Fred Thompson filled in for Paul Harvey for a couple weeks a while back. Now he is doing commentary for ABC radio, which often get picked up by internet media (like today at NRO).
Is this "fair"? As soon as he "announces", he will lose his gig at ABC radio. But as long as he is just "considering" running, he can keep pumping this stuff out - FOR FREE. ABC seems more than happy to provide him this forum. Does this make a mockery of current campaign finance laws?
You make it sound as if Fred Thompson filling in for Paul Harvey is a new thing... he's been doing that for some time now (at least for several months, if not longer...)
People NEED to make a mockery of campaign finance laws... they're a JOKE.
Actually, it is better seen as an example of how the presidential race has become way too prolonged. Fred Thompson was right on the mark when he made the statement that if a person needs to enter the race more than a couple months before the first primary, he probably isn't doing a very good job getting his message out.
People need to pay more attention to local politics anyway, so I say this is one more reason to like FT.
RSWB:
I actually wondered about this too. Take it to a logical extreme -- I mean, Fred on Paul Harvey or ABC Radio may not be a ratings bonanza, but what if, for example, Comedy Central had offered an extended Daily Show guest host gig to Barack Obama before he officially declared? Or any of the nightly network newscasts offered the anchor spot to an undeclared candidate until he/she declared? Numerous possibilities exist.
By the way, I'm not suggesting that Thompson isn't smart about this. If he can get away with it under current campaign law (which, in simplest terms, doesn't apply to him for the time being), good for him.
Furthermore, "People NEED to make a mockery of campaign finance laws... they're a JOKE." Gotta go along with you on this one, AnF.
Yeah, it's so much better when Rush Limbaugh campaigns openly for Republicans.
Sometimes I think people here have been in a blissful sleep for the last 15 or so years.
And NPR is what? Liberal radio, that is taxpayer funded to boot.
Actually, maybe Fred could be a Rush guest host for a couple weeks, right before he announces. Talk about a primo chance to reach out to GOP primary voters!
I personally agree with AnF, campaign finance laws need "mocked". I just worry that someone in Congress will see this as a "loophole" that must be closed. I am not sure how you would close it, but that hasn't stopped Congress from trying in the past.