Bye Bye Fred

Remember when I wrote about "The Fred Thompson Effect", that is, waiting to join the nomination race until later in the season to capture momentum from the build up? Well looks like it didn't really work out since Thompson has dropped out after a disappointing result in North Carolina. I actually think his ploy worked -- he did get a nice boost in the beginning, but Thompson really turned out the be a fluff candidate and didn't seem to be trying hard. Some joked that Fred was running for the presidency.... he was "walking". Oh Fred!

Tired of Debates Yet?

How many Presidential debates have there been so far? A dozen? Two dozen? Has anyone really kept count? That's the problem with having a race so far before the actual election. I postulated before about my so-called "Fred Thompson Effect" and how it could reverse the trend of earlier election cycles, but Fred is proving to be a dud. The basic premise was that a late comer, who hasn't already spent (re: wasted) millions and millions on early election shenanigans, could make the case for not starting so early next time around by winning. Well Thompson has not impressed and it looks like this "effect" will not materialize at all!

The Fred Thompson Effect

Here's a term that I will coin -- The Fred Thompson Effect. You know Fred -- the politician, lawyer, lobbyist, and actor. The former Law & Order star is threatening to enter the U.S. Presidential race as a Republican. So what's "The Fred Thompson Effect"? Well it is the effect which will reverse, or at least limit, the current trend in U.S. Presidential politics, namely that the campaigning for the 2008 race began for all intensive purposes in late 2006! Are you bored of the race yet? Well thanks to early campaigns by Hillary, Obama, Edwards, and Romney, we have another 15 months before the election. So what about the 2012 election? Will people start campaigning in 2009 or 2008? Well this is where The Fred Thompson Effect comes in. By staying out of the official race until later, Thompson is letting his competitors spend a lot of money (re: McCain). The Fred Thompson Effect will serve to hold back future Presidential hopefuls to enter the race TOO Early. Of course the final power of The Fred Thompson Effect will be determined by the actor's ultimate success as a 2008 candidate. But if he wins the Republican nomination The Fred Thompson Effect will be in full force!