There is one final factual point I’d like to clarify. Thompson surrogates today have suggested that the LA Times misinterpreted Thompson spokesman Mark Corallo’s denial that Thompson had lobbied Sununu and wrote its story so as to appear Thompson was denying lobbying anyone at the White House. On July 10 in an email response to a question from me “Is it still his position that he never lobbied Sununu or the White House?” Corallo answered “Yes.” This seemed to corroborate the LA Times version that Corallo had denied any lobbying by Thompson. Today Corallo says that he should have said in response to my July 10 question that Thompson did not recall any lobbying, rather than give me a “yes”(meaning he was still denying it). The last final position is –I think– he still doesn’t recall lobbying anyone or talking to the pro-choice group’s president. If you get the sense this is all a lot of fumbling and stumbling as the great Keith Jackson would say I share that view. People can quibble about whether Thompson was and continues to be candid but one thing is certain. They simply must do better to compete in a presidential election with the opposition they face.