Analysis: Spotlight harsh on Thompson

[Lone_Star_Dem]

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer 35 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Fred Thompson spent years acting on NBC's evening drama "Law & Order," but is he ready for presidential prime time?

The former Tennessee senator, who had several months to prepare for a White House bid, entered the race 10 days ago and the early reviews have been less than glowing. Some Republicans have panned his performance as he's stumbled over a few questions right out of the gate.

"It's one thing to give a stump speech and project your theme, and he accomplished that with a conservative populist message," said Greg Mueller, a former aide to conservative Republican presidential hopeful Pat Buchanan in 1992. "Now, his next challenge is to really hone his answers to questions — and that's a challenge all candidates have faced."

In the unscripted moments, Thompson has faltered in the last week with several unforced errors.

Among them, he has:

_Referred to Osama bin Laden as "more symbolism than anything else" and was dismissive about whether it mattered if he were caught. Thompson made the remarks following the release of a new video from the terrorist leader and five days before the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Democrats pounced, and Thompson then took a harder line, saying bin Laden "ought to be caught and killed."

_Declined to "pass judgment" on the appropriateness of Congress' intervention to save the life of brain-damaged Terri Schiavo two years ago. "That's going back in history. I don't remember the details of it," he said of the case that bitterly divided the nation, still energizes conservatives and helped sink the presidential aspirations of his former Tennessee colleague Bill Frist. Thompson did offer: "Local maters generally speaking should be left to the locals."

More...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070914/ap_on_el_pr/thompson_prime_time_test

[rodeodance]

1. ah, poor freedy, He can't recall.