McCain’s Use of Media

You might remember the story that came out right before the Iowa caucuses that Fred Thompson was considering dropping out of the race if he didn’t finish well in Iowa.  The story originated from a source that was not inside the Thompson campaign, so many people thought that Thompson was being sandbagged by someone.  The theory was that the story would discourage Iowa folks from caucusing for Thompson.

Word on the street is that the story was indeed an attempt to hobble Thompson and that the source was John McCain’s campaign.  It was a smart, if a bit sleazy, move on McCain’s part, but Thompson still beat him. 

Just thought you might want to know…

UPDATE: Robert Novak is reporting that this actually came from the Romney campaign. 

Published reports that Fred Thompson soon will withdraw from the Republican presidential contest and endorse Sen. John McCain have been traced in part to Mitt Romney’s campaign, trying to stir up strife between McCain and Thompson.

1. Just thought you might want to know…

   Enquiring minds want to know.

   You aren’t doing anyone a service by posting things and attributting them to “the word on the street”.  If you have a source state it.  If I wanted to read unproven conjecture I would go to the national enquirer.

   Posted by on January 07, 2008 at 1041 hrs




2. Just thought you might want to know…

   Well, what I think I know now is that the poster is a Fred Thompson backer starting to feel enough desperation to post unfounded crap like this about opposition candidates. Until you can identify a source, it shall be regarded as such.

   Posted by on January 07, 2008 at 1058 hrs




3. My source doesn’t want to be known, which I am honoring.  If you don’t believe the story, I completely understand.  That’s your prerogative.  I’m just passing on information that I have.

   Posted by Owen on January 07, 2008 at 1115 hrs




4. Hell, I’m just glad McCain learned from what Karl Rove did to him a few years ago.

   There’s no such thing as clean politics. There never has been.

   The real question is: did it work?

   Posted by Cindy on January 07, 2008 at 1118 hrs




5. Rich Lowry on The Corner talked about that story and he says the people who broke it are very honest & trustworthy.

   Posted by Marcus Aurelius on January 07, 2008 at 1124 hrs




6. I dunno. How much would a reasonable person risk to launch a torpedo at a ship that certainly will sink after South Carolina at the latest.

   Check the trend lines at Pollster.com. As voters leave Fred, it is not conclusive at all that McCain is picking them up. This would have been apparent before Iowa. Fred has been losing support for quite some time now.

   Posted by on January 07, 2008 at 1355 hrs




7. What street you on?  I’ve read it was originally from Romney.

   Posted by on January 07, 2008 at 1547 hrs




8. If I were in the Thompson camp the first thing I would do would be to pin the “bogus” story on a competitor I feared the most...whether true or not.  Campaign folk would never lie to a blogger, would they?  Riiiiiiiiiight.

   Posted by on January 07, 2008 at 1726 hrs




9. Somehow I don’t think it came from McCain because Fred and John are friends. I know no more than anyone else even though I work for Thompson, but blaming McCain doesn’t feel right.

   Posted by Sean Hackbarth on January 07, 2008 at 1952 hrs




10. Reminds me of 7th grade study hall.

    This is an election for the chief executive of the most powerful nation on earth.

    Great comment on humanity.

    Posted by on January 07, 2008 at 2040 hrs




11. Yeah, it was in Saturday’s column from Bob Novak—a must read for any political junkie since all the tips, gossip, and so on are in it—definately Romney.
    

    Published reports that Fred Thompson soon will withdraw from the Republican presidential contest and endorse Sen. John McCain have been traced in part to Mitt Romney’s campaign, trying to stir up strife between McCain and Thompson.

    There is no question, however, that McCain strategists would welcome Thompson’s endorsement if and when he drops out. It could help McCain in the Jan. 19 South Carolina primary.

    Where did you hear McCain Owen?

    Posted by on January 07, 2008 at 2106 hrs




12. Hel-looo??? “On the street.” Duh. It’s an incredibly credible source of crap—um, I mean, “information”—that one should report as truth on a once-respected weblog.

    Posted by on January 08, 2008 at 0959 hrs