Fred Thompson's communications director attempts to brand him as "a foot soldier in the revolution"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

By MICHAEL COOPER and MICHAEL LUO
Published: September 23, 2007



Mr. Thompson, the former Tennessee senator, had been hoping to capitalize on widespread dissatisfaction among Christian conservatives with the rest of the Republican field. But his early rollout — which saw him ill-prepared to answer some questions on local and national issues, from oil drilling in the Florida Everglades to the racial tensions in Jena, La. — has done little to solidify conservative support. James C. Dobson, a prominent Christian conservative, sent out a withering e-mail message last week that questioned not only Mr. Thompson’s commitment to conservative positions on gay marriage and campaign finance restrictions but also his political skills.

But Mr. Thompson’s advisers point to his Tennessee roots, which make him the only leading candidate from the party’s geographic base, and note that he polls well in the South, in the Midwest and among voters who identify themselves as Christian, own guns, oppose taxes and opposed the recent immigration bill in Congress. “You’re going to start to see us posing the question: what were you fighting for in 1994 when the Republicans took control of Washington?” said Todd Harris, Mr. Thompson’s communications director, referring to Mr. Thompson’s election to the Senate as part of that year’s Republican landslide. “Were you a foot soldier in the revolution?”

The question, of course, may remind voters that Mr. Giuliani endorsed Mario M. Cuomo, a Democrat and well known liberal, for governor of New York that year, while Mr. Romney ran for the United States Senate in Massachusetts that year as a socially liberal Republican who supported abortion rights and gay rights.

They are betting that even if Mr. Thompson does not do well in Iowa and New Hampshire, where other campaigns have built stronger organizations, strong showings in South Carolina and Florida will position him to do well in the later voting. And they are employing a strategy that takes advantage of Republican convention rules that award extra delegates to states that voted for President Bush last time, or which have Republican governors, senators or state legislatures — states which they see as potential strongholds for Mr. Thompson.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/us/politics/23repubs.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[Vickers]

1. An Army Of Wan

:P

[asjr]

2. He looks like death eating crackers.

[jefferson_dem]

3. Another picture of a sickly-looking Fred.

Ack. Take a rest, old fella...

[tekisui]

4. He has non-hogkin's lymphoma. A cancer he thinks he can tough out.

[patrice]

5. You'd think a rich guy would be able to afford teeth that don't look like dentures. nt

[tularetom]

6. If he gets nominated I'd be more concerned who his VP choice is

cause that sick lookin mofo would never live out his term (assuming he even lives long enough to get nominated).

[liberal N proud]

7. The new patriotism - Political warriors

With Romney's kids are serving the country by serving his campaign

[TwilightGardener]

8. Yikes. Startin' to feel sorry for the old coot. Let him rest! He's not up to this!

[Bitwit1234]

9. I feel sorry for the man he looks worst ever time they post

another picture. He is the one who should stay home with his family. Why aren't the MSM printing about that.

[liberalnurse]

10. He looks old and ill in that picture!

Where is the make-up crew?:nopity:

[WCGreen]

11. I think this "foot" soldier is gonna stub his toe...