Fred Thompson's Letdown by Robert D. Novak

"'Will he announce?' asked the Lincoln Club of Orange County's publication in preparation for Fred Thompson's appearance at the organization's 45th annual dinner here Friday night. A rumor, totally unfounded, ran rampant prior to his speech that Thompson would declare his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination at the dinner lectern. In fact, he did not even hint at this prospect during a performance that was a letdown for the packed audience of conservative Republicans.
'It was not Reaganesque.' 'No red meat.' 'Too low key.' That was the preponderant reaction I heard to Thompson's half-hour presentation (leavened by a few favorable comments, mostly by women, that he was more 'statesmanlike' and 'presidential' than the announced candidates). Lincoln Club members, like many conservative Republicans, had been unimpressed by the existing field of Republican hopefuls and envisioned Thompson as the second coming of Ronald Reagan. They did not get it Friday night."

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