Saturday, May 26, 2007
A damn dirty trick (Part deux)
Back in March I had choice words for U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan, who retracted his support for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign:
"'As expected, Republican Tennessee Congressman Jimmy Duncan has jumped ship from the Mitt Romney campaign and is now backing former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson for president - even though Thompson hasn't even said if he's going to run,' Elephant Biz reports.
"I can abide many things, but disloyalty insn't one of them. I might - might - be willing to cut Duncan some slack if ol' Fred had announced that he's fo' sho' going to run for president. Thompson could well decide that he simply hasn't the stomach for a presidential run. What a damn dirty trick Duncan's defection will be at that point."
Now comes word that Rep. Marsha Blackburn has ditched Mitt Romney and is now in the Draft Thompson for President camp. Elephant Biz has the scoop on her damn dirty trick:
"Fred is definitely running. If there was absolutely any doubt in anyone’s mind about Fred’s intention it should be removed now. Marsha Blackburn got way out in front in supporting Mitt Romney for President the fact that she has flipped means Fred is in for sure."
Yes, it's looks more and more likely that Fred Thompson is going to run for president. Thus, it's not a shock that Marsha Blackburn has jilted Mitt and is now behind ol' Fred ...
Blackburn has her eyes on the governor's mansion. Since there's a popular bandwagon upon which Tennessee Republicans are currently jumping, I'm sure Blackburn doesn't want to be seen as the only member of the GOP who ain't climbing aboard. Given what happened during last year's U.S. Senate primary, TN GOPers are all about unity right now ... and Rep. Blackburn wants to be, well, united (fo' sure).
That being said, an important question begs answering: Would Blackburn really've been hurting herself, politically, if she'd stuck with Mitt Romney? Of course not. Blackburn has a lot of supporters in Tennessee, and it's hard to imagine that they would have abandoned her if'n she'd decided to stick to her word and stay with Mitt. If anything, Blackburn would've received a big bunch of statewide media attention if she'd remained the highest-ranking elected official in Tennessee who was supporting Mitt Romney. (Isn't statewide media attention just what a prospective gubernatorial candidate should be ginning for?)
Expectations for Fred Thompson are, ahem, very high. If his campaign doesn't launch and thrust with all the intensity of a Saturn V rocket, Blackburn's - and Duncan's - damn dirty trick is going to look most unprincipled, indeed. Reckon they'll apologize to Mitt if Fred bombs? We'll see ... but I'm not holding my breath.
"'As expected, Republican Tennessee Congressman Jimmy Duncan has jumped ship from the Mitt Romney campaign and is now backing former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson for president - even though Thompson hasn't even said if he's going to run,' Elephant Biz reports.
"I can abide many things, but disloyalty insn't one of them. I might - might - be willing to cut Duncan some slack if ol' Fred had announced that he's fo' sho' going to run for president. Thompson could well decide that he simply hasn't the stomach for a presidential run. What a damn dirty trick Duncan's defection will be at that point."
Now comes word that Rep. Marsha Blackburn has ditched Mitt Romney and is now in the Draft Thompson for President camp. Elephant Biz has the scoop on her damn dirty trick:
"Fred is definitely running. If there was absolutely any doubt in anyone’s mind about Fred’s intention it should be removed now. Marsha Blackburn got way out in front in supporting Mitt Romney for President the fact that she has flipped means Fred is in for sure."
Yes, it's looks more and more likely that Fred Thompson is going to run for president. Thus, it's not a shock that Marsha Blackburn has jilted Mitt and is now behind ol' Fred ...
Blackburn has her eyes on the governor's mansion. Since there's a popular bandwagon upon which Tennessee Republicans are currently jumping, I'm sure Blackburn doesn't want to be seen as the only member of the GOP who ain't climbing aboard. Given what happened during last year's U.S. Senate primary, TN GOPers are all about unity right now ... and Rep. Blackburn wants to be, well, united (fo' sure).
That being said, an important question begs answering: Would Blackburn really've been hurting herself, politically, if she'd stuck with Mitt Romney? Of course not. Blackburn has a lot of supporters in Tennessee, and it's hard to imagine that they would have abandoned her if'n she'd decided to stick to her word and stay with Mitt. If anything, Blackburn would've received a big bunch of statewide media attention if she'd remained the highest-ranking elected official in Tennessee who was supporting Mitt Romney. (Isn't statewide media attention just what a prospective gubernatorial candidate should be ginning for?)
Expectations for Fred Thompson are, ahem, very high. If his campaign doesn't launch and thrust with all the intensity of a Saturn V rocket, Blackburn's - and Duncan's - damn dirty trick is going to look most unprincipled, indeed. Reckon they'll apologize to Mitt if Fred bombs? We'll see ... but I'm not holding my breath.
# posted by Joltin' Django @ Saturday, May 26, 2007 
