As for the rest, remember the thing we have gotten from Bush though. Judge Roberts, tax cuts, strong stand on the WOT to name a few. Mixed bag, sure, but better than what could have been.
My basic view is that the system is broken. The same argument you are making for Thompson as “the best that can win” is being made for Guilianni (he can beat Hillary, he’s our man), and the same argument was made for both Bushes and Dole. Support CONSERVATIVES.