Salena Zito on Senator Fred Thomspon’s groundbreaking video:
Thompson has broken some new ground without the video clip being edited to fit a TV sound-bite, without pundits and columnists and the mainstream media having a chance to characterize it in their own ways.
Corallo remembers a politician once telling him that if you are not having fun, you need to get out of the game: “The business of governing is serious, but the business of campaigning should be fun.”
“I am just glad that Fred has an innate sense of humor,” he added. “Should he decide to run, people are going to see that.”
Republican strategist Kent Gates said it clearly was Thompson’s moment: “It was quick, clever and precise in the way he responded to the attack.”
Thompson has said he wants to run a different type of campaign, and the video clip proves it. It was the almost-candidate himself stepping up and doing something Americans haven’t seen.
The question is not if this was a watershed. The question is, whose watershed was it — Thompson’s, mainstream media’s or new media’s?
These candidates, even Senator Thompson (whatever his status), are just scratching the surface. The Senator scratches well though. This is the best use of Internet media by a politician to date.
Other bloggers are commenting on Salena’s take. I think Dean Esmay speaks for many:
I have to admit, with that one video I finally for once thought I could vote for Fred Thompson.
Don Surber is reminded of someone:
Thompson has lit a fire on the Internet. Republicans look at the choices offered and want something more.
They want Reagan.
Leapfrogging the old media is pure Reagan.
But Impolitic is not impressed:
Yeah, a candidate for president backing down from a legitimate invitation to debate a serious issue by mocking a fellow citizen with snide innuendos about his mental health while waving around the ultimate phallic symbol of an unhealthy habit.
Sure it plays well with the rabid righties that are always slavering after the next red meat moment, but I don’t think that sort of symbolism is going to play so well in Peoria.
Phallic symbol? Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the left’s fascination with cigars.
On the Web:
Draft Fred Thompson for President
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