“Brutal”: Fred’s painfully awkward day in Iowa; Update: Video added; Update: Misrepresented?
posted at 3:40 pm on December 19, 2007 by Allahpundit
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The quote comes from the boss, rendering her verdict in the comments to the headline item on Politico’s account of his latest campaign stops. I actually winced while reading it, so astoundingly inept and almost antisocial does it make him sound. The narrative as of this morning is that he’s back and on fiah but wade through this and tell me the Fredheads aren’t pumping a dry well here.
There’s too much to excerpt but I have to quote this: “I’ve got a silly hat rule.” Wait until you see the context.
Update: I imported comments from the headlines item. Commenter “amish” notes that author Roger Simon is no fan of Fred but it’s not so much the commentary that’s damning, it’s the quotes. Mark Halperin, who was supposedly with Simon when all this went down, linked to the piece. If he thought it was unfair, he didn’t say so in his post.
Update: Bob Novak declares him the “X factor.”
# The “X factor” in this race is former Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.). Most Iowa Republicans did not even mention his name in discussing candidates they supported or opposed. He simply does not register in the minds of potential GOP caucus-goers, but when asked about him, voters have little negative to say.
# Thompson has far more upside potential than any other Republican, and he is spending the entire final stretch in the Hawkeye State. Thompson has perhaps the most broadly conservative record of any candidate besides the three congressmen (see below). Many conservative Iowans currently settling for Romney, Giuliani or Huckabee (or planning a protest vote of sorts for one of the congressmen) could certainly jump on board with Thompson. If he defies his reputation as a lazy worker, he could make a spectacular surge here…
# This battle will hinge on Thompson’s performance down the stretch. If he excels, he could draw down Huckabee’s support significantly, and maybe Romney’s, too. If Thompson is as uninspired as he has been to date, Huckabee will probably win.
Update: Via Slublog, here’s the video of the scene at the firehouse. It’s not as awkward as it sounds in Politico but the “silly hat” was indeed politely declined. Click the image to watch.
Update: Sundries Shack notes that Simon’s account of the firehouse doesn’t quite square with the video: for one thing, Jeri Thompson doesn’t put the helmet on her own head, Fred puts it on her. I don’t think that detracts from the point about not putting the helmet on, but to the extent that it calls Simon’s credibility into question on other details, fair enough.
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I don’t disagree with you on the whole… He could have handled it more gracefully. But I still think he would have looked absolutely goofy with the hat on.
I agree that he fumbled this one. But it’s certainly not a high crime or misdemeanor that a lot of people are trying to make it.
Nineball on December 19, 2007 at 4:27 PM
So, we’ve got 3 sources and a video. But I hear that Politico asked some stupid questions at a debate a few months back.
amerpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:27 PM
Just watched the video and that sounded like hearty laughter to me.
KelliD on December 19, 2007 at 4:28 PM
I just watched the video. It’s sad. Fred + firehat + cigar = pwnage of all other candidates on earth. But even without the cigar (I’m sure he had one on him somewhere) he turned down a solid opportunity to look teh awesome.
Bryan on December 19, 2007 at 4:28 PM
At the risk of being called a Fred apologist and near-Paulbot, I’d have to say, after watching the video, the reaction to this incident her on HotAir has been a bit of an overreaction.
Way to give credibility to Geri’s “stunningly unfair” charge, guys!
thirteen28 on December 19, 2007 at 4:28 PM
got that right too.
Ex-tex on December 19, 2007 at 4:28 PM
Are you on Huckabee NIE time?
amerpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:28 PM
Got to admit that was pretty arogant of Fred not to at least put it on for a sec.
In his defense maybe he just didnt feel worthy of wearing i.e. he has much respect for the men and women that do wear it. I dont know whats in his head but cmon Fred lighten up a bit its ok .
Kevin43 on December 19, 2007 at 4:28 PM
Allah + Caps Lock = WIN
MadisonConservative on December 19, 2007 at 4:28 PM
Indeed.
Did you read the whole piece? It wasn’t just the hat thing that’s cause for despair.
Allahpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:29 PM
Seems to be more of a clumsy flub and less of an egregiously obnoxious insult, about what I figured.
Bad Candy on December 19, 2007 at 4:30 PM
HUCKABEE ‘08: HE’LL WEAR ANY HAT YOU GIVE HIM.
Allahpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:31 PM
He might want to turn that photo op over to Jeri.
MB4 on December 19, 2007 at 4:31 PM
Man, his wife is an asset. Seriously, what a helpful person. “I’ll be the good sport” – she is very skilled at disarming and shortening awkward moments.
Spirit of 1776 on December 19, 2007 at 4:31 PM
Watched the video. I didn’t see a sour look, and none of the firemen look angry or insulted to me.
Fred definitely could have handled it better, though. Saying, “Seriously, though, this hat is a badge of honor that I haven’t earned,” to follow up the “silly hat” banter would have gone a long way.
I think the moment was awkward and avoidable, but Simon definitely misrepresented it in his article. As someone else said upthread, much ado.
aero on December 19, 2007 at 4:31 PM
You have simply broken my heart too many times. I am slowly falling out of love with you. It’s ok, though. I require a church wedding.
Sultry Beauty on December 19, 2007 at 4:31 PM
Yeah… after watching the clip… that wasn’t good. They fireman didn’t seem to know what to make of that line about the “silly hat”.
Good choice not to put it on…
Bad choice in calling it a “silly hat”…
Nineball on December 19, 2007 at 4:31 PM
You can’t fool us. We know you really want to go with…“The Sleeper.”
Slublog on December 19, 2007 at 4:31 PM
The point Limerick is that no one here knows if the account is even remotely close to being an accurate account. Coming from Politico, I seriously doubt it. We’ll see. Either way I could care less about the hat moment if the account is exactly accurate. I like Fred BECAUSE he is a human being in the midst of a bunch of robot super human lying power freaks.
And yes Bryan, I’ll start labeling my sarcasm for ya’. [sarc]
Griz on December 19, 2007 at 4:32 PM
That’s how it came across to me when I read it. After viewing the video, I’m not as sure. It’s inconclusive at best.
RushBaby on December 19, 2007 at 4:32 PM
Yeah, but you’re a Christianist theocracy-supporting godbag so you don’t count.
Hollowpoint on December 19, 2007 at 4:32 PM
Heh.
Just like:
HILLARY ‘08: I’LL RAISE MY HAND FOR GLOBAL WARMING.
aero on December 19, 2007 at 4:32 PM
Im sure that Jesus thanks you for your vote….
JVelez on December 19, 2007 at 4:32 PM
I did and I was about to comment, “Gawd, we are so effed in ‘08″, but then the video showed up and it wasn’t nearly as bad as Roger made it out to be.
Editor on December 19, 2007 at 4:33 PM
Oh I agree with that. It’s certainly not the end of the world. It’s a lost opportunity and Fred actually came across as thinking he’s too good to wear the hat. I don’t think that’s what he thinks at all, but that’s how it came across.
And admit it — Fred + fire hat + cigar = pwnage. You all know it’s true.
Bryan on December 19, 2007 at 4:33 PM
Well excuse me, but I do not want a trained lap dog as CIC!
MB4 on December 19, 2007 at 4:34 PM
And that says it all! I love it! Great post MB4 !
Nyog_of_the_Bog on December 19, 2007 at 4:34 PM
Thrust/parry. Funny!
Spirit of 1776 on December 19, 2007 at 4:35 PM
I’ll have to wait until I get home tonight to watch the video. Internet here at work is sloooowww for watching videos.
StephC on December 19, 2007 at 4:35 PM
Oh, for heaven’s sake. Fred isn’t a firefighter. Wearing the hat doesn’t make him one, it makes him look silly. Hence the reference to silly hats. Remember Dukakis?
So you all looked for a reason to be insulted and you found it. What a surprise.
Tennman on December 19, 2007 at 4:36 PM
True enough. Would have been even better with the station dalmation in his other arm.
MadisonConservative on December 19, 2007 at 4:36 PM
From the Simon Piece “Anelia Dimitrova, the executive regional editor, greeted us in warmly and invited us to have a seat, chat and use the bathroom. She offered Mark a high-speed Internet line so he could upload some video to his website and I sat down with her for a brief interview.
She said Thompson was the first candidate to come into the paper. The paper does not endorse candidates, and maybe that is why the others have skipped it. “He’s got a lot of catching up to do,” Dimitrova said. “I think it’s a sign he is behind. I don’t think he necessarily wants to run. Bluntly, I don’t know why he is running.” “
However http://communitynewspapergroup.com/articles/2007/08/21/waverly_newspapers/news/news01.txt
OBAMA: Waverly may be ahead of Washington
Tuesday, August 21, 2007 9:06 AM CDT
Editor’s note: Smaller newspapers rarely get a one-on-one chance to sit down with a presidential candidate. In a 12-minute interview with Waverly Newspapers, Barack Obama was generous with his time and forthcoming with his insights.
What follows is an edited transcript. You can see a video segment of the interview at our sister paper’s Web site, http://www.cedarfallstimes.com.
ANELIA K. DIMITROVA: What is the most gratifying part about being in Iowa?
tort_feasor on December 19, 2007 at 4:36 PM
Yes, I read the whole piece, and given the way Simon (mis)characterized this particular incident, it brings his characterization of the other stuff into question as well.
There may be a grain of truth to what he says, but I’m still going to hold on to the grain of salt after seeing that the video of the incident doesn’t fully jibe with what he wrote about it.
thirteen28 on December 19, 2007 at 4:37 PM
I’M VOTING HUCK NOW.
Allahpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:26 PM
-
NOW?
How many is that for you so far? ;-)
I have a relatively short list of about 3 I have gone thru so far myself. It’s a b*tch being a pragmatist these days, especially when the best choices poll the lowest.
This marathon political campaign cycle we are having to endure is a real test of one’s gullet. It just allows for more time to reload the clips and go at each others opponents and in the end, affords a lot of PR folks and campaign staff nice fat incomes… and folks like CNN and such to further demean the process.
normsrevenge on December 19, 2007 at 4:37 PM
Till the sprinkler system went off…
Bad Candy on December 19, 2007 at 4:38 PM
Am I reading this post and thread (and comments by Michelle Malkin, Bryan Preston and AllahPundit) correctly? A Presidential candidate is conservative on all the major policy issues, but here we are talking about sinking his campaign, because he didn’t put on a fireman’s hat and called it “silly”?
Wow. Just wow.
And here I thought I was coming to Michelle Malkin, Bryan Preston and AllahPundit for some serious discussion of political issues. This is just plain pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.
We are now choosing our Presidential candidate based on whether or not they put on fireman’s hats.
The saying that people get the government they deserve is spot-on. If this is the way we are criticizing our Presidential candidates, then we deserve the worst possible Presidential candidates.
Wow.
I seriously cannot believe what I am reading here. We have issues of illegal immigration, The Long War, the economy, the environmentalist movement (Global Warming will kill us all!) which is really the One World Government movement and here we are just demonizing a Presidential candidate not on any of his stances on those issues, but because he did not put on a fireman’s hat.
I am seriously ashamed to be a reader of this blog and of Michelle Malkin’s blog and anyone else who is making this into a HUUUUUUGE issue today.
Michael in MI on December 19, 2007 at 4:39 PM
I’m late to this thread and jumped right to the video instead of reading the hit-piece first and don’t see the big deal. It sounds like they were all having a good time, kidding around, and Fred dared to joke about silly hats? Get real. I’m sure that if Dukakis had to do it over again he would stick to the letter of the silly-hat rule AND the silly-vehicle rule, and I don’t think anybody thinks tanks are silly.
This late in the process it’s unwise to trust the opinions of partisan hacks like Roger Simon.
Thanks for the video Slublog.
FloatingRock on December 19, 2007 at 4:40 PM
Funniest thing I’ve seen all day…
Even better!
Yup, it would’ve been awesome. Awesomely awesome, even. I’m a little dismayed and disappointed, but overall, I still support the guy.
Thompson/Bolton ‘08
I must dream…
Frozen Tex on December 19, 2007 at 4:41 PM
No, you’re not reading it correctly. The point isn’t that the guy didn’t put on a hat, it’s that he’s a crappy campaigner who, as Bryan says, doesn’t recognize a good opportunity when he sees one. If only he had his wife’s political acumen.
Stop being a drama queen, too. You’re ashamed to be reading this blog? Then don’t read it. Bye.
Allahpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:41 PM
I didn’t get the memo that we’re going to sink his campaign. I didn’t even realize this blog had that much influence.
amerpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:41 PM
Well I just watched the video and of course Politico’s acount was completely wrong. No awkward moment, only laughter and everyone there knew exactly why Fred didn’t want to put the hat on.
As for the newspaper interview, according to the article the interviewer had a bad attitude about Fred before Fred even got there so I don’t blame him a bit for not giving the interview of his life.
As for not walking down the street, well let’s take Politico’s opinion of that. I wouldn’t believe a word Fred says when you can get a Politico opinion and go with it, getting the hits and moving the meter.
Tis the season to be dogged, and it’s pretty obvious we were.
[going in and out of sarcasm here Bryan]
Griz on December 19, 2007 at 4:42 PM
Yee-awn.
… then Jeri steps in to save the moment.
Whereas I did see a lot of firefighters (”real men”) laughing along with Thompson, what I didn’t see was Thompson out and out refusing to put it on.
Maybe I’m missing the joke, here, but whoopdeedoo.
Rudy’s got mob connections (supposedly), Huck’s got pardon issues (supposedly), Obama’s got some real estate issues and general “Illinois Politics” issues (supposedly), Edwards IS a screaming hypocrite and then you have Hillary.
IMO – … much smoke around Fred. Not a lot of fire.
yo on December 19, 2007 at 4:42 PM
May I politely say, get over yourself. It is a post on what happened today. If you want to only read sunshine and roses so you aren’t ashamed, knock yourself out. But reality is what the next President will have to deal with so it’s a beneficial thing to see how he deals with reality/expectations/constraints now.
Spirit of 1776 on December 19, 2007 at 4:43 PM
YES! And we want a gold medal campaigner for president! Political positions on issues be damned!
MadisonConservative on December 19, 2007 at 4:44 PM
Did you just ban him? Dude, you’re harsh.
aero on December 19, 2007 at 4:44 PM
31 sec commercial and 45 sec vid. May be OK for a slow connection.
RushBaby on December 19, 2007 at 4:44 PM
I think this proves AP’s earlier observation that Fred isn’t lazy – he just hates people.
Fred ‘08 – It’s Misanthropy Again in America
Enrique on December 19, 2007 at 4:44 PM
Wow. I think they should be ashamed that you were reading their blogs.
Esthier on December 19, 2007 at 4:45 PM
That’s one take. My take is that he was slow trying to figure out how the media would play the photo op if he did don the hat, whereupon Jeri stepped in and took the heat off him. Maybe too calculating or too slow to make the calculation, but I didn’t come away from it thinking “too good to wear the hat”.
Either way it doesn’t change my opinion of his qualifications compaired to the other Rep. candidates. It hasn’t erased or changed his white papers, altered his voting record, or moved him from his balanced federalist view of the Fed.s roll in governace. Lost op., yes. Fatal, no.
P. James Moriarty on December 19, 2007 at 4:45 PM
No, I didn’t.
Allahpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:46 PM
You kind of have to campaign well in order to become president.
Rudy put top members of each of the five families behind bars, had 2 families try to kill him, and required around-the-clock police protection.
amerpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:47 PM
Allah’s right. The vid is not quite as bad as the print description. But it’s only partly exculpatory. He gingerly touches the firefighter hat, then juggles it around reluctantly like it’s Kryptonite or a dunce cap or a lump of coal or something before he plops it on Mrs. Thompson’s head.
She really rescued him.
What an odd and revealing little moment. So in contrast to Fred’s nice smackdown of the schoolmarm at the Iowa debate last week.
Michelle on December 19, 2007 at 4:47 PM
Alright, I’m a Fred supporter, but some Fredheads need to chill, it was a sloppy flub, that’s all, yes, it was exaggerated by a Politico Fredhater, no surprise…its ovah, relax.
Bad Candy on December 19, 2007 at 4:48 PM
[amerpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:22 PM]
If the video had come out without the meaning prep’d, I’d have taken the “silly hat thing” to mean his “not wearing hats” was one of those silly, indescribable rules one has, not that he that hat or any hat was necessarily silly.
But that’s just me. For as long as I came remember, up until maybe 5 years ago, I’d never wearing tees with stuff written on them.
All that’s not to say it wouldn’t be taken the other way by others. Some people see the world as they want it to be, not the way it is, so maybe I am indulging in that here, but, all in all, I don’t see this as a big thing.
Dusty on December 19, 2007 at 4:48 PM
You could say much of the same about Sammy Gravano and Henry Hill.
MadisonConservative on December 19, 2007 at 4:48 PM
Okay. I was worried for a second there. If being overly dramatic became a banning offense, HA would have about 10 commenters left by the time the primaries are over. ;-)
aero on December 19, 2007 at 4:51 PM
Of course! Why didn’t I realize you could say the same thing about active members of the mafia who killed others for business, with a guy who legally took them down, prosecuted them, put them behind bars, served at the top of Reagan’s Justice Department, had the mafia try to kill him, and require 24/7 police protection.
amerpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:52 PM
Me want white eyes Chief Thunder Voice Over the Mountains Fred to put on feathered headdress and let out a war whoop while doing sacred earth dance and smoke peace pipe and eat salmon and biter root meal or me and all my ancestors will be very insulted and will demand that all white eyes leave our land by end of next full moon.
- Chief Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt
MB4 on December 19, 2007 at 4:52 PM
I say this with all due respect: I didn’t see it like that, at all. I saw him a bit taken aback by having it handed to him, and then feigned an actual doff.
You’re dead on that Jeri saved him. However, again from my perspective, there’s no reason to think he couldn’t have saved himself.
If anything, I’d see the big hit on Fred from this being that Jeri’s pulling his strings.
… hence the “supposedly”
yo on December 19, 2007 at 4:53 PM
After seeing the video it’s clear Fred isn’t all that comfortable on the stump yet
Why didn’t he say, ‘no thanks but I know how important it is to your work in saving lives, blah, blah, blah’? Stuff any first time candidate for city council should know.
That’s why you start early, get these rookie mistakes out of the way.
That said, the guys there laughed and didn’t seem to take offense so, no harm, no foul.
Mrs. Fred? She’s a natural.
Drew on December 19, 2007 at 4:53 PM
What was the word? Defensive?
MadisonConservative on December 19, 2007 at 4:54 PM
Or maybe he’s a smart enough politician that upon being presented with what appeared to be a good opportunity he immediately recalled the Dukakis tank ride and declined to wear a hat he didn’t earn. To try to suggest that you’re perspective is correct and Fred’s was wrong, which is impossible to prove, and then try to inflate this into a major snafu when it could just as easily have gone the other way had he actually worn the hat, is pretty lame IMO.
FloatingRock on December 19, 2007 at 4:54 PM
It did not look like a shiny new photo-op hat. It looks like a hat bearing the signs of use by another man.
RushBaby on December 19, 2007 at 4:55 PM
Heh. It’s a fire station. High ceilings, plenty of room for the smoke without tripping any sprinklers (if he even lights it up). So no problem.
Bryan on December 19, 2007 at 4:56 PM
Yeah, it is. But, failure to exploit an opportunity for some unserious relief, and making an awkward, off hand remark don’t translate to disaster. Fred’s style, if he can avoid any more clumsiness, is a hand in glove fit for the Iowa conservatives. He just needs to keep on keepin’ on. He should have started the small town schlepping a lot sooner.
a capella on December 19, 2007 at 4:57 PM
He was going after them before they wanted him killed.
amerpundit on December 19, 2007 at 4:58 PM
I hope not.
Michael in MI may have gotten a bit carried away by those getting a bit carried away over a hat, but he is as articulate as they come.
MB4 on December 19, 2007 at 4:59 PM
This thread is hilarious, we have gone from eating Fred to eating our hosts, to eating our own words. Too many cups of Starbucks everyone. Have a brandy instead.
Limerick on December 19, 2007 at 4:59 PM
Simon sure did a bang up job.
I’m at work so I can’t listen to the Vid but I’m thinking that silly hat rule equals silly rule about hats.
For one thing if he was raised in Tennessee wearing any hat indoors could well have been impolite, for another as a candidate, he doesn’t dare (or sit on a Fire engine either).
And (sorry Michelle) real men wear silly hats too.
Speakup on December 19, 2007 at 5:00 PM
Michael in MI may have gotten a bit carried away by those getting a bit carried away over a hat, but he is as articulate as they come.
JVelez on December 19, 2007 at 5:01 PM
If he had handled it perfectly we never would have heard it. If he looked stunning with a fire hat and cigar we never would have seen the video. Had he greeted all 9000 citizens of Waverly warmly, Politico would have written a scathing article about how he dared to light a cigar in a firehouse.
To quote Bart Simpson “Damned if you do and damned if you don’t”
sweeper on December 19, 2007 at 5:01 PM
Yeah, but his suicide riff earned him that drama queen shot.
RushBaby on December 19, 2007 at 5:02 PM
Fred:
Kill the Terrorists
Secure the Borders
Punch the Hippies
Stop the Spread of Cooties
Kinda awkward, but good enough for me.
thirteen28 on December 19, 2007 at 5:02 PM
This story had no effect on me. But if I saw Fred in a dumb hat for a campaign spot, I probably would think he was acting like an ass– like I thought about Giuliani in the red vest.
(OT. Hey, a Capella, are Iowa dem’s religious. Would they like the Hilary non-relig. non-X-mas, xmas ad?)
JiangxiDad on December 19, 2007 at 5:04 PM
Not a Rudy supporter but c’mon, give credit where it’s due. Sammy Gravano and Henry Hill never prosecuted mobsters, and if it wasn’t for a prosecutor with Rudy’s cajones, they might be free to continue their mobster ways today. A big difference, to say the least.
thirteen28 on December 19, 2007 at 5:05 PM
Yep. Apparently so.
Michael in MI on December 19, 2007 at 5:05 PM
Only hat I worry about our Presidentual candidates wearing is the Commander in Cheif hat. I dont think that fits someone like Hillary or Obama
William Amos on December 19, 2007 at 5:06 PM
Heh, maybe, if there is even a sprinkler system, I remember a few years ago a nearby town’s fire station burned to the ground…I think they may have even lost a fire truck. Not reassuring when your own fire station gets roasted…
Bad Candy on December 19, 2007 at 5:06 PM
Fred didn’t want to muss his hair.
That Jeri is a gamer.
TheSitRep on December 19, 2007 at 5:06 PM
(OT. Hey, a Capella, are Iowa dem’s religious. Would they like the Hilary non-relig. non-X-mas, xmas ad?)
I just saw that..dude…….that was very scary..
JVelez on December 19, 2007 at 5:07 PM
This day in Blogging history: A firemans helmet gets 180 posts.
TheSitRep on December 19, 2007 at 5:08 PM
Allow me to add one more.
Screw the Media.
More than good enough for me.
fogw on December 19, 2007 at 5:09 PM
This thread reminds me of a scene from the John Candy movie Uncle Buck:
Uncle Buck: Do you think she hates me?
Maisy Russell: With a passion.
Uncle Buck: Really? Do you think it’s the hat?
Maisy Russell: No.
Uncle Buck: No? A lot of people hate this hat. It angers a lot of people, just the sight of it. I’ll tell you a story about that on the way to school.
amish on December 19, 2007 at 5:10 PM
You guys need to get a life…you are destroying the party
tomas on December 19, 2007 at 5:11 PM
I can’t recall the last time I saw Michelle, Bryan, and Allah all participating in the comments section of a post. Has it happened before?
aero on December 19, 2007 at 5:13 PM
The Roger Simon article–and I hasten to add, this was not the Roger L. Simon that interviewed Thompson with me in November–was brutal, and I do mean brutal.
Was it accurate and reasonably unbiased? That is the question of the day, especially since the other half of Simon’s act was Mark Halperin, who once famous told ABC News staffers a memo not to “reflexively and artificially hold both sides ‘equally’ accountable.”
As for the video, I was underwhelmed after reading the article here and the comments. There sure seemed to be a lot of good-natured laughing going on over whether or not he would try it on, and unless rural firemen in Iowa are better actors than I would normally given them credit for, none seemed upset.
As a result I find the video, and by extension, the hat controversy, forced and superficial.
Bob Owens on December 19, 2007 at 5:14 PM
Oh, pshaw. We’re a teeny-tiny, itty-bitty segment of the population. No-one’s paying attention to us. We’re just weirdos addicted to the daily minutia of politics. We’re not powerful enough to “destroy the party.” Now Huckabee, on the other hand–he can do it, I think.
aero on December 19, 2007 at 5:15 PM
I can’t recall the last time I saw Michelle, Bryan, and Allah all participating in the comments section of a post. Has it happened before?
I blame the Hat. Its clearly on evil object of great power. It should be put in a wooden crate and hidden in a government warehouse somewhere next to the Ark of the Covenant and the Spear of Destiny.
amish on December 19, 2007 at 5:15 PM
I would like to see Mitt get any hat on around the force field that protects his hair helmet.
Anyways, I don’t see the big deal here. I think politico sensationalized the story. HA just ran with it.
Sammy316 on December 19, 2007 at 5:16 PM
My annual Christmas movie. Just showed it to my two kids for the first time. I’m sure they’ll love it like me after I force them to watch it 10 more times.
JiangxiDad on December 19, 2007 at 5:16 PM
Bingo. And thank you.
BTW, Rich Lowry (read: John McVain supporter) is linking the Politico story over on The Corner now. Wonder if he’ll link the vid or this post?
Place your bets.
thirteen28 on December 19, 2007 at 5:18 PM
Thank you.
RushBaby on December 19, 2007 at 5:19 PM
That would qualify as embarrassing.
Bryan on December 19, 2007 at 5:19 PM
I agree, it’s almost surreal.
FloatingRock on December 19, 2007 at 5:19 PM
Heh. That’s my husband’s philosophy for sharing his favorite nostalgic movies/music/etc with our kids, too. It actually works sometimes. They appreciate it more with total immersion, I guess. ;-)
aero on December 19, 2007 at 5:20 PM
Fred may be right on a lot of issues but he is not coming across as a people person. It doesn’t matter if you have all of the right answers. Or all of the wrong answers. If you can’t communicate your stance then you are done. Referring someone to your website is NOT communication. If someone asks you a question about your political goals then it is your JOB to provide an answer. I don’t care if you have answered the same question a million times. You answer it. When the Fire Chief offers you his helmet, he is bestowing an HONOR upon you. It’s NOT about how you think it will make YOU look. It’s about how you make other people feel. Fred could have said “No thank you, sir.” Or, “I am not worthy enough to wear your helmet, sir.” You DON’T call it a “silly hat” or refer to a “silly hat rule”. And as far as photos go I think the people on this blog have enough common sense to know that ANYONE can smile for a photo. That doesn’t necessarily present an accurate view of what took place. Bottom line: Fred has fumbled this whole campaign. It’s not about one instance. It’s about over all performance. If Fred can’t communicate with the common people on the street then how in the world can he be expected to communicate with world leaders?
calirighty on December 19, 2007 at 5:21 PM
Free Hat!
sweeper on December 19, 2007 at 5:21 PM
38 more minutes, and I can embrace the bottle of Maker’s Mark at home…
MadisonConservative on December 19, 2007 at 5:22 PM
No doubt about it.
Bad Candy on December 19, 2007 at 5:22 PM
Sounds like some folks want to make it out to be a bad day for Fred. Good grief such whining and carping!.
Gatordoug on December 19, 2007 at 5:23 PM
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