Fred Thompson Media Watch: More of the Same
In the last three or four days, Fred Thompson's campaign has received more of the same from the many of the same sources.
POSITIVE:
* The Thompson campaign picks up another endorsement by a Pro-Life Group. This time it was the Rhode Island Right to Life lining up behind the former Senator from Tennessee.
* Fund-raising was encouraging: over $300,000 was reported raised in the 24 hours following the Debates in South Carolina.
* A primary will finally take place in a state that has a significant amount of conservative voters, South Carolina.
If one read only the Mainstream Media Mouthpieces, the printing of Huckabee-Obama ballots could commence.
Oh wait, that was last week.
Well, then maybe McCain-Clinton is the way the country is going?
No, if one read or listened to only the Mainstream Media, the presidential race is over, nearly over, gonna be over. It depends--on how the candidates that embody the Mainstream's hopes, wishes and dreams--are doing.
Fred Thompson isn't one of those press darlings; there being very few conservative members of the Mainstream Media.
The two barometers that supposedly are telling the rest of the country how to vote and who our next president will be, Iowa and New Hampshire, are over. The press loves these two states in January--it gives them something to write about.
But neither state has a significant amount of conservative Republicans.
That will be remedied in South Carolina.
Expect Thompson's numbers to improve significantly. In fact, don't be surprised if the word "surprising" is attached to some Thompson headlines in the next week.
NEGATIVE:
* The same members of the press will still be reporting on Thompson and the 2008 campaign this week as last.
THE SCOOOP:
The press is starting to notice Fred Thompson and actually reporting on what's happening on the ground. Of course, like any good episode of Jerry Springer, it helps for the MSM to have a good guy and a bad guy.
The AP explains this latest development.
Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee went from Mr. Nice to Mr. Nasty when rival Fred Thompson started calling him what he considered a bad name — a liberal.
The Southerners are fighting on warmer, more familiar turf in South Carolina, which holds a Republican primary four days after Michigan votes on Tuesday. Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, wants to build on his victory in the Iowa caucuses, while Thompson, once a Tennessee senator, needs a victory to keep his campaign afloat.
Huckabee said Friday that the lawyer-turned-actor-turned-politician had little to show for his time in the Senate.
"Eight years is a pretty long time to get a check from the federal government and not be able to say" he passed a major bill, Huckabee sniped.
In fairness, it was Thompson who started the spat, calling Huckabee a liberal on the economy and foreign affairs in Thursday's GOP debate in South Carolina. He ticked off Huckabee's alleged sins against that most hallowed of Republican institutions, the church of Ronald Reagan.
"On the one hand, you have the Reagan revolution. You have the Reagan coalition of limited government and strong national security," Thompson said. "On the other hand, you have the direction that Governor Huckabee would take us in."
Among Huckabee's transgressions: He called President Bush's foreign policy "arrogant," he supported taxpayer-funded scholarships for children of illegal immigrants and he signed a smoking ban into law.
"So much for federalism," sniffed Thompson, who enjoys cigars. "So much for states' rights."
Thompson clearly hit where it hurt, and Huckabee struck back several times while campaigning Friday in Michigan.
Some statistics from the last week which should cheer the Forces of Fred.
Just days after announcing his campaign was literally moving to South Carolina, Fred Thompson is enjoying a remarkable spike in support across the state and from donors around the country.
"From contributors on the internet, to voters packing his South Carolina events, even to pundits praising his debate performance, Fred Thompson is on a roll. We see the fight in South Carolina as critical. And we see Fred in fine fighting form," declared campaign manager Bill Lacy.
Key Stats and Information:
* The campaign has raised more than $300,000 online just since Fred's dominating debate performance on Thursday night.
* Fifty-six percent of all online donors since Thursday night are first-time contributors.
* We have had 14,296 contributions since the Iowa Caucus with an average contribution of $98.
* To date the campaign has more than 166,000 total donors and 283,000 people have signed up online as "Friends of Fred."
* More than 200 volunteers from all over the country have descended on South Carolina to help get out the vote.
* On the heels of Thursday's debate, Fred was endorsed by Human Events, the influential conservative publication. In addition, his debate performance has been praised by Rush Limbaugh, Bill Bennett and virtually every conservative blog and pundit.
It is no overstatement to say the campaign is being flooded with support. On Friday this week in Mt. Pleasant, the crowd at Fred's event at the Sticky Fingers Restaurant was so big the local Fire Marshall closed the doors and made some supporters wait outside to greet their candidate.
"I have been around campaigns for a long time," said Fred's South Carolina campaign manager Dean Rice, "and you don't very often find the kind of enthusiasm we're seeing here. The morning after Fred won the debate, it seems like we really hit the accelerator."
What South Carolina voters saw in the debate was noticed by much of the news media, too. The conservative National Review declared "Winner: Thompson" and called his performance "commanding." A New York Times commentator acknowledged "Thompson is out- toughing his rivals tonight on illegal immigration."
"The entire Republican Party relies on South Carolina to test all the contenders and find the true conservative. That process is well underway. Fred Thompson is the consistent conservative in this race and he clearly enjoys talking to kindred souls in South Carolina," Lacy concluded.
Wanna meet other like-minded Thompson supporters? Check out Draft Fred Thompson.com Refreshingly conservative. Refreshingly Fred. NEW Fred Thompson Blog Alert: Fred Thompson |
The two states where some candidates had spent both many months and millions to sway the 2.9% of the electorate that live there are now over.
The rest of the country, containing the other 97.1% of the voters, will now start to be heard.
So how did the Fred Thompson campaign do in the last week?
It can be summed up as as week of more endorsements, more money and a move to a more-friendly state.
Fred Thompson Receives Rhode Island Right-to-Life Endorsement  Friday, the Rhode Island Right to Life Federal PAC endorsed Senator Fred Thompson for President. "The RI Right to Life Federal PAC will do all it can to assist in the nomination of Fred Thompson for President," said Rita Parquette, Executive Director of Rhode Island Right to Life. "Fred Thompson will do everything he can to protect the lives of the unborn, the elderly, the disabled and the sick if he becomes the next president of the United States." Rhode Island Right to Life's mission is to advocate for a state, nation and world in which the innocent lives of the unborn, the disabled, the elderly, and the ill are cherished by the citizenry and protected by civil law. "I'm blessed and honored to have the endorsement of the Rhode Island State Right to Life Committee for President of the United States," said Senator Thompson. "These folks in Rhode Island have voted to endorse my candidacy because they know I have stood with them yesterday, I stand with them today, and will stand with them tomorrow. They know I have the ability to win this election. They know I believe in the sanctity of life and as President I will do all that I can to do to protect life."  "Clear Conservative Choice" Bus Tour Dates The Fred Thompson campaign announces the following updated schedule for Senator Thompson's bus tour through South Carolina for January 12. The campaign will provide ground transportation for members of the press. Media wishing to travel with Senator Thompson's bus tour through South Carolina should contact Jeff Sadosky at jsadosky@fred08.com Members of the public who would like to RSVP or receive more information about the events should contact (803) 251 3526. Saturday, January 12, 2008 WHAT: Fred Thompson Participates in Radio Town Hall Event Hosted by WTMA's Richard Todd WHEN: 9:00 am ET WHERE: Perkins Restaurant 7381 Rivers Avenue North Charleston, SC NOTE: Doors Open at 8:30; Please pre-set all equipment by 8:40 am WHAT: Meet Fred Thompson WHEN: 12:15 pm ET WHERE: Barbara Jean's 47 Ferry Road Lady's Island, SC NOTE: Doors Open at 11:45; Please pre-set all equipment by 11:55 am WHAT: Fred Thompson Tours Downtown Bluffton WHEN: 2:15 pm ET WHERE: Corner of May River and Calhoun St. Bluffton, SC NOTE: Tour is Open press. |
by Mondoreb
[images: kcrg;thomsoncampaign;jobkite]
Sources:
* In South Carolina, The Thompson Surge is Working
* Fred Thompson Receives Rhode Island Right-to-Life Endorsement
* Huckabee and Thompson Trade Barbs
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
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