Fred Thompson’s campaign said Monday it will continue to “make mistakes” after he announces his presidential bid Wednesday, following weeks of pre-announcement turmoil.
“I would certainly acknowledge that expectations are high, but I don’t agree with the idea that we have to go out and be perfect,” Thompson’s communications director, Todd Harris, told The Examiner.
“You know, we’re going to make mistakes — I’ll say it right now,” he added. “We have to have a good announcement tour. There’s no question about that.”
Harris is the third communications director Thompson has employed in recent weeks as the former Tennessee senator struggles to assemble a campaign apparatus in advance of his candidacy. In recent days, campaign aides have predicted somewhat smoother sailing.
“Put it this way — no campaign is ever calm and you always have some amount of turmoil,” Harris allowed. “But the most important thing for us is making sure that every day we’re taking steps forward. That doesn’t mean that everything will be calm, but we have to be moving in the right direction every day.”
Thompson, who has polled well even before entering the race, is hoping to siphon off additional support from Republican rivals Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani after officially throwing his hat into the ring.
“Support from voters is earned, not merely siphoned off,” Romney spokesman Kevin Madden warned. “The people of Iowa and New Hampshire don’t just hand over their support very easily. They make sure you work hard for it.”
Giuliani spokesman Maria Comella said the former New York mayor welcomes Thompson into the race. She declined further comment.
Thompson will announce his White House bid Wednesday night on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” after skipping a Republican debate in New Hampshire.
“There have been a million debates already and there are going to be a million more,” Harris said. “And people are going to see Fred Thompson out there, mixing it up with the other candidates, mixing it up with the media, engaging the voters. They are going to see months and months and months of that.”
In the meantime, Harris said, “it makes a lot of sense” for Thompson to appear on the Leno show instead of the GOP debate because the candidate will reach “everyday normal Americans who don’t live in the 202 area code.”
