Frederick of Hollywood in Iowa, where they aren’t exactly rolling out the red carpet.
Yesterday, I highlighted a few of the Thompson campaign missteps, including the fact that he had been forced to ask for applause from a crowd in Iowa instead of actually earning it. As the above video shows, he’s been reduced to asking for applause before he even starts his town meeting. Digby, as usual, hits this one square on the nose:
It reminds me of something I’ve been meaning to mention to the Republicans: Thompson isn’t leading man material, never has been. He’s a character actor. He plays the avuncular southern lawyer or the … avuncular southern politician. He has played the president or head of the CIA or whatnot from time to time, but they were all small featured parts. There’s a reason for this — he’s not believable in the lead. He has the charisma of a number 2 pencil.
Frederick of Hollywood is bombing, and already reduced to begging for scraps from a snoozing audience desperately missing their channel changer. So much for the virile GOP hero galloping out from the wings to save the party brand. At least he’s not wearing a hat this time…
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No way!
zed
Good Morning from ND.
Such a lame effort on the part of the Republicans. Freddie must feel like a total putz to buy into the BS that the Rs were feeding him. They’ve dropped him like a hot potato! I love it!!
Maybe Fred should hire TV extras and bring them to every event. They are trained to clap on cue.
Cáitín @ 5
hehe :)
I just can’t figure out what the Fredheads see in this guy.
ReneND @ 7
he’s bought and paid for, just like all of the others …..
ReneND @ 7
They’re delusional L&O fans.
You know damn well they were desperate to begin with by pinning their hopes on this guy.
Well maybe that is my problem. I’ve never watched Law & Order.
Surely THEN I would see his appeal.
*poof*
delurking to send some lurker love to PJ.
smarter than human beans them critters are.
*poof*
caitin at 5 — Mwahahahahaha. Good one.
Bustednuckles @ 10
Look what else they have to offer. You know they’ve been hoping you wouldn’t.
If Fred doesn’t get himself a flag pin he is destined to lose. There’s something about a man wearing a flag pin/snark off
What a loser. And with all the support from Matalin. When will she jump ship?
I recently watched Die Hard 2 where Fred Thompson played the “chief of air operations” at the besieged airport. Whoo, what bad acting! He gives a supposedly rousing speech to the air traffic controllers at one point, and it sounds as tired and retread as an overused stump speech. I had no idea that movie was going to be foreshadowing his very lame attempt at running for president.
Christy–There is a new post up…
Oh, and do click on the virile GOP hero link. It’s a guaranteed giggle. *G*
The idea here is that Rudy or Mitt are the ones to beat. Could be Rudy/Mitt v. Hillary/Obama in 2008. The view is we must ensure that the GOP loses big in the next elections.
Christy: I have a little red wiener dog too. I hope your little buddy is back and strutting around the house soon.
P.S. Does he have a favorite blanket? Bring it to the vet when you pick him up. He might like that.
After L&O’s beg for applause, I expected the camera to pan the crowd and find Jim Halpert shrugging and rolling eyes for the camera.
Well, I think they assumed that since he was a Hollywood actor he would be the next Ronald Reagan.
But to paraphrase Rush: “Reagan is DEAD! His policies may live on, but we’re in the process of doing something about that.”
And I think Freddy Kreuger has more appeal right now that Freddie Thompson.
Oh Fred, you’re such a fucking buffoon!
Thompson is a joke. The very fact that he got ANY traction for a run is a perfect yardstick of how demented the republicans are.
However, there IS one candidate that can keep the white house in their hands.
Her name is Hillary Clinton.
SufiLizard @ 23
Freddy Kreuger has more appeal than any of the GOP candidates. That’s because he can at least come up with a witty one-liner before he commits mass murder.
Personally I think Fred looks unwell.
Tanbark @ 25
And that’s why they are pushing this whole “Hillary is a foregone conclusion” idea.
I wonder how many Republicans are lying to pollsters and telling them they are likely Democratic primary voters, just to reinforce that idea…
It would be a difficult conspiracy to pull off, but something has to explain Hillary’s apparent popularity in the polls. It can’t be her policies or her personality.
Latest on Massachusetts Army National Guard Specialist Ciara Durkin, 29, of Quincy, Mass., died on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2008, in Afghanistan.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/stor…..amp;page=1
EvilDrPuma @ 26
(((LOL)))
That’s the difference I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Well, and the fact that Freddy Kreuger doesn’t look quite as sinister as all the Republican candidates.
Sheesh, they ARE in sorry shape aren’t they?
Hey, this post has disappeared and only Blackwater is up.
Republics forget that Reagan started running for President soon after he became CA Governor in 1966. He had many years to get his lines right and practice before audiences. It may also be that Reagan was simply much smarter than Freddie. Just being an actor wasn’t enough then and isn’t enough.
Iran Iran..
Heaven help us. David Wurmsers ass should be in jail for being part of the team that outed Plame instead of out on the streets pushing hard for military action against Iran.
Did Fitz give Wurmser immunity..Why? This psychopath should be taken off the streets
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/
news/2007/10/05/wiran105.xml
US ‘must break Iran and Syria regimes’
By Toby Harnden in Washington
America should seize every opportunity to force regime change in Syria and Iran, a former senior adviser to the White House has urged.
David Wurmser: ‘If we start shooting, we
must be prepared to fire the last shot’
“We need to do everything possible to destabilise the Syrian regime and exploit every single moment they strategically overstep,” said David Wurmser, who recently resigned after four years as Vice President Dick Cheney’s Middle East adviser.
“That would include the willingness to escalate as far as we need to go to topple the regime if necessary.” He said that an end to Baathist rule in Damascus could trigger a domino effect that would then bring down the Teheran regime.
——————————————-
David Wurmser: ‘If we start shooting, we
must be prepared to fire the last shot’
No David Wurmser will not be shooting he is one of the yellow bellied chicken shits who like to send other people children to do his shooting.
Put this killer in jail!
he also made some rediculous claims and demonstrated how out of touch he is
he said it was a democratic congress that approved roberts
this is actually what the fascists need as president, someone so out of touch they will say and do anything their pupeteers have them do
puppethead @ 17
Is that the part of the movie where the chief of air operations has to ask his staff to clap at the end of his morale-raising speech?
Afternoon, Christy!
From the NYTimes today via Reuters:
I was shocked when I heard he was only 65. He appears MUCH older. Is he ill or something?
I had thought he was wrapping up his presentation when he asked for applause. The fact he asked for it before he said anything just makes it so much worse. Just by his very presence, he’s entitled to a round of applause. “I’m here dammit, clap for me!”.
Even feigned humility is too much for Fred.
Other examples: Even though it would mean he would get caught at his trickery, Fred couldn’t even spend a couple more minutes driving his rented pickup truck away from campaign events during his Senate run before switching to his fancy schmancy car (chauffered, I believe).
And how about the fact that he doesn’t need to bone up on his knowledge of current events, or admit embarrasment when he flubs so fantastically.
And to think he can just launch a campaign with absolutely no policy positions. Good for him none of the other Republican frontrunners have any policy positions either.
dov12348 @ 38
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in remission.
He has the charisma of a number 2 pencil.
Ticonderoga and Tyler, too!
I hesitate to make any comments about Freddie because I feel like I’m kicking an old tired dog that’s wobbling crossing the intersection. Running for this gig is just too much for Freddie. What you see is what you get.
QuakerGirl @ 42
Oh I don’t know.. Jeri Kehn may make up for his lack of energy
ill-advisedly reprising something from Late Nite last night, where there was talk of pie:
rightwing bloviators – lemming harangue pie
“Thompson not bogged down in details in campaign
Fri Oct 5, 2007 11:33am EDT
By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson is not letting himself get bogged down in a lot of details on the campaign trail and many Republicans are wondering how long he can get away with it.
One month into his late-starting campaign, Thompson has generated some fairly strong showings in the polls — second place in an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll this week, at 23 percent to 30 percent for the Republican front-runner, Rudy Giuliani.”
Why would you buy into the medias representation of the Thompson campaign?
I think McCain got a little bump during the time Thompson entered the race and in part Thompson’s campaign depends on the final death knell of McCain and that is coming soon. When Ron Paul is outraising you -time to get out of the race.
punaise @ 44
applauding loudly
Rudi will get the nod and the party will splinter. A lot of fundies will stay away.
They’ll have to steal the election.’
Fred is a not going anywhere but the nursing home.
katherine Graham Cracker @ 45
which I assume means that he’s outsourced his campaign to shrubco
And then there’s this:
LS @ 40
Thanks. Sorry to hear that.
I think maybe Fred doesn’t understand that after nearly eight years of Dumb and
DumberEviler people want more than platitudes and slogans.punaise @ 41
I really like Ticonderoga #2 pencils tho :’(
SanderO @ 47
Bush has shown that just pretending to be Christian is enough for the fundies. Rudy just needs to say a few key words and they’ll line up like sheep. Put Jeb on the ticket and the voting machines automatically know what to do.
Biodun @ 49
them’s some serious leadership qualities on display
katherine Graham Cracker @ 45:
See me @ 37…*g*
LS @ 40
This explains a lot about his lack of enthusiasm and low energy level. Remission doesn’t mean cured, just under control for the present. Symptoms can prevail, especially being tired. Even in remission he needs to avoid stress and campaigning is extremely stressful. One has to reassess the way one can make a contribution when strapped with a nasty disease. I wonder if his doctors told him to get out there and run like hell. It’s good for his health. I doubt it. Go with life, Freddie, this game will kill you.
punaise @ 44
Yellow journalism
Why would Fred Thompson and Tony Snow risk their lives by taking very stressful jobs?
Tony Snow when he took Whitehouse Press Secretary and now Thompson running for President.
And there’s also this:
It’s Russia, Fred. The Soviet Union no longer exists. Dissolved in 1991.
(Same link as my 49.)
Biodun @ 59
OMG…that is sad…
bicmon @ 24
My dad’s loving nickname for me was “buffoon.” Sometimes he would call me “meathead.” Keep up these comments and I may vote for a ticket of Fred Thompson and Rob Reiner.
Biodun @ 55
oops my bad – :) and I might add you are brilliant.
Thompson to me is the Country Club Republican.
I think in the end – Rudy will be to ethnic and Willard really isn’t a Christian. They have no choice but Thompson. A Thompson/Huckabee ticket –they might as well go for the Southern Strategy big time
Sandman @ 58
Freddie’s planning to work even less than Bush does, so no need to worry about him. Worry about the nation because Freddie will need his own Cheney.
Ed*ard Teller @ 35
lmao
Its’ like those late-night teevee commercials. “But hey, there’s more”:
(Same link.)
katherine Graham Cracker @ 61:
Oh shucks. Thanks! If you say that again I’ll really start to believe it…*g*
OT (Blackwater):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..7100402755
“The U.S. military reports appear to corroborate the Iraqi government’s contention that Blackwater was at fault in the shooting incident in Nisoor Square, in which hospital records say at least 14 people were killed and 18 were wounded.
“It was obviously excessive, it was obviously wrong,” said the U.S. military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the incident remains the subject of several investigations. “The civilians that were fired upon, they didn’t have any weapons to fire back at them. And none of the IP or any of the local security forces fired back at them,” he added, using a military abbreviation for the Iraqi police. The Blackwater guards appeared to have fired grenade launchers in addition to machine guns, the official said.”
perris @ 34
The mis-cue about Roberts was especially bad. He was the shirpa who took Roberts through congress. How he could make a mistake like this is a serious question. It suggests that he is not well.
Gosh, I hope I spelled shirpa correctly.
Sid58 @ 16
And maybe sink below the waves? Like forever?
oh.. OT, but I’ll repost this here from the previous thread where it was EPU’d
Secretary of Whatever Rice is introducing nanny cams on Blackwater convoys.. nanny cams!??!!!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/200…..AcS5wE1vAI
Kathryn Graham Cracker:
You nailed it. When McCain sinks under the weight of his senility and his up-to-his-eyeballs lust for the oval office, Thompson will be the likeliest beneficiary of it.
BTW; waycool moniker. :o)
Badwater @ 62
His Republicans buddies did him no favors by telling him the presidency was little more than a desk job with public appearances to a “friendly” audience. This has been going on since Ronald Reagan. Deliver a few one liners and call it a day. “Trickle down economics”, “Mr. G take down this wall”, “Deregulate and let the free market drive competition”. I’m afraid this job will become less insulated.
Quaker Girl@56; really.
And that would leave us with….Huckabee, as prez?
gaaaaa…..
fred expected the nom to be given to him on a silver platter….after all isn’t he an actor just like raygun…..
Yikes!! Fasten your seatbelts.
“BAGHDAD (AP) — U.S. forces killed at least 25 members of a rogue Shiite militia in a heavy firefight early Friday, the military said.
The troops were targeting a militia commander believed to be associated with members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force and responsible for moving weapons from Iran into Baghdad, the military said.
A group of men opened fire on the U.S. soldiers with assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, and at least one man was carrying what appeared to be an anti-aircraft weapon, the military said. Two buildings were destroyed and at least 25 people were killed in the ensuing battle.”
http://ap.google.com/article/A…..QD8S2TVL01
“BTW; waycool moniker. :o)” Tanbark Thanks
I often wonder what the Compost would be like if she was still around.
Biodun @ 59
Heh. Reminds me of a scene from Animal House…
D-Day: War’s over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.
Bluto: Over? Did you say “over”? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Otter: Germans?
Boon: Forget it, he’s rolling.
And from Walter Shapiro in Salon today:
test
Further to my 75:
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again:
Smart Repugs know they’re f*cked with respect to presidential race ‘08.
ReneND @ 7
I will tell you: we see a decent American who believes in the Security of this country who wants to restore the ideals of Ronald Reagan to the National discourse along with the strength to achieve it. We see a true tax cutter, but a man who believes that Americans are the Good Guys, the guys who liberated Europe and Asia and will continue the fight against Islamo-Fascism.
And laziness, senility, and rustiness are not Fred’s only problems:
(Same link as my 75.)
Blub @ 68
LibertyLee @ 79
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
I needed a good belly laugh.
Did anyone else notice the last second of the clip? Freddy asks “Anyone got an answer?”
!
I read somewhere yesterday that Al Franken was outdoing Coleman in contributions, but spending more. I would love to get rid of Coleman. Everytime I hear his name I picture George Galloway doing him in. Best video ever.
Christy’s upstairs with a call to action…
LibertyLee @ 81
A Jonestown Republican!
ccmask @ 85
Here in MN, we love to get rid of the weasel too. And yes, that Galloway UN smackdown of Coleman was priceless.
The election of 2008 is not yet won. Watch out for Mike Huckabee.
I really don’t know who I would rather run against: Giuliani or F. Thompson. Thompson does have a Dimaggio-like streak of hits going: a fuck-up a day since he declared his candidacy.
Guiliani brings to the table a threat of a third party candidate. It was a nice turn when the Cardinal said “no communion for you, Rudy” yesterday.
But honestly folks, never underestimate the power of Democrats to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
LibertyLee @ 81
That’s the funniest piece of unintentional snark I have seen here in quite a while.
Franken has a primary opponent tht’s why his expenditures are more than the illegal occupier of the Wellstone seat.
Another media generated fake story -the Wellstone Funeral.
The only people showing disrespect were the Shrubians using the funeral to pretend they respected Paul Wellstone when they show disregard for every single thing he stood for.
LibertyLee: welcome to the Lake, but I need to remind you it’s 2007. I encourage you to stick around and read here all you want.
Old Gold at 87
“Jonestown Republican” is redundent.
As Financial Times commentator Gideon Rachman–in an article titled “Many contenders but just one voice”–wrote:
but much of the so-called anti-war left is just a sock-puppet of the (D) party, using opposition to the failed war against the (R) team as a wedge issue.
watch as they go into a frenzy of shrill advocacy in 08 to support the pro-war candidate of the (D)’s. It won’t be pretty.
Tanbark @ 25
Republican or Democrat doesn’t matter if the new leader sends us right over a cliff.
However, raising the issue of whether Thompson is just a bought and paid for shill meant to heighten the interest of Evangelical Conservatives, so they’ll eventually vote for their party nominee even if it is Giuliani, makes me wonder which on the Dem side are receiving money from sources we wouldn’t like.
Bustednuckles @ 83
Reagan was a leading man, unlike Thompson, though in B movies. If he wasn’t a great actor, at least Reagan was good at one thing: eliminating American manufacturing jobs. Just how much of your steel, shoes, clothing and furniture is made in the good old USA these days? By gosh, didn’t all those jobs start heading to Asia during the Reagan administration? I’d like to see what a real A-lister would do with the presidency, like George Clooney, for instance.