Fred Thompson’s non-denial denial
Here’s the speculation that he’ll drop out by the weekend if he fizzles tonight.
Here’s his non-denial denial on Fox this morning: Watch carefully.
Painful.
On a related note, Joe Carter has an interesting essay on his 30 days in the Huckabee campaign. You all know I’m not much of a Huckabee fan, but Carter’s reflections are worthwhile. Especially these:
Not Everything is Planned — Although most people couldn’t be bothered with actual facts, they had plenty of time for absurd speculation. The era of Karl Rove has created a climate of conspiracy in which people think that nothing happens by accident. And I mean nothing.
For example, the campaign first heard about the “floating cross” controversy in the Christmas ad from reading about it on the Drudge Report. No one had any clue what that was about so we watched the video several times before someone pointed out the bookcase.
Apparently, a Christmas ad in which the Governor mentions “the birth of Christ” was too subtle. We needed to use a bookcase that looked like a cross so that people would get the point that he was secretly sending a message to Christians.
To this day, some people still claim that the “floating cross” was intentional. Those people are idiots.
…
Thompson Is a Typical Politician–But a Very, Very Bad Campaigner — You have to admire the dedication of the FredHeads. They want Thompson to be the President much, much more than he wants the job. They’ve even bought into the idea that his not really wanting the job makes him somehow more qualified to be the leader of the free world!
I jumped on the Fred bandwagon from the beginning but am glad I got off long before the wheels fell off. Like many others I bought into the hype that Thompson was going to run a different kind of campaign. It is definitely different, I’ll give him that. But its also uninspiring. His hiring of Mary Matalin was the first sign that he wasn’t going anywhere. She’s not as skilled as her husband at negative campaigning so when Fred went negative it just made him look like a grouchier version of Bob Dole.
The FredHeads didn’t see it that way, of course. In their view Fred should be able to just skip this whole election nonsense and go directly to the coronation ceremony. Fortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Most of us want a President who doesn’t think its “pandering” to actually care what we think.
…
Primary Politics Isn’t Worth Losing Friends Over — People often ask me what I think about the “Huckabashing” carried on by my friend Hugh Hewitt. While I am concerned that his shift from candidate-favoring pundit to propagandist for Team Romney may hurt his reputation, it hasn’t affected the affection I have for my “blogfather.” Hugh’s wrong–dead wrong–about Romney. But he’s right about enough other stuff that I still respect his opinions. And aside from his poor taste in candidates, he’s still the same great guy that I’ve admired for years.
The same holds true for my friendships with pundits and bloggers that differ with me about which candidate will make the best President. I’ve had some heated disagreements and have said things that have likely damaged my reputation with some people (i.e., all fans of Romney). But when all is said and done, I care more about people than punditry or partisanship.
That’s not a profound lesson but it was something I re-learned on the campaign. Even if I took away nothing else, that alone would have made the 30 days in Little Rock worth the trip.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: Fred says Politico story was “made up out of whole cloth”; Update: “Painful,” says Michelle
- The Sundries Shack
- Michelle Malkin » The flawed but useful Iowa caucuses
- WernerPatels.com
- » The Thompson Hit Hennessy’s View: the conservative prescription
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Fred Thompson
Legal Insurrection
» Pelosi's Abortion Land Mine Explodes
Weekly Standard
» Obama's Talking PointsSister Toldjah
» The anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall – and how the far left still hasn’t given upNewsBusters.org
» Politico: Conservatives Ousted Scozzafava Because She's A WomanWeekly Standard
» Ben Nelson Demands Stupak Language in Senate Bill
Fred is choosing not to run his campaign like all the others, Kindergarten antics. I like what I saw on FOX this morning. Go Fred!
ABR – Anybody but Rudy!
Well,Fred is an old friend of our family and I would be negligent not to support him all the way….my thinking is that the best chance the GOP has to defeat Rodham or whoever this fall is a reverse gonzo ticket….Thompson/Hunter
Soap Box, for once we agree. ABR!
Huckabee and Rudy are the only (viable) candidates that I think would be dangerous for this country. I don’t want a Republican, but the other candidates don’t strike me as dangerous.
Can’t watch the video here at work.
I’m with Soap and by extension Rusty…
ABR!!
GO Fred!
Geezzzz Rusty. We have agreed before and now you have to go a ruin it by admitting you don’t want a Republican! I thought there was hope for you – LOL! Dude, come over to our side. Come into the light. ROFL
One question. Which Democrat is NOT dangerous for the country? Inquiring minds want to know.
Nobody but Fred!
That sounds better to me.
Fred’s going to do great…especially after Rush endorses him (and we know that’s coming….)
GO FRED!!!
I personally did not hear a non-denial denial….I think he answered it correct that it was made out of whole cloth….period.
I take the man at his word and am hoping the good people of IA give him at least a second place finish.
Rustys, rusty
“Only Thompson has a true conservative platform”
He hasn’t hung it up yet and unless I hear an official announcement to that effect, I’m not going to give up on him.
GO FRED!!!
Mornin’ everybody. I have to agree with #10. I heard a denial-denial. Unless Fred changed over to being a Democrat overnight, let’s take him at his word, and see what happens.
GO FRED!! O/T – I see Hillary is dropping in the poll’s faster than Bill Clinton’s pants in a room full of interns…. That’s good enough for me.
Sorry, but I didn’t hear the “non-denial denial” either. I have not ever understood what seems to me at least to be the anti-Fred stance here at MM. It doesn’t even appear to be a neutral stance as he says the rumor is false in the video. Just for the record, am I voting for him? Honestly, I don’t know yet, but I’m also not rooting against him either. I apologize if I have mis-characterized your stance.
I thought by now Fred had made it clear. There ain’t nothing to read into what he says. There is no parsing, or trying to find out was “is”, is. He speaks plain and if folks can’t handle that and want to look for hidden messages or subtle hints might I suggest they get out their old Beatles albums and play them backwards and try to get that John is dead quote.
The problem with politics nowadays is that so many pundits want to pick apart everything said, or hidden messages in ads, Huckabees floating cross anyone. Sometimes things are exactly what they appear to be. 2 commercial airliners flew into the World Trade Centers causing their collapse and Fred wants to be a President because the people want him to be, not to cap off his resume.
I’m still with Fred. There needn’t be a conspiracy against him, just standard overlooking the message because the messenger isn’t doing the right song and dance.
I still like Fred. Hope there will be a media surprise today.
Thompson/Malkin ‘08!
“we watched the video several times before someone pointed out the bookcase.”
Several times? Who are they kidding?
I’m going to do what I can to support Fred as long as I can. I’ll only stop if/when there’s an announcement that he’s quitting. Hopefully I won’t have to worry about that and he’ll do just fine. He’s the only true conservative left in the field so he’s my choice.
Yeah, and I have some swamp land with gator infested water to sell ya too…
He knew, wake up.
If he drops out and endorse McCain, I’m burning the autographed picture I have of him, and spitting whenever I hear the names “Fred”, “Dalton”, “Thompson”, or any combination of those three.
Just to be sure I don’t miss it when his name is spoken.
Let’s go Fred!
I’m w/ ajmontana
Fred is behaving like an Adult….O my freakin’goodness….what a concept! & I am very weary of the ‘Fredhead’ bashers…get over it.
GO FRED!!GO!!
What a bunch of bunk. Fred denied this idiocy well and I found nothing questionable or even less than clear in his several responses to Kilmeade this morning.
With all due respect, Michelle, this does seem to be a bit of hot air flowing around Iowa with regard to Fred. It is idle speculation, undoubtedly based upon an annonymous (i.e., “created”/”fake”) source, ballied amidst a bored media looking to invent news rather than report it.
Frankly, I’m surprised Sen. Clinton isn’t catching more heat from you from her profoundly dangerous lack of foreign affairs knowledge made obvious in her erroneous comments regarding the parliamentary elections in Pakistan over the weekend. That little dittie of a blunder is a hell of a lot more important to me in predicting my children’s futures than anything else right now.
Fred has not made the first misstep or misstatement and (IMO) embodies much more of conservative ideals than anyone else in the GOP field. Since he continues to keep on track and refuses to run the same cheap-talk campaigns of his contemporaries, the only media “coverage” he receives nationally concerns his “energy” or whether he just might be considering bailing out at the first opportunity.
How ridiculous.
I’m with Fred even more so now.
It appears many conservatives want Fred out of the race as much as the MSM. I don’t get it. The man is the only candidate with clearly stated policy positions, all of which, are conservative. I keep hearing about “fire in the belly”, or lack thereof, but no one is talking about his conservative ideology in a positive way. Maybe it would help if he wore a skirt a did a few cheers.
It’s no wonder he’s not a frontrunner when his own party, and conservative pundits, won’t get behind him. Look at where “form over substance” has got us in the past 20 years.
It’s too bad Newt didn’t run.
Admit it Malkin you’re a RINO
Fred the actor: exit stage right.
A non denial denial? HUH?
What part of its not true was not clear?
With all due respect …I am disappointed with the spin. Never thought I would see it here. Maybe I was watching something different…but I sure did not see what the headline says.
Fred’s failure as a candidate should put an end once and for all to the idea that the majority of Republicans want a true conservative. Some of us do, but the majority do not.
From the moment word got out that Fred was considering running he has been hammered on every subject EXCEPT his policies. He is the only conservative running, and that is exactly why he has been ignored (out of fear) and trashed by moderate Republicans like Michelle (though I still love you!), Hot Air and others.
It’s a sad day for us real conservatives to realize that the days of true conservatism are gone, and, that the only candidates that can win are the ones that act like slick car salesmen, and flip flop back and forth according to polls. But who cares about any of that, when we can say, “Fred doesn’t have a fire in his belly!”
GO FRED GO! A Thompson/Hunter ticket would work from my point of view. The only two real conservatives currently with their hats in the ring.
On the matter of Senator Thompson leaving the race, please see this story:
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YTcxZmFmMWM1MmUzODc5MGMzNjUzNGZhNDQ2NWU3YWI=
Michelle, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I have to disagree with you on this one. I thought he answered the questions quite well. Futhermore, I think Fred is the best candidate out there by far. I hope he wins in Iowa. Go Fred!
Carl Cameron on Fox news right now saying Fred has categorically denied he is dropping out. Read something into that!
I’m not getting the “painful” part here at all. I started out so opposed to Fred but as time goes on he is looking better than what we have out there.
Is anyone as dismayed as me as to what our candidates look like and what appears as a true lack of ability to run the country? I don’t know what to believe anymore, so many columnists and sites are showingly biased. I find this election(candidates) to be very hard to view.
PS- To Boomer, not a bad idea at all. I love Duncan Hunter, can anyone find him? Where has he been? I am so disappointed in his lack of a campaign.
Michelle, what if anything do you have against Fred? Just curious.
I still feel that Fred is the best candidate so far. Unfortunately, campaigns are also won like popularity contests, rather than issues. It’s a long time yet to the convention. Let’s wait and see.
Michelle, you and Allahbozo in the same Fred! shame?
Go, Fred!!!
Armigerous, how about a ticket of Hunter(S)/Thompson?…
Conservatives R Us ~
Below is a link to an assessment of the Republican primary candidates, and the only candidate who can unite all three pillars of the party’s constituency, namely fiscal conservatives; national security conservatives; and religious conservatives. Without strong support from each of these three pillars, the Republican nominee cannot prevail in the general election.
http://sheetanchor.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/the-best-republican-presidential-candidate-for-2008/
Romney-Thompson 2008!
I don’t think Thompson will accept a V.P. job. Today, it’s just a target for the Democrats…nothing else. I can’t see him taking all that.
YOU TOO?!?
There are two real conservatives in the entire race, Paul and Thompson. Yet finding a “conservative” who will show them any support is a ridiculous chore.
While you’re hoping for defeat for Thompson, like the Democrats are hoping for defeat in Iraq, I’ll be hoping one of the only two candidates who is conservative and seems remotely trustworthy stays in the race.
This run for the Presidency is really showing who all the true conservatives are.
That’s rich, coming from a guy working for Huckabee.
I was asked the other day who I thought would win the Republican nomination. My answer was, whomever Mike Huckabee endorses when he drops out. My guess is it’ll be Fred if he’s still around, and I expect he will be.
Indirectly, that opinion leads me to a question to the commenters here. Would you vote for anyone but your first choice for President?
What is wrong with the consevative media?
Fred is the only viable conservative in this race. The fact that he will not play the media game. That he thinks it is more important to talk to people, rather than cameras. That his message does not change depending on the audience. That his values have been consistent throughout his public life. The conservative media should be pushing him front and center.
Instead, all we hear is the same whining crap the left uses to chase conservatives away from their party. They cannot attack his message, nor challenge his position on the issues, so they make issues where they do not exist. This reminds me of the way they treated Reagan when he first ran.
I am beginning to believe that there is no ‘true’ conservative media. If they fail to recognize that Fred Thompson is a true conservative, with true conservative values, and continue to attack him on non-issues, red and blue becomes green. There will be no conservative candidate.
Ms Malkin, I have read you for several years. It is my belief that Fred Thompson is the only viable candidate with the conservatives principals you have supported in your writings. Please take a moment, look at Fred again. Read his message, watch his interaction with the voters. The simple fact that he prefers people to media and maintains a loyal following says something different about the man. He has a personal appeal that, I believe, no candidate can match, provided the focus is on the issues and we the people.
Okay, I will jump down off the soapbox for now. Have a great day everyone.
GO FRED:-)
When we end up with Amnesty McVain, Flip-Flopper Mitt, or Sanctuary City Rudy at the top of the ticket, don’t complain.
This is what you wanted. And it’s what we will deserve.
Sheetanchor – Great article. I could not have articulated my support for Fred anywhere near as well as you have. Thank you.
Michelle, I’m afraid I have to disagree with you on this one. You’re still my favorite blogger.
God Bless, and go Fred!.
Well said, SirKnob!
Radiojoe1470:
Would you vote for anyone but your first choice for President?
If Thompson or Paul aren’t the Republican candidate going into this race I’m registering independent, showing up to write in a random name, and the Republican party will never see a dime of my money again.
We are broken. If we don’t fix it now it may never be fixed.
Every person who claims I’m helping the Democrat win can cram it. Republicans have a choice right now to pick a conservative and leader. If they fail in that, then I might as well hop on the socialism train now. Maybe if it gets bad enough people will remember what it is to be conservative and step up.
Ms. Malkin, please read this article pointing out how you and others are part of the media problem at this point, not the solution.
If Romney, Huckabee, McCain or Rudy end up our President, You deserve to have this posted back at you every single time you complain about their pro-amnesty, pro-tax, confused foreign policies to come. Every. Time.
Listen to it again. IT is a non-denial
denial. He’s saying the story is not true, because he has not discussed it with an aide, not because the storys not true. get it? The way he paused while talking, is what gives it away.
Now thats a sharp little eye!!!
jose
Wasn’t the rumor that PAUL was dead??
Anyway off topic, the fact is Fred’s still the only plain spoken guy out there. He’s still the only one with the most consistent record. If Fred doesn’t go all the way, I will be in fear for our country.
Dang Jose…..
NOT TRUE!!! which where I come from means NOT TRUE. Oh by the way …I just paused.
Whats your sharp little eye say about that one?
And to SirKnob and Melvin…
I am right there with you both.
And thats the truth!
Paul is a conservative? From what I’ve been able to gather by listening to him speak, – he’s an isolationist blame America first kinda guy.
Very very dangerous to the USA.
conservativesRus, I am not a Paul supporter. I prefer Thompson.
However, this constant accusation against Paul speaks poorly of Republicans.
There is a vast difference between Paul’s view of our foreign policy, one shared by many other conservatives, and the “blame America first” hope for defeat Left. That you can’t see the differences because the issue has become a black and white slogan thanks to the neocons, is truly a shame.
It is one of the symptoms of the disease that’s killing us.
Just a little bit ago Rush brought up the fact that only one Republican candidate asked for the support of the millions of democrats whose party has left them. That candidate is Fred Thompson. Rush thought what Fred did was smart. I was surprised that none of the others Republican candidates were smart enough to reach out to the other side.
Paul the bogus Spin-master & Spambotter,
exit period!
Michelle, seriously, why do you continue to make trash out or trvialities? And where is YOUR apology for highlighting wats was a MSM SMEAR JOB – you piled on and never APOLOGIZED for being dead wrong.
Where’s the apology Michelle?
I and othere CONSERVATIVES are tiring of your trite and shallow treatment of Thompson, and the backhanded slaps you use.
You DESERVE Romney, Guiliani, McCain and Huckabee – after all your continuing snideness and sneering a the only consistently conservative candidate are going to leave you with those non-conservative choices.
Michelle, wake up. You’re stuck on stupid. Stop sneering long enough to think.
That’s a bit harsh, OC. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but lets leave the gratuitous name calling to the liberals, as they seem to enjoy that so much. This is Michelle’s blog, and she can express herself in any way she wants. I happen to disagree with her on this issue as well, but I would never think to call her stupid!
I’ve been a big MM fan, especially doing the right thing re: Geraldo and O’Reilly, and helping leading the charge against shamnesty.
I never meant to call here generally stupid, but when it comes to Thompson, she seeems to fit the mold of “Stuck on Stupid” (c.f. Katrina and Gen Honore’s comment on the press continually looking at and asking the wrong things) by her repeating smears and not correcting them.
Its regrettable, and I am hoping that this gets MM’s attention – she may not be aware of the perceptions she is generating with her choice of things to promote about Fred, and her repetition of MSM smears and misquotes.
After all, MM and Fred (and me too for that matter) generally agree on Immigration & the Border (FT: “Enforcement begins at the border”), Abortion, 2nd Amendment, the War in Iraq and terrorism in general, smaller government, etc…
So why MM’s continued tendency toward quickly printing smears or imagining things that are not there (silly hat rule, misquotes, and no “non-deniall denial”). Meanwhiel she is not bothereing to check and update afterwards with things that basically disprove her original post (unlike most other articles)?
Thats what puzzles me. Truth is important, and usually MM is good. But when it comes to Fred Thompson, Michelle seems uninterested in the truth and more intersted in neagtive innuendo, misquotes and MSM smears.
Why Michelle?
’tis a good question.
As the Fred campaign clearly demonstrates, perception is everything.
A shame Michelle. Fred should be your kind of candidate: conservative, honest, to the point without any hesitation. We’re going to get stuck with a pseudo-conservative like Rudy or worse, a Democrat, when attitudes like yours are taken. Thompson can have a widespread appeal.
Besides, I really don’t want to have to feel hesitant to support the Republican candidate if Hillary manages to pull the Democratic nomination.
Well, the biggie is that MM and Allahpundit BOTH should have learned from the last 2 times Politico burned them with a story that was at minimum a mischaracterization, at worst a blatant lie (c.f. Simon in the Politico).
Yet MM swallows it uncritically, and unthinkingly.
Do the right thing MM – stop republishing smears uncritically and unthinkingly. Use your reason, and put a stop to your negative bias regarding Fred Thompson. Not asking you to be a FredHead, just to be rational and fair.
Its that siding again with a Politico smear-job that is making me begin to doubt MM’s judgement, if not her basic honesty and integrity.
Getting repeatedly fooled by the same proven bad source (Politico) does not speak well for MM on any of those accounts. No matter how you spin it.
MM – care to reply why you bit on this story from Politico after being burned before – and why you have not updated this with links to the Thompson press release and other data at NR, including Byron York’s talk with Galen (where he says they have dates and places in NH already this weekend before heading to SC, in addition to almost $2million raised over the holiday weeks).
Or do you want yet another smear/hit-job republished by you to stand here uncorrected, painting you in a very unflattering light to be either ignorant, lazy or disingenuous?
Come on MM. Its like I would tell my son when he was old enough to understand what personal integrity meant:
I believe you are you are better than that and I expect better of you – do the right thing!
And I guess I’ll go back to lurking.
Sign me “Disappointed in Durango”
You know, you people who are bashing Michelle make me laugh. This is no hit job. And believe me she’s done some. What is it you object to? That she thinks it was a non-denial? Or the word “Painful.”
You’re not going to agree with Michelle on every single point, so stop acting like she’s slit your throat when she posts something you don’t like, and stop treating her like she’s the Goddess of Conservative Wisdom when she posts something you do like.
Who cares what MM thinks?
Trivial harpie…
I’m not particularly fond of the way this story was presented either but show me in the play book of life where you agree 100% with someone 100% of the time especially regarding politics. You would have to be some absurd loon incapable of generating any original thought on your own to believe that could happen.
Radiojoe1470, please consider the timing and the impact of this piece for those in Iowa.
It doesn’t have to be a “hit piece” to be devastating to Thompson’s campaign.
According to Thompson since, her examination of his pause was misread.
Think about that, please. She could be spiking the only conservative in the running because he paused.
We have such an excellent team in the primaries, it seems a shame to whittle it down. So here’s my suggestion:
Pres.: Fred Thompson
Vice-Pres.: Mitt Romney
Sec. of State: Rudy Giuliani
Sec. of War: John McCain
Sec. of Treasury: Steve Forbes
Atty. General: Andy McCarthy
Sec. of Homeland Security: Duncan Hunter
National Security Adviser: John Bolton
A team that can take on the world!
FYI – MM you owe Fred an apology.
Jed Babbin details YOUR compounding of the slimejob that Politico put out.
For that matter, why does Michelle Malink publsiuh such lies – and NO CORRECTION AT ALL?
Michelle, are you becoming a part of the dirty tricks squad for someone?
MM, are you becoming a sellout, and a liar?
Looks that way unless you do the right thing and correct yourself – and apologize for the REPEATED printing od hitjobs and your snide and demonstrably wrong comments.
Stand up Michelle – do the right thing!
Ordinary Coloradan may be illiterate and too lazy to use spell checker, but he isn’t wrong.
I think the dead giveaway was an interview on Fox with someone who I believe was Mike Allen of Politico. I do remember he was identified as the person who broke this story. He spoke strongly about what a poor showing it was for Thompson and stated emphatically that there are four Republicans who still have a real chance of winning the nomination and Fred Thompson is not one of them. He then gushed enthusiastically about what a great showing it was for McCain–who had no better numbers than Fred.
This was a political hatchet job if there ever was one.
Where is your retraction and apology over this hack job, Ms Malkin?!?
Where? Are you just a pretty Geraldo? Can we look forward to you threatening to spit on those who disagree in a few years?
Sorry about the lack of spellcheck, I’m dyslexic, and I swear some of those words are not what I thought I was typing (Ive been known to type words completely backwards). I should be using Firefox with its spellchecker, but I havent installed it yet on this new computer.
The problem is this is a day later, Fred is still in, its come out that this was likely a Romney planted story, in essence, a dirty trick.
And apparently the smear *DID* cost Thmpson some caucus numbers (there are anectdotes to people who heard Fred was dropping out so they went to Huckabee). Michelle helped propagate this smear, and never mitigated her helping the smear by posting the contrary facts.
Michelle has NOT retracted it, modified this story, nor apologized for republishing an lie.
That makes her either a willing accomplice (a liar), or simply grossly negligent and ignorant (a dupe with an anti-Thompson bias).
Retract your reposting of the story, and apologize to Fred Thompson, Michelle, its the right thing to do.
Can you swallow your pride and do the right thing? Time for a test. So far, MM, you FAIL. You’re becoming no better than O’Reilly.
Sorry to be rude. The last thing we need is liberals pointing at the illiterate conservatives to justify stereotypes.
Well said.
Posting further on this is pointless because she’s apparently pulling a Geraldo, hoping this will go away.
I have been a huge fan for a long time and had a great deal of respect for her. This is truly a shame.
That makes her either a willing accomplice (a liar), or simply grossly negligent and ignorant (a dupe with an anti-Thompson bias).
Retract your reposting of the story, and apologize to Fred Thompson, Michelle, its the right thing to do.
Can you swallow your pride and do the right thing?