Friday, January 25, 2008
Bill Lacy feels sorry, not for himself, but for the nation.
The former Thompson for President campaign manager has no regrets about how he ran Fred Thompson’s campaign. In fact, he thinks he ran a very strong campaign. Thompson’s loss was simply a case of right person, wrong time.
“His platform received widespread acclaim from conservative publications,” Lacy said. “His polices were absolutely on the mark. It was more a function of not having enough time to do the job.”
Lacy reiterated the fact that most campaigns, even statewide races, require a minimum of a year to put together. It was not Lacy’s decision to end Thompson’s campaign. Lacy said Thompson made that decision, but that he thought that the correct decision was made. They felt Thompson needed a strong second place finish to continue in the race. Lacy said he will return to his job as director of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics in mid-March.
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It was not Lacy’s decision to end Thompson’s campaign. Lacy said Thompson made that decision, but that he thought that the correct decision was made.
When Lacy returns, Jonathon Earle, interim director of the Dole Institute, will resume his role as associate director for programming at the institute. Earle said he had hoped Thompson would be in the race longer, but that he was satisfied with returning to his former position.
Programming is where his heart is and as director, his time has been consumed with fundraising and maintenance of the building, among other tedious tasks.
“With programming, it’s more about putting on fun shows that I want to go to,” Earle said. “A lot of people know the Institute for its programming, so it will just be like comfortable old loafers.
Earle is excited about deciding how to spend the $500,000 former Senator Bob Dole recently donated to the Dole Institute’s programming. Earle said Dole did not restrict the money to any one program, but that he planned on asking Dole his opinion on how to use the money. Earle hopes to use the money to bring in an international speaker.
Monica Crane, Wichita senior and a member of the student advisory board at the Dole Institute, said she thought Thompson ran a good race, but it did not surprise her when he dropped out. She is excited to have Lacy back at the University because his experience with Thompson’s campaign will be a valuable asset to the Dole Institute.
“We’re so proud he went out there and did it,” Crane said. “It’s really inspiring to see someone who’s done it all his life and is still doing it.”
Lacy and his wife will vacation in California for about a month before returning to Lawrence. Lacy said he looks forward to riding his bike while on vacation, something he has not done since Thanksgiving. He usually rides his bike 150 miles a week during the spring, summer and fall. Lact said he is going to California so he can ride his bike in warm weather and recuperate from the campaign.
“I’m exhausted,” Lacy said. “You can’t do that to yourself forever, especially at my age.”
As for Thompson, Lacy said he would start looking into his other options, but that Thompson currently has no other political aspirations.
“I don’t expect he’ll seek office again unless someone wants him to be their vice president nominee,” Lacy said. “I don’t think it’s likely, but it’s a possibility.”
—Edited by Russell Davies
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