Last night, the Iowa Christian Alliance held a dinner and invited former Sen. Fred Thompson, who came to the dinner as part of his second swing through Iowa as a presidential candidate. Thompson was told he would not have an opportunity to speak at the dinner, only to attend.
Iowa Independent’s Jay Wagner described how Thompson’s staff dealt with the media gaggle that showed up to cover Thompson, who has been a bit of a stranger around these parts:
Although all the presidential candidates were invited to attend, the ICA had told them in advance that they wouldn’t have an opportunity to speak. The Thompson campaign told reporters during the event that their candidate would avail himself to reporters prior to his departure so as not to disrupt the meeting. But after he finished eating – and before the program got underway – Thompson and his family and staff slipped into an SUV and departed, leaving the media gaggle behind without a chance to answer a single question.
A Thompson staffer promised a media availability outside the event so questions wouldn’t interrupt the dinner itself, and then there wasn’t one. Jay wasn’t the only reporter to blog about the experience afterwards. While his story merely mentioned Thompson’s media dodge toward the end, Radio Iowa’s Kay Henderson and WHO TV’s Dave Price both highlighted the treatment they had received in blog entries. Said Henderson:
No questions. No answers. If you want to know what he said tonight, you’ll have to ask Jeri.
Dave Price of WHO TV characterized the evening in his post title, “Fred, Fried Chicken and a Lie Pie for dessert.” He concluded:
Then, we followed him after he left the bathroom. Perhaps, this was our chance. Nope, he made his way back to his table. Then, he turned around and went outside. Now, it was our chance to get all those faith questions answered. Thompson walked outside…and then walked into the SUV waiting for him. Then, he left. Another staffer said there would be plenty of time for questions during the rest of the trip. Will there or is that another slice of lie pie?
If Thompson was hoping to be the media darling candidate this time around, a la Sen. John McCain in 2000, he’s missing his opportunity.
Crossposted here.
Updated 10/01/07 at 8:13pm by Matt Ortega: TAPPED posted the video of a local Iowa news report on FDT’s skipping out on the press.
5 Responses to “Fred Thompson Draws Ire of Iowa Press Corps”
With mistakes like this, Fred will have a McCain-like meltdown any day now. Polls will begin to indicate what so many in the know have predicted: he’ll tumble soon.
Go, Mitt! http://nyformitt.blogspot.com/
I was excited when Fred joined, but I have been underwhelmed. I’m taking another look at Huckabee, he seems to have the best conservative creditials. Fred has a lot to answer for negotiating McCain-Feingold campaign finance destroy free speech act. I think that was one of the biggest assaults on the bill of rights pre-patriot act.
Fred Thompson is right in the thick of things despite the few people who never go beyond the surface. Show me a voter who makes up his mind at the first sighting, and I’ll show you a voter who doesn’t show up at the polls. Senator Thompson has the record and the strength to protect and lead this country to heights only a few dare to dream.
Something to say?
Well if you don’t know that answers it is probably better to be seen and not heard. Right??
I guess his honeymoon is over.
Left by MJN
October 1, 2007 at 2:33am