You mean Thompson has experienced "significant shrinkage"?

I've heard both Digby and Steve Benen refer to him as Frederick of Hollywood. We should try and make that one stick.

Given the fact that he actually didn't enjoy Washington when he was a part of the beltway, maybe the lukewarm fundraising will remind him how very little he actually likes politics.

He should use the funds to make a small independent film where he plays the president.

Too bad L&O reruns don't have pledge breaks....

Traven -

LOL! But they'll have to ask Jeri about that.

Fred "The Great White Hope" Thompson

Classy as ever Kevin.

Frederick The Great is more like it.

He is a champion of Greatness, and since America is Great, he is our perfect leader. But liberals don't know Greatness. Therefore you fail to see how powerful he truly is. God, how I love this country and the Great Leaders we produce.

Traven wins by a landslide.

I'm not buying that yet. That party isn't going to settle with McCain, Giuliani or a Mormon...sorry, I meant Romney. If he gets in and gets after it, the money will come.

via Atrios, this Opus cartoon says everything about FT that needs saying or portraying:

http://comics.com/wash/opus/archive/opus-20070708.html

Fred "The Great White Hope" Thompson

Classy as ever Kevin
Homer

It's bigotry like this that robbed Alan Keyes of the nomination last time....

Fred Thompson...fred thompson...

Isn't he the one with cancer?

h

One can only hope Thompson's campaign is going nowhere. He's too inexperienced to be a serious candidate. His total government service consists of little more than one term in the Senate. That's nowhere near enough relevant experience to qualify him as President of the United States.

By the way, the same can be said of Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Hillary Clinton.

According to the same issue article in The Politico, the $3MM fun raising number is only for 26 days, all in the month of June.

Seems premature to revel in the potential demise of a candidate, who is not yet a declared candidate, raising funds at the rate of $115K per day.

Thompson isn't a serious candidate and like Giuliani, he doesn't care if he wins. They'd like to win sure, but I get the impression they're doing it as much to increase their fees on the speaking circuit as they are to be President.

He's just afraid his breasts will become an issue. (I'm referring to the flabby pecks, not the wife).

Oops

Did he try the truck?

That's nowhere near enough relevant experience to qualify him as President of the United States.

As opposed to George W. who had all that experience wrecking stuff - oil companies, baseball teams, the Republic of Texas.

ckelly's post suggests a campaign slogan for the Democratic nominee:

ALMOST AS EXPERIENCED AS GEORGE BUSH WAS

"That's nowhere near enough relevant experience to qualify him as President of the United States."

ROFL.... Strange that we didn't see such posts about George W. Bush. Or such posts today about Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney.

If the Republican Party cannot do better than a lazy, uninformed, tv bit player and Washington, D.C., lobbyist as a candidate for President of the United States it should fold its tent and silently creep away in well-deserved shame.

Fred Thompson and his so-called candidacy are a sham, a mockery and a tawdry commentary.

"ALMOST AS EXPERIENCED AS GEORGE BUSH WAS"

LOL... Dear heart, all of the Democratic candidates have far more experience than Bush did. But you knew that and were just being dishonest, as usual.

Back on topic, so if the great hope is floundering and Giulani has dropped below "none of the above" and Romney is having to loan himself greater and greater amounts of money, who on earth are the Republicans going to select? Gingrich?

ex-liberal, Clinton has served two terms. Look it up.

I've got it! The solution to all of the Republicans' problems! They just need to nominate George H W Bush.

Think about it. Sales of their Old Bush product were slipping. So, they decided to try a new formula to reinvigorate their brand. But New Bush was a mess. So in a last-ditch effort, they'll bring back Bush Classic to rave reviews and soaring sales.

"ex-liberal," your unserious record on this blog alone excuses you from any credibiliy from commenting on experience or qualifications. That you continue to support the mendacious, incompetent George Bush and his neocon minions, doubly so.

"ALMOST AS EXPERIENCED AS GEORGE BUSH WAS"

-ex-thinker

You supported Bush until recently, and now that you've found your sanity, you want to use him to bash the democratic cantidates. You'd have some credibility in bashing Bush and the dems on this site IF YOU HADN"T VOTED FOR HIM TWICE. Douche bag!!

Bring on this loser, Thompson. The Democrats will beat him like a rented mule, just like they beat Bob Dole in 1996, except Thompson has no war record so it could be a much worse beating...

"ALMOST AS EXPERIENCED AS GEORGE BUSH WAS"

"ex-liberla" shamelessly posts this, despite his continued support for Bush, whom he knows full well had less experience than the aforementioned Senators, and who appointed underlings whose incompetence "ex-liberal" has already conceded in these forums.

You really do get a sick thrill out of posting the most disingenuous, bad-faith arguments you can think of, don't you, "ex-liberal"? Why Kevin's moderators tolerate you pissing all over the rugs in here is a mystery.

As for the Republicans, well, I for one will stack up any Senator's experience over Giuliani's locating his terrorist response HQ inside the one building in New York City he knew was a terrorist target.

Jackass.

All due respect PaulB when you state that the qualifications for President were not an issue when George W. Bush ran and that they are not an issue today for Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani and even Mitt Romney, I can only wonder what are you reading or not reading.

Bush's lack of qualifications to be President was a major campaign issue when he ran the first time and as a result the much better qualified Al Gore was elected by the people, though not by the five Republicans on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Today, Obama faces such questions every day of his campaign and so far has not been able to mount an adequate defense. New York's firefighters are among those in the forefront of an effort to demonstrate that Giuliani's qualifications are overplayed or even nonexistent. Romney catches it for his flip flopping.

Etc., etc., etc.

ex-liberal, don't forget to complete the slogan.

"Almost as experienced at creating disaster as George Bush was"

At least that would be a step up. We could look forward to a term with a little less disaster.

He was never in an Ingmar Bergman movie, so screw him.

ex-liberal, can the Richardson campaign expect a generous donation from you, since you have suddenly discovered the importance of experience in these matters?

I never could stand Fred on Law and Order, either.

One-minute man...

Some are already saying a prospective Thompson run is a flop. "I just don't see it anymore,"

"All due respect PaulB when you state that the qualifications for President were not an issue when George W. Bush ran"

You misunderstood me. They were not an issue with those like faux-liberal. Thus, his concern today for the supposed lack of experience from the Democratic candidates is disingenuous and hypocritical.

"they are not an issue today for Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani and even Mitt Romney, I can only wonder what are you reading or not reading."

Obama is the only one that I'm aware of getting significant airplay on his supposed lack of qualifications. Romney is getting hit for flip-flopping, which is not the same thing. And Giuliani, much to the frustration of quite a few of us, is getting a free pass, the efforts of the firefighters union notwithstanding.

In any case, with Romney and Giuliani, I was simply pointing out faux-liberal's hypocrisy rather than making a broader statement about qualifications, or the lack thereof.

James Wolcott always refers to Fred as Wilfred Brimley. Funny!

Let's think of him as George W Bush Lite (ie poor) and get on with the campaigning. Sheesh!

The only thing this proves is that conservatives don't want to waste their money when they're probably going to lose Ohio, Virginia Florida and Missouri in the Presidential.

Frederick, that was the most spectacular minute of our lives. /snark

Has the GOP been faking it?

Is this pity-sex?

His total government service consists of little more than one term in the Senate. That's nowhere near enough relevant experience to qualify him as President of the United States.

By the way, the same can be said of Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Hillary Clinton.

As opposed to Guliani, who had two terms as mayor of a city, and Mitt Romney, who had one term as governor of a state. The senators are leaps and bounds ahead of those two.

Fred Thompson's appeal was always based on the fantasy that he was the second coming of Ronald Reagan. If anything's clear by now though, it's that Fred Thompson is no Ronald Reagan and never will be.

Another good Fred nickname: Foghorn Leghorn. I say, I say...

Next up to bat..
The Terminator!

Fred Thompson's appeal was always based on the fantasy that he was the second coming of Ronald Reagan.

Amusingly enough, that was Bush's appeal at first as well.

Thompson raised around $3 million in 26 days...About a quarter of what McCain raised and a little less than half of what Romney raised (less his $6.5 million loan to himself) in an entire quarter...And Thompson hasn't even formally declared yet.

Just shows y'all what level of reporting and analysis to expect from The Politico.

... AS EXPERIENCED AS GEORGE BUSH WAS ex-lax at 3:15 PM

"I just don't see it anymore," said a key Republican who had been extremely enthusiastic about a Thompson candidacy.

I don't know why, but that phrasing made me think of one person: Newt Gingrich.

Kevin Drum,

Obviously you don't understand the current "testing the waters" provision within the FEC rules. If you did you would know that raising too much money at this point would be a no no and open his non-campaign to dorks like you that would be the first to complain that he is breaking the rules.

George Bush just keeps shitting on there plates and the repigs just keep eating it up.Not because of the strength of the Dems but because of the poo eaters we will have a Dem President and super majority in both houses.Thank you George Bush the best whore the Dems could have.

I think the Dems should run Fred Willard. He's probably smarter and certainly funnier.

By the way, the same can be said of Barack Obama,

Only if you only consider the federal government.

Jackass

When Gregory says this he means...
a) Giuliani was the jackass for housing the terrorist response inside WTC.
b) Ex-lib is the jackass for hacking up another dishonest hairball.
c) Fred Thompson is the jackass for being, well, Fred Thompson.
d) All of the aforementioned.

I'll take d.

I told you Thompson was a Beltway phenomenon. No about where I live talks about Fred Thompson, puts up Fred Thompsone signs or leaflets neighborhoods or passes out liteature at fairs the way Ron Paul's people do. Thompson is a creation of both the media and GOP poltico and bloggers. Voters on the other hand, it seems, are looking elsewhere.

Kevin Drum... Obviously you don't understand the current "testing the waters" provision within the FEC rules. If you did you would know that raising too much money at this point would be a no no ... (posted by jchild314)

I looked up the FEC guidelines and the above comment is accurate. The FEC states:

An individual may conduct a variety of testing-the-waters activities. Certain activities, however, indicate that an individual has decided to become a candidate and is no longer merely testing the waters. Under these circumstances, the testing-the-waters exemption would no longer apply. For example, the exemption does not apply if the individual:

* Raises funds in excess of amounts reasonably required for exploratory activity or amasses funds to be used after candidacy is established;

Free Lover of Freedom and Free Liberty: "God, how I love this country and the Great Leaders we produce."

That's why we must stand beside her, and guide her through the night with the light from above.

: "I think the Dems should run Fred Willard. He's probably smarter and certainly funnier."

I don't know about that -- although I still believe that Fred Willard deserved an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the befuddled, hyperbole-stricken TV announcer in Best in Show.

Someone said Fred Thompson would be a great Transportation Secretary because
he brings so much baggage to the presidential race...

sorry....
kind of funny, I guess...

Fred Thompson is but another Status Quo candidate. It is Ron Paul who can win 2008. The Democrats share Bush's weaknesses (Hillary and Edwards voted to invade Iraq, plus the Democrats support open borders and more government spending), without sharing his strengths. Paul, on the other hand, shares Bush's strengths, such as his wise and Constitutional stance on the Right to Bear Arms, without sharing his weaknesses. Paul voted against the invasion of Iraq, in favor of secured borders, and against the massive expansion of government that has occured over the past few years.

If anti-war Paul goes up against Hillary, who voted for the Iraq War, the Dems hopes for an easy win will be turned on their head.

I think Fred Thompson would make a good Secretary of Firm Boobs.

I looked up the FEC guidelines and the above comment is accurate.

Except that FT could have raised twice the money without being in jeopardy of losing his status.

It is understandable that Fred Heads are spinning this as the fault of gvmt regs, but it really is an indicator of how soft his support is amongst donors.

Amusingly enough, that was Bush's appeal at first as well.

Uh, no. Remember all that blather about "compassionate conservativism"? John DiIulio does, but not in a good way.

The Republicans need better candidates, no doubt.

I suggest Sen. Ted Stevens. He has more experience than all the present GOP candidates put together and best represents the values of the Republican Party today.

It's Stevens for President.

STEVENS, STEVENS, HE'S OUR MAN.
IF HE CAN'T DO IT, NOBODY CAN.

By the by, the only water Fred Thompson is testing and that which he mixes with his first scotch of the day.

Only a Stevens can stop a Stevens! Unfortunately:

Cat Stevens is not an American.
Samantha Stevens is not real.
Even Stevens is a kid show

I keep waiting for a serious Republican candidate to show up & be anointed. Still expect it to happen - because the lameness of the current crop is Ernest Fletcherian.

Thompson remains my biggest fear for GOP presidential candidate. Most people don't know who he is, but once he gains national prominence his Hollywood-perfected "good ol' boy" act will fulfill the dreams of many an easily duped conservative aching for the good old days of Ronnie Reagan.