Not Tickled with Tommy
The early reaction to Tommy Thompson’s possible Presidential run is negative. Michelle Malkin digs out a five-year old column blasting Tommy for his leadership (or lack thereof) during the anthrax attacks.
James Wigderson writes,
He promises as President to spend like a drunken sailor on asphalt from sea to shining sea, and a dog track in every community in America. He then said to the farmers of Iowa, “LET’S STICK IT TO MINNESOTA!”
If you lived in Wisconsin during the hot Miller Park debate you’re spitting your coffee on the computer screen. Don’t blame me, James wrote it.
In 2004 Patterico called Tommy a “moron.”
For a little balance (don’t ever hold me to it) NixGuy at The Stump gets tactical:
Electability: Tommy would flip Wisconsin in a presidential election and could make Iowa a lost cause and make it very tough for Minnesota to go Dem.
I didn’t think Tommy would go for it. He still might not, but something’s burning inside. I’m sure he thinks he could have beaten Gov. Doyle despite the Democratic tsunami. The man has too big an ego and likes being in charge too much. That’s why I think he didn’t take on Sen. Herb Kohl. He would have been frustrated at the slow pace and his lack of authority in the Senate. Tommy’s challenge will be raising enough money and quickly setting up operations in the early contest states. Being next to Iowa should give him a chance in their caucuses, but he’ll need something more than “medical diplomacy” to excite Republicans.
First of all, I support Tommy Thompson’s run for the presidency.
That should not be interpreted as, “I will vote for him in the primaries no matter who else is running.”
Second, this business about lack of leadership on the anthrax letters is rather ridiculous. Tommy Thompson is not a postal worker and he’s not a Letter Retriever either.
What could he have done given that he had the Global War on Terrorism to deal with?
A little more “balance” on Tommy Thompson should have been quotes from his Book, which I have with me. Where’s the quotes?
It’s easy to berate Tommy Thompson at this point in time when he really hasn’t gotten his political foot in the sand yet.
Let’s just see if he “comes down to Earth” in the next few months regarding his spending ideas.