Thompson dips ankle
If Fred Thompson can be described as dipping his toe in the water thus far, yesterday’s speech to the Midwestern Republican Leadership Conference in Indianopolis has to be seen as getting wet up to his ankles. Thompson completed dominated buzz in conservative blogs, getting about 60% buzz share according to Wonkosphere.com. It is too bad for Thompson that much of any positive residual buzz is going to be taken up by the Gonzalez resignation.
Thompson, Romney, and Huckabee spoke and according to The American Mind, Fred got the best reception: “He received a more rousing reception when he was introduced to speak than Romney and Huckabee got, with many in the crowd of 500 or so whooping and hollering and shouting, “Fred, Fred, Fred.” “
From Wake up America: In a 25-minute after-dinner speech to attendees of the Midwestern Republican Leadership Conference here, Thompson offered a stark assessment of what he described as America’s perilous condition. “I simply believe that on the present course that we’re going to be a weaker, less prosperous, more divided nation than what we have been,” Thompson told the crowd in a deep baritone that rarely strayed from an even tone. “I do not say that lightly, but I think it’s the truth. And I think the American people are ready for the truth.” ”
Many viewers and commentators were struck by the somber tone of Thompson’s speech. From Jonathan Martin at The Politico, “It was a sober-verging-on-somber talk, but Thompson’s advisers think that a depressed GOP recognizes the difficulties it’s in and wants somebody who won’t sugarcoat things. Still, when he concluded his address the crowd did not appear as much as energized as alerted. Laurie Wilson, a Hoosier I chatted with after the speech, thought the easy-going “Law & Order” star would have a smoother delivery, but said he still resonated. “I appreciated his honesty,” Wilson said, conceding that his analysis was “a downer. But where the country is right now is a downer,” she added. “And the way the political outlook for 2008, unless things change, is a downer.”
Captain’s Quarters urged Thompson to think about his message framing, “He may also need to find ways to cast these policies in a more optimistic light, even while hitting Republicans with some cold truths about our standing at the moment, as he did in Indianapolis. People appreciate honesty, but Reagan didn’t get elected by mourning in America.”
In other Thompson news, it looks like he will announce around Sept 1, via an internet video, missing the late August Texas straw poll but in time for a Fox debate on Sept 5. The Garance has some interesting advice: ”At this point, one of his friends joked, Fred Thompson was probably polling well simply because he wasn’t bothering people all the time, and to preserve his status as least annoying candidate in the race the best time for him to announce his candidacy would be the day before the caucuses.”
Mike Huckabee had his own talking points about the Thompson candidacy, “”Let’s just hope Fred decides it’s just too hot this summer to even do this. Maybe he won’t get in,” Huckabee said in a broadcast interview Sunday. “But if he does, I think he’s going to suck a lot of the oxygen out of the room when he first comes in. But I’m not sure I’d want to be in his position where the expectations are simply just sky-high for him to be able to perform,” Huckabee said.”
While Huckabee might be willing to trade poll positions with Thompson, he is right, Fred will need to hit the ground running.
