WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2007
(AP) As a veteran actor, Fred Thompson knows something about entering a stage. It's all about the build-up.Thompson Will Enter Race With A Bang
Republican's Rollout Includes TV Ad, Talk Show Appearance And Internet Video, All In 24 Hours
The former Tennessee senator plans to announce his official entry into the Republican presidential contest on Thursday. But he'll pique interest first on Wednesday with an ad aired during a GOP presidential debate from New Hampshire that Thompson will otherwise skip.
By then he will have taped an appearance on NBC's "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," which will air about an hour after the debate ends in many U.S. households. Come midnight, he'll post a 15-minute video announcement on his official Web site.
The face time with Leno and the debate ad on the Fox network are the moves of a candidate who has already proven his aptitude using the media, from television to the Internet. While his main rivals - Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain - parry debate questions, Thompson will pretty much control his own message.
Thompson aides want as many eyes on the Web video as possible. The debate ad and a follow-up commercial on Thursday will instruct viewers to go online and get their undiluted message straight from the candidate.
"We think one of the strongest weapons this campaign has is Fred Thompson's ability to connect directly with the public," said Todd Harris, Thompson's communications director. "We want to drive as much traffic as possible to the Web site."
Following that media drum roll, Thompson will make his first campaign appearance as a declared candidate Thursday afternoon in Iowa.
Thompson is hardly the first to use the Internet and media to build up public interest. In January, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her Democratic presidential bid with a Webcast. In contrast, Sen. Barack Obama chose a more traditional route, announcing to a crowd in his home state of Illinois.
What stands out for Thompson is his blend of paid advertising, talk-show appearance, Internet and stump speech - all in less than 24 hours.
"That's the modern way to do it," said Tobe Berkovitz, the interim dean at Boston University's college of communications. "Especially if people are looking for something new on the Republican side. People have had plenty of time to look at Rudy or Mitt or McCain. So it makes sense for Thompson to march to his own campaign drummer."
Thompson's debate ad and Leno appearance could pose a risk, highlighting for voters Thompson's decision to forgo an exchange of views in New Hampshire with the remainder of the Republican field.
Romney spokesman Kevin Madden pointedly noted Tuesday that Romney has traversed the state of New Hampshire, addressing voters and giving interviews.
"Tomorrow night is an opportunity to spend an hour and half with New Hampshire voters and talk to them about issues that are important to them," Madden said. "Contrast that with 30 seconds in a paid ad."
But Harris said the point of the ad is to remind the public that Thompson is on the immediate horizon and that voters should keep an open mind.
"For every person watching that debate who thinks they've made up their mind, there are probably going to be 20 who haven't decided," he said.
Thompson has made ample use of his Web site over the summer as he pursued a "testing the waters" campaign. By not announcing his candidacy, Thompson was allowed to raise money to explore the possibility of a presidential bid without having to meet certain federal election disclosure requirements. At the same time, Thompson could not advertise, describe himself as a presidential candidate or raise more money that his "testing the waters" efforts would consume.
A liberal blogger has asked for an FEC investigation into whether Thompson violated prohibitions on fundraising. On Tuesday, the nonpartisan Project for Excellence in Journalism, a research group, described Thompson's Web site as far more interactive and sophisticated than that of his rivals. The site offers a collection of videos, a personal Thompson blog and various solicitations to raise money.
Lane Hudson, who asked the Federal Election commission to investigate Thompson, has cited those activities as further evidence that Thompson's unannounced campaign violated federal regulations.
"That's an irrelevant assessment because in a few days you will see Fred Thompson mixing it up with reporters and taking tough questions from voters," Harris said.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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See all 38 CommentsYou must kill those who worship another god. Exodus 22:20
Everyone will have to worship Jesus -- whether they want to or not. Philippians 2:10
Kill all the inhabitants of any city where you find people that worship differently than you. Deuteronomy 13:12-16
Kill anyone who refuses to listen to a priest. Deuteronomy 17:12-13
Kill any false prophets. Deuteronomy 18:20
Any city that doesn%u2019t receive the followers of Jesus will be destroyed in a manner even more savage than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Mark 6:11
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. (1 Peter 2:18)
Three guesses....
Almost as funny as the fact that his best argument for Thompson is the sound of his name.
What a toad!
kills you if you don''t join it...
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=82201&ln=eng&txt=islam%20law%20kill%20kaafir
kills you if you leave it...
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=696&ln=eng&txt=kaafir%20kill
kills you if you don''t do what they tell you to do..
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=6035&ln=eng&txt=kaafir%20kill
kills you if you speak against it%u2026.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?QR=22809&ln=eng
kills anybody that is not a member of it...
http://www.hauns.com/~DCQu4E5g/koran5.html
still practices slavery
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=12562&ln=eng&txt=slavery
still practices pagan rituals...
http://answering-islam.org/Silas/pagansources.htm
allows the r a p e of babies and animals...
http://www.homa.org/default.asp?TOCID=2083225445
a. satanic cult???
b. islam???
c. all the above???
Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan
go back to the crayons and champipple, moveon.org clown. and go find your boyfriend Clinton - who cares which one, either the shrew or the Serb bombing, Elian kidnapping, draft-dodging, pervert will do.
FRED DALTON THOMPSON, PRESIDENT.
Has a nice ring to it - Hillary Rodham - LOL - Clinton or Barrack Hussein aka Boy Obama DON''T.
just another former Senator from Tennessee,
who didn''t serve in the military, like another
former Senator from Tennesse; and
a former governor from Arkansas
...
just another former Senator from Tennessee,
who didn''t serve in the military, like another
former Senator from Tennesse; and
a former governor from Arkansas
...
just another former Senator from Tennessee,
who didn''t serve in the military, like another
former Senator from Tennesse; and
a former governor from Arkansas
...
just another former Senator from Tennessee,
who didn''t serve in the military, like another
former Senator from Tennesse; and
a former governor from Arkansas
...
non muslims of the world unite... fight against the tyranny of the fascist nazi terrorslam imperialist empire of the darkside...
I was a fanatic...I know their thinking, says former radical Islamist
By blaming the Government for our actions, those who pushed this "Blair''s bombs" line did our propaganda work for us.
More important, they also helped to draw away any critical examination from the real engine of our violence: Islamic theology.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=465570&in_page_id=1770
Bless the Beasts and Children
Fascist nazi terrorslam kills every man woman and child in the village again%u2026 typical mo for terrorslam%u2026
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/bless-the-beasts-and-children.htm
Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan
the truth about fascist nazi terrorislam...
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/what-really-happened/
Speaks more about the thin field on both sides of the ball than anything else.
NEXT!!!!
Re: "Thompson Will Enter Race With A Bang"
Really? How''s that? Will Craig be his "running-mate", so to speak?
It''s a shame how bad the MSM wants to save the GOP!
Posted by im4honesty at 07:39 PM : Sep 04, 2007
It also just shows that he''s another Bushie. Stay in the shadows, hide in your bunker and SOUND folksie and people will love you. or... he''s really under ROVE''s control and that really explains why Rove left.
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