All about Fred
Posted: Wednesday, October 10, 2007 9:30 AM by Mark Murray
Some perspective from NBC-NJ's Adam Aigner-Treworgy on Thompson’s debate performance yesterday: For those reporters who have been covering Fred Thompson since his announcement over a month ago, the candidate who stood at the center podium last night was a whole new man. Maybe the campaign succeeded in lowering expectations for Thompson's first debate, but compared to the laid back, slow talking, good ole boy who has slowly made his way across the country this past month, the candidate who debated with the GOP presidential field last night seemed exceedingly sharp.
The AP: “Fred Thompson remembered his lines in his first stage performance. The newcomer to the Republican presidential field neither stood out nor bombed Tuesday in his inaugural debate of the 2008 White House race. He largely held his own but hardly came off as the Ronald Reagan-like savior of the GOP that backers have long built him up to be.”
The Washington Times adds that Thompson “delivered a gaffe-free performance at his first Republican presidential primary debate… [He] lived up to moderator Chris Matthews' surprise challenge to identify Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, stuck to basic conservative principles and finished up his first performance by saying the timing of his entry into the race last month ‘seems about right to me.’”
The San Francisco Chronicle, however, wasn’t as impressed. Thompson “found a much tougher role Tuesday during his debut at a televised presidential debate, where he turned out to be more of a lethargic bit player than a shining star amid a cast of GOP presidential candidates. The former senator and actor stumbled through the first question, appearing nervous and hesitant - though his performance markedly improved by the end of the two-hour debate.”
Bloomberg's Carlson gives Thompson a passing grade: "To succeed, all he needed to do was stay alert and not nod off in the middle of an answer."
The New York Daily News' DeFrank gave Thompson a "Gentleman's B": "After his early stumbles, Thompson needed to convince party elders and reporters he can play on a real stage, not the forgiving sound stages of his movie career. He passed that test - but his Gentleman's B didn't stand out."
Newsweek's Fineman: "Thompson stood a head taller than his fellow Republicans but he seemed in over his head as the CNBC debate began here. He wore the pained look of a man in need of a powerful digestive pill. But by the time the two-hour marathon ended, the new guy on the trail had gained just barely enough confidence, composure and credibility to make it to the next round of the GOP food fight." Overall, Fineman pegged Giuliani the overall debate winner.
Politico's Simon was a little less kind to Thompson: "He wasn’t terrible. He wasn’t great. He was just “eh.”"
The Boston Globe's Canellos: "Thompson's performance slowly ticked upward from its low start, but his answers, while often soothing, rarely moved beyond agreeing with other candidates and endorsing broad principles such as free trade."
The New York Post's John Podhoretz leads with Thompson's pregnant pause during his first answer and calls it a "senior moment."
The Des Moines Register's Yepsen was more complimentary, saying he "launched his campaign in a fumbling manner to poor reviews, but he came back Tuesday by offering some specific answers in a cool, commanding style as he debuted in the first debate with his opponents."
