March 12, 2007

Fred Makes Folks Sit Up and Take Notice

After nearly a week of ignoring it, The Tennessean is all over the Fred Thompson story, following on the heels of Thompson's confirmation on Fox News that he's considering running for president. The paper reports on how Tennessee Republicans are reacting to the news that Thompson is considering running for president: Short version: They love it. Although the paper didn't talk to any of the big-name Tennessee Republicans who have (too soon, in my opinion) publicly backed another horse with money and endorsements.

Watch the video of Thompson on Fox News below and part two here, or read the transcript.)

Now that Thompson has said he's considering running, the next interesting development will be to see how much of the conservative and Republican support for John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney crumbles. I believe Thompson will be a field-clearer, too, causing some lesser-known Republicans in the field to exit the race.

The paper also has two sidebars, including a bio that incorrectly says Thompson, the former U.S. senator from Tennessee and TV and film actor, made his big-screen movie debut in the 1987 thriller No Way Out with Kevin Costner. Actually, his first movie was two years earlier, Marie, starring Sissy Spacek, in which Thompson played himself the 1985 based-on-a-true-story film about political corruption in Tennessee. The second sidebar is a brief AP item on Thompson's views on a very small number of issues. The blogosphere has already produced much-better coverage of Thompson's political views and voting record, and you can also always look such things up at OnTheIssues.org.

So, now that a Fred Thompson candidacy is a very really possibility, what does this mean for the rest of the GOP field.

Short version: Fred just froze the field.

Here's what I mean: If you're a conservative who isn't enthralled with Romney, McCain or Giuliani - and most aren't - and you aren't sure yet which of the lesser-knowns in the race you are going to give money to, the possibility of Fred getting into the race means you aren't going to write checks or sign on for Mike Huckabee or Sam Brownback or Jim Gilmore or Tommy Thompson or Duncan Hunter or Ron Paul or Tom Tancredo.

Their fundraising will be dismal until Fred makes a final announcement - one reason I would predict Thompson won't make an announcement any time soon.

Update: Blogger Dan Riehl heard ">Fred Thompson on a call-in to a radio program this morning and describes his message as a "pure dose of basic Reagan conservatism."