First poll shows Thompson leading GOP field

[DrFunkenstein]

Source: The Hill

A Rasmussen poll of likely Republican primary voters released Tuesday shows actor and former Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.) leading the GOP presidential field for the first time.

Thompson, who has not officially announced that he is running but will likely do so next month, garnered 28% support, edging out former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was the choice of 27% of respondents.

In the past three weeks, Thompson’s numbers in the Rasmussen poll have soared. He was at 12% in a May 29 survey.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) each received 10%. It was McCain’s weakest showing to date in the Rasmussen survey.


Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/first-poll-shows-thompson-leading-gop-field-2007-06-19.html

---

Desperation, thy name is Thompson. If this doesn't show you how pathetic and self-destructive the GOP is right now, I don't know what will do the trick. This guy is no Reagan - and I hated Reagan! Reagan at least was a Governor who USED TO BE an actor. This guy IS an actor!

But just look how he vaulted over all the little dwarves like he's Snow White. Hi-ho!

[madrchsod]

1. that`s really pathetic

is this the best the republicans can come up with?

[Arkana]

56. But...but...can't you smell the Aqua Velva?

Fred Thompson is such a MAN! :puke:

[marmar]

2. Their top candidates are a marginal actor with a bad combover problem, .....

and a control-freak ex-mayor who's one breakdown away from a room with white padded walls. ....

They should hold their convention in a psych ward. :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. For the GOP, it's like Teen Beat all grown up!!!

The fawning over him for what they believe him to be in their imaginations.

[Placebo]

4. He is more aptly described as an Actor SLASH Lobbyist....

than anything else, which of course the MSM is not focusing on one bit. Instead they're talking about how "presidential" he looks and sounds, completely ignoring the fact that this is guy is a big time LOBBYIST.

HELLO!

[Alexander]

5. He has many skeletons in his closet.

He won't run. If his ego gets so big that he does, he'll be publicly humiliated and retire from both politics and acting.

[AndyTiedye]

10. Skeletons in Repiglickin' Closets Don't Matter. Nobody Will Hear a Word About Them

The Repiglickin' Media Won't Report Repiglickin' Scandals. It Is That Simple.



Plenty of skeletons in AWOL*'s closet. Much good it ever did us.

[Alexander]

16. Thompson isn't Bush - he doesn't have Poppy's connections.

The skeletons I'm referring to regarding Thompson won't just go away with a wave of the magic CIA wand. Someone highly relevant to the story will go public with it if Thompson announces. That's why he's hesitant to run, IMO, more than anything else.

PM me if you really want the gory details.

[MaineProgressive]

48. When's he gonna announce?

Should be interesting. Popcorn, please!

[KittyWampus]

50. Well, since DU'ers are too busy trashing Dems than trashing Thompson-Rove's freaking choice-

it's a damned sure thing no one will ever hear the truth.

AP put out an article last week about Thompson being a lobbyist. It sank like a stone. I was the only one to recommend it.

[sofa king]

11. Asbestos comes to mind.

As well as Iron Eagle III.

[Alexander]

18. There are worse things than Iron Eagle III - that would kill Thompson's career.

Why leave his cushy Law & Order stint for a grueling campaign where all his dirty laundry (and I do mean dirty) will be out in public?

He won't run, and won't win if he does. I used to be worried about him but when I heard about this juicier skeleton, I stopped being concerned about Thompson. So have most people who know about it.

PM me if you want to know exactly what I'm talking about.

[ima_sinnic]

19. delete -- changed my mind w/that question

[Doremus]

31. Why are we helping to keep GOP skeletons secret?

The cloak and dagger stuff is silly.

Just say it.

[Alexander]

37. Fine. Fred Thompson is bisexual and solicits male prostitutes.

At least one of which will give his version of the gory details to the press if/when Thompson announces.

This sort of thing would deflate both his political career and his "tough guy" image, which is really all he has in either career. He'd be finished if this story made it to the mainstream press.

[pokercat999]

44. No one would believe it.....even with pictures.

And it really doesn't matter anyway.

[Alexander]

45. You don't understand.

The person in question is a high-profile liberal who will not just keep quiet.

I don't think Thompson wants any of this to go to the MSM, which is why he's content to sit tight for now.

[pokercat999]

47. Let me rephrase from "It doesn't matter" to

It shouldn't matter.

Being a "high-profile liberal" would hurt his reliability in the view of the RW.

[mitchum]

58. Beautiful...Freddy Bear!!!

nice :)

[Steerpike]

25. HEY!

Please give a hint to those uninitiated among us (mainly me) who may not know the nature of Herr Thompson's transgressions.

[Alexander]

39. Read post #37.

[FVZA_Colonel]

6. We can't underestimate him; at the same time, we should not be preparing for The End.

Yes, it might seem foolish that Thompson could win. But in all honesty, the same things were said about Bush in '00 and '04. The Bush comparison is apt in more then just this way, however, as Fred Thompson is essentially George Bush, Part Two. If he takes the Repub nom, the Dems hammering that home would probably be their most effective tactic against Thompson, a candidate who will be running, for the main part, on an image cultivated from his acting roles: that of a Male Authority Figure.

[IndianaGreen]

7. Fred Thompson is not Ronald Reagan

and as Keith Olbermann has shown when he selected Thompson for "Worse Person," he is prone to spout rightwing nonsense like Glen Beck.

[OldschoolDem]

8. Thompson worries me

Considering hes leading the GOP poll and isn't even running yet. He could pose a problem for Hillary or may even Obama. That also clearly shows that the GOP is very very weak this year.

[IndianaGreen]

12. Hillary would tear a new asshole on Thompson

Thompson lacks depth, and he is not strong at all on policy, just on soundbites.

I would pop open a bottle of champagne if Fred Thompson becomes the GOP nominee.

McCain is going nowhere, and he may drop out after New Hampshire.

Rudy will never be nominated by the GOP base, and they won't vote for a Libertarian either.

All the others are loonies, except for Romney who I think is the best they got.

[Virginia Dare]

27. My gut tells me you're right...

in the end, it will be Romney.

[Alexander]

40. Totally agree except for one thing...

I think Hagel will be the Republican nominee, and Romney the VP.

[MilesColtrane]

52. "Thompson lacks depth, and he is not strong at all on policy, just on soundbites."

How is that a negative in a modern election?

If anything spouting slogans and homilies has been proven to work with a large percentage of the electorate. "I'm a compassionate conservative, who'll leave no child behind...etc."

Besides, nothing has really been done about election fraud or the corporate ownership of the means of counting votes.

Say hello to the new boss, a GOP actor who likes to delegate and take naps.
At least the First Bimbo will look hot as she consults her personal psychic.

[Irreverend IX]

63. Uh, no, Thompson is their best hope...

He's the closest thing they've got to a latter-day Reagan. McCain is a broken man, Rudy is a one-trick pony who can't connect culturally to the GOP base, Romney is an eeevil Mormon and totally unexciting to boot, and there's no one else who has much of a chance.

Thompson is not associated with the neocons or their failures in the eyes of the public, and the Repubs can use him to make a clean break from the GOP of the Bush years. Many of the potential swing voters in '08 are attracted to the libertarian wing of the Republican party, with which and Fred Thompson is strongly associated. Hillary is a huge turn-off to these people and many of the other swing demographics, so Fred would clean up in a contest between them. I'm holding out hope for Gore or maybe Clark, but those guys aside I think Edwards would be the best counter to a candidate like Thompson.

If the male prostitute thing is true, though, the time to carpet-bomb him with it is now. A scandal like that might knock him out of the running early and render all this speculation moot.

[NoodleyAppendage]

9. What should we expect from a group that is filled with impressionable dumbasses?

Repukes are always looking for a "daddy" figure to save them from the ills and vicissitudes of the world.

[Arugula Latte]

61. They like "dress-up" tough guys: Reagan, Bush, Thompson

None of those idiots served in combat, yet they will take the Pretenders over the real deal like Kerry every time.

[19jet54]

13. I heard this all before...

... about Ronald Reagan - Never underestimate the competition! Fred Thompson has name appeal at the very least, question is can he stand the heat or run from the kitchen like Ross Perot did? Politics is tough, and the magnifying glass is not yet focused his way.

[harun]

35. When asked about Iraq occupation policy Thompson said:

"I would basically do everything the same way Bush is doing it".

Nuff said.

The nominee will be Romney.

[otohara]

14. Republican's Glom On To Any Old

white male actor, hoping he'll be another Ronnie. They seem to enjoy the lazy types too!

[jessicazi]

15. Thompson

is an asshole.

[saltpoint]

17. McCain at 10%. Wow. He's out of it before it's hardly begun.

Romney doesn't seem to be catching much fire either. His "Gosh, I love America!" pablum isn't swallowable after 6-8 years of BushCo shredding the Constitution. Plus, Romney's a right-wing nitwit.

I haven't been able to figure out who comprises Thompson's constituency nationwide yet. Do GOP voters think he's conservative, or moderate, or what? He's been both over the course of his lackluster career. One of the most unimpressive U.S. Senators ever, and that's saying something, as that category is historically very competitive, especially on the Republican side of the aisle.

Giuliani is thick-skulled and thin-skinned -- a terrible combination for a public servant or for an adult. I think his numbers, already on the downward slide, will continue to drop until sometime this fall when his handlers sit the stubborn mule down and tell him he's not going to be competitive, that he isn't the kind of Republican New Hampshire primary voters are drawn to.

This is the weakest Republican field in my lifetime by far.

[lanlady]

20. enter the GOP's Great White Hope

and his trophy wife.

[deacon]

21. He's the 'grass is always greener on the other side' candidate n/t

[Kokonoe]

22. The media machine is bought and paid for.

And they're hyping up Thompson with every opportunity. Air time cost money, and there is compensation coming from somewhere. I cannot believe they still say he's not running with a straight face.

[zanne]

23. There's nothing like them Hollywood conservatives. nt

[eringer]

24. As Jeb Bush Patiently Waits in the Wings...

Fred is there to muddy the waters and bring down the GOP front runners. Once his mission is accomplished, Jeb will ride in on his white horse his saddlebags filled with his brother's $150 million warchest money. Bush '41 will then be proud of W once again. In my opinion, the Democrats have no one that matches up well with Jeb. They will need to bring out someone like Martin O'Malley who is at this moment waiting for a run in '12 or beyond.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

26. Lol.

Good one!

[Virginia Dare]

28. O'Malley could very well be Hillary's running mate...

assuming she wins the Primary, just my two pennies. I also think unfortunately that we could very well see Jeb as V.P. or POTUS in the future. It makes me sick to my stomach to think about it, but I predict a full scale build up of Jeb's reputation in the next few years. the chimp will be thrown under the bus in favor of Jeb.

[eringer]

33. O'Malley is Feared Most by the Republicans

He has all the qualities that Republicans want in a candidate except that he is not a Republican. Republicans may not vote for him, but they would help him out by avoiding the polls on election day.

[Irreverend IX]

64. Jeb?

Maybe a VP. Maybe. The Bushes are have spent all their political capital and then some. I think that after '08, whatever the presidential results, the GOP will have put neoconservatism on the back burner, at least publicly.

[Virginia Dare]

29. He's the flavor of the week because nobody knows ANYTHING

about him yet, except who he plays on teevee. The Repukies are desperately seeking a new Saint Ronnie, and sadly, there are none to be had.

[Doctor_J]

30. Lorrie Morgan wouldn't even marry the guy

and she's been married 5 times. She and her hubby, fixtures at TN GOP events, inaugurals, etc., have NINE marriages between the two of them.

[Virginia Dare]

34. The sanctity of marriage crowd--LOL!!!...n/t

[stanwyck]

32. Surefire proof that GOP voters are emotional voters

I watch "Washington Journal" every morning on CSPAN. And the callers enthusiastically supporting Thompson do not articulate any specifics about him. It's "he's strong." (really? how do you know?). And "he's a good leader." (really? how do you know?). No details. No comments on his beliefs. Just "he's strong."
Thompson's record is serving one term in a lackluster manner. He had a reputation in Congress as lazy.
I really have no respect for those supporting Thompson at this stage of the game. They're just telling us they don't care who or what he is, they just want to vote for an actor who will play the president as a symbol of American virility. You know, like Reagan. Or "cowboy" and "fighter pilot" Bush.
That's really what GOP voters want: an actor.

[BringBigDogBack]

36. lol

at Fred Thompson. Are they serious?

[ckramer]

38. Wait until Bloomberg throw in the hat

He's looking good!

[slackmaster]

41. Taking advantage of the other GOP candidates' fracturing of their base

They might actually be able to win with Giuliani, but he's not conservative enough for the hard-core right that has a stranglehold on their party.

Fred T. is a cagey bastard. Don't sell him short.

[shawmut]

42. Hey, Mitt Romney!

[OldschoolDem]

43. Thompson record is more conservative than any of the front runners

that is why the GOP likes Fred Thompson and because he is a pretty decent public speaker. I think he doesn't much substance though, but Reagan didn't either and he still got elected so who knows.

[MilesColtrane]

53. Don't forget, he also passes the smell test.

...at least with Chris Matthews.

[DrFunkenstein]

46. I Can't Wait Until Kiefer Sutherland Drops His Hat Into The Ring

After 8 years of having a President pretending to be a tough guy, do they really love macho theatrics so much? (don't answer that)

I can think of little more pathetic than all the conservatives crying about how Reagan "made them feel good." Call a therapist, for crying out loud.

As a side note, does the media ever get tired of almost-running candidates endlessly extending their news cycle with almost-announcements of their candidacy? My guess is that the can write a horse race story with very little effort, get noticed, and not have to do any of that, you know, actual work. Who needs investigative reporting or clear articulations of the candidates' platforms when you can just throw together a juicy quote and some poll numbers.

Spoiler alert: Kiefer Sutherland is not the head vampire.

[jamesinca]

49. that liberal Hollywood, running another actor

Wait, this is the GOP it could not be true about the liberal Hollywood. Arnie and Fred and Ronnie and Gopher from Love Boat and Bubba and ... that liberal Hollywood.

[bleedingheart]

51. The perfect crown prince to Reagan...another vapid actor...

[yardwork]

54. Republicans loooooove those actors.

[oneinok]

55. his wife

I don't think his wife will be able to take the pressure.

[depakid]

57. He's the corproate media's little darling

and they'll say anything to promote him- and fire anyone who doesn't toe the line.

[ckramer]

59. It shows that people wanted to put an adult in the WH...

...very badly!

[ProudDad]

60. You must not be from California

ray-gun was a fucking B movie actor -- ESPECIALLY when he was "Governor". He was always a puppet whose strings were pulled by the far right-wing.

I used to go up to Sacto to lobby against that evil fuck. He was a lousy actor but, like Thompson, that still made him a "better actor" than most politicians -- who would be classed as "C" and "D" and "E" movie actors.

[Megahurtz]

62. Why THIS Guy?

Because he's "An Actor"??? :eyes: :woohoo: :sarcasm:

BFD!

Good God. Is the frickin' American Public THAT stupid???

:banghead:

[mcscajun]

65. Because he's a Washington Insider since the days of Watergate,

because he served in the US Senate for nine years (at one point he was ranking minority member) and because he's a "face" with a spouse who's a political media consultant with heavy-duty RNC ties. He's got lots of brownie points and favors to cash in.

I said it on 3/28 of this year http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=521244&mesg_id=521715
and I'll say it again: If he runs, he gets the nomination. I'll put money on it.

His non-Acting "credits":

Thompson can be seen on the archival footage of the Watergate Hearings in Oliver Stone's JFK (1991). He was one of the active lawyers on the Watergate committee during the trial. He also asked one of the key questions during those hearings: "Mr. Butterfield, were you aware of the existence of any listening devices in the Oval Office of the President?"

Worked as a shoe salesman, truck driver, and even a factory worker prior to becoming a lawyer.

When he joined the cast of "Law & Order" (1990) in the fall of 2002, Thompson (District Attorney Arthur Branch) became the first serving U.S. Senator to take a regular TV acting job. His term did not end until January 2003.

Helped introduce President George W. Bush at the Republican National Convention (2004) in New York.

His wife's position is rather interesting for a spouse with Presidential ambitions:
2nd wife Jeri, 35, is a political media consultant at Verner Liipfert law firm in Washington, who once worked for Senate Republican Conference and Republican National Committee.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000669/bio

To your second point: Yes, the American Public IS that stupid. Sorry. :shrug:

[Megahurtz]

66. Gawld.

That's not looking good. :(

I sincerely hope we're not doomed....again.

:banghead:

[BenDavid]

67. That tis all well and good but

HRC defeats Thompson in head to head by 12 points and can only go higher. Once Freddy gets into the campaign he will be attacked by the right and his numbers will go lower, just as Rudy and mccains will too.....
I do thank you...Shalom
Ben David