June 06, 2007
Who's With Fred? A Look At Thompson's Web Team
Ex-Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) has quickly and quietly recruited talent for his Web team over the past few weeks while he prepared for his WH '08 campaign. He premiered his exploratory Web site, www.ImWithFred.com, live last night on Fox News Channel.
Thompson spokesperson Mark Corallo confirmed what the Politico reported earlier this week, that former Bush Cheney '04 eDirector Mike Turk will serve as the "chief architect" in Thompson's Web site and online operation. Thompson has already pro-actively reached out to conservative blogs in the past few months and has said that he's looking to make heavy use of the Internet and other technology in his campaign.
"I got involved because Thompson said he's really not interested in running the same campaign we've been running for two generations now," said Turk. "He really wants to do things differently... He understands the power of the Web."
Also on board for the Thompson Web team:
New Media Strategies will do Web 2.0 outreach and online intelligence, overseen by CEO Pete Snyder. Snyder's wife, Blunt spokesperson Burson Taylor Snyder, will work on the campaign's press staff.
Jon Henke, who recently left the Senate for NMS, will also work on the Thompson account. Henke is best known for his work on Allen's Senate bid last fall when he was called in for damage control in the blogosphere after the Virginia Senator's "Macaca Moment." NMS Practice Director Howard Mortman and Senior Online Analyst William Beutler (both former Hotline staffers) will also work on the Thompson account.
Blaise Hazelwood of iWebStrategies, said she'll be working under Turk's direction on the Web site and blog in an effort that "is going to be different from any other Republican or Democrat site that's out there right now." Hazelwood was Political Director at the RNC in both 2000 and 2004 during the construction of the Voter Vault.
Hazelwood will work closely with Ken Smith, chief strategist for Episode 49 and Todd Zeigler of the Bivings Group. Smith's firm does programming development and builds databases and his Web sites' client list includes the RNC and NRSC. A former intern for Thompson, Zeigler said his firm will do some design, strategy and build tools for the Web site. Hazelwood, Smith and Blaze have already worked together on other political projects including Web outreach for Rep. Bobby Jindal's bid for Louisiana Governor this cycle.
Dan Hopkins of Segmented Media said his firm will do the back-end technological development, including designing and building the Web site. [SHIRA TOEPLITZ].
UPDATE: Rob Bluey reports Thompson's Web site raised $220K in its first 18 hours since it was launched.
Posted at 06:41 PM
Comments
Any Hollywood friends for Hollywood Fred?
Raymond | 06.06.07 07:40 PM
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To have worked over 2 months on this effort strictly on a volunteer basis and then to see the names and credentials of the team Fred has put together is truly fantastic...I'm very excited to see where the professionals will take this.
Run,Fred,RUN!!!
Winghunter | 06.06.07 09:04 PM
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It would sure be nice if there was a designated person or persons to give important information for the Thompson campaign.
Jim Brown | 06.06.07 09:13 PM
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Fred loves criminals. So don't be surprised if Scooter Libby eventually becomes his campaign manager and even defense secretary. Fred is turning out to be continuation of Bush-Cheney regime. He loves Iraq war, Libby, and rest of the neocons.
libby | 06.06.07 11:13 PM
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I'm with Mitt.
Ed | 06.07.07 06:00 AM
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Has Fred put up a picture of his trophy wife younger to him by 26 years on his website? This guy who was pro-choice just few years back, will do anything to grab attention.
We need Newt.
cady | 06.07.07 09:14 AM
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Tomson is a FOREIGN lobbyist and has been a lobbyst for 16 years. Long term republican lobbyist as a president.. simply priceless!
hmm | 06.07.07 09:23 AM
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This is great news!
Kathy | 06.07.07 09:55 AM
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Loves Criminals, Foreign Lobbyist, Young Trophy Wife. Sounds like the New York Times reporters are online. We need a guy like Fred to lead, then the liberal wimps can do what they do best. Try to act superior with their bumper stickers.
WHeww | 06.07.07 11:04 AM
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And out come the moonbats.
Chas | 06.07.07 11:58 AM
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I'm agree with chas. Not much else to be said. Let's just see what Fred has. I've seen more excitement around his possible run than all the excitement put together for the other 18 candidates.
Steph | 06.07.07 12:47 PM
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WHeww, Fred is a foreign lobbiest, has a very young trophy wife and loves Libby are all facts. Its high time that personality cult republicans start believing in the facts.
FactsAreFacts | 06.07.07 01:11 PM
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for FactsAreFacts, et all:
Fact: We want to sell our goods overseas, and they want to sell their stuff here. That's called "international trade," which is a win-win thing. Got a problem about having representation in this arena? Wanna build a tariff wall? Remember Smoot-Hawley?......
Fact: Jeri is young, yes, and pretty, yes. Trophy? NOT. She has a law degree, a successful areer, and she seems more a partner by his side rather than an object on a shelf......
Fact: Libby was the unfortunate, last-ditch target in a witch-hunt, against whom the witnesses couldn't even keep their stories straight. As with most all "Special Prosecutor" cases, it overstepped its bounds and outlived its usefulness.
The 2008 race will be about philosophies and concepts of government, and realistic views abouty the world we live in. If Fred has the communications skills to convey his message, so much the better. (At least, he doesn't have his index finger perpetually waving in the wind, trying to figure out what he believes!)
Gentlemen (and lady[?]), start your engines!
oldgrunt | 06.07.07 02:32 PM
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The internet is Ron Paul's domain. Fred won't make a dent in it while Paul is still running. The web can sniff out BS which is why most candidates can't do well on the Net unless they are selling something worth buying, i.e Ron Paul.
Page | 06.07.07 02:33 PM
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@ cady
Can a lawyer still be a trophy wife? A lawyer and PR consultant? Somehow I don't think those descriptions can really coexist.
Newt? The same guy who left his first wife on his deathbed and cheated on his next with his assistant who then became his third wife?
I like Newt. He'd be a great adviser to the Thompson White House.
Chez Jose | 06.07.07 07:00 PM
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Yeah, Ron Paul... um, didnt your man just say that Iran is "Not a threat to our security" in the third GOP debate?
1 Largest terror network in the world today; Iran bats an eye and Hizbullah launches missiles; not to mention sleeper cells in South (and North!) America
2 Cited by most reputable intel sources as being around two years from having the bomb
3 led by fanatics who constantly chant "death to America"
"Not a threat"
I dont know; whatever Fred's disadvantages, at least he lives on a planet called "Earth" and not the land of the moonbeam people...
WTF | 06.07.07 08:23 PM
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Thompson will knock out McCain, then we will discover that he is not the be-all end-all candidate that he is right now. Abortion flip-flopper etc. Get ready for Mike Huckabee to surge on the strength of improved fundraising and a strong Iowa Straw Poll showing.
True conservatives, and people who want to see a candidate who can flip the status-quo, biased presuppositions of the MSM should get on board with Gov. Huckabee!
JDR | 06.08.07 09:58 AM
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1. America has the strongest military in the history of Earth. I want to keep it that way.
2. America has the largest economy in the history of Earth. I want to keep it that way.
3. America has the greatest constitution in the history of Earth. I want to keep it that way.
The GOP candidate who proudly pronounces these themes wil get the conservative vote.
Joementum | 06.08.07 10:52 AM
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To Newt supporters:
We all know that Newt Gringrich is the only figure even mentioned in the presidential race who has the vision to solve national problems and enhance personal liberty at the same time. Certainly, none of the Democrat candidates have any prescription other than more government--an anti-American platform that has always failed. The Republican declarants are little better--none has expressed a platform that demonstrates a sufficient concern for freedom and solutions to the real problems that confront us. The only reason that Gingrich is not a candidate and is not the frontrunner is concern about his electabiliity. There is concern that he cannot withstand attacks by practicianers of the politics of personal destruction in the tradition media and the Democrat spin machine. He couldn't withstand them as Speaker. How will he do so as a candidate for President? Most of us think that Thompson is better equipped to do so. How say you?
JusticeHolmes | 06.10.07 01:12 PM
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I like Newt Gingrich. I used to watch his satellite delivered history class. He is one of the smartest people around. However, there is no way that he could be elected. He has been successfully demonized by the drive by media, sorry but that is how it is. Here is a dream team.
Fred T-------President
VP----------JC Watts
Sec State-----Newt
Attorny Gen---Rudy G.
Homeland Sec-Tancredo
The rest up for grabs
Dennis Ray Wingo | 06.13.07 12:02 PM
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Run Fred Run!!!!!! The libs seem to Dread Fred!!!
That delights me!!
Sunset | 06.14.07 10:15 PM
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I SUPPORT FRED THOMPSON ALL THE WAY! FORGIVE THIS GRANDMOTHER FOR ASKING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, AS I GOT THIS COMPUTER JUST FOR KEEPING UP THE THE '08 ELECTION: IS THIS WEBSITE A TRUE RUPUBLICIAN WEBSITE, AND A PRO FRED THOMPSON WEBSITE? IF NOT, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ADVISE ME AS TO WHICH ONES I SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO?
THANK YOU
DONNA STEED | 06.19.07 09:19 PM
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Fred D Thompson is obviously feared by presidential candidates of both
parties--Democrat and Republican. Otherwise, why the underhanded attacks on his wife. No other wife of any other political candidate is being
maligned and degraded. Why Teri? I pray that our
Senator demonstrates his true grit in defense of her as he did not long ago when he put Michael
Moore in his preordained slot with all other
insensitive political adversaries.
All of FDT's detractors need to know this: the more they attempt to degrade, demean, and malign
the Good and Honorable Senator from Tennessee and
his lovely wife, the sooner they will find themselves tripping on their own slimy shoelaces and falling into disrepute themselves. Even worse,
they will find themselves being hoisted on to the
political gallows that they are even now diligently working to erect before FDT announces his candidacy. And why is that you may ask. Well,I'm glad you asked. Simply this: they fear this tall Tennesseean more than any other candidate for several very important reasons: he is presidential; he is electable; he is trustworthy; he is forthright; he is sincere; and he has enough political clout
and people skills to carry the South and win
the election in 2008. In addition, he has more vote garnering charisma than any
other politician in either party. Furthermore, he is the only one in the GOP mix who can take the presidency from Hillary Clinton and the Democrats. Frankly, I feel emboldened
enough to say that he is the one "destined" to win this election.
One day we will have a woman president and one day we will have a black president, but not now, not this time. The times determine the person, not the person the times, and FDT has been chosen for these times.
Mark it. Fred Dalton Thompson
may have to take much criticism, even slander, even having to endure his own beloved wife's
being referred to as his "trophy" wife.
But FDT is a strong man and he can take the heat. And guess what. His wife can take it too. Intelligent,
professional, and personable, as well as beautiful, she is going to be our next First Lady.
With the lovely Teri at his side and their
little ones nearby, Fred Dalton Thompson will
win the GOP nomination and will be elected the 44th president of this nation.
Our Destiny Demands It.
Let me end with this one statement:
I'm with Fred. How about you?
sarah sawyer | 07.13.07 09:15 PM
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Fred Thomson is a CFR member! He also voted for NAFTA!
Tony | 09.11.07 08:32 PM
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In Michigan, now our primary is moved up to Jan. 15 and I want to help FRED WIN here in good ol' Macomb county!!!
Let me know how...
Go BLAISE and JOE!!! I'm with you all the way!
~Marianne
Marianne Weiss | 09.29.07 04:28 PM
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