March 21, 2007
Bring on the Thompson
Ryan Sager has a great piece in today's NY Sun how the possible entry of Fred Thompson into the race would spell the end for Mitt Romney.
I'm not positive I agree, maybe because I don't see multiple conservatives in the Republican primary as a bad thing, but I do get his point that Thompson would immediately become the conservative to watch, in a field where such a candidate is clearly lacking. All the more reason to get him in there asap.
Posted by Karol at March 21, 2007 02:13 PM | TrackBackTechnorati Tags: Fred+Thompson Election+2008 Mitt+Romney
If you like Thompson so much, should you really want him in the race at this point? This is the earliest an election cycle has ever begun. Why not give the other candidates enough rope for another few months and *then* step in as the savior? Seems like it would make more sense.
Posted by: Jason at March 21, 2007 05:20 PMI think Romney's inadvertant paean to "El Hefe" the other day spelled the end for ol' Mitt, and not a moment too soon, IMO.
...after Gov. George Romney, the Michigan Republican, said that briefers in Vietnam had "brainwashed" him, McCarthy said that surely a light rinse would have sufficed. Like father, like son?
Posted by: Gerard at March 21, 2007 07:36 PMJason, the cycle is starting earlier than ever because the primaries are starting earlier than ever. 11 months from now the nomination will be decided. The race is going to require a ton of money ready for use right away. Wait too long and all your potential donors are already tapped out, all your potential consultants and on-the-ground organizers are working for someone else.
It would be interesting to know how Romney's fundraising has been going since the Thompson buzz began. If donors are backing off, waiting to hear about Thompson's plans, it would hint that Romney's support would dry up quickly if Thompson gets in.
For the life of me, I can't figure out how Romney has earned first-tier status.
Karol, any response to the question that Mickey Kaus posed (and Ron Coleman echoed), "Wherein lies the greatness of Sen. Fred Thompson?" The point about lack of executive experience is a valid one, but does that lack outweigh the benefit of having a nominee who holds the right views on the key issues of the day and who can articulate and defend them?
Posted by: Michael Bates at March 21, 2007 09:07 PM
