Fred Thompson - Empty Suit?

You know that the left is feeling threatened, when they have already started trying to tear down Fred Thompson. And he isn't even in the race yet....

Thompson Strong on Style, Not Substance
Analysis: With Substance Lacking Fred Thompson's Strength Is His Style

By LIZ SIDOTI Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON Jul 5, 2007 (AP)

Fred Thompson's easygoing, no-nonsense style is clearly his strength and undoubtedly has helped him soar in presidential polls. It may only get him so far.

Sooner or later, the all-but-declared candidate will have to answer the question: What else do you offer?

What?!? Are you kidding?

First can we count how many times in the first 4 lines (Title, Subtitle, 1st & 2nd sentence) does the AP make the point that Fred Thompson is all style and no substance? That's right, 4 times. Talk about being as subtle as a sledgehammer.

Second....Fred, no substance? Once again....are you kidding? At the very least Ms. Sidoti should read his opinion pieces, and listen to his radio podcasts. She should also spend a week listening to conservative talk radio. He usually appears on prominent shows at least one or two times and mixes it up.

In fact Sidoti even undermines the bias of the start of the article by stating:

"He opines on hot topics, from taxes to terrorism, in online columns and on his Web site, usually without being challenged."

OK, if he "opines on hot topics", how can he be devoid of substance??? You may not like his substance, but that does not mean he lacks it. And oooooh, he isn't being challenged! He must be a vacuous empty suit, and not fit to be leader of the free world. Like anyone is challenging Hillary....

Lets give Sidoti another shot to support her point....

"The White House aspirant put his Southern-tinged style on display in Columbia, S.C., last week. He pleased GOP activists with a 30-minute speech peppered with plainspoken points and folksy sayings. They clapped at his applause lines and laughed at his jokes as he commented on hot-button issues from Iraq and immigration to terrorism and taxes and the dispirited state of the GOP."

Once again, "...he commented on hot-button issues from Iraq and immigration to terrorism and taxes and the dispirited state of the GOP." sounds suspiciously like substance to me.

So Ms. Sidoti must have some high-powered political experts with insider information who can offer good reasons why we should believe that Fred has no substance....

Still, for all Thompson's style, he left others wanting to hear more substance.

"I like him a lot, but the jury's still out on him until he tells us more," said Thomas Gilbert, 76, who traveled from Fayetteville, Ga.

His wife, Margaret Gilbert, 73, agreed: "He's a good speaker and said things I think that essentially most Americans agree with, but I really don't know that much about him or what he'd do."

Ahhhh...Tom and Marge. I think I saw them last on Meet the Press....not. And with an average age of 74.5, it is doubtful that they have been reading his stuff on imwithfred.com or listening to his podcasts between games of shuffleboard.

Good job Ms. Sidoti....if Tom and Marge are dissatisfied, I suppose I should be too. Fred has lost my vote! ;-)

Hat Tip: K-Lo

Update: Captain's Quarters highlights another anti-Fred mudslinging attempt by the LA Times