Has anyone seen Fred Thompson?

By Lee Bandy
SouthCarolina Insider

(12/20/07) GOP presidential hopeful Fred Thompson has been a huge disappointment.

South Carolina conservative Republicans had looked upon the former U.S. senator from Tennessee as the savior who would come and snatch the party’s nomination away from the more progressive wing of the party.

Thompson teased the party faithful all summer long. One day he sounded like a candidate who might run. Then the next day his candidacy was a no-go.

Conservatives were breathlessly waiting for a decision. They were not pleased with any of the three frontrunners and eagerly welcomed an alternative.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was too liberal to suit their tastes. They didn’t trust former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and they didn’t like U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

Then there was the late surge by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee who lept into first place, blindsiding everyone, including the pundits.

By summer’s end, the name Thompson was on the lips of every conservative, it seemed. He was the “real conservative” everyone was looking for. He was the candidate who would come and fill the political vacuum, in the process providing the GOP with a visible nominee for the general election.

Thompson entered the race to much fanfare. After all the hoopla, he disappeared. He was AWOL, as some activists put it.

The party leaders and media began asking questions. Has anyone seen Thompson? Where is he? His campaign hadn’t even gotten off the ground before key staffers had started bailing. Many sought refuge elsewhere.

His campaign was in turmoil.

It has not worked well since. Consequently, Thompson is months behind his GOP rivals. He entered the race late, too late political observers say.

Thompson, a less-than-energetic campaigner, is in up to his neck.

He’s lagging in the polls, failing to gain ground in the states where he needs to, specifically Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

Huckabee, an ordained Baptist preacher, is mopping up the evangelical vote that Thompson had hoped to win. Now, Thompson is forced to sit on the sidelines and wait for Huckabee to make a misstep that will cause Christian conservatives to give Thompson another look.

Meanwhile, Thompson’s prospects have worsened in several states, including Iowa and Florida. He has dropped to fourth or fifth place in the Sushine state where he trails Giuliani.

In New Hampshire, the site of the nation’s first primary, Thompson trails U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. It’s not even close.

In South Carolina, he’s running behind Huckabee and Romney.

The S.C. Republican primary is a month away, plenty of time for him to turn his campaign around.

But in an interview with Bob Schieffer on CBS “Face the Nation” last Sunday, Thompson suggested he may not even be in the race by the time it reaches South Carolina.

He needs a strong showing in Iowa to jump start his campaign. He feels he must place in the top three there on Jan.3, the day of the caucus.

Thompson is at a competitive disadvantage. His rivals have spent more time and money in the Hawkeye State.

Romney has campaigned 47 days in 66 counties. Huckabee has spent 52 days in the state.

Playing catch up, Thompson has embarked on a 15-day bus tour across Iowa for the remainder of the year. He’s very confident, telling reporters, “I’ve never lost an election yet.”

Over the summer as he toyed with the idea of running, his numbers rose. But they have trended downward since and Thompson now is struggling to keep his candidacy alive.

He is hoping Iowa will come to the rescue.