This one paragraph from a Politico story about Fred Thompson has generated lots of talk in the blogosphere:
Thompson, his wife and advisers in Washington and Tennessee also are drawing up plans for a new style of campaign that would rely heavily on technology and his celebrity status to avoid some of the slogging through the snow in Iowa and New Hampshire that is normally required of White House hopefuls.
My take: I see it both ways.
On one hand, I firmly believe that all politics is personal. Eschewing personal contact is a very bad idea -- especially in states like Iowa and New Hampshire. The internet is cool, but nothing trumps looking a voter in the eye, and asking for their support.
On the other hand, we should encourage campaign innovation. Besides, the quote doesn't say Thompson won't go to Iowa, it says "to avoid some of the slogging through the snow ..." Thompson's late entry into the campaign (should he get in), would likely mean that he simply must run a different kind of campaign. And he would obviously be foolish not to leverage his celebrity status ...
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