One thing everyone has to admit - those who are committed to a candidate already - especially Rudy and Romney - are thrashing around as much as possible to tear Thompson down. He is the undeclared candidate they fear the most. Romney has tacked right of the other major candidates, but those clips of him claiming to be as pro-choice as the Dems will haunt him. Fred has always been conservative - his entry will demolish Romney. Rudy is the biggest celebrity in the race, but Fred's tought guy Hollywood image would make a dent in that advantage.
As for the "fire in the belly" problem, I agree that RR was the greatest president of the 20th century, and he certainly did run for four years before 1980. However, his 1976 candidacy was not so much planned - he ran because Ford did not represent the conservative movement, just as Thompson (and the rest of us) correctly perceive that there isn't a real conservative among Rudy McRomney.
Incidentally, our greatest president ever was George Washington. He was reluctant to be president as well. He never wanted a second term but was talked into it. Finally he walked away after eight years, and now the Consitution has codified his reluctance to serve more than eight years as wisdom that should be shared by all the others.
By the way - until Fred's name got tossed around, I was in the Rudy camp. He is a terrific leader, but just not a conservative. And it goes without saying that I will vote for any of these candidates before Hillary or Obama. Only Bill Richardson has any chance to get my vote among the dems, and he is polling in the single digits. The Republican nomination will he a battle, especially if Fred Thompson enters. We conservatives want a candidate who reflects our values, and Fred is the best thing out there right now who could possibly win the nomination.
Excellent analysis!
I think the only chance for conservatism future viability outside the smokey backrooms of FRF is by nominating a candidate who is truly, consistently, demonstrably conservative AND who is eloquent enough to explain conservatism in a way that cannot be manipulated by the those enemies of America within and without.
You can attempt to label anyone as a conservative. Yet, nominating someone we merely can call a conservative, without the substance to back it up, will seal our downfall.
Fred has always been conservative - his entry will demolish Romney. Rudy is the biggest celebrity in the race, but Fred's tought guy Hollywood image would make a dent in that advantage.
Fred's built in advantage is that among hard core conservatives, there is an appetite for a candidate with views they can support without holding their nose. Fred's that guy.
The problem is that it's not quite that simple. The primaries are getting earlier and earlier. The cost of running for President is getting fantastically expensive. And the support and backers you need have to be lined up well in advance. Simply put, if he wants to be President, he can't wait another month or two to mull his options.
Even if the far right wanted to derail Rudy, by then it may be impossible. Even if Thompson joined the race tomorrow, he'd need to come up with 100 million dollars, and numbers that could beat Giuliani. Easier said than done. Because he's not joining the race until his close friend John McCain drops out, and that may be several months.
As for the "fire in the belly" problem, I agree that RR was the greatest president of the 20th century, and he certainly did run for four years before 1980. However, his 1976 candidacy was not so much planned - he ran because Ford did not represent the conservative movement, just as Thompson (and the rest of us) correctly perceive that there isn't a real conservative among Rudy McRomney.
How does that address the "fire in the belly" issue with Fred Thompson? Sure, there's a vacuum, but opportunity alone isn't enough. Say what you aill about Hillary and Rudy, but they're not afraid to jump in the pit and get punched in the face, all day, every day, to fight for the brass ring.
Incidentally, our greatest president ever was George Washington. He was reluctant to be president as well. He never wanted a second term but was talked into it.
Not to belabor the obvious, but George Washington had an achievement or two under his belt that perhaps inclined people to hand him the job and beg him to stay for as long as he liked. While Fred's had a good acting career, it's not that good.