Raising Expectations
Most candidates try lowering expectations right before a debate or a presidential primary. Fred Thompson’s doing what he’s frequently done: Fred’s raising expectations for Iowa:
Republican Fred Thompson seems to be raising his expectations in Iowa, telling CNN Friday he would not be happy with a third place finish there.
“I would not be satisfied with third, quite frankly. I think we can do better than that…that’s why they play the game,” Thompson told CNN’s John Roberts. “The pollsters and the experts were wrong in Iowa in 1980, and they were wrong in 1988, and they were wrong in 1994, and the numbers show that a large number of folks in Iowa have not made up their mind.”
It’ll be interesting to hear when people made their final decision in Iowa. I suspect alot of them still haven’t made up their minds while others are abandoning the candidate they’d supposedly settled on. I’m betting that alot of Romney’s supporters are rethinking their choice, especially if they’ve heard ARTLA’s ad ridiculing Romney’s life flip-flops.
Here’s a Time article that supports Fred’s statement that “a large number of folks in Iowa have not made up their mind“:
All that said, there are no sure bets when it comes to handicapping the Iowa caucus. The polls continue to fluctuate, and it is still possible that either Huckabee or Romney could stumble their way out of the top tier. A poll released Friday by the Associated Press estimated that 40% of Republican primary voters had changed candidate allegiances since November. And that poll was taken before the Christmas holiday, when millions of Americans had a chance to talk politics with family around the dinner table.
It’s been my experience that people choose conviction politicians as the caucuses or primaries draw near. Mitt Romney certainly has some enthusiastic supporters but I’d bet that alot of people that supported him early have noticed that he isn’t a conviction politician. Mitt’s what I’d call a convenience politician, someone who can adopt any position if it’s to his political advantage.
Give me a conviction politician anytime. They’re the most trustworthy politicians.
There’s good reason why Fred Thompson should raise expectations. He’s the guy by which all other presidential candidates should be judged. He’s the smartest man on stage at any debate he’s participated in. He’s the most consistent conservative I’ve seen in years.
When you get away from the horserace numbers, Fred’s conservatism stands head and shoulders above the rest. His conservative credentials are unrivaled.
This campaign is a referendum on conservatism. If we believe in a Reagan-Goldwater type of conservatism, Fred’s the only guy that fits that description. As Iowa voters meet him, they’ll notice that. The more they think about it, the better I like Fred’s chances.
Technorati Tags: Fred Thompson, Iowa Caucuses, Reagan, Goldwater, Federalism, Immigration, Mitt Romney, Flip-Flops, Election 2008
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog
December 28th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
The authentic, reasonable conservatives are McCain and Thompson. Even Ron Paul superior to Huck (who sounds even to left of Hillary on immigration), or Romney (mormons ain’t conservatives), or Don Guiliani.
Those people–even moderates– who object to the Hillary or Obama bureaucracy on the horizon should take on the liberal bloggers–especially white-boy demo-doves who are more or less selling the country down the river to the multiculturalists and marxists.
Here’s a start:
A group of braindead Bay Area stoner-liberals who should be denounced 24/7:
http://new-worlds.org/blog/
December 28th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I’ll see your white-boy demo doves and raise you a Clinton Manifesto. All Liberals are following Her Thighness’ lead and the RINOs’ are as well. Only Fred is beating his own drum and it’s getting louder. More and more people are getting the rythm.
December 30th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Thompson message is not startling (for a change) its strictly American conservatism governing with what we know works, fiscal responsibility and faith in private enterprise, compared to the tired sounding fashionable, ageing, hippy 70’s era McGovern social progressivism, which in 40 some years has yet to deliver on its promises of eliminating poverty, improving education, and economic opportunities.
Go for it Fred!