The Radio Equalizer: Brian Maloney

11 July 2007

Fred Thompson Campaign, Sean Hannity Freedom Concert

PLEASING THE CROWD

Fred Drops By For A Quick Visit







Was Fred Thompson testing his crowd- pleasing potential yesterday?

If so, his surprise visit to Sean Hannity's "Freedom Concert" in Georgia should have more than exceeded expectations. Before 12,000 talk radio and country music lovers inside Gwinnett Arena, Thompson was treated to not one, but two standing ovations from the crowd, said a few words and even showed off an acting trick or two.

From Ben Smith at the Atlanta Journal- Constitution:


It wasn't a rock star's reception, but 12,000 talk radio fans on hand for the Republican's first public visit to Georgia as a possible presidential candidate treated Fred Thompson as a contender.

"Run, Fred Run!" many yelled as they gave the actor and former U.S. senator a standing ovation Tuesday night at Sean Hannity's "Freedom Concert" at the Gwinnett Arena.

Thompson didn't say whether he would run, but he told one group of Gwinnett businessmen to "keep your powder dry," prior to the concert.

"I think we may be able to do something good for this country," Thompson said.

[...]

Thompson's last-minute Georgia visit was launched after midnight Monday when the unannounced candidate told an aide that he would accept Hannity's invitation to attend the concert. The conservative Fox News talk show host made the offer to Thompson on Sunday afternoon, said Joel McElhannon, a staffer for Thompson's exploratory committee.

[...]

Dressed casually in a camel-colored jacket without a tie, Thompson spoke for eight minutes to the chamber group. The former "Law & Order" star focused on traditional conservative themes.

He never mentioned President Bush, the two major political parties or any of the Democratic or Republican candidates officially seeking the presidency by name.

"I think folks are for a limited government, limited by the delineated powers found in that Constitution," Thompson said. "I think they're also look for a competent government . . . they're also looking for a government strong enough to protect us."

"I think about the shenanigans that you're seeing in Washington, D.C., these days and I say do the opposite of what's going on up there," Thompson, said to enthusiatic applause from the chamber crowd.

The concert goers gave Thompson 30-second standing ovations on both ends of his four-minute speech.

"If you keep that up, I'm going to make a speech. Don't make me do it," Thompson, exclaimed, drawing laughs.


Clearly, we're getting an early taste of Thompson's strategy, one which will distance itself from the current GOP leadership in Washington. Given how things are going right now, that seems like a great idea.

At the same time, Thompson's last- minute decision to appear at the event proved to be an important PR coup both for his campaign and Hannity's concert series.


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7 Comments:

  • 12,000 Hannity hacks does not represent the public at large. Thompson is not anything like he portrays himself to be

    He is not an "outsider" but a lobbiest hack..... who lobbied for abortion!!! He is not the common man with the "red truck", he is a hollywood "elitist" as the right wing sickos like to say, who only drives the "red truck" in public.

    so it's Thompson with the fake image, or Rudy the man surrounded with coke dealers, ex-mafia hacks and prostitute Johns.


    2 Hacks, 2 losers with the public........ Better sart red scaring everyone, about "soviet democrats", the 2 GOP frontrunners are HACKS and everyone knows it, unless you listen to Hannity of corse.

    Freedom..... What a joke, Thompson is against a womans right to choose and gays to have civil unions, no freedom for them.....

    Rudy want to deny cancer patients medical marijuana, no freedom for them.


    Its old, its tired, only the delusional and ignorant styill buy it.

    By Blogger Minister of Propaganda, at 11 July, 2007 13:39  

  • I have more respect for the dried dog crap on the bottom of my shoe than I do for any of those 12,000 traitors.

    Yesterday's story regarding the Bush administration's suppression of the ex-surgeon general's medical views only confirms that the Republicans are the enemy of this country and need to be stopped.

    Senator Vitter's philandering also reconfirms that they are not the party of Jesus Christ but the party of the anti-Christ and from here on out they should be referred to as such.

    By Blogger elmonica, at 11 July, 2007 16:39  

  • After seeing the comments from Dumb and Dumber above, it appears that we're seeing the fear that Fred Thompson is bringing to the left.

    Maybe 2008 isn't a slam dunk for you guys? Getting worried?

    Sure looks like it. ;)

    By Blogger Unknown, at 11 July, 2007 17:09  

  • Not worried.

    We'll have "Helium Heels Fred" to point the way to the sky!

    By Blogger hashfanatic, at 11 July, 2007 19:03  

  • And don't forget Dumbest.

    "soviet democrats"

    Great name precise and to the point

    By Blogger pf1, at 12 July, 2007 00:20  

  • soviet woodpecker interference grid

    By Blogger hashfanatic, at 12 July, 2007 01:49  

  • PF1: I know your play book, we all do, Fred Thompson will be destroyed and turned irrelevant the second he declares his presidential bid

    not hard to take care of the hack

    too many good pieces of dirt.....

    By Blogger Minister of Propaganda, at 12 July, 2007 11:42  

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