Fred Thompson appeared on Thursday night at the Connecticut
Republican Party's annual fundraising dinner. He sold out the joint
in Stamford, and it sounds like he hit a home run.
Ryan Sager of the New York Sun, who quickly is becoming
the lead 2008 campaign reporter -- not a commentator, though he
does that on his newly expanded blog space, but a real reporter --
had the initial report first. You can read it here.
According to Thompson advisers, this was intended to be more of
a campaign style speech, and is leading into what should be an
interesting Virginia Republican event in Richmond next weekend.
Party Chairman Ed Gillespie expects to have close to a 1,000
attendees at his event. A real rally by any standards. The
Connecticut event had sold more than 700 seats.
Thompson hit on what appear to be core themes to his early
foray: national security, lower taxes, smaller, more competetent
government, and the need for conservatives rally to the flag and
help the Republican Party charge the political hill for
victory.
He stumbled at a couple of junctures last night, signs that he's
still getting comfortable with his material, which appeared to be
written on a few notecards. As with his recent efforts, he seems to
be speaking less from a script and more from the heart, all good.
But folks should remember that Thompson hasn't been on the campaign
trail in close to five years (he chose not to seek re-election in
2002). He's getting his sea legs back.
And judging by recent poll numbers -- Thompson, for example is
burying Romney and McCain in Florida -- and straw poll results (he
lapped the competition in the Georgia GOP straw poll last weekend),
once he shakes the rust off, he will be ready to hop into the
primary race.
topics:
Taxes
