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Giuliani Poll Watch: Rudy Continues Lead in Latest Washington Post-ABC News Poll
Republican presidential hopeful and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, center, and his wife Judith Giuliani, center left, throw flowers into a reflecting pool at the World Trade Center site, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007 in New York City. The ceremony marks the 6th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington D.C.
Washington Post-ABC News Poll GOP NUTS:
- Rudy – 28%
- Fred Thompson – 19%
- John McCain – 18%
- Mitt Romney – 10%
- Mike Huckabee – 5%
The race is tightening and in other polls Fred Thompson has received a bump. But, Romney continues to trail every where except New Hampshire, Iowa and Michigan.
Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, trails Mitt Romney in Iowa and New Hampshire among Republican voters, and he lags behind Fred Thompson in South Carolina. But Giuliani is only a few points behind the leader in New Hampshire and South Carolina–within the poll’s margin of error–suggesting that the race in those two states is too tight for anyone to be declared a clear front-runner.
Stay tuned…….
Previous:
Giuliani Poll Watch: California Lead Narrows for Rudy
Giuliani Poll Watch: Rudy Continues to Lead in Latest Gallup Poll
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Theodore Olson to Become Attorney General?
The Giuliani Approach to Cleaning Up Iraq
Giuliani Poll Watch: Ohio and Pennsylvania Favor Rudy
Giuliani Poll Watch: South Carolina – Rudy and Fred in Dead Heat
Will Governor Haley Barbour Be Rudy Giuliani’s Pick for Vice President?
Technorati Tags: Rudy Giuliani
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Fred Thompson Watch: Fred Strikes Romney on “Half-Baked Cover-Up
Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson makes a campaign stop in Greenville, S.C., Monday, Sept. 10, 2007.
Flap said the Thompson campaign would NOT be letting the www.phoneyfred.org flap go.
Thompson aide: Romney will ‘do anything, say anything, flip-flop on any position’ to win
An e-mail headlined “Statement on Romney’s South Carolina Cover-Up” seems to have rocketed the Republican nomination race into a new, nuclear phase.
The statement from Todd Harris, communications director for Fred Thompson, accuses Mitt Romney’s campaign of a “half-baked cover-up” of what he alleges is the association between a Romney consultant and a hastily pulled website that said nasty things about Thompson.
Harris concluded with the kind of rhetoric that tends to warm Democratic hearts: “This latest episode only serves to prove what many voters are already figuring out: Mitt Romney will do anything, say anything, smear any opponent and flip flop on any position in order to win. The American people in general and the Republican Party in particular deserve better than this.”
Romney spokesman Kevin Madden’s response: “We had no knowledge of the development or administration of this site. We also disapprove of the site and have made it very clear that the site does not have an affiliation with our campaign.” Madden also said: “Today is a day of remembrance, and should be a day without political statements or attacks on opposing campaigns.”
“Fred Thompson entered the race for president just days ago, talking about uniting our country around a core set of conservative beliefs. According to the Washington Post, it is now clear that while Fred Thompson is working to bring our country together, an increasingly desperate Mitt Romney and his campaign are already hard at work to divide us, practicing the lowest kind of politics.
“Today’s half-baked cover-up attempt by the Romney campaign does not even pass the laugh test. The Romney campaign has paid Warren Tompkins and his various firms hundreds of thousands of dollars. Wesley Donehue works for Tompkins and is listed on Tompkins’ own webpage as an associate of the firm. According to PalmettoScoop.com, Donehue ‘runs the daily operations of their political consulting firm, Tompkins, Thompson and Sullivan, including direct mail efforts and a number of Web-based ventures.’
“There is no room in our party for this kind of smut. As the top executive of his own campaign, Gov. Romney should take full responsibility for this type of high-tech gutter politics and issue an immediate apology. In addition, Gov. Romney should exercise some of his much-touted executive acumen, take control of his flailing campaign, and immediately terminate anyone and everyone related to this outrage.
“This latest episode only serves to prove what many voters are already figuring out: Mitt Romney will do anything, say anything, smear any opponent and flip flop on any position in order to win. The American people in general and the Republican Party in particular deserve better than this.”
There will be more tomorrow from Thompson and television ads/direct mail are being designed as we speak.
Count on it.
Update:
Captain Ed gives a warning of sort.
Previous:
Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap Part III – Who is Wesley Donehue?
Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap Part II
Mitt Romney Watch: Should Romney Fire Warren Tompkins?
Mitt Romney Watch: NO Apology from Romney on Anti-Thompson Web Site
Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap
Technorati Tags: Mitt RomneyFred Thompson
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Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap Part III – Who is Wesley Donehue?
And, Flap suggested that Mitt Romney and his campaign should condemn this activity and apologize for this blatant “dirty trickâ€, presumably by an over enthusiastic campaign supporter.
The site was the work of the political consulting firm of Warren Tompkins.
Now, the Thompson campaign is calling for the firing of Warren Thompkins one of the partners in the consulting firm that oversees Romney’s Palmetto State effort and the former governor’s top SC strategist.
Will Romney sensing a GAFFE through Thompkins throw his firm “UNDER THE BUS†like he did with feaux-trooper Jay Garrity?
And remember the correspondence with the Romney campaign:
Flap receives an e-mail from the Romney campaign:Flap,
As reported in the Boston Globe, the site has no direct affiliation to our campaign, and we had no knowledge of its development.
Once we received inquiries about the site, we discovered it was created by an individual who parked the site temporarily on the company server space of a firm whose financial partner is a consultant to the campaign- Mr. Tompkins. Mr. Tompkins also had absolutely no knowledge about the development of the site or that it was temporarily parked on the firm’s server.
We informed this party that as a result of that server use, we were receiving inquires about the site. We made it clear that we did not approve of the site and asked for immediate action to make sure it was again in no way affiliated with the campaign.
The person responsible is not an employee of ours, but we took immediate action to make sure it was clear the site was not affiliated with the campaign.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/09/romney_camp_dis.html
I’d appreciate an update with this information and/or link.
Thanks,
Stephen B. Smith
Director of Online Communications
Romney for President, Inc.
phone number redacted (w)
phone number redacted (m)
address redacted(Google / AIM)
**********
Dr. Cole,
I’d ask that you please remove my contact information from your blog post as soon as possible.
As the Associated Press reports, the responsible individual is a managing partner of a firm jointly owned with Tompkins. Tompkins was unaware the site had been developed or that it was hosted on the firm’s server.
Thanks,
Stephen
Following the link from Stephen Smith yields the following:
Romney Didn’t Approve Anti-Thompson Site
A spokesman for Republican Mitt Romney said Tuesday that the presidential candidate did not approve the creation of a Web site severely critical of the personal and political life of his GOP rival, Fred Thompson.
The Web site, PhoneyFred.org, was created by Wesley Donehue, a business associate of Warren Tompkins, a South Carolina political operative on the Romney payroll and the candidate’s top adviser in the early voting state.
The site was created without the knowledge of Tompkins or Romney, said Romney spokesman Kevin Madden. After the campaign received media inquiries about it, Romney aides traced the site to Donehue and complained. It was taken offline on Monday.
The Web site was hosted by a company called bluehost.com, based in Orem, Utah. It had links to Under the Power Lines, Tompkins’ political consulting firm.
A Web site for another Tompkins venture, TTS Political Strategies, said Donehue “runs the daily operations of the firm.” A TTS partner, Heath Thompson, is a media adviser to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, another Fred Thompson rival, but Heath Thompson took a leave from TTS last year when he and Tompkins started working for different candidates.
Tompkins, a former executive director of the South Carolina Republican Party, is a veteran of Palmetto State politics. He served as President Bush’s 2000 Southeast regional director at a time when Bush criticized then-rival Sen. John McCain and defeated him in the state’s GOP primary.
Tompkins has been paid $12,000 monthly to guide Romney’s effort in South Carolina.
Now Soren and a number of others are reporting the role of Wesley Donehue in the flap.
Sources are telling FITSNews that Mitt Romney’s South Carolina campaign organization has fired consultant Wesley Donehue in an effort to make him the scapegoat for yesterday’s PR disaster.
Looks like Romney has thrown Wesley Donehue “UNDER THE BUS” like faux-trooper Jay Garrity. Soren has it RIGHT when he says the Romney folks threw an underling out without taking responsibility for their own companiescampaigns actions.
Or was Wesley Donehue acting on his own?
Uh-huh. Romney’s spokesman also says Donehue is “not an employee of ours,†yet Donehue’s “On The Mark†direct mail firm received $81,225.02 from the Romney campaign during the second quarter of 2007, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Incidentally, Time Magazine’s political blog, aptly-titled The Swampland, has an interesting piece this afternoon detailing Tompkins’ shady past. The post even links to a story we wrote on the old FITS last year about the consultant’s declining influence in Palmetto politics.
UPDATE – If there was any doubt as to the inter-connectivity of Donehue’s “On The Mark†direct mail firm and the “Under The Power Lines†netroots firm (which created the anti-Thompson site), both are prominently featured on Tompkins and Sullivan’s corporate website. Or at least they were prominently featured before the website was taken down earlier today. Don’t worry, we saved it for you here.
Maybe someone should interview Donehue?
Or maybe Mitt should come clean and apologize. Flap doesn’t think the Thompson folks are going to let this go.
Previous:
Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap Part II
Mitt Romney Watch: Should Romney Fire Warren Tompkins?
Mitt Romney Watch: NO Apology from Romney on Anti-Thompson Web Site
Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap
Technorati Tags: Mitt RomneyFred Thompson
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Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap Part II
Flap receives an e-mail from the Romney campaign:Flap,
As reported in the Boston Globe, the site has no direct affiliation to our campaign, and we had no knowledge of its development.
Once we received inquiries about the site, we discovered it was created by an individual who parked the site temporarily on the company server space of a firm whose financial partner is a consultant to the campaign- Mr. Tompkins. Mr. Tompkins also had absolutely no knowledge about the development of the site or that it was temporarily parked on the firm’s server.
We informed this party that as a result of that server use, we were receiving inquires about the site. We made it clear that we did not approve of the site and asked for immediate action to make sure it was again in no way affiliated with the campaign.
The person responsible is not an employee of ours, but we took immediate action to make sure it was clear the site was not affiliated with the campaign.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/09/romney_camp_dis.html
I’d appreciate an update with this information and/or link.
Thanks,
Stephen B. Smith
Director of Online Communications
Romney for President, Inc.
phone number redacted (w)
phone number redacted (m)
address redacted(Google / AIM)
**********
Ok, here is the e-mail but Flap has some questions of the Romney campaign:
1. Who were the indvidual(s) responsible for the web site? Names, addresses and contact information, please. Flap and others would like to interview them.
2. Will Governor Romney personally condemn such campaign tactics (“high-tech gutter politics”) and sign a pledge that he will not participate in them in any way?
3. Explain which employee of Mr. Warren Thompkins has responsibility for their computer servers. Name, address and contact information please.
4. Address the contention of the Fred Thompson campaign that Mr. Warren Thompkins should resign.
Update:
Flap received this e-mail from Mr. Smith:
Dr. Cole,
I’d ask that you please remove my contact information from your blog post as soon as possible.
As the Associated Press reports, the responsible individual is a managing partner of a firm jointly owned with Tompkins. Tompkins was unaware the site had been developed or that it was hosted on the firm’s server.
Thanks,
Stephen
Flap will now remove the contact information as requested by Mr. Smith. But, a word to the wise to online communications directors: unless one specifically requests “non-attribution” then anything you send by e-mail to a blogger will be published.
Previous:Mitt Romney Watch: Should Romney Fire Warren Tompkins?
Mitt Romney Watch: NO Apology from Romney on Anti-Thompson Web Site
Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap
Technorati Tags: Mitt RomneyFred Thompson
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Mitt Romney Watch: Should Romney Fire Warren Tompkins?
And, Flap suggested that Mitt Romney and his campaign should condemn this activity and apologize for this blatant “dirty trick”, presumably by an over enthusiastic campaign supporter.
The site was the work of the political consulting firm of Warren Tompkins.
Now, the Thompson campaign is calling for the firing of Warren Thompkins one of the partners in the consulting firm that oversees Romney’s Palmetto State effort and the former governor’s top SC strategist.
Will Romney sensing a GAFFE through Thompkins throw his firm “UNDER THE BUS” like he did with feaux-trooper Jay Garrity?
Stay tuned……..
Previous:
Mitt Romney Watch: NO Apology from Romney on Anti-Thompson Web Site
Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap
Mitt Romney Watch: Romney Health Care 2.0 – Another FLIP for MITT
Mitt Romney Watch: Mitt FLIPS on Abortion AGAIN Part Two
Mitt Romney Watch: Mitt FLIPS on Abortion AGAIN
Mitt Romney Watch: Surrogate Hugh Hewitt Attacks Fred Thompson on Gay Marriage
Mitt Romney Watch: Romney HYPOCRITICAL on Illegal Immigration Sanctuary Cities Part Two
Mitt Romney Watch: Romney HYPOCRITICAL on Illegal Immigration Sanctuary Cities
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Rudy 38% Thompson 18% Romney 13% McCain 12% in Latest CBS GOP Poll
Mitt Romney Watch: Post Ames Mitt Takes Some Heat
Mitt Romney Watch: Faking It on Abortion
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Mitt Romney HYPOCRITICALLY Attacks Giuliani on Illegal Immigration
Mitt Romney Watch: Flipping on Immigration AGAIN
Mitt Romney Watch: Modulating on Immigration?
Technorati Tags: Mitt RomneyFred Thompson
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Mitt Romney Watch: NO Apology from Romney on Anti-Thompson Web Site
And, Flap suggested that Mitt Romney and his campaign should condemn this activity and apologize for this activity, presumably by an over enthusiastic campaign supporter.
Well, Mitt won’t apologize.
Kavon has the story via The Brody File:
Below is what the Romney campaign tells The Brody File:
“The site was not affiliated with our campaign, but we did make it clear that we did not approve of the site, strongly disavowed it and made sure that it had absolutely no connection to our campaign whatsoever. We took immediate action once we were alerted to it.â€
This means what?
The site was the work of the political consulting firm of Warren Tompkins, Romney’s lead consultant in South Carolina.
The Fred Thomspon campaign issued the following statement:
“There is no room in our party for this kind of smut. As the top executive of his own campaign, Governor Romney should take full responsibility for this type of high-tech gutter politics and issue an immediate apology. If this is true, Governor Romney should exercise some of his much-touted executive acumen and immediately terminate anyone related to this outrage.”
Flap thinks that Mitt loses nothing by apologizing. His campaign was caught with “their fingers in the cookie jar.”
Another inconsistency and oddity for Mitt.
And if this is not enough to convince ANY voter that Romney is NOT right for the Presidency, then check out his other inconsistencies and oddities:Scientology book one of his favorites
The Robert Lichfield FLAP
None of Mitt’s five adult sons had served in the military
Previous:Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap
Mitt Romney Watch: Romney Health Care 2.0 – Another FLIP for MITT
Mitt Romney Watch: Mitt FLIPS on Abortion AGAIN Part Two
Mitt Romney Watch: Mitt FLIPS on Abortion AGAIN
Mitt Romney Watch: Surrogate Hugh Hewitt Attacks Fred Thompson on Gay Marriage
Mitt Romney Watch: Romney HYPOCRITICAL on Illegal Immigration Sanctuary Cities Part Two
Mitt Romney Watch: Romney HYPOCRITICAL on Illegal Immigration Sanctuary Cities
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Rudy 38% Thompson 18% Romney 13% McCain 12% in Latest CBS GOP Poll
Mitt Romney Watch: Post Ames Mitt Takes Some Heat
Mitt Romney Watch: Faking It on Abortion
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Mitt Romney HYPOCRITICALLY Attacks Giuliani on Illegal Immigration
Mitt Romney Watch: Flipping on Immigration AGAIN
Mitt Romney Watch: Modulating on Immigration?
Technorati Tags: Mitt Romneyabortion, Pro-Life
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Fred Thompson Watch: NO to Ice Cream And NO to Huckabee Debate
Republican Presidential candidate and former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) speaks with patrons at Bob’s Drive Inn in Le Mars, Iowa, September 7 2007.
Fred Thompson campaigning in Iowa September 7th refused ice cream and a Bob Dog but will he refuse Mike Huckabee’s challenge to debate?
Who can refuse ice cream in the “ice cream capital of the world?â€
And, who can DUCK another GOP debate?
Apparently Fred Thompson WILL DUCK another debate. Hotline has the story:
Fred Thompson responded 9/10 p.m. to Mike Huckabee’s offer to hold a Lincoln-Douglas debate with him.
Thompson: “I think in the general election, when you’ve got two candidates that [I might be interested in] something like that, [or] something Newt Gingrich has proposed. I think [Newt’s] idea is an hour and half, several different times during the course of the campaign. I think that approach, the more I think about it is a good one…In terms of some individual in a crowded primary situation, that’s a different situation. We’ll have an opportunity to exchange our views many times before this is over.”
By the way, Mr. Energy takes today off from campaigning in honor of 9/11.
Flap wonders when a CHICKEN or a DUCK starts appearing at Thompson campaign events?
Previous:
Mitt Romney Watch: The Phoneyfred.org Flap
Fred Thompson Wants “Due Process†for Osama Bin Laden
Fred Thompson Watch: NO to Ice Cream But YES to Huckabee Debate?
Fred Thompson’s Past Support for Campaign Finance Reform Scrutinized
Fred Thompson Watch: Jim Mills Quote of the Day
Fred Thompson Watch: ANOTHER Campaign Aide OUTFred Thompson Scores “Direct Hit on Romneyâ€
Fred Thompson Watch: Thompson to Announce September 6 – Ducks GOP Debate
Technorati Tags: Fred Thompson
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Giuliani Poll Watch: California Lead Narrows for Rudy
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani participates in the sixth anniversary ceremonies of the attacks of Sept. 11, in New York, September 11, 2007.
The California SurveyUSA Election Poll:
Schwarzenegger-Style ‘Leno Launch’ Works for Thompson in CA; Rudy Rear-View Mirror Now Full of Fred: Five days after Fred Thompson announced his run for President of the United States on the Jay Leno TV show, in the mold of Californian Arnold Schwarzenegger, who began his transition from actor to Governor on Leno’s couch, Thompson now leads, if there were a Republican Primary in California today, among men, Conservatives, Pro-Life voters, among those opposed to stem-cell research, among those opposed to same-sex marriage, among gun owners, among those age 65+, and among those who think global warming is made-up, according to this SurveyUSA poll of likely Republican Primary voters conducted by SurveyUSA exclusively for KABC-TV in Los Angeles, KPIX-TV in San Francisco, KGTV-TV in San Diego and KFSN-TV in Fresno.
Rudolph Giuliani still runs 1st overall, at 28%, but that is down 11 percentage points from where Giuliani finished in an identical SurveyUSA tracking poll released one month ago, in August.
Thompson runs 2nd today overall, at 26%, up 7 points from SurveyUSA’s August tracking poll. Giuliani had led by 20 points in August, leads by 2 points today, within the poll’s 4.4% margin of sampling error.
Among California men, Giuliani had led by 21 points, now trails by 4, a 25-point swing. Among Conservatives, Giuliani had led by 13, now trails Thompson by 9, a 22-point swing.
Among those opposed to stem-cell research, Giuliani had led by 12, now trails Thompson by 7. The gradual improvement in Thompson’s showing is well illustrated in Greater Los Angeles, where Thompson’ support was at 10% in May … 16% in June … 18% in July … 20% in August … 28% today.
Caveats: Interviews for this survey were conducted over 3 days immediately following Fred Thompson’s announcement for President, which featured Thompson on the cover of Newsweek and other magazines, and as the featured guest on a number of radio and TV shows, of which Jay Leno was just one. It is unclear — time alone will tell — whether Thompson’s showing in today’s SurveyUSA California data is a temporary bounce, sustainable support, or just the beginning of something greater.
The California GOP NUTS:
- Rudy – 28%
- Fred Thompson – 26%
- John McCain – 18%
- Mitt Romney – 14%
Remember in California the GOP nominee is determined by a majority vote in each Congressional District and not a state-wide winner take all format.
Fred Thompson is late to thecampaign game and Rudy has been in California ofter, particularly Northern California where in previous Survey USA polls he has done especially well.
John McCain is hanging in there and would have been a formidable contender if his campaign had not imploded over illegal immigration.
Campaign resources WILL matter in California and Rudy has the edge. However, should McCain withdraw early, there may be an opening for Thompson.
Romney continues to lag in fourth place and will not contend in California.
Previous:
Giuliani Poll Watch: Rudy Continues to Lead in Latest Gallup Poll
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Theodore Olson to Become Attorney General?
The Giuliani Approach to Cleaning Up Iraq
Giuliani Poll Watch: Ohio and Pennsylvania Favor Rudy
Giuliani Poll Watch: South Carolina – Rudy and Fred in Dead Heat
Will Governor Haley Barbour Be Rudy Giuliani’s Pick for Vice President?
Technorati Tags: Rudy Giuliani
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September 11 Watch: NEVER FORGET
NEVER FORGETGod Bless America
Technorati Tags: 9/11, September11, September112001
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Day By Day by Chris Muir September 11, 2007
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Technorati Tags: Day By Day, Chris Muir