Rasmussen - Thompson's Numbers Decline: Is Fred Fizzling?

[skipos]

Monday, October 08, 2007

A look at the past three weeks of polling shows clear trends in the race for the GOP nomination but the meaning of those trends is less clear.

Rasmussen Reports combines nightly Presidential Tracking Poll results into full-week averages and support for Fred Thompson has declined in each of the past three weeks. He earned 28% for the week ending September 16 and then saw his numbers fall to 26% and 25% in subsequent weeks. Now, for the week ending October 7, his support is down to 22% and he trails Rudy Giuliani by a single percentage point. This marks the first time since Thompson formally entered the race that he has trailed Giuliani in a full week of polling by Rasmussen Reports (see weekly poll results).

snip

Some people will interpret the downward trend in Thompson’s numbers as the Fred Fizzle that many Washington pundits have been anticipating. In this view, Thompson’s early campaign stops have been less than thrilling and his downfall is inevitable.

Others will say this is nothing more than the fading of Thompson’s post-announcement bounce. In this view, Republican voters are dissatisfied with the rest of the field and just getting to know the man from Tennessee.

More...

http://rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/2008_republican_presidential_primary

[rockymountaindem]

1. I'm sure someday we'll all look back on this and laugh

Until then I'll remain quite worried about their entire slate of candidates.

[FARAFIELD]

2. He Sucks

Basically, and I think his "bit", "PLEASE draft me and Ill come in and save you" doesnt work. Also one thing overlooked is established campaigns (ghouliani and mittens) have a clear advantage when someone tries to juup in. To paraphrase David McCullough about Picketts charge "Meade knew what Lee was up to and was ready for it."

[yourout]

3. Fred doesn't really want the job.

[CCfromNY]

4. Rasmussen

has been mysteriously a pro Thompson outlier in the polling data for months. I would love to see a Biden vs Thompson or Edwards vs Thompson race though.

[Warpy]

5. My guess is that he's hoping for a poor showing in the

first primaries so he can bow out gracefully. He's not a well man.

As for his numbers, the public is undoubtedly recognizing that while he might be a right wing actor, he's no Reagan. He's incapable of the "Aw, shucks, ma'am" that Reagan did so well when he was charming the rubes. His acting is wooden and his character an unsympathetic one.

I'm sure his wife will be terribly disappointed, though.

[jmp]

6. I'm not sure that he will make it to Iowa.

He looks like a man that has already quit.

[tridim]

7. He has probably realized that acting is much easier and pays more

Lazy SOB.

[Rhythm and Blue]

8. In the GOP field, any of the top four are still potent.

It's a far more fluid race than the Democratic one this year; their top four all have their own advantages and disadvantages, and people seem to be changing their candidates with fair regularity. While Thompson has enormous negatives and has run an unpolished campaign (generally deadly for one hoping to win on late momentum), he has one rather large positive to fall back on: he's not Mitt, John, or Rudy. By presenting himself as "the Republican in the race," he might pick up enough of the vote from people wary of Mitt's religion and record, John's age and once-upon-a-time maverickism, and Rudy's absolutely everything.

And once he gets to the general election, well...as 2000 and 2004 proved, with the power of the right-wing machine, anyone has a shot to win.

[Perky]

9. I think he has fizzed

[BRB_TheFireball]

10. Looks like Chris Matthews' "beefy" candidate...

is turning out to be a bum steer. How's that Aqua Velva working for ya now, Tweety? :rofl:

[Clark2008]

11. No Heartland voters, huh?

He's hardly fizzled around here.

[gasperc]

12. well, I think he'll come from behind and..., wait, hold on...

Larry Craig isn't running for the presidency, sorry scratch that.

Yeah, Thompson is buffoon who wants the job just doesn't want to work for it. And his wife if probably nagging him to run, she seems like the type.

[BootinUp]

13. It has become obvious

that Thompson is inept as a national candidate.

"Can I have a round of applause please?"

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. Some Of Us Saw This A Long Time Ago

Fears of the Fredster were greatly overblown...

[emilyg]

15. He never sizzled.

[Lucinda]

16. He was more popular before he declared

Reality strikes again.