Thompson had no surprise answers, sticking firmly to the party line, but did show a hard-hitting video directed at former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Each candidate was invited to show a video:
The consensus seemed to be that Thompson didn’t hurt himself by being funny, providing clear, strong answers and by staying out the heated immigration squabble involving Romney and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
But reaction to his performance has ranged from “Fred Gets It Right” by the New York Post to “a lackluster performance” by Fox News.
Prior to the debate, it was a bumpy start to the week for Thompson when he appeared on ‘Fox News Sunday,’ hosted by Chris Wallace. After unveiling his tax plan, discussing abortion and Giuliani, the conversation turned to his campaign, and things got a little bit tense:
The exchange overshadowed Thompson’s unveiling of his tax plan, which calls for a voluntary flat tax, extending President Bush’s tax cuts and eliminating the estate tax, alternative-minimum taxes and tax relief for corporations and investors.
Reception to the tax plan has been mixed, including criticism from typically conservative voices.
Amy Schatz of the Wall Street Journal wrote that Thomson’s plan “doesn’t come without risks” and “is missing a few key numbers,” while a Washington Times editorial said, “Thompson offers zero evidence that his plan would be fiscally responsible.”
However, a Wall Street Journal editorial praises the plan for being “more ambitious than anything we’ve seen so far from the rest of the GOP field” and going “well beyond the current Republican mantra to make ‘the Bush tax cuts permanent.’”
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