Actor/lobbyist/senator Fred Thompson has been running for president for several months, but doing so in a way that allows him to avoid debates, questions, reporters, and pretty much anyone who might confront him with a request for some kind of information.
I have a hunch it’s because the poor guy doesn’t know very much, particularly on matters of national significance. Last night, on Fox News — the only “news” network on which he’ll appear — Thompson said a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq would lead to “the whole” Middle East going “nuclear.”
If we leave [Iraq] under bad circumstances, we’re going to have a haven down there for terrorists. The whole area, I’m afraid, will become nuclearized. The Sunni countries are looking at what Iran is doing. And if we can’t help with stability in that part of the world, they’re going to help themselves, and they’re going to go nuclear.
On a related note, Thompson went on to argue that al Qaeda has a presence in Iraq as a means to procure nuclear weapons, as well. “We have al Qaeda out there we know trying to get nuclear weapons,” he claimed. “We have 40 countries that have fissile material that could make a bomb.”
Just to be clear, Thompson wasn’t using the phrase “go nuclear” as some kind of colloquialism to describe a catastrophe. He meant it literally — if the U.S. decided to stop intervening in Iraq’s civil war, Iraq would necessarily acquire nuclear weapons, as would other countries, and terrorist networks, in the region.
It’s like listening to foreign policy analysis from the drunk guy at the end of the bar. It’s no wonder he’s desperate to avoid a public forum outside of Sean Hannity’s desk.
To drive the point home, tomorrow night, the Republicans presidential field will gather for its fifth debate. Thompson has decided not to show up, preferring instead to make a taped appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. (He’ll announce online at 12:01am, a few hours after the debate ends.) It practically screams “cowardice,” but Thompson’s flacks are already trying to spin it.
RUSSERT: Mary Matalin, on Wednesday night, all the other Republicans will be on a stage debating in New Hampshire. Fred Thompson will be on Jay Leno. Is that appropriate?
MATALIN: And guess what? Who do you think has the largest audience at that time? Jay Leno has 31 percent of the audience at the time immediately preceding the video. This is a message-driven campaign, and we want to drive people, and the biggest place to do that was Jay Leno.
Hearing her make the argument, I almost felt embarrassed for Matalin. By her logic, candidates should never debate or answer tough questions, just so long as a comedy and/or talk show is available with better ratings. Matalin’s argument seems to be, “Thompson is running for president, but he’s too important to actually campaign.”
As Michelle Cottle put it:
Fred, Fred, Fred. If you and your team want to quash the widespread grumbling about your being a spoiled, lazy candidate basing a White House run on little more than your Hollywood celebrity, why do you keep behaving like one? […]
[Thompson] doesn’t need to convince America he’s funny or charming or human. He needs to convince us he’s not a dilettante and that he has the stones for this fight. Meticulously ducking an opportunity to discuss (no matter how shallowly) various issues with his competition is hardly a promising sign.
Let’s see, Thompson can’t answer questions, can’t understand Iraq, can’t keep a staff together, and can’t raise money. What a force to be reckoned with.