It's probably because no one is really fired up or passionate about his presumed candidacy. Frist strikes me as the type of candidate who is everyone's second or third choice - the safe alternate in case the top choice doesn't make it. There are all kinds of people on FR who are fired up about Condi '08 or Sanford '08 or even Allen '08. But I've yet to come across many people who are jumping up and down for Frist. That lack of buzz or excitement may cause people to downplay his chances.
I'm not disagreeing with you, I just don't get why.
I can understand Owens and Stanford getting lots of Buzz, very Conservative, popular Governors and all, and I can understand Rice, black woman conservative, so smart etc.
But I don't see why George Allen and Sam Brownbeck seem to get more Presidental Buzz then Frist.
I mean, it seems to me he has some unique strenghts too: Already high name ID with swing voters, a good bio, especiall the fact that he spends his free time deworming orphens in Africa, good looking, fairly well spoken, right on most of the issues people here care about, part of Bush's team without being under his wing too much A'la Al Gore and Clinton, etc.
Like I said, I understand that he's NOT getting much buzz, around here, what I don't understand is WHY.