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September 1, 2007
Thompson Plans to Crash This Party
By ADAM NAGOURNEY
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 — Fred D. Thompson, the soon-to-be-official presidential contender, has come under a good deal of criticism in New Hampshire this week for scheduling his formal announcement for next Thursday morning and thus skipping the Republican debate in Manchester on Wednesday night.
But that does not mean that television viewers watching the debate will not see him.
Campaign officials said Friday that Mr. Thompson had bought a 30-second spot that would be televised nationally on the Fox News Channel, the network carrying the debate, just as viewers are tuning in at the onset.
One campaign official familiar with the decision said the spot would be a sneak preview of the announcement that Mr. Thompson will make the next day in a video posted on his Web site, to be followed later Thursday by campaign appearances in Iowa.
Mr. Thompson had come under pressure from the New Hampshire Republican Party and the editorial board of The New Hampshire Union Leader to participate in the nationally televised debate.
But Republicans close to the Thompson campaign felt that the risks would probably be too great for any benefit. In the worst case, he might have made a mistake or come under attack from his Republican rivals, overshadowing the highly scripted rollout he has prepared for the next day.
Campaign officials said the advertisement would be relatively simple, featuring Mr. Thompson talking directly to the camera about the announcement he was about to make. It all but certainly ensures him a prominent spot in a debate he will not even attend.
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Where are all our conservative posters to welcome this great development? I thought he was their darling...
Thompson Plans to Crash This Party
By ADAM NAGOURNEY
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 — Fred D. Thompson, the soon-to-be-official presidential contender, has come under a good deal of criticism in New Hampshire this week for scheduling his formal announcement for next Thursday morning and thus skipping the Republican debate in Manchester on Wednesday night.
But that does not mean that television viewers watching the debate will not see him.
Campaign officials said Friday that Mr. Thompson had bought a 30-second spot that would be televised nationally on the Fox News Channel, the network carrying the debate, just as viewers are tuning in at the onset.
One campaign official familiar with the decision said the spot would be a sneak preview of the announcement that Mr. Thompson will make the next day in a video posted on his Web site, to be followed later Thursday by campaign appearances in Iowa.
Mr. Thompson had come under pressure from the New Hampshire Republican Party and the editorial board of The New Hampshire Union Leader to participate in the nationally televised debate.
But Republicans close to the Thompson campaign felt that the risks would probably be too great for any benefit. In the worst case, he might have made a mistake or come under attack from his Republican rivals, overshadowing the highly scripted rollout he has prepared for the next day.
Campaign officials said the advertisement would be relatively simple, featuring Mr. Thompson talking directly to the camera about the announcement he was about to make. It all but certainly ensures him a prominent spot in a debate he will not even attend.
Link
Where are all our conservative posters to welcome this great development? I thought he was their darling...
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