Fred Thompson was included in all of the polls this time last cycle. The only thing he wound up doing was being a stalking horse for McCain in South Carolina. While Thompson had a low-key exploratory committee at the time, his speculated impact was far less than Palin.
I am painfully aware of what happened with Thompson. He was promoted as our last minute saviour who we could beg to get in and if we did he save us. Who pushed this idea? Rush and Levin were two I remember. I was skeptical.