RealClearPolitics Analysis

Jay Cost has posted a two part series analyzing Fred's campaign. Part one covers what is right and part two covers what is wrong. Here are the links:

Thompson Goes Electric
...Without the Band

Basically Jay is arguing that Fred is breaking some traditional, "fake" rules of campaigning (like having to be at all of these debates and having 5 or more campaign stops per day, etc.). In doing so, he is getting a lot of free PR and makes himself appear to be an outsider. But if you are going to break the rules, you have to break them well. Jay contends that there have been some actual flubs by the campaign and he points to the 5 minute speech that Fred made in Florida and losing Hughes as an adviser in New Hampshire.

I think he general analysis is right on. While acknowledging that Fred HAS made some mistakes, I don't think that they are very abundant nor are they significant. For instance, I do think that the 5 minute speech was bad, but losing the adviser in New Hampshire is irrelevant. (Note, I do think that Fred has written off New Hampshire. He will do just enough to make it LOOK like he has not written it off. I don't see a reason for him to do much there anyway.) The other place that he has made mistakes has been the several times that he has admitted ignorance of issues. I don't think he should act like he has knowledge that he does not have, but there has to be a better way of saying, "I'll look into it" than stating that "I have no knowledge".

Most of these issues are Fred getting into the swing of the campaign. His stump speeches improved greatly within 2 weeks of starting the campaign. I think he will improve in other areas, as well. For instance, he completely negated one of his "no knowledge" statements and really produced a good positive by his discussion of the death of his daughter. He is continually getting better and it appears to me that his timing is very good. Fred is being patient to make sure that he peaks at the right time.