Earlier this evening I swung by campaign appearances by Fred Thompson (at Sticky Fingers in the Harbison area) and Mike Huckabee (at Hudson’s Smokehouse near Lexington).
I’m not going to go on and on about it, as I’ve overdue for some sack time. But here’s a VERY brief synopsis:
- The Thompson event was well-attended and the crowd was supportive. Fred’s delivery was smoother, more confident than the last time I saw him in person — of course that was awhile back, at Doc’s Barbecue. I would have said it was a really successful event that showed him as a candidate with a significant following.
- I would have said that, except that when I arrived at Hudson’s — long before the candidate showed up — it was plain that, in the last days before the primary, there’s a significant difference in energy levels between an event featuring a well-liked candidate, and a guy who actually has a chance of winning. Huckabee had a larger crowd, and it was really pumped up.
- But Fred gets more points for punctuality. The Huckabee event was scheduled for 7:30, and he arrived after 9. Before he finally got there, I had thought about going on home to get my supper, but I had such a good spot right in front of the podium, so I hated to give it up. He was so late, he was able to congratulate Mitt Romney for his win in Michigan at the start of his appearance.
Here you have two rough clips from the events — Huckabee above, Thompson below — just to give you the flavor. If I get time any time in the next few days, I’ll see if I can come up with something more polished. I know, for instance, that there must have been some better footage of Thompson — but I used this because he talks about immigration, and he got a cheer for that. (Note that I didn’t have such a good spot for the Thompson event.)
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Was there anyone at the Thompson event who wasn’t eligible for Medicare?
Doug,
Spoken like a truly classy Huck supporter.
Big Difference between the Thompson and Huckabee events. One leaves a Thompson event well informed and inspired for a future based on proven successful conservative principles. When one leaves a Huckabee event, all they have is empty talk with little substance and fearful of a future based on terrible liberal principles. The choice is clear: Vote Thompson.
what’s with the Medicare comment?? Everyone I know who is a Fred supporter is young (mid 20’s to 30’s). Fred gives hope for a better future, especially for those worried about the impending doom of Social Security failure!
I respect John McCain for his service to our country, however he is NOT the strong tiger on national security everyone thinks he is. I mean the man would not even consider water-boarding a terrorist to get info that could save countless American lives; a terrorist now, not a uniformed soldier fighting in a specific country’s army. His argument against it is if we did, then the enemy would start torturing our soldiers. Start? John, wake up from your nap pal. Our enemies are already cutting heads off, hanging and burning bodies, dragging them behind vehicles, and God knows what else. Look at all the torture rooms found. Surely he knows this is going on, so what is really the true story on his position?
When it comes to illegal immigration, all you can say is his true stances and past history in dealing with this issue is dismal.
Well, then you’ve got Huckabee with his record on illegal immigration, higher taxes and bigger government, and belief that our foreign policy is arrogant instead of necessary. Plus now he’s been bragging in Michigan about his close ties to the unions. It does all kinda sound like something a democrat would campaign on.
You know, I have to put my trust for the future of our national security in a man who speaks with substance, who stands on his principles, who looks you in the eye and tells you straightforward what’s on his mind. Fred Thompson is this man. He’s well thought out, a great communicator, and rock solid on his principles. Go to http://www.fred08.com/ and look around at his white papers and speeches to make up your own mind. Then tell me who you think should lead us through these dangerous and uncertain times as our President and Commander-in-Chief for the next 8 years, Fred Thompson.
Brad Warthen You are at it again. Last week you released on your blog a plea to Fred Thompson to “do the right thing and drop out and endorse McCain”. Now you are trying to make Fred’s campaign stops lokk far less impressive that they really are. We have the videos of the events over at Fred08.com. They show (and prove) that you are on a witch hunt for Fred Thompson. As a newspaper editirial editor, I would think you would have better judgement, more morals and honesty and an adquate education in journalism. You would learn that to report (as you were doing above) and not interject your bias, you might just come up from the bottom of the heap.
To follow up on Sandy’s point. We have this about Huckabee showing up over an hour and half late for a campaign appearance:
“The Huckabee event was scheduled for 7:30, and he arrived after 9. Before he finally got there, I had thought about going on home to get my supper, but I had such a good spot right in front of the podium, so I hated to give it up. He was so late, he was able to congratulate Mitt Romney for his win in Michigan at the start of his appearance.”
Pretty mild stuff. Nothing more than a footnote to the whole story. But when John Edwards showed up approximately the same amount of time late he gets a full, in print, damning editorial about what a phony he is. Brad’s bias is becoming clear to everyone.
I actually agree with Thompson’s comments on immigration. I just noticed that the crowd at the Thompson event didn’t seem very lively… but then neither did Thompson.
His stump speech is more stump than speech.
As reported in The State the next day, “Edwards was running late, and the throng waiting to rally with him at Martin Luther King Jr. Park took notice. They sat for two hours in the sweltering heat inside the community center, a block off Five Points.”
We were cool at the Cap City Club, drinking, schmoozing, snacking, hardly taking notice. So he’s late? What are these folks going to do –- write checks for the Republicans?
But my impression had been reinforced with steel girders: John Edwards, Man of The People, is a phony.
-Brad
… reinforced with steel girders? OUCH! That’s prettey tough. So is Mike Huckabee a phony now for showing up more than an hour and a half late? It would appear that our editorial page editor has a double standard. Why? The world may never know.
To follow up on Sandy’s point. We have this about Huckabee showing up over an hour and half late for a campaign appearance:
“The Huckabee event was scheduled for 7:30, and he arrived after 9. Before he finally got there, I had thought about going on home to get my supper, but I had such a good spot right in front of the podium, so I hated to give it up. He was so late, he was able to congratulate Mitt Romney for his win in Michigan at the start of his appearance.”
Pretty mild stuff. Nothing more than a footnote to the whole story. But when John Edwards showed up approximately the same amount of time late he gets a full, in print, damning editorial about what a phony he is. Brad’s bias is becoming clear to everyone.
Biased much?
How about commenting on Huckabee wanting to change the Constitution to be in line with the word of the “Living God?”
I also noticed that you started Thompson’s video mid speech and started Hucks from the beginning. Perhaps so you could edit out the applause?
Schmuck.
bud, I’m confident that any reasonable person with no ax to grind would see the difference. As you note, the news story about Edwards’ lateness made note of it, and no more. I didn’t write a thing about it at the time. I didn’t give a damn about waiting all that time for Edwards, as I said. In fact, it was more enjoyable for me than sitting on the floor waiting for Huckabee last night, with no cocktails or canapes (it was brutal).
My beef — and one that only took on importance within the context of the pattern I saw with Edwards — was the way he treated his everyday supporters out in the hot sun. That wasn’t information I sought out; it was information offered to me by leading Democrats who were there — some amused, others indignant — reinforced by the news story.
If Huckabee was out jogging through the University neighborhood while folks were waiting, then shame on him. I don’t know where he was; I was sitting on the floor asking “Is he here yet?” Since then (when I got done posting this for you at midnight), I’ve been busy. So busy in fact that I haven’t written the first word of my column for tomorrow, and it should have been in over 4 hours ago. Bye.
Most people today say that they want honesty and integrity in their politicians.
But when the honest politican smacks them in the face, they say, “He’s boring.”
Substance isn’t always flashy. Substance isn’t the one who can schmooze the audience. Substance isn’t the one who tells the quickest jokes.
Substance is the one telling the truth.
Substance is Fred Dalton Thompson.
> But when the honest politican smacks them in
> the face, they say, “He’s boring.”
Or when he’s boring, the say, “He’s boring”.
Or they say, “Hey, pal, where do you get off smacking ME in the face?,” and sock him right back.
Mike Huckabee was overwhelmingly re-elected twice by the people of Arkansas because they loved his work.
Mitt Romney was not re-elected. So much for successes.
John McCain and Fred Thompson have never governed a state.
Today, Mike Huckabee became the first presidential candidate to sign NumbersUSA’s No Amnesty Pledge!
http://www.mikehuckabee.com
Aside from all this pettiness about why this or that candidate was late, the cost of one’s haircut, the reasons one cried or even whether they give proper respect to the accomplishments of MLK I’m interested in what the candidates actually say they are going to do. To me what they say they want to do speaks volumes about their character.
Mike Huckabee recently stated that he would attempt to amend to Constitution to fit with biblical doctraine. Now that’s some scary stuff and reflects poorly on his character. Why? Four of the 10 commandments are related to the Judeo-Christian interpretation of God and what He wants in terms of respect and belief. I find that more than reason enough to reject Huckabee. We should not be pushing a specific religion onto the people? That would make us a theocracy.
pro-Huckabee push-polling started today bashing Thompson, Romney, and McCain. So much for Saint Huckabee. I am so disappointed, watch it here.
http://fredfile.fred08.com/blog/2008/video-anti-fred-thompson-push-poll-call/
Fred Thompson has been nothing but a political corpse growing fingernails for a long time now. All he is doing is taking votes away from Gomer Huckabee and ensuring a win for the Liberal McCain.
The more I read about Huckabee the more dangerous he sounds. Now we have what appears to be push-polling, that insidious tactic that helped defeat John McCain in 2000. This pious, pompous ass of a bible-thumper is very dangerous. He needs to be stopped.