Says Dickerson...

"Thompson's strategy of cool detachment—an event here, an event there, no day too taxing, and a couple days off—is not going very well in some early states that are important for the nomination."

According to the Pollster.com numbers posted at Slate, Thompson is currently running first in South Carolina and is surging in Florida. He's also running second in Iowa.

Maybe the other candidates should consider taking a few more days off?

You're right about South Carolina. My point in the story was that in Iowa and New Hampshire-- two important early states-- I was hearing something very different than I had been in previous weeks. The latest poll in NH which came after my story has him at 4, behind Ron Paul. He's second in Iowa but his numbers have been essentially flat in the month since he got in while Huckabee has been steadily on the rise.

In Florida you'll note the pollster.com numbers do not have him surging. The latest poll has him at 14 and the previous two had him at 19. These are pretty close to where he was before he got into the race.

We'll see if Iowa and New Hampshire continue to be as important as they've been in the past. Seems to me that if Thompson can turn in a respectable showing in one or both of those states and win South Carolina, he's in pretty good shape, since Giuliani might be on the ropes by then, opening up Florida even further.

Bottom line: I thought your piece was pretty thin. The Republican primary is still very much a horse race. Like so many other pundits, you've predicted Thompson's imminent failure based on a couple sources. Can you not find a couple sources to predict Giuliani's or Romney's imminent failure as well? Heck, at this point you could probably find a couple local nabobs to predict Clinton's demise.

>>Seems to me that if Thompson can turn in a respectable showing in one or both of those states and win South Carolina, he's in pretty good shape

Yes doing well and winning would be good for him.

Since my piece last week on Thompson's campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire and our discussion here, the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire have not contradicted what I was hearing in my interviews. They may yet but for now the numbers seem to be matching the anecdotal evidence I was picking up.

I’ve been checking in with the polls again on Fred Thompson. The CBS poll has him fourth in Iowa and sixth in New Hampshire. Two other recent New Hampshire polls also have him in single digits. Polls can change and voters can change their minds but after three weeks I’m feeling pretty good that the dozen or so conversations I had for my story are holding up. I note also that a recent Florida poll showed him in fourth.

McLean, VA - Senator Fred Thompson today issued the following statement about his campaign for President:

"Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people."