Fundraising Is Thompson's First Big Test

Former Senator Faces High Expectations As Third Quarter Ends

(CBS)  This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter David Miller.

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The end of the year's third fundraising quarter means a lot for all the presidential candidates. But it may be especially meaningful for the race's latest entrant: former Sen. Fred Thompson, who is vying for the Republican nomination.

Like the other White House hopefuls, Thompson is expected to release highlights of his quarterly fundraising report at the end of this month. But while all the other candidates will be releasing their third reports, this will be Thompson's first - he only officially entered the race Sept. 5 after a lengthy "testing the waters" phase.

The "Law & Order" star hasn't actively competed in any straw polls and has yet to take the stage at a debate, making the report the first concrete measure of how Thompson's campaign is shaping up. As if that wasn't pressure enough, the first few weeks of Thompson's run haven't been greeted with the same glowing press coverage he received when he first started considering a bid in March. Stories in the national press have focused on high staff turnover, frustrations over the role played by his wife, Jeri Kehn Thompson, and his inability to galvanize the support of conservative Republicans, particularly the party's influential contingent of evangelical Christians.

Is the scrutiny perhaps a little unfair? People in Thompson's campaign seem to think so.

"The expectation level for everything we've done has been ridiculously and artificially high," Thompson communications director Todd Harris said. "Everything that we do is being judged through this ridiculously inside-the-Beltway prism ... I think it's more than a little unfair."

Harris said no rally attendance figure seems big enough to satisfy national political reporters and urges pundits to check out the local press coverage that is both more complimentary and more influential in shaping the opinions of voters in New Hampshire, Iowa, Florida and other key states.

But even if the focus on Thompson's fundraising numbers is disproportionate, there's no question that they are important to determining what effect he will have on the race for the Republican nomination. He runs second to Rudy Giuliani in national and some state polls, and even appears to be leading the pack in others. But much of that is based on buzz - his fundraising will reveal if he has the capacity to capitalize on it. Thompson will need plenty of money to build an organization that can compete with Giuliani and Mitt Romney, who tops the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire.

"It's like building a house," said GOP pollster and consultant Tony Fabrizio. "Giuliani's already paid for the foundation. Thompson has to pay for the foundation and still has to build the house itself."

A disappointing number, which will cover all money raised since Thompson formed an exploratory committee in June, will resurrect questions about whether Thompson delayed his entry into the race too long - questions that first surfaced when the campaign reported slow fundraising before Thompson's official announcement. That news, other negative press coverage, and the delay of the campaign's kickoff from July to September all have the potential to further slow down efforts to raise cash.

While the situation may partly be a product of the press spinning expectations upward, it's also partly the Thompson campaign's fault, Republican consultant and CBS News political analyst Nicolle Wallace said. "I think that by allowing the buildup that they allowed by delaying that announcement by as much as they did, they almost made the bed that they have to lie in," she said. "But this is still only the third inning for those of us paying attention. For everyone else it's the preseason. I don't think anything that's happened to date is anything he can't recover from."

Wallace said that two other tests, aside from the first fundraising report, await Thompson: his first debate, scheduled for Oct. 9 in Michigan, and the organizational matter of getting on the primary ballot in all the necessary states. Passing all three hurdles, Wallace said, should be enough to return the narrative of the Thompson campaign to a positive tale.

What is considered "passing" in terms of fundraising? The Thompson campaign is doing its best to make sure the answer to that question isn't too high. "We'll certainly be behind Romney and Rudy, we're never going to raise the kind of money those guys are going to raise. But we'll also never spend the kind of money they're going to spend," Harris said. "We think that we are exactly where we need to be. And we're well on our way to reaching our finance goals."

But Fabrizio says Thompson will have to raise "well over $10 million" to satisfy skeptics. "If Fred Thompson showed up on reporting day and said he raised $20 million this quarter, that would floor everybody," he said. "If he shows up and says that since the beginning of June he only raised $10 million, everybody's going to go, 'Huh?' "

[hwy71so]

Maybe Thompson and Hunter could team up as running mates. Either one in the top seat. From what I''ve read, they''d make a very productive pair.

[prinzowhales]

Its always good to look at the kind of intellectual support a candidate can attract...I''m glad Thompson has the likes of robertkjjj on his side...and, as we all contemplate robert''s dead grandmother ''rotting in her crypt''...some of us might just imagine one of his parents there inside her womb...and see how death''s seed gave rise to and now permeates his being.

[socrates392]

Posted by robertkjjj at 01:01 PM : Sep 29, 2007

Hey, it''s my favorite 12 year old name-caller! Have you seen that shrink yet? If you have, it doesn''t seem to be working . . . ;-)

[robertkjjj]

Ron Paul fans give us all a really good laugh. Talk about being self-deluded. Your corner grocer from Korea has a better chance of being the Democrat nominee than this gay, effeminate, pacifistic, cretin Rob Paul. I mean, you just GOT to be kidding if you think he can get more than 2% in any of the states!!! Look, my dead Grandma rotting in her crypt stands a better chance of becoming President than Paul. You know it, we all know it. Get a life and support something that has a real chance, such as that bag of shredded cheddar in the bottom bin in your fridge.

[getloud1]

If Americans don%u2019t wake up their will be nothing left, our Nation is broke and Wall Street is the only people making a profit. While the Hidden inflation tax continues to rise and the value of the dollar declines. Ron Paul is the only one who truely understands this, and honestly if he is not elected America should be prepared for a real economic depression like it has never seen before.

Unless you want a North American Union and a new currency the "Amero" split with Canada and Mexico. And lose all your rights and freedom. Vote For Ron Paul 2008!

So my advice is to bypass the media and spread the word to your family and friends about him. The power of the People is far greater than a campaign spending 10''s of million to buy an image. Because this man is a real American Hero. He has dedicated his life to this country and everyone in it, and now he is trying to save it from disaster.

Spread The Word! Go Ron Paul 2008!

Ron Paul Has Raised $838,000 in 5 Days from people who really love this country and their freedom!

http://www.ronpaul2008.com

Join The ReVoLuTiOn:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/cities

[larrs08]

I like Thompson. He''s a good actor. Also, his experience as a career lobbyist gives him the ability to raise millions for the party.

[robertkjjj]

Just the fact that you moronic, treasonous, naive, lying, wimpy, appeasement-loving, cut-and-run, welfare-grabbing, loser, brain-dead liberals dislike Thompson is enough reason for me to support the guy. It''s easy for the true Americans to know who to vote for. We just find out who you scumbags hate, and voila!, we have found the best guy for the job.

[sharncedar]

Well, he''s a crook from the south, like Hillary, he''s an insincere actor, like Bill. But at least he is not TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT THE CONSTITUTION like Bill Clinton. Those Clintons are without shame, they are a plague on America. After 8 years, the president is supposed to go away, not put his ugly thieving plotting wife up there as a "candidate". If we elect Hillary after Bush, we don''t deserve democracy anymore.

Hillary makes anybody look good, even this Thompson guy. I would vote for Jeb Bush if Hillary is the Democrat. The Clintons are attempting to circumvent the constitution to get an extra term for Bill, it is an atrocity. They are so greedy, so selfish, such small-time crooks from a miserable southern state, they will destroy the Democratic party, the country, anything in their headlong pursuit of fame and power. The Clintons are an atrocity against democracy, and if you sleazy Democrats dare to insult this great country by putting those flimsy corrupt self-worshippers as your candidate, perhaps even a guy like Thompson will be elected. Provided the MSM doesn''t bend over backwards to lie and fix the election, the way they did for Bill (remember the incessant smearing of Bush Sr.).

[socrates392]

Look at the photo, now give this man some ex lax he is constipated.

Posted by radiob at 11:56 PM : Sep 28, 2007

Is that really constipation . . . or heart failure?! Quick get Cheney-bot''s medical team in here, stat!

[socrates392]

Posted by kansas1946 at 11:41 PM : Sep 28, 2007

Would you vote for Giuliani or Romney? McCain? I understand the appeal of a mysterious stranger like Thompson. He''ll still lose, but at least he''s a good actor! Those other guys makes soap opera stars look like Anthony Hopkins . . .

Oh, wait, my wife''s calling . . . HA, HA, HA! ;-)

[radiob-2009]

Look at the photo, now give this man some ex lax he is constipated.

[kansas1946]

It is really sad. The Republican right is so upset with their roster of candidates, that I guess this guy looked good to them. Why, I can not imagine, but they are desperate. They are hiding under their beds, frightened to death that *** are roaming the streets trying to tear apart their families, and then marry their chickens, and that the Democrats will cheer them on, that the Democrats will require that every child be aborted retro-actively, that the Democrats will make all churches illegal, and the world will come to an end, that anyone looks good to them. Even Fred Thompson

[tcoleman12]

Smirk, you are a moron... If you had actually heard what Rush had said about the "troops", you would have known that there is nothing to apologize for or condemn. Rather you heard an interpretation of what he said from the Liberal Media that is being run by MoveOn and you don''t know the story.
He was talking about "troops" that fake stories about atrocities they witnessed in Iraq. These guys get championed by the media and the anti-war nuts. When the truth comes to light, the story just disappears.

[smirk5]

Below is a video that shows exactly how misinformed Fred Thompson is. Here is the actual Fred Thompson in his own moronic words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZKo69NdzkQ

[grandtourer7]

thompson is running second in most polls. he doesn''t need no 50 million dollars.

[smirk5]

When asked to comment on the hypocrisy of Rush Limbaugh condemning the MoveOn.org ad while later labeling American troops who don''t support Bush''s policies in Iraq as "phony troops", Thompson said, "Who is Rush Limbaugh and when did American troops get into Iraq?"

[jerr11]

I like this Thompson guy too.

He represents my strong Christian values.

When the wife gets old and wrinkled, dump her and marry a young chick!

Now that''s what I call Compassionate Conservatism!

[larrs08]

I like Thompson. He''s a good actor. As a career lobbyist, he can raise a lot of money for the party.

[smirk5]

As a D.C. insider/lobbyist, here''s what Fred Thompson stands for:

Whatever you pay him to stand for.

[lars008-2009]

VOTE FOR JEFFERSON,,, VOTE AGAINST FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM,,, VOTE GOP,,,

dnc are like john adams and want to give the jihadist their lunch money hoping they will leave us alone,,,

gop are like thomas jefferson and want to spend their lunch money on weapons and go kick the jihadists in their arses,,,

What Thomas Jefferson learned from the Muslim book of jihad,,,

Thomas Jefferson knew about fascist nazi islam,,, he killed plenty of them,,,

In 1786 Jefferson and John Adams went to negotiate with Tripoli''''s envoy to London, Ambassador Sidi Haji Abdrahaman or (Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja). They asked him by what right he extorted money and took slaves. Jefferson reported to Secretary of State John Jay, and to the Congress:

The ambassador answered us that [the right] was founded on the Laws of the Prophet (Mohammed), that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have answered their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners, and that every Mussulman who should be slain in battle was sure to go to heaven.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Barbary_War
http://www.usvetdsp.com/jan07/jeff_quran.htm
muslim justifies slavery and piracy%u2026
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?6bdec278-6a71-4436-bc4d-29d1c54b0ad7