Fred last in New Hampshire, First among Conservatives...

Fred's last-place finish in New Hampshire is far from the death knell of his campaign:

From Maine For Fred Thompson:

For Conservatives, the race begins in South Carolina

No conservative was ever going to win Iowa or New Hampshire, although New Hampshire will identify the most conservative Republican in the race. He will place last in New Hampshire.

So the focus for conservatives begins in South Carolina. As the race moves south and the overcrowded field of unlikely contenders thins down to the five who could actually win the nomination, Republicans will get a closer look at their five primary contenders and it is now Thompson’s time to shine.

Amen.

When it comes to pure substance, and pure, rational workable and sane thinking, there is not a candidate in the field, democrat or republican, who can hold a candle to Fred.

FULL SPEED AHEAD, FRED!!

Fred Still Ahead!

So says Rasmussen:

For the seven days ending September 30, 2007 show that Fred Thompson earns 25% of the vote while Rudy Giuliani attracts 23%. Mitt Romney has moved back into third place, supported by 13%. John McCain is now the favorite for just 10% and Mike Huckabee is at 6%. Four other candidates split 4% of the vote while 19% are undecided (review history of weekly results).

The seven day results typically include interviews with more than 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters. This includes both Republicans and those independents likely to vote in a Republicans Primary. In some state primaries, independent voters are allowed to participate in party primaries while in others they are excluded. The margin of sampling error for the weekly update is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

During the short period since his announcement, Thompson has garnered 8 million dollars in donations. Check the link on the sidebar of this blog to put your money where your mouth is and support Fred!

FULL SPEED AHEAD, FRED!! (c)

Fred Thompson--out and about

There have been a lot of doomsayers out and about saying that Fred Thompson's campaign for President was "dead in the water" before it started, that Fred is a political lightweight, and that Fred was doomed to be a flash in the pan, among others.

But there is one important fact that all the nattering naybobs continue to ignore:

The voters aren't listening to them:

Over the past four months, Rasmussen Reports polling has consistently shown Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani holding the top two slots in the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination. During that time, the weekly poll results have shown Thompson’s support ranging from a low of 20% to a high of 28%. Giuliani’s range has been similar, from 19% to 27%. Although Thompson and Giuliani are the frontrunners, both men still have plenty of detractors who say they can’t possibly win the nomination.

For the week ending September 23, it’s Thompson 26% and Giuliani 22%.

Occupying a precarious niche somewhere between the frontrunners and the also-rans are John McCain and Mitt Romney. Both men were early favorites of Washington pundits but haven’t done as well among Republican primary voters. During the past four months, McCain’s support has ranged from 11% to 14%. Romney’s range has been from 11% to 15%.

Also, despite claims that Thompson won't be well-received by core conservative voters, the NRA gave Thompson no less than three standing ovations during his stump speech at their convention (more on Thompson's success over at National Review).

Despite continued attacks by the conservative establishment on Fred's character and ability to win, Fred and the voters continue to prove them wrong.

So, if the nattering naybobs of the conservative establishment continue to downplay Fred Thompson's effectiveness as a candidate, they continue to do so at the peril of their own credibility.

Get used to it, folks.

Fred has hit the trail running, and he's not looking back.

Full Speed Ahead, Fred! ©

Crazy like a fox?

I have to admit, I had my moments of misgiving about Fred's timing in jumping in the Presidential race. But all along, too, I felt that Fred's support would continue to be strong and even skyrocket once he finally committed.

Turns out that hunch was right:

• CNN.com -- Giuliani & Thompson neck-and-neck in new poll: "Days after he officially jumped into the Republican race for the White House, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson finds himself in a statistical dead heat with Rudy Giuliani, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Tuesday. The former New York mayor garners 28% nationally among registered Republicans, while Thompson is one point behind at 27% -- well within the poll's 5 percentage point margin of error. In a similar poll taken in August, Giuliani registered 29%, while Thompson, then not an official candidate, was at 22%.

• The Washington Post -- "Dramatic erosion" in Giuliani's lead: "Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani continues to lead the race for the Republican presidential nomination, but he has seen a dramatic erosion in his support, which now stands at its lowest point of the year, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Giuliani's support dropped from 37% in a July poll to 28% in the latest (national) survey, and his decline from February has been even more sharp. Then, he had the backing of 53% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents and had a better than 2 to 1 advantage over his closest rival. Former senator Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.), who formally entered the race last week after months of exploration, now stands in second place in the GOP field, with 19%. That is nearly double the support he received in an April poll taken as he began to express serious interest in running."

Full Speed Ahead, Fred!!

Fred Still Leads the Pack!

By Rasmussen, via Blogs for Fred Thompson:

Rasmussen is reporting that Fred Thompson is still leading the pack in their Daily Polls.

Date:

Thomp.

Giul

Romn

McCain

7/23

26%

22%

12%

10%

And the juggernaut continues!

Forbes: Fred the Big Winner!

From the July '08 Tracker:

The big winner in July's Forbes '08 Tracker presidential poll is Fred Thompson. After his arrival on the list last month in second place in the overall "appeals" rating, a point behind former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Thompson leapfrogged Giuliani this month. He is the first candidate to have achieved a total appeal number above 50%.

The category of total appeal is a solid indication of how attractive a candidate is as a presidential contender. In this monthly study, 46 different attributes are examined by Forbes.com and its partner, California-based ePoll Market Research. This month, in addition to Thompson's gain, the poll showed Giuliani fading six percentage points, dropping to 43% from 49% in June. At the same time, the leading Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, slid four points to 41%, while Sen. Hillary Clinton slid two points to 29%.

And the juggernaut continues!

NOTA?*

*None of the Above?

WASHINGTON - A new poll reveals a clear leader in the Republican presidential race: nobody.

The AP-Ipsos survey shows nearly a quarter of Republicans are unwilling to back any of the top candidates -- Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, John McCain or Mitt Romney. And no one has emerged as the front-runner among evangelicals.

Zogby, long reputed to be one of the more accurate and reliable pollsters, has a much different story:

On the Republican side, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, as yet a non-candidate, has climbed to the top of the GOP leaderboard, winning 22 percent support, compared to 21 percent for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney remains in third place with 11 percent. Arizona Sen. John McCain continues his dramatic slide, from second place in late May to fourth place now, supported by 9 percent of likely Republican voters nationwide.

As far as evangelicals go,

Thompson’s strongest appeal comes from those who consider themselves to be "very conservative,” as 35 percent in that group said they favored the former Tennessee Senator-turned-actor. Giuliani finished a distant third in that group, followed by Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. McCain finishes fifth among very conservative voters.

And even among "mainline" conservative voters, the yet-to-be-declared Fred Thompson is still making a fantastic showing:

Among mainline conservatives - the largest subgroup of GOP voters - Giuliani wins 21 percent, compared to 20 percent for Thompson, 13 percent for Romney, and 12 percent for McCain.

All this, without needing to spend a dime of campaign funds.

Despite what MSNBC and others would assert, the voters do have a choice! Fred Thompson isn't just a candidate we can "settle for," Fred is a candidate we can support!

Fred takes Florida by storm!

From St. Petersburg Times:

In the most unpredictable Republican presidential primary Florida has seen in ages, Fred Thompson is adding a giant extra dose of uncertainty. And just to dramatize the mystery of his strength as a candidate, when campaign finance reports are released on Sunday, Thompson's fundraising figures won't be among them because he has yet to formally enter the race.

Despite that, the Law & Order actor and former Tennessee senator is in second place in Florida polls. Giuliani, who is making Florida's Jan. 29 primary the linchpin of his strategy to win the nomination, has seen his lead shrink in Florida polls from as high as 20 points in March to as low as 6 points in June.

Without even laying out a platform, Thompson, 64, has won more legislative endorsements in Florida than any other Republican. And to ensure no more slips like missing the Jacksonville meeting, Thompson's "testing the waters" committee has hired a respected veteran GOP strategist, Randy Enwright, to help navigate Florida. Enwright also is expected to play a role in the national campaign.

"You had a lot of people who were searching and looking for a candidate and feeling like they were going to have to settle for someone. You don't have to settle with Fred Thompson. Fred Thompson is a candidate you can be excited about," said Rep. Jeff Miller, a Panhandle Republican who recently hosted a fundraising reception for Thompson in Pensacola.

His fans, including Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow, the third-highest ranking Republican in Congress, see Thompson as the only consistently conservative candidate among the leading Republican contenders. They see a charismatic lawyer with a comforting bourbon-tinged drawl.

"The support for Thompson in this county is really something," said Pasco GOP chairman Bill Bunting, who has a Thompson sticker on his car. "He's a true conservative who really represents the party's values more than anyone else."

Of course, there are the usual cadre of naysayers:

"His support is a complete and total reflection of his name ID. He's the flavor of the month," Sally Bradshaw, a senior adviser to Romney, said of Thompson.

Truth is, once Fred gets in the race, Romney is toast.

The way this blogger sees it, look for a two-way race between Fred & Rudy, with Fred coming out head and shoulders (literally and figuratively) from the pack by September of '08!

Thompson on top!

The heretofore undeclared candidate has now topped the field.

There’s change at the top in the race for the Republican Presidential nomination.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson earning support from 28% of Likely Republican Primary Voters. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani attracts support from 27%. While Thompson’s one-point edge is statistically insignificant, it is the first time all year that anybody but Giuliani has been on top in Rasmussen Reports polling. A week ago, Thompson and Giuliani were tied at 24%.

It remains an open question as to how Thompson will hold up once he actually enters the campaign and has to compete directly with other candidates. To date, he retains the allure of the new kid in town while GOP voters already know the things they don’t like about the others. Still, Thompson’s rise to the top provides a telling measure of how the other GOP hopefuls have failed to capture the imagination of the party they hope to lead.

Thompson's genius is inherent in the fact that he has chosen to sit out the formal process enough to get his message out in a clear manner, that stood out from the din of the current field of 10 candidates. Thompson's solo appearance on Hannity & Colmes on a night when 10 other Republican hopefuls were duking it out for their literal 15 seconds of fame, when you come to think of it, was a sheer stroke of genius.

Of course, Fred will sooner or later need to declare. But you can bet that he'll remain head and shoulders above the rest, literally and figuratively, when he does.

Fred Thompson solidly in 2nd place...

From here...

REPUBLICAN LEADERS ADULTS "WOULD CONSIDER VOTING FOR" FOR
PRESIDENT

"Although the U.S. presidential election is not until
November, 2008, there are a number of people who may run
for president. If you were to vote and had
to select from the following candidates, for which of
the following people would you consider voting?"

Base: All adults

Base: All adults


              Feb   Mar  Apr  May  June  Republican
                %     %    %    %     %           %    
Rudy Giuliani  29    35   32   30    30          55    
Colin Powell   32    30   29   29    28          45   
John McCain    26    26   24   23    21          38     
Fred Thompson N/A   N/A   15   17    19          38       
Condoleezza
   Rice        19    18   17   16    15          33     
Mitt Romney     7     9   14   12    14          32    
Newt Gingrich  11    11   12   10    11          27    
Mike Huckabee   3     4    3    3     5          12     
Tommy Thompson  4   N/A    4    5     4          10    
Tom Tancredo    3     3    3    3     4           9   
Ron Paul      N/A   N/A    2    2     4           4    
Duncan Hunter   2     2    2    3     3           7   
Sam Brownback   2     2    2    2     3           8     
Chuck Hagel     3     3    3    2     2           4    
Jim Gilmore   N/A   N/A    1    1     2           4   

Note: Multiple-response question
*Less than 0.5%
N/A not applicable

REPUBLICAN VOTERS FIRST CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT
"There are many different people who are, or who may
become, candidates for president in the Republican
primaries starting in January, 2008. Based on all that
you know or have heard up to now about the people listed
below, for which one person would you be most likely to
vote?

Base: Those who would vote in Republican primary or
caucus


                          April        May         June

                            %           %           %
Rudy Giuliani              39          38          30
Fred Thompson              13          18          22
John McCain                18          18          18
Mitt Romney                14           8          11
Newt Gingrich               9           9           8
Tom Tancredo                1           2           3
Sam Brownback               2           1           2
Ron Paul                    1           1           2
Mike Huckabee               1           1           2
Duncan Hunter               1           1           1
Jim Gilmore                 *           1           1
Tommy Thompson              1           2           1
Chuck Hagel                 *           1           1

As you can see, with the voters, at the grass-roots level,
Thompson's showing is strong, and is gaining momentum.

To say that Fred Thompson would be a viable candidate at
the top of the GOP '08 ticket would be an understatement
of gargantuan proportions!

Frontrunner Fred?

From Rolling Stone:

6/12/07, 12:45 pm EST

Fred Thompson, Frontrunner?

The latest Rasmussen poll has Hollywood Fred in a first-place tie with Mr. 9/11 at 24 percent. That’s pretty stunning — and Thompson deserves credit. His quietly confident above-the-fray campaign has left the actor as a clean receptacle for much of the strong-brewed, none-of-the-above sentiment that’s fueling the GOP base right now.

But clearly the “Thompson epiphany” as some top conservatives are calling it, springs less of love for the Law & Order Republican, and more out of a sense of desperation among base voters who see the former Tennessee senator as the lesser of four evils....

If only it were that simple to explain away.

Thompson is:

1. A communicator.
2. Pro-border security.
3. Anti illegal immigration
4. Pro Life
5. Pro-War-on-Terror/Victory in Iraq

Now what's a conservative not to like about Fred Thompson?

Fred: The Juggernaut gains in the sunshine state!

From Townhall:

OF INTEREST:

In Florida, whose Jan. 29 primary will be one of the nation's first presidential contests, former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., has gained steam since his 5 percent showing in April, even though he's not yet a declared candidate. Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, and McCain, an Arizona GOP senator, have seen slight erosion since then. The Democratic contest has remained stable.

THE NUMBERS _ REPUBLICANS Rudy Giuliani, 31 percent Fred Thompson, 14 percent John McCain, 10 percent Mitt Romney, 8 percent

When Fred formally announces in July, look for his numbers to go astronomical.

On another note, there are those who think that a Fred Thompson candidacy will "steal votes" away from other candidates.

The truth is, no one really knows from whom Fred Thompson will steal votes once he enters the presidential race. And we're especially clueless about the second-degree effects of his candidacy.

Thompson's polling firm, McLaughlin and Associates, finds that Thompson wins the support of 18 percent of the Republican primary electorate today, stealing almost all of his votes from Rudy Giuliani.

Truth is, Fred Thompson "steals" votes from no one. They are there for the taking, and anyone who's looking for a pro-life, pro-gun, pro-security, pro-Iraq winning candidate, with the gravitas to sell the message, need only look to Fred Thompson. There is no other candidate in the field who fits that bill.

When the Republican National Convention comes to Minneapolis in 2008, I definitely want to be there to see Fred give his acceptance speech!

___

As Expected...

Undeclared candidate Fred Thompson is creaming all the declared candidates.

With Thompson's stand on illegal immigration, who can blame them?

You can cast your vote here, yourself.

The non-candidate candidate...

...took 2nd place in a recent Harris poll:

Fred Thompson, the former U.S. Senator from Tennessee and TV and movie star, is now tied with Senator John McCain for second place as the Republicans' first choice for President in the 2008 elections. However, they are both a long way behind former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is preferred by fully 38 percent of those who believe they will vote in the Republican primaries or caucuses.

The current wide field of candidates will soon thin, with the cream rising to the top. Giuliani's complete dissing of the pro-life movement within the Republican party will not do him any favors as the primaries draw near. Fred Thompson's upcoming break from his TV career suggests that he is more than serious about running; and this and other polls around the nation suggests that he has more than adequate support.

GOP Bloggers Straw Poll

We don't have to tell you which way this one is tilting... take a look at the title of this blog, and let's just say that I'm pleased as punch, though not a tad bit surprised :)

Anyway, here's your chance to cast a vote:

How Big is Fred's Support? As big as Texas!

So notes Elephantbiz, who cites Draft Fred Th0mpson:

The Draft Fred Thompson 2008 Committee today announced that 54 of 81 Texas State House Republicans and several Republican Texas State Senators have joined the growing effort to encourage former United States Senator Fred Thompson to seek the presidency. Texas Land Commissioner and Draft Committee leadership team member, Jerry Patterson, has spoken with each Legislator and found an increasingly strong desire to see Thompson become a candidate.

In another indication of growing support in Texas , a new independent poll conducted by Baselice & Associates shows Thompson tied for second place statewide with 19 percent of the vote. Senator John McCain also showed 19 percent and NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani led with 24 percent. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney held eight percent.

“These poll numbers reflect the enthusiasm I’m seeing in the Legislature and around the state. In Texas , the momentum in the race for president is clearly with Fred Thompson. If he enters this campaign, we can put him in the lead within 30 days”, said Patterson

Fred ahead in Georgia...

From a Poll in Georgia's 9th District:

Not bad for a yet-to-be announced candidate:

1. Fred Thompson -- 116 votes

2. Newt Gingrich -- 47 votes

3. Rudy Guiliani -- 12

4. Mitt Romney -- 7

5. Jim Gilmore -- 3

6. Huckabee, McCain and Paul -- l
vote each

7. Receiving zero votes: Sam
Brownback, Duncan Hunter, Tom
Tancredo, and Tommy Tompson

The (Fred) Thompson juggernaut keeps on rolling

From Real Clear Politics:

First, there was Thompson's interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday in March, which generated major buzz in the conservative blogosphere; next, the series of endorsements, most of them from Thompson's home state of Tennessee; then came Thompson's interview with Neil Cavuto disclosing his cancer, which he says is in remission. Thompson told Cavuto that he was announcing his cancer publicly because he wanted to see how it affected voters. That's one way to put it. Another way is that Thompson was doing the prerequisite "airing" of possible revelations that might hurt him on the campaign trail. And finally there was Saturday's Wall Street Journal op-ed in which Thompson embraced supply-side economics.

Add to this the relative despondency in conservative circles these days with the current crop of candidates and Wamp may be right that a Thompson candidacy isn't a matter of if but when.

Not only that, but Thompson's reception by GOPers on Capitol Hill was anything but lukewarm (login: Username: OptionalBugmenot, Password: FG9KTP25):

WASHINGTON -- The welcome for Fred Thompson wasn't just warm, it was effusive. The former Tennessee senator and actor is still weighing whether to run for the GOP presidential nomination but House Republicans who met with him Wednesday gushed over the prospects of Thompson candidacy.

They called him presidential, a leader, a proven conservative, an exciting prospect and "a breath of fresh air."

[SNIP]

Some 50 House Republicans attended the private meeting arranged by Rep. Zach Wamp of Tennessee, a Republican leading a draft-Thompson campaign.

Several lawmakers who were there said Thompson indicated that while he was seriously considering a candidacy, he had not decided whether to run. They said he talked about his life and answered questions. A handful of lawmakers said they encouraged him to run and told him they'd endorse him if he officially enters the race.

"He was called presidential, and he was. He was told he was electable, and he is," Wamp said.

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., said: "there was a breath of fresh air in the room today," while Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., added: "he spoke as though he was a president." Rep. David Davis, R-Tenn., said people are looking for a candidate with a proven conservative voting record and "Fred Thompson's the man."

The Grass Roots GOPers are still taking notice of Thompson:

In a Floyd County Republican Party straw poll, former senator Fred Thompson was the top choice for president — with 38.9 percent of the vote.

Thompson has not announced he is running for president.

Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker from Georgia, took second place with 30.5 percent and former New York mayor Rudy Guliani was third with 15.2 percent.

For once there appears to be a GOP Presidential candidate that both the Party machinery and its rank-and-file can agree on.

Run, Fred, Run!

Trip to D.C. signals Fred's intentions?

From McClatchy:

Why all the interest in a man who isn't even running?

"The other candidates are not getting the traction they need," Wamp said. "They've been out there already, and people are looking for an alternative. They're looking for a consistent conservative who is reliable and strong."

He said Thompson strikes a chord because he's a consistent conservative - against abortion and for tax cuts and the Pentagon. And he said Thompson has the Hollywood breeding and communications skills reminiscent of Ronald Reagan that help win elections.

Thompson has one professional and one personal hurdle to overcome before deciding to enter the race, Wamp said.

At work, he has to clear up contractual issues with the television show, which wouldn't be able to show reruns featuring him during the campaign. At home, he has to have the support of his family - a real requirement, given the reason he left politics.

But he already appears to be moving toward jumping in. Just last week, he wrote a column for The Wall Street Journal lauding tax cuts - always a popular plank in a Republican campaign. This week he meets with House Republicans. And in May, he's to give a major speech to the Lincoln Club of Orange County, California, long a bastion of California conservatism.

"There is a strong possibility he becomes a candidate," said Wamp. "This is not a flirtation. This is serious."

Not even close...

That's what you can say about all the GOP '08 Presidential hopefuls when compared with the likes of Fred Thompson:

Republican Fred Thompson, the target of several "draft Fred" for the White House campaigns, easily won a presidential poll conducted by the American Family Association.

The Alabama native was sent to the Senate after winning a 1994 special election in Tennessee to fill the unexpired term of Democrat Al Gore and was re-elected in 1996. He chose in 2002 not to seek re-election and has appeared in several Hollywood productions since.

In the new AFA poll, he collected 24,872 votes for president in a compilation taken just hours before the poll closed at midnight yesterday.

The runner-up was former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, with 9,889 votes, while ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was third with 7,877.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was fourth with 6,154; John McCain fifth with 5,090; Mike Huckabee sixth with 3,179; Sam Brownback seventh with 3,051; Tom Tancredo eighth with 2,060; and Ron Paul ninth with 1,884.

The Conservatives are behind you, Fred!

You da man!