Buzzy on August 27, 2007 at 8:58 AM

fred? always gives nice speeches when he can prepare them ahead of time. What I am waiting for is to hear him in an unscripted debate against other conservative candidates. I am not encouraged by what I have seen from him in Q&A sessions so far. I am very bothered by his general faker, his lack of executive experience, his history as a scumbag Washington lobbyist, and the funneling of campaign dollars to his family. If he can hold his own in a debate, and if he can give plausible explanations for his general fakeries, that will solve a few problems, but no amount of rhetoric is going to make the rest of that go away.

I hope he gets in before the 5 Sept debate, but again, I am not encouraged by his recent history of playing games with those he expects support from.

I simply believe that on the present course that we’re going to be a weaker, less prosperous, more divided nation than what we have been,” Thompson told the crowd in a deep baritone that rarely strayed from an even tone. “I do not say that lightly, but I think it’s the truth. And I think the American people are ready for the truth.”

There are three major challenges, Thompson said, and none are being given appropriate attention or sufficient commitment. National security (”our country’s in danger; it’s going to be that way for a long time to come”), the economy (”we are doing steady damage to our economy, that if we don’t do things better it’s going to result in economic disaster for future generations”) and the polarization, cynicism and incompetence gripping the capital (”in order to have leadership you got to have somebody who’s going to follow; our people follow, but they don’t have any confidence in what’s being said or who’s saying it”).

While some want to talk about red pickup trucks and how long it’s taking Fred to announce I would much rather listen to what he has to say and honestly I agree with his assessment of where this nation has been heading. I think we’re going to hell in a handbasket when illegal immigration trumps national security, China holds the paper on our huge national debt, trade agreements have flooded us with poison foods and deadly toys and I honestly don’t have any more confidence in the Bush administration or most of the RNC than I have for the Democrats.

I think that for a candidate to fix these problems they have to recognize the problems and I am waiting to hear what Fred has to offer as to how he’ll fix them. If his answers are good then I’ll support him to the hilt, if not then I’ll keep on supporting Hunter and Tancredo.

doriangrey on August 27, 2007 at 12:08 AM

Beers, margaritas, 12 year old scotch…any excuse will do for me. lol

I don’t know about it being the longest running non-campaign in “recent” history — didn’t Cuomo do something like that (albeit he never ran). It got to be a big joke.

meep on August 26, 2007 at 5:39 PM

I remember Ronald Reagan announcing that he was in the race, at the 1968 Republican Convention. I don’t recall anyone saying he waited to long to announce.

It would be delicious irony if Fred was the most overhyped non-candidate in history.

BKennedy on August 27, 2007 at 2:16 AM

It would even be more delicious if he waxed everyone else’s… “donkeys.”

We have enough big-talk no action Senators running for President, and Fred is the biggest-talk-smallest-action one of them all. I hope he enters the Sept. 5th debate, gets his clock cleaned, and then when everyone realizes he’s an empty suit he gives up early and spares us his continued fakery. It would be delicious irony if Fred was the most overhyped non-candidate in history.

I am so going to love drinking beers with you when Fred gets the nomination……Ha ha ha ha ha…

“We have done within a few months what other people have spent much longer periods of time doing,”

REALLY fred?? REALLY? Is that why Mitt! leads in Iowa, NH, Nevada, etc and you are sucking hind teat?

fred? is like a AA ball player who brags that he has more homers than a major leaguer! PATHETIC!

He spoke mostly in general terms on serious matters,

Yes. we are used this type of generalization from freddie boy. His groupies lap it up.

I am (completely) surrounded by no logic idiots.

Weber48IDA on August 26, 2007 at 8:42 PM

Weber, wanted to get you closer to the “I’m completely surrounded by no beer” from ‘Keeping up Appearances”. Chin up, though. Most Americans have no idea what we pontificate about.

Well you wouldn’t be hearing about this if Shillary didn’t need that extra year of campaigning to even have a prayer in hell of getting elected. Better yet try putting on a pair of reality glasses and remember that this election cycle started a whole fricking year early. Fred is waiting until the traditional normal time to declare, he’s the conservative candidate remember. Your remember that thing about conservatives and their traditional values.

Fred is sending a pretty damn loud and strong message here, traditional conservative values, and he isn’t about to let a bunch of liberals force him to change his values. Anyone who claims to be a conservative and is upset with Fred for not declaring yet has either been drinking the liberal kool-aid and doesn’t know it or is a blogsphere political junkie who doesn’t get away from their computer often enough.