Fred Thompson, campaigning in Iowa as he prepares to officially announce his candidacy, has been having kind of a rough go of it. MSNBC’s First Read reports that Thompson has failed to impress; First Read cites the American Spectator’s Jennifer Rubin, who has documented some of the ugliness:
It was a cringe inducing day for Thompson in the MSM and blogosphere coverage. There was Carl Cameron picking up on the Gucci loafers and the golf cart ride through the Iowa fair. Politico picked up on the lukewarm reception and the crowd’s disappointment that more substance wan’t offered. MSM coverage echoed the same. He then gave a remarkably muddled interview with John King, leading to guffaws at Campaign Spot and confusion about what he meant with this response to a question on abortion and gay marriage:
“I think with regard to gay marriage you have a [ inaudible ] issue. I don’t think one state ought to be able to pass a law requiring gay marriage or allowing gay marriage and have another state be required to follow along under full faith and credit. There’s some exceptions, exemptions for that. Hasn’t happened yet, but I think a federal court very well likely will go in that direction. And the constitutional amendment would cure that. I think Roe versus Wade was a bad decision. There were things that are bad law and bad medicine. You don’t just get up one day and overturn the entire history of the country with regard major social policies without any action by Congress, without any action by the American people or a constitutional amendment. And that’s what happened. Shouldn’t have happened. It ought to be reversed.”
Rubin also notes the flaw in Thompson’s most recent statements about his lobbying history. While he once denied having lobbied on behalf of an abortion-rights organization, Thompson is now defending that work — and the rest of his lobbying decisions — telling the AP that “he had no regrets over any of the lobbying jobs he took before entering the Senate in 1994.” In Thompson’s words:
“It has nothing to do with one’s political views. Lawyering is a profession and it’s also a business.”
Rubin isn’t having it:
Being a lobbyist is a real problem is you are attempting to feign the role of Washington outsider…. As for the lawyering defense, there are two problems. First, he wasn’t lawyering; he was influence peddling and not engaging in any legal advice when he was phoning Sununu or speaking to his former Congressional colleagues. This is simply not the same as a criminal defendant constitutionally entitled to representation. Second, everyone makes choice about how they want to use their time and make money. If it is indeed this is a “business” you as an individual can choose how to spend your time and who gets the benefit of your services.
Meanwhile, Lane Hudson, the blogger who broke Foley-Gate, is suing Thompson for allegedly breaking FEC law by violating the “Testing the Waters” provision.
1 Response to “Fred Thompson Bumbles His Way Through Iowa”
Something to say?
Given all this negative press maybe he should keep testing the waters a little longer and save himself the trouble and work of announcing. I don’t think he seems to be the Presidential man we need.
Left by MJN
August 20, 2007 at 6:34pm