Fred brings out the bomber
After today's announcement that former Senator Fred Thompson has hired Bill Lacy to join his campaign team and run day to day operations, there is little doubt that Thompson really does intend to run for President. For all of the talk about the dangers of continuing delay in an official announcement (something that I tend to agree with) the fact that Lacy is joining the team is a likely signal that the recent reshuffle at the almost-Fred '08 campaign was less a move of desperation and more of a preparation for the long and hard slog of a long-term campaign.It was Lacy, after all, who took Fred Thompson from a 20-point deficit in 1994-when the race against Jim Cooper looked all but lost-to an overwhelming victory. With Lacy's guidance, the underdog crushed his Democratic opponent with a Statewide majority of over 320,000 votes and over 60% of the overall vote total. Lacy also made Fred Thompson a marketable candidate. The red pickup truck for which Fred Thompson would become so famous as both a candidate and a Senator was the brainchild of Bill Lacy, who is a real believer in shaking hands, holding babies, and pounding the pavement to reach out to the grassroots.
Lacy has real Presidential Primary experience as well. In 1980, Lacy ran Ronald Reagan's campaign in the Maryland Primary, which that year proved to be a pivitol test for the Republican nomination. Mr. Lacy knows how to lead underdogs to victory, and his depth of experience should be seen as a sign that Fred Thompson is ready to wage a come-from-behind effort to win the nomination if that is what is needed.
Just when I was prepared to say it was getting too late for Fred Thompson, he doesn't hire a Big Gun-he hires the political equivalent of a B1 Bomber. There is little doubt at this point that Fred Thompson is running for President-the only question now is whether he will wait too long to make it official.
Correction (Thu. 8/9 12:40 pm): Adam Groves points out that Tom Ingram is who suggested the red pickup truck, not Lacy. Lacy, he points out, actually opposed the idea.
Labels: Presidential Election
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 11:02 AM
9 Comments:
It's a good hire for Fred for several reasons,not the least his work with Reagan, as you mentioned.
I haven't been able to reach Bob Davis. He left his position as chair of the Republican Party of TN. last week, and I haven't been able to track him down.
Of course making himself available for a big ol' liberal may not be a priority for him at this moment.
Go figure.
Do you, or any other Republicans know what position Bob will take will Fred? I assume Bob will have a prominent position with Fred...if it's alright with Fred's wife.
You know...why is that last little snipe ("...if it's alright with Fred's wife") necessary?
Apparently, in Sharon Cobb's world, it's only okay to be a strong, prominent woman if you're a liberal. If you're a conservative, you have to be ugly, weak, and meek.
David, I know what you've said here in the past about Sharon Cobb...but I have to question your judgement on this one. You've said previously that she respects the conservative point of view and that you can get along with her...but I really have to wonder if you've misjudged here. I've been reading her blog, and this sort of comment here is pretty par for the course.
And quite honestly, I don't find it very respectful or nice at all.
That's just my take on it, and people can take it or leave it...but I really don't see how snipes like that are necessary at all.
Matt-
If you bothered to listen to Dave's show--the one I was on, I defended her. Strongly.
Jeri runs the show. Would you have preferred I had said,"If it's alright with Jeri?" She DOES run the show. Everyone knows that.
Go listen to the last show I was on with Dave, then maybe you will apologize when you see how off the mark you are.
Sharon,
No, I will not apologize. And I did not listen to that particular show, but my wife did...and needless to say, she was not impressed.
I would hope that David will vouch for me that I am not one to impugn someone's character unnecessarily; I'm generally a passive, let-it-go type of person. So when I speak up, believe that I have reason to do so.
Now, while it may be so that Mrs. Thompson "runs the show", it's also possible that she doesn't. I strongly disagree with the statement that "everyone knows that". And I really doubt that you personally know that, unless you're working directly for the Thompson campaign. Save the self-righteousness for the truly gullible.
Also, I don't believe that you would attach the same little snarky "...if it's alright with..." line if you were discussing Bill Clinton, John Kerry, John Edwards, or a number of other Democrats with strong, visible wives.
I think what you need to do is take responsibility for your own words and understand the connotations that are implied when you say certain things. You responded to a post that had nothing to do with Jeri and did not mention her with several sentences of material that had nothing to do with Jeri and did not mention her. You then, with a "..." pause, inserted a snide line about Jeri's place in her husband's campaign.
Exactly what do you expect people to get from that and how do you expect people to react to it? Do you expect those words to draw POSITIVE response?
I understand that you may not enjoy people questioning you, and I may not be as politically savvy or knowledgeable as some...but when I see bull excrement, I'm going to call it bull excrement.
If you can't handle that, please don't make it my problem.
David, you are wrong about the red pick-up. That was actually Tom Ingram's brianchild. Bill Lacy actually advised Thompson NOT to use the truck. In today's Nashville City Paper he says that was the "worst advise" he has given in 20 years of advising campaigns. --Adam Groves
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Adam;
Point taken. After I saw this comment, I caught the article in the City Paper where Lacy credits Ingram.
Matt and Renee;
I think you both know the amount of personal esteem in which I hold the both of you. However, I really think you need to tone down the vitriole with Sharon.
Sharon and I quite obviously have very different political views, and we often disagree on even the most basic things...but Sharon knows people-lots of them-and she is more connected than I am. When she tells you that she knows Fred, she is not joking. That is sometimes how politics works-just because you disagree with someone doesn't mean you can't befriend them, associate with them, or come to know things about them. I have my share of public friends in the other party around here, and it does come in handy sometimes.
Jeri Thompson's role in Fred's campaign is the worst-kept secret in Tennessee. No one in either party disputes it, and as a Republican and a supporter of Fred, I do not care-Sharon is right, she did defend Jeri Thompson from Democratic attacks that she is mere eye candy on my show.
Sharon may be a bleeding-heart liberal, but she first understands that this makes her a minority here the way that I might be in a place like New York City-she isn't afraid to befriend Republicans. Secondly, Sharon is a nice lady. You should get to know her.
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Jeri has an interesting role to be played but I can assure you she does not wear the proverbial pant nor is she the candidate but I can be she is trying to look out for Fred
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