Actor's presidential ambitions are put on hold (Fred Thompson)

[Hepburn]

The hitherto effortless presidential campaign of the Law and Order actor Fred Thompson has hit choppy waters, with an unexpected staff shake-up, grumbling about the influence of his glamorous and much younger wife, and disappointing fundraising returns - and all this even before he has made his bid official.

According to The New York Times yesterday, the committee set up for the former Republican senator and television and movie actor raised barely $3m (£1.5m) in June, its first month of operation, well below the $5m aides had publicly hoped for.

That news follows the defection of senior aides and the replacement of his campaign manager Tom Collamore by a new two-man team. The turbulence is also being fuelled by concern about the influence wielded by Mr Thompson's second wife, Jeri Kehn Thompson.

Ms Thompson, a former Republican lobbyist and congressional aide whose is 24 years her husband's junior. She is said to have the last word on every important issue of the nascent campaign, including the date that he formally announces his bid. It had been expected in early July, but has been put back until the first week of September.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2823084.ece

So...we wait until September to find out if the Old Jowly one is really, really running? :shrug:

[jmp]

1. By the time he gets in ...

He will have been branded as indecisive. He's really killing his chances before he ever even gets in the race.

[Hepburn]

2. I have been thinking that he is holding off now because...

...of some of what has come out about him and things like his past support for certain groups. Couple this delay on the announcement with things like that and IMO it really does make him look indecisive.

[WCGreen]

8. he reminds me od Mel Gibson trying to play hamlet...

Only Fred is a little too long in the tooth to be this indecisive...

But it still doesn't stop him from being such the actor...

[dancingme]

3. I want to see Judy Giuliani and Jeri Thompson duke it out

Lynne Cheney could referee.

[Champion Jack]

6. mud wrasslin' !!

[rurallib]

11. Winner takes on (M)Anne Coulter(geist)

This should be a charity event - like "facelifts for Fred"

[livvy]

4. Question: What happens to all the money he has raised if he does not run?

Just thinkin' maybe I should see how much money I could raise without saying I was going to run for anything. I'd love to pay off some bills, and if anything was left, I can think of a few good charities that I'd love to donate to, or maybe a college fund for the great-nephew, or....

Unbelievable that this is ok to do, or am I missing something here?

livvy for anyoffice.com
:sarcasm:

[shain from kane]

5. With this change in dates. Does Jeri rely on an astrologer like Nancy Reagan, another actor's wife?

[Botany]

7. Fisherman for Fred

[tularetom]

9. Tweety thinks women will be attracted to this guy?

He's fugly. I asked my 2 granddaughters (both early 20's and apolitical) what they thought of him. They didn't know who he was so I told them he was the old bald DA on Law & Order whereupon they both made puking sounds and said eeeeeyew. I'd guess that reaction is typical.

[woo me with science]

10. Lowering expectations.

This is media spin to lower expectations, so they can talk about his remarkable surge of popularity when he finally does announce.

[auburngrad82]

12. Maybe he's hoping that if he hold off the internets won't dig up all the dirt

that is sure to be there concerning his past as a lobbyist, his history as a lady's man, his un-conservative record, and his wife's lobbying record.

Ain't gonna happen though. He let everyone know his intentions long ago and everyone who can is sifting through his past for everything that can be found. I love it. I'm sick and tired of being on the losing end when it comes to "swiftboat" type tactics. I want all the dirt out on all the candidates now so they can't skate by with all those hidden skeletons.