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It's Iowa, not NH, for Thompson
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By JOHN DISTASO
Senior Political Reporter
Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007
Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson has no plans to return to first-primary state New Hampshire to campaign before the end of the year, a spokesman said yesterday.
"Obviously, Iowa comes first," campaign deputy communications director Karen Hanretty said. "Iowa is first in the nation, so we'll spend our time in Iowa and then be spending our time in the states that come after it." Iowa's caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 3; the New Hampshire primary is scheduled for Jan. 8.
Hanretty said that from Dec. 17 to 22, Thompson will be on a bus tour of Iowa. She said she wasn't sure where he will be on Dec. 23, but she said he intends to travel on Dec. 24, spend Christmas Day at home in Tennessee and then resume his Iowa bus tour on Dec. 26, through Dec. 31.
Hanretty was unsure of Thompson's schedule for Jan. 1 and 2, but she said he assumed he'll be in Iowa.
Hanretty said Thompson will focus on Iowa because it has the nation's first presidential caucus, and, "How you do in Iowa dictates how you do in the following primaries and this is where we're going to be spending our time.
"Campaigns are fluid," she said, "and I think that if you ask any of the top tier candidates with the exception of John McCain, who appears to have written off Iowa, I think there is a real push for who's going to win, place and show in Iowa."
A report by Stephen F. Hayes of The Weekly Standard yesterday said that Thompson has decided to take his campaign "and virtually all of its resources" to Iowa.
"I don't think that report is entirely accurate," Hanretty said.
The New Hampshire Presidential Watch Web site reports that the Thompson has spent six days in New Hampshire with 12 public events, far fewer than the other major candidates. He does maintain a campaign office in Manchester, and state campaign coordinator Liz Christoffersen says it remains active.
"We're continuing to do a lot door-to-door and getting signs out and doing all the grass roots campaigning that needs to be done," Christoffersen said. "We were out all weekend."
Christoffersen said, "We just keep doing our New Hampshire thing, making sure we are in contact with voters and doing our voter IDs."
She said the Iowa-first campaign strategy "sounds like a pretty good one. I don't make those decision. We work in New Hampshire and are doing things the New Hampshire way."
State campaign senior advisor Charles Arlinghaus said he understands the strategy.
"Given the way everything has shaken out, the most important thing for him to do is to prove he can do well in an early state," Arlinghaus said. "Iowa could end his campaign and so it's critical for him to launch as many resources as he can in each state in sequential order. If he doesn't do well in Iowa, he won't get to New Hampshire."
Arlinghaus said, "There are a lot of people here who like a great what he has to say and how well he's doing but one of the things they are looking for is whether he is a contender or not."
Thompson's Hillsborough County campaign chairman, David Alukonis, said, "I certainly wish that he would have a greater personal presence here because that is what people in New Hampshire expect and look for. But he did get a late start and has a lot of territory to make up.
"I don't know what his campaign strategy is," Alukonis said.
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YOUR COMMENTS
Fred is the real deal. Being from Tennessee and having him for my senator, I can tell you he is a good guy. We love him here in Tennessee, and know that conservatives everywhere will feel the same way as we do. The main stream media knows he is the man that can win. I think they are holding back good news coverage for Fred.
- Fay Simpson, Covington, Tn.
All you guys defending Thompson:
This isn't part of some brilliant masterplan. This is just pathetic. Fred was in the 20+% in national polls and is barely pulling teens now. He's crashed and burned not because he ignored NH but because he ignored America. McCain and Paul are older than him and they are out working it every day. Being President is hard and I want someone who is going to WORK.
- J Moore, San Antonio, TX
Fot those supporters in NH , Fred is doing his thing.
This is what we say in TN , Fred is being Fred. And nobody can beat him when he does this.
There is a reason for everything Fred does.
Do not become discouraged because he's not spending all or part of his time in NH.
He hasn't spent that much time in his home state.
Iowa is a National launching pad for getting your name all over the news media(free advertising).
He does not have to win there, he cannot finish last.
He does not have to win to get this, but he cannot be last.
- Mike Beauchane, Springfield,Tn
I have to agree with Doug. Fred is not Dead. He probably has a larger plan and will come forward when the time is right. If you look at it the other way, some of the other candidates might have been wasting time all along.
- Cheryl Long, Newmarket NH
As a New Hampshire Thompson supporter I am disappointed with this decision. However, if the strategy will win the Senator the nomination I am all for it.
Sometime we can't see the forest for the trees. This may be one of those times. I urge all New Hampshire Thompson supporters to continue to support the Senator. Talk to your friends and neighbors and spread the Senator's message yourself. Show up on Primary Day and vote for him.
The goal continues to be to get Senator Thompson elected President, not to just win the New Hampshire Primary.
- Doug Hogue , 1citizenspolitics.blogspot.com, Merrimack, NH
Mr. Walters, here is what Thompson said about Iowa: "I probably don't have to win, but I have to do better than [fourth], and I'm planning on doing better than that. …We're about where we need to be right now. We haven't spent as much time out here. We didn't get in the race as early as some others, but we're going to make up for lost time." Sure, he's going to be in Iowa on a bus tour, but from his estimation, he's doing OK. That doesn't sound like someone trying to win Iowa.
- William Smith, Manchester, NH
I actually liked Fred Thompson in the beginning, but when I realized he could care less about NH and our views, and his ultra right thinking, it turned me off. When it comes time in Washington to decide to help a farm belt state or New England, guess where Fred's vote is heading. No problem Mr Thompson, see you on your next TV series after the election I guess. May I suggest Soaps as a next career?
- Mike Wedeln, Portsmouth
Hey toolbox, Fred is doing a bus tour through Iowa from December 17-January 2nd only stopping on Christmas to spend the day with his family.
Not trying to win Iowa? Get a clue.
- Brian Walters, Green Bay, WI
New Hampshire needs to get over its undeserved attitude of importance in the scheme of things when it comes to Presidential elections. Okay, so NH has the distinction of being the first primary and wants to keep it that way. Fine. Beyond that, there is really no unique advantage to winning in New Hampshire because the "momemtum" factor that may accrue from winning the "first primary" would accrue from the winning of any other state whose primary happened to be first.
- Albert Hoover, White Lake, MI
Maybe next time Karen Hanretty can actually speak to Bill Lacy (Thompson's campaign manager) and get their stories straight. Lacy told RightWingNews.com the following when asked about New Hampshire, "We have invested hardly any resources in New Hampshire. We felt from the beginning...that Iowa was more oriented towards Fred's personal style, his Southern roots, the fact that Iowa is more of a small town state similar to Tennessee in many respects." So, Thompson isn't here in New Hampshire because we're not a farm state and can't relate to his southern roots? That's patently absurd. He's putting his hopes on Iowa and then all of his eggs in the basket of South Carolina to get him back in this. Thompson is also placing FOURTH in Iowa and doesn't feel he needs to win to do well there. Why is he even running for President? He's ignoring NH and not even trying to win Iowa!
- William Smith, ConservativeBlogger.com, Manchester, NH
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