"He sweated profusely, breathed heavily, asked if his microphone was on..."

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Several of Mr. Thompson’s aides said he had been spending his time being briefed, often on the phone with advisers. And much of the discussion has focused on economics and security, said Rich Galen, a senior adviser to the campaign. “He’s been going through the briefing books,” Mr. Galen said.

But once off the bus, Mr. Thompson has shown occasional signs of discomfort. In a speech here on Friday, he sweated profusely under the afternoon sun, breathed heavily and, while struggling over a question, asked no one in particular if his microphone was on. (It was.)

Some audience members, in a crowd that easily reached into the hundreds, winced as Mr. Thompson sweated through the question-and-answer session. “I’m surprised they didn’t pull him out of there,” said John Chambers of nearby Punta Gorda, after the speech ended. Suzanne Miranda, who watched the event from a lawn chair, said, “I felt bad for him.”

Mr. Thompson later emerged from the bus clad in a clean polo shirt and appearing cheerful for his first interaction with the traveling press corps in two days. When reporters pressed him for a reaction to the Newsweek headline, he laughed. Is the campaign trail grueling, he was asked? “Does it look grueling to you?” he shot back. “It’s uplifting!” Minutes later, he climbed back onto the bus.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/us/politics/16thompson.html?ex=1347595200&en=06c5ada5b0982753&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

[Colobo]

1. Dude can easily have a heart attack on the campaign trail

He's old and sick.

[Arugula Latte]

14. Why is he doing this to himself?

Sad.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Holy shit. I hope he doesn't crap out before February. We need him to

keep forcing Rudy and Romney to the right and on the defensive.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. In the above pic, doesn't Thompson look like he was born to play the Matthew Brady

part in "Inherit The Wind", right before he dies?

[CoffeeCat]

5. I thought he looked like...

...an older more sickly version of Old Man Jenkins from SpongeBob Squarepants.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Take another look. This is Matthew Brady during a "calmer" period in the movie.

[calimary]

10. Looks more like the Creature from the Black Lagoon to me.

Eeeeuuuuwwwww!

But what I find far more ugly about him is his laziness and arrogance in somehow feeling like he can sashay onto the stage (which, btw, he avoided on the day he declared his candidacy - on Jay Leno's show - while his purported primary opponents were out debating each other live) at the 11th hour and snatch it out from under everybody else who's been working and working and working all these months. Because maybe he's got that messiah complex - I'M the one to save everybody here. I'LL decide when I get off my ass and commit. Sounds like he's trying to fit into the wee cowboy's phony cowboy boots. He appears to exhibit the same arrogance and hubris and "I'm the Decider"/"I'm anointed" crap. JUST what we need more of, Candidate Laz-E-Boy. More bush-shit. Only with a different flavor of drawl and phony bullshit.

[CoffeeCat]

4. Holy buckets...

Campaigning is grueling. I feel for the guy.

Someone needs to put these audiences out of their misery and talk Thompson into
quitting.

A good friend needs to sneak Thompson down to St. Lucia for a day or two. Prop him up
in an adirondack chair, put a cocktail in his had and crank the Sublime tunes. He'll
relax and begin to purge all of his repressed rage and fear from the campaign trail and
he'll be back on Law & Order before you know it.

Poor, little fella.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. I'm In Florida... It's Fricken Hot... He Shouldn't Be Out Here...

eom

[Sparkly]

8. Hey -- sweat is MANLY!!!

:sarcasm:

[CTyankee]

11. It goes with his "old leather" scent that Tweedy remarked upon.

I could go on, but I thought I'd leave you with that image...

sorry, shouldn't have.:hi:

[Sparkly]

15. I think "old leather" describes his skin.

"Man musk" is his scent.

And his fashion style is total GQ -- Grouper Quaggy.

[Bitwit1234]

9. Maybe he is in the KNOW

like, he believes the republicans are going to pull a "bush" and steal the election for him.

[Vektor]

12. Is he in poor health?

Yeah, it's hot out there, but he always seems kind of frail.

[AmyDeLune]

13. He had lymphoma

I kinda wonder if he's still under some sort of therapy, radiation or chemical, for it. He really does look unwell, I think he's an ass but I don't wish him ill (yet...)

*edit for missing word*

[Vektor]

16. Oh, lymphoma. Ouch.

Yeah, I don't wish him ill either, I just don't agree with him. I do understand how debilitating it must be to try to campaign while trying to beat cancer. Geez.