Not officially yet, but then again he feels he can bide his time. Even redstate knows how a candidate acts. It’s safe to assume that he’ll rocket to the front of the GOP pack the second he announces and perhaps earlier if he bides his time.
I’m not sure he can actually bide his time. He’s receiving enough coverage in the media and amongst activists while his poll numbers improve that he’s a defacto candidate for president. Some of the biggest blows to Romney and Huckabee came during their honeymoon period when everyone knew they were running but before they’d officially announced. For Romney it was video’s and statements that were decidedly pro-choice and pro-gay rights. For Huckabee it was the anti-tax crowd’s vehement opposition that drained some oxygen from his candidacy. There’s already been some opposition research that’s hit Thompson for talking like a pro-choice candidate. Is there more research waiting to drop about Thompson as he “ponders” a run? Or are Republicans so sick of their field of candidates that despite what they’ll hear they’ll wait for Thompson?
Lastly on a related note, Soren Dayton, the very smart DC-based Republican blogger extends a conversation about the digital divide between the left and right that’s been happening on the right side of the blogosphere. Essentially the Republicans are way behind Democrats in organizing online. One way the rights isn’t behind is doing hit and run oppo-research drops of old videos. Think about what we’ve seen over the last few months. Video’s of Romney and Giuliani, sometimes over a decade old, put up by a user who doesn’t post any other videos and which are then picked up by blogs (media, liberal and right-wing blogs). Will we see old video’s of Thompson saying things which are unattractive to hard-core republican operatives? I’d bet on it. Not sure they can have any impact in a general election.
3 Responses to “The Other Thompson (Fred) is all but announced”
Something to say?
just the site of hillary having to share the stage with someone as strong as a giuliani or thompson or mccain will crush any democrats’ pipe dream of winning the white house.
Left by matt
April 19, 2007 at 6:36pm