GOSH are we stupid.

Go Duncan!
Go Fred!

Gatordoug and Michael in MI are making me more hopeful. Keep up the good comments :-)

jeremyp on December 1, 2007 at 5:03 PM

I’d like to thank Michael in MI for raising the quality of the debate here. You have a way of putting things I can only envy.

So after work tonight I check the links coming to the blog and see a few coming from Hot Air from this post by Allah.  The post is about a article in the NYT’s that basically says Fred isn’t lazy,……

I don’t know. We’ll just have to wait and see.

I like Fred, I also like Rudy and Romney and Hunter, I think all have the ability to beat the Dems. Ok, I admit, Hunter can’t beat the Dems, but I still like him and I think he could make an excellent VP. Then again, I’m kinda hoping for Newt to make an appearance as a VP contender.

–Jason

Jason Coleman on December 2, 2007 at 1:15 AM

Not being flashy or grandstanding is one thing.

Not orderering chairs for your supporters?

That’s just incompetence.

Fred’s problem is that the game of politics isn’t being played the way Fred wants it to be. Policy wonkery is fine, but when you do get the chance to show what you stand for, don’t blow it.

Fred’s gambit is probably going to play out as follows:

Fred will do exactly what you predict him to do, laying out his big policies a month before the primaries.

Unfortunately, what will happen is Fred will have at that point turned off many voters who wished he was more forward earlier. With his craptastic events, mediocre to poor debate performances, and a quick reference by the other campaigns of how Fred simply ignored voters in New Hampshire to do things on “Fred time” as it will be dubbed, and Fred will by SOL.

The tortoise won the race by plodding forward steadily and consistently, not waiting for the rabbit to get halfway to the finish and then start plodding along.

First, he entered the race late, intentionally so, what was he doing while others were out stumping? He was building a different type of war chest, and we’re seeing it rolled out piece by piece. It’s not a money war chest however, it’s a “policy” warchest. While others are out grandstanding and pressing flesh, Fred is connecting on a deeper level with those who are looking at his campaign.

Let’s also face something. Even if Huck, Rudy or Romney take Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, it doesn’t matter. Because Fred can come out and say “Yeah, alright, they won the popularity contest out of the gate, but what are they really all about, here are my plans, and they’ve been poured over and vetted by many people. Here, take a look and make your decision”, then when the bigger primaries roll around, Fred can post strong numbers and play the “I do politics differently, I’m not kissing babies, I’m doing the hard work of talking about the deeper issues.”

I have no source to back this up, it’s merely my opinion, I think Fred is playing the game rather shrewdly, letting the others run out in front like the rabbit, while Fred plays the tortoise.

I think it can work if Fred plays it right.

Consider this. If Hillary loses Iowa, she’s hurt but not out. If Hillary loses S.C., she’s in BIG trouble, one might even say you could put a fork in her if she loses SC.

Then, Fred can really come out with Clinton out of the picture, run agains a Richardson/Obama ticket and wipe the floor with them.

It’s just theorizing, but I don’t think it’s a wise bet to count Fred out.

–Jason

No wonder he was the first candidate to roll out a negative ad.

tommylotto on December 1, 2007 at 3:25 PM

How is playing back what someone has said, and not just a sound bite but complete sentences, a negative ad. There was no implying that the other candidates believed in liberal policies. They were on tape saying it themselves.

BKennedy on December 1, 2007 at 11:43 PM

Yup…So said the dude named Kennedy, but I suppose a Kennedy would know about traction.

Fred Thompson/Duncan Hunter- it doesn’t git any better!

Ex-tex on December 1, 2007 at 7:57 PM

Yep, best possible ticket…

doriangrey on December 1, 2007 at 11:34 PM

So we combine the four minute man with the traction-free man from California?

Really, I’d prefer Duncan got the top spot, but he just doesn’t have any traction.

So we’ll got a President who doesn’t know how to order chairs with a VP that can’t fill them…

Seriously folks, Romney/Hunter is where its at.

doriangrey on December 1, 2007 at 11:34 PM

Tat is my pick

Fred Thompson/Duncan Hunter- it doesn’t git any better!

Ex-tex on December 1, 2007 at 7:57 PM

Yep, best possible ticket…

Bkennedy

Tell us again – how much money did Romney spend in Iowa to get third/fourth place soon?

EricPWJohnson on December 1, 2007 at 10:57 PM

Enough to do better than the four minute man Fred Thompson.

But of course Eric, spending money on a campaign is BAAAAAD.

Romney’s paying ain’t he, so why does that get your class envy chip in a bind? Aren’t you happy Romney is “bankrupting himself.” That might knock him down a quintile, leading you to some level of joy.

EricPWJohnson’s Motto:

“Success: Other people shouldn’t have it.”

Tell us again – how much money did Romney spend in Iowa to get third/fourth place soon?

Ya got me!

Weight of Glory on December 1, 2007 at 10:30 PM

Well, I do try :D

Seriously, this article speaks for itself, I really have nothing to add.

BKennedy on December 1, 2007 at 10:06 PM

Heh. I read the first line in your comment, then I looked down at who wrote it and saw “BKennedy”, and I thought, “No way! Has he changed sides?!” I was about to have a heart attack until I got to the end.

It has absolutely nothing to do with his utter ineptitude as a campaigner, it’s simply media bias.

Fred is inevitable.

GO FRED ’08!

/Fredhead.

People need to start waking up to reality. Fred is done. Pick either Mitt or Rudy and drive on.

davenp35 on December 1, 2007 at 8:49 PM

Whatever you say, Hugh………….overlord and master.

Go jump in lake RINO all you want, just leave me the hell out of it… I’ll pick whoever I want to pick.

Watcher on December 1, 2007 at 8:57 PM

So, in other words you really do want Hillary to be our next President.