[…] FRED THOMPSON responds: “Today I had this story written about me regarding what I said at a Town Hall event in Burlington, Iowa by a reporter who wasn’t even at the event. Incidentally, I declined to be interviewed by this particular reporter yesterday for reasons which will soon be apparent.” Outside the Beltway thinks that it is much ado about nothing. His commenters disagree: ” . . . yesterday I watched for the first time PJ Media’s Nov 2001 interview with Fred Thompson and came away with the impression that Thompson is far more serious and solid than the narrative MSM is feeding me . . . “ CNN, using less words, provides more context: “Thompson took heat for not jumping into the White House race until September — significantly later than every other candidate — and has since been criticized for his laid-back campaign style and often-times light schedule. But the former actor has criticized his rivals for launching their presidential bids months ahead of his, and continually touts the fact he hasn’t harbored presidential ambitions his whole career.” DailyPundit: “Remember, you have to go to journalism school to learn how to lie, distort, and propagandize at so professional a level.” The Sundries Shack: “Twice in ten days someone standing in the same room who makes pretty good money to pay attention to what someone says and then report it accurately has gotten a story on Fred Thompson completely wrong.” […]