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By Matt Wilson
Staff Writer
Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., may have announced his candidacy for president from Jay Leno's couch in Los Angeles, but when it came to his campaign Web site, he brought his business to Chattanooga.
Mr. Thompson's site, Fred08.com, was developed and is maintained by episode49, a Chattanooga-based Web development company. Episode49 also maintained Mr. Thompson's "testing the waters" Web site, ImWithFred.com.
"We're totally responsible for Fred08," said Ken Smith, managing partner for episode49.
Mr. Smith said the company's relationship with the campaign grew through work episode49 did for the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
"That's kind of how this came about, through who you know," Mr. Smith said.
The company developed Mr. Thompson's Web site with Washington-based Web design company Bivings Group. Bivings Group designed the site, while episode49 created the databases and functionality to run it, Mr. Smith said.
"They do all the pretty stuff, and we do all the heavy lifting," he said.
Karen Hanretty, a spokeswoman for the Thompson campaign, said staffers knew episode49 could do some of the "innovative things with this Web site" that the campaign needed. For instance, the site hosted a Web broadcast of Mr. Thompson's candidacy announcement.
"It went off without a hitch," Ms. Hanretty said.
The site likewise has a feature where users can submit questions to conservative bloggers, which Mr. Thompson will answer with video responses, she said.
"Them being from Tennessee is just icing on the cake," Ms. Hanretty said.
Bruce Oppenheimer, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University, said there is likely no political motivation behind hiring a Tennessee-based Web development company.
"My sense is that it's sort of below the radar screen for most people," he said. "I'd suspect it's more of a simple question of who can make a good Web site."
The Chattanooga developer also maintains the Web site of GOP Louisiana gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal.
Mr. Smith said episode49 only works with Republican entities and candidates because working with both parties would cause a conflict of interest.
"You get your hands cut off real quick if you try to dip into both pools," he said.
Josiah Roe, president of Chattanooga-based Web development company Coptix, said his company would build the Web site of a candidate from either party.
"It's absolutely about the candidate and whether they have integrity," Mr. Roe said.
John Bailes, a spokesman for the Hamilton County Democratic Party, said the fact that episode49 is bringing money into Chattanooga is "good for all of us," but he questioned the company's GOP connections.
"I don't think it necessarily tells us about the area," he said.
E-mail Matt Wilson at mwilson@timesfreepress.com
