Thompson's Non-Campaign Stalls, Hits a Wall Before It Can Get Started

Fred Thompson, an undeclared candidate for the GOP nomination will be in Indiana this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway trying to jump start his non-campaign. But Thompson is already running on empty as he faces an FEC complaint that his testing the waters campaign is violating campaign finance laws. Thompson, who wore Gucci loafers usually seen on K Street on his first campaign stop to the Iowa state fair, is also facing questions about his lack of substance, his conservative credentials and his flip-flops on abortion. In addition, Thompson failed to make his own fundraising goals, falling short of the $5 million the campaign had predicted. A glance at national polls also shows that Thompson's approval ratings continue to dip the longer he waits to jump in the contest.

"If Thompson was a NASCAR driver, he'd be sitting in the pit with four flat tires and no engine," said Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Amaya Smith. "The race has begun and everyone else is in, yet Thompson can't get past the starting line. Americans want a real candidate who can address the issues important to them and not someone who hides behind a shadow campaign in order to avoid the tough questions."

THOMPSON'S CAMPAIGN SPUTTERING TO GET STARTED

Thompson's First Trip to Iowa, Lackluster. "But Thompson's TV star bravado could not disguise the fact that with nearly four months left until voting begins in the Iowa caucuses, he is facing major organizational hurdles in his plan. He has none of the machinery in place to win the first contest, a labor-intensive process that typically favors candidates with strong campaign structures. He has one full-time Iowa staff member; other Republicans have opened up multiple offices around the state. Even on this trip, Thompson was only in town overnight, barely long enough to introduce himself to key party players."[Washington Post, 8/17/07]

Thompson Has Trouble Relating to Rural Voters in Iowa. Thompson During Thompson's whirlwind tour of the fair Friday, he wore Gucci loafers and rode a golf cart. That set him apart from other candidates visiting this week, such as Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who took his two young daughters on rides and sat down to eat a pork chop."[Washington Post, 8/17/07]

Thompson Campaign Slapped with FEC Complaint. "Fred Thompson has been 'testing the waters' for weeks, operating officially as a non-candidate but seeming very candidate-like indeed. Trips to New Hampshire. Speeches. Even a howdy at the Iowa State Fair. Now it may have caught up to him. Lane Hudson, the former Democratic staffer who posted the e-mail that led to Florida Republican congressman Mark Foley's resignation in the congressional page scandal, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Thompson is "ignoring the letter and spirit" of the law.
The complaint argues that Thompson, a former Republican U.S. senator from Tennessee, is running a full-blown campaign and should be held to the same regulations as the other candidates." [Washington Post, 8/22/07]

Fundraising Tanking With Endless Delay Of Announcement, Falls Short of $5 Million Goal. According to the Washington Post "two sources said Thompson's fundraising has dropped off significantly since the early excitement that surrounded what seemed like an imminent entry into the race." MSNBC.com reported that "fundraising is down 'markedly.' One claimed it has 'slowed down big-time.' The pace is described as a consequence of the delayed announcement to enter the race. The announcement that the campaign had raised only $3 million dollars, far short of the $5 million goal the campaign set for the end of July, was "met with some disappointment inside his camp," according to The New York Times. ["The Trail," WashingtonPost.com, 07/25/2007 (http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/07/25/post_1.html); First Read, 07/25/2007 (http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/25/289502.aspx); The New York Times, 7/31/07]

Campaign Shakeup As Manager, Research Director Leave. Questions about his wife's management style are widely attributed to the reason Tom Collamore left as campaign manager. J.T. Mastrandi also just left after less then two weeks on the job as research director. Sources inside the campaign told MSNBC.com that Mrs. Thompson was "running it like a congressional campaign" and from the "kitchen table." ["The Trail," WashingtonPost.com, 07/25/2007 (http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/07/25/post_1.html); First Read, 07/25/2007 (http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/25/289502.aspx) ]

Pesky Facts, Clumsy Denials Raise Questions About His Record. "Fred D. Thompson, who is campaigning for president as an antiabortion Republican, accepted an assignment from a family-planning group to lobby the first Bush White House to ease a controversial abortion restriction, according to a 1991 document and several people familiar with the matter." The Thompson campaign denied that Thompson lobbied for the family-planning group but… a colleague of Thompson's at the firm said it was, 'absolutely bizarre' for Thompson to deny that he lobbied against the abortion counseling rule." [Los Angeles Times, 7/7/07]