Fred hints that South Carolina isn’t an absolute must-win
posted at 12:05 pm on January 9, 2008 by Allahpundit
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I had a laugh at the Fredheads’ expense late last night so here’s a juicy bone to chew on as atonement. A shockingly close second in SC could, I guess, propel him a tiny bit further. All he has to do to get there is beat any two of three among Romney, McCain, and Huck, despite actually having fallen a point in the South Carolina Rasmussen poll between December and January.
Keep hope alive!
Asked what he needed here in the Jan. 19 primary after a third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and flagging in New Hampshire, Thompson said: “It might be first place.” He declined to speculate further.
“I need a strong signal that I’m a guy who will be strong in these upcoming states,” he said. “It very well could turn out that my political future depends on South Carolina.”
Thompson’s campaign sent e-mails Tuesday to “Thompson’s Troops” across the United States seeking volunteers to come to South Carolina at their own expense to recruit new supporters at events, turn out Thompson voters Jan. 19, make phone calls and knock on doors.
He’s not even running ads yet in the state. Any ‘Heads ready and willing to hit the ground in SC for their man? And, um, able to pay their own way down there to do so?
A little more good news, per Jonathan Garthwaite: Huck actually split the evangelical vote evenly last night with McCain and Romney. You can’t call one sample a trend but if he tanks with evangelicals in Michigan, too, it might be evidence that the constant attacks from talk radio are starting to soften his religious base. Good news for Fred and Mitt, although which one benefits more will depend on how Romney does next week.
And still more good news: Not only did the rEVOLution fail to manifest itself last night, but check this out. Good lord.
Update: St. McCain’s gotten a fundraising jolt from his New Hampshire surge. Would second place in SC do it for Fred?
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I thought Dr. Paul was especially true-to-life! :)
hoosiermama on January 9, 2008 at 2:04 PM
Long winded? You haven’t seen long winded until you see the Fredheads get on a roll. Heck, just look at all the “Go Fred!” comments etc.
csdeven on January 9, 2008 at 2:05 PM
Fred is guilty of acting like a loser in a country that only values winners. Fred is guilty of giving long-winded sermons that, were he actually interested in doing so, could condense from 17 minutes to two minutes. More longer isn’t more better. No-one wants to listen to a man who finds losing acceptable ramble on for a quarter of an hour on what makes him a great candidate for President.
Sounds like Obama is your man.
peski on January 9, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Long winded? You haven’t seen long winded until you see the Fredheads get on a roll. Heck, just look at all the “Go Fred!” comments etc.
csdeven on January 9, 2008 at 2:05 PM
oh yeah, I almost forgot GO FRED !!
Buttercup on January 9, 2008 at 2:12 PM
There are scenarios in which Fred can win although it is a longshot. Remember that McCain was all but dead last summer.
The question that should be asked is why isn’t Romney being asked about dropping out. His strategy of winning Iowa and NH has fallen apart. Mitt has spent far more than Fred, McVain, and Huckabee and that seems to be the only thing keeping him in. But the most important thing is that Mitt is despised for being a flip flopper and has zero chance of attracting McVain’s or the Huckster’s supporters. Fred could do that.
Romney is poisoning the well for a conservative who has a chance. As everyone here knows, Fred was always Mitt’s biggest competitor which is why the Rombots have gone out of their way to slander him at every turn.
Bill C on January 9, 2008 at 2:15 PM
We just do the “Go Fred!” so those who can only feed on sound bites don’t feel left out. =0)
RobertInAustin on January 9, 2008 at 2:16 PM
Fred just needs to hang in and pick up enough delegates that he will be a player in a brokered convention. At this point I can’t see anyone having it sowed up before then. He is not only the best candidate but the most obvious compromise.
duff65 on January 9, 2008 at 2:28 PM
The red truck is still at the gas station, but I read yesterday that Fred’s ads go live in SC tomorrow.
Go Fred!
redneck hippie on January 9, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Of course.
bnelson44 on January 9, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Mac getting the anti-war vote isn’t that much of a biggie. What kinds of Republicans and Indies who vote Republican oppose the war? Liberal and Moderate Republicans - Macs base for other reasons (Maverick, working with Dems, Immigration).
JamesP on January 9, 2008 at 2:33 PM
I doubt it will be a brokered convention.
bnelson44 on January 9, 2008 at 2:33 PM
With all due respect, I don’t think either of this observations are correct. The beginning assumption was Rudy, McCain, and Romney as the top-tier candidates. The strategy that was originally designed by the various camps was on this assumption. Romney thought Rudy would be the biggest obstacle and so his campaign then was based on NH and Iowa wins. Rudy hasn’t even been in the conversation and NH and Iowa were split between two candidates, that had niche constituencies in those states, and have yet to prove their support is transferable. Moreover, Romney just won a caucus who has more delegates that NH, and leads over all. It doesn’t make sense for him to withdraw…certainly not before Michigan at the very very very earliest.
Spirit of 1776 on January 9, 2008 at 2:56 PM
Until Fred recites the “I’ve come too faaar” speech in spanish while pumping dum-bells on a stationary bike, my support will remain solid.
GO PACK! go cowboys. GO OVERTIME!
christophercube on January 9, 2008 at 3:00 PM
In a primary situation, I would think that the longer Fred’s message has to permeate the electorate, I feel like his support should grow… because of his substance. I also feel like if he hangs around until the race is down to 3 elephants, his additional face-time would cause more people to take note of his message.
My suspicion is that, given that fred has more solid stances on terrorism, immigration and the free market… he compares very favorably head-to-head against Rudy, Mitt, Maverick and especially Huckabee. The questions that remain are… does he have enough cash to stay until the race has fewer distractions, and would mainline conservatives notice?
There is at least 1 benefit to him staying around, even if he isn’t the eventual nominee… he serves to drag the other candidates to the right. Maybe I’m the only one, but it seemed like the NH Debate with Charlie Gibson that other GOP candidates were taking on some of his talking points.
knob on January 9, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Thomson/Hunter08
jerrytbg on January 9, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Thomson/Hunter08
jerrytbg on January 9, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Good ticket, or Thompson/Bolton. Maybe if they want to win it should be Thompson/Romney although I like the other two more.
duff65 on January 9, 2008 at 4:17 PM
If only it came to that, yeah, I’d be out knocking on doors till my knuckles fell off.
MadisonConservative on January 9, 2008 at 4:19 PM
and I would pay my own way. I was holding Bolton back, saving him for the top job at State. He sure would shake that place up!!!
jerrytbg on January 9, 2008 at 4:26 PM
Just saw Jeri on FNC.
GO FRED.
Griz on January 9, 2008 at 5:18 PM
I’m Jealous KelliD! You must tell all about it. I’d go but I’m back at the university next week. I’ll be phoning for Fred though. WOO-HOO!
THATS my dream ticket right there, too.
NickTx on January 9, 2008 at 5:28 PM
Remind me one more time… exactly how many more elections to public office have you won than Fred Thompson?
Your “competence” has yet to be demonstrated.
Thompson/Bolton ‘08!
VekTor on January 9, 2008 at 6:16 PM
Since my user name is in capitals, without inter-puncts, it may be hard to tell, but I live in SC and I’ve been hitting the ground for him (as well as the wallet). I’m with him as long as he decides to stick it out. This race is still wide open.
AUINSC on January 9, 2008 at 6:55 PM
Now I’m thinking this thing may actually come down to the convention. Wouldn’t that be fun.
Mojave Mark on January 9, 2008 at 7:08 PM
Yesterday I said on another thread to not let anyone convince you that Fred needs to place anywhere in particular in South Carolina. I also said that Fred had created expectations of placing 2nd in Iowa and yet after placing a weak 3rd (partially as a result of the dirty trick rumor he was dropping out) his world didn’t come to an end. Fred creating any kind of expectations for SC is more of a motivational trick than anything else, and the headline of this thread confirms what I said.
There isn’t a clear path for ANY Republican to win. The most likely outcome is a brokered convention, and Fred has at least a 30% chance to win that in my estimation.
Igor R. on January 9, 2008 at 7:21 PM
Why is that bolded? Isn’t that what ‘volunteer’ means?
Reaps on January 9, 2008 at 8:04 PM
Well, let’s face it. Evangelical or not, New Hampshire is a fiercely independent state which is not prone to support a statist like Huckabee.
viking999 on January 9, 2008 at 8:45 PM
Fred will not go quietly:
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/300771.aspx
Igor R. on January 9, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Oh that crazy Fred… he’s got another plan, this time for cutting federal spending. Just when I thought his set of sound plans for pulling us back from the brink and getting us on a sound footing was complete.
He’s taking all of the fun out of it by being a real conservative instead of a moderate/liberal poser.
Here’s another donation Fred, keep it up!
electric-rascal on January 9, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Fred’s dead folks, face it. Fred is dead.
I must admit I did support Fred for about two days…the day he was on leno and the next day.
Got to hand it to Fred for his bold talk about islamofascism on Leno.. although skipping the NH debate was probably devastating to his campaign overall.
HaraldHardrada on January 10, 2008 at 1:21 AM
Rumors of Fred’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Historically, by rival campaigns who don’t want the competition, but can’t really criticize him on substantive grounds, since the policies they’d like to criticize happen to be conservative and popular.
Until South Carolina’s primary, it makes no sense for Fred to drop out. Why quit right before your best chance comes up?
The FredisDeadHeads are getting tiresome.
theregoestheneighborhood on January 10, 2008 at 2:47 AM
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