Fred Thompson campaigns in Mason City, Iowa on Jan. 2, 2008. AP photo by Evan Vucci.
by Jason George
Sen. Fred Thompson took to the Iowa airwaves Wednesday night to clarify a gesture that reporters interpreted as him saying he needed to finish second in tonight’s caucuses.
“V for victory,” Thompson said on KCCI’s 10 p.m. newscast, as he flashed a V sign with his right hand. ” V-i-c-t-o-r-y is our cry.”
The news anchors asked him to define what victory means, but Thompson didn’t take the bait.
“I’m not going to play into any scenario that’s not totally optimistic,” he said. “We feel like we’re in a surge right now.”
“We feel good. I think we’re going to do very, very well.”
Thompson also denied that he or anyone on his staff said he would drop out of the race before New Hampshire if he finished lower than fourth place tonight.
“Absolutely totally made up, out of whole cloth,” he said of such reports.
The Des Moines Register Poll from earlier this week placed Thompson in 4th place, tied with Rep. Ron Paul.
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