Maybe Fred'll wave as he goes by

Fred Thompson's coming by the newspaper today -- quite literally, in that he'll pass right by us to go to Doc's Barbecue:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Jeff Sadosky 
September 7, 2007    

***MEDIA ADVISORY***
Thompson To Tour South Carolina

McLEAN, VA - Friends of Fred Thompson Committee announces campaign schedule and logistics for South Carolina events for September 10th, 2007. 

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th
GREENVILLE, SC
WHAT:   Town Hall with Fred Thompson
WHEN:   9:30 am, please preset all equipment by 9:00 am
WHERE: Greenville Marriott
             1 Parkway East
             Greenville, SC 29615

NOTE:    TV Quality Lighting and Sound, Press Riser, Mult Box Available, 35ft throw

COLUMBIA, SC
WHAT:   Meet Fred Thompson
WHEN:   1:30 PM, please preset all equipment by 1:00 PM
WHERE: Doc's Barbeque & Southern Buffet
             1601 Shop Road, Columbia, SC 29201
NOTE:    TV Quality Lighting, Press Riser, Outdoor Amplified Sound, Mult Box Available, 35ft throw

ALL TIMES LOCAL AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Doc's is really, really close to our offices. I was guessing Friday, when this release arrived, that it was within 200 yards. Mike allowed as how it was closer, maybe a 5 iron -- which was OK until he added "150 yards," which opened him to all kinds of scorn, enabling me to say, "That's a 7 iron for me," and other such zingers.

Now mind you, it's not like we've invited Fred to come by and say "Hey." We would have, but Mike (he of the short game) said he doesn't know of a contact for Fred here in S.C. (Perhaps we'll hear from one as a result of this post; I find a blog is a wonderful form of passive information gathering.)

Not that he has to be invited. He invited himself back in 2000, when he was here to tell us we should have endorsed -- ahem! -- John McCain. (And he was right.)

But this time, he's going to go right past us. Now mind you, Doc's has an excellent reputation. My parents go there regularly. But there's "good barbecue" and there's good barbecue, and if Fred thinks he's going to find Memphis-style there -- the sort that he and I are accustomed to as the standard -- he's in for a shock.

Anyway, there's something interestingly symbolic about his going to the people (the ones his campaign autodialed over the weekend) rather than coming to kiss our rings. It's indicative of the state of things on this belated honeymoon that Fred will enjoy for, oh, the next week or two. He doesn't have to show up for debates or answer newspaper editors' questions. He can coast on free media that concentrates on him and him alone -- and what better than an event staged at a barbecue stand, where he can go "mmm-MMM" (think "Andy Griffith eating a Ritz cracker") and say it's the best barbecue ever, and be believed.

But at some point, this will be over, and the hard part will start.