He has his share of earlier accomplishments.
Mr. Butterfield, are you aware of the installation of any listening devices in the Oval Office of the President?
While he wouldn't be my first choice, from the experience perspective, eight years of relatively benign Senate service is 2 to 6 more years of benign Senate service of his general election opponents. If he can win the nomination, a very big if, I doubt experience will be an issue. No one has it.
A catching prosecutor's question occurs every day.
What percentage of Americans know- or would ever care- that that particular unknown asked that question. A question, by the way, that sunk a Republican President- which begs, why is he the great Republican hope?
No where have I stated that Thompson may not be a great President. He might, so might you for that matter.
Why does he stand out to some? What makes him different then dozens of other Republicans? It is what Novak states, his TV and movie "fame". I think it is a mirage.
I am writing only about his chances to be elected, IMO. I don't see his chances of getting the nomination as remote as you do. Last man standing- with core supporters- while the heavyweights exhaust themselves on each other is a real possibility.
I just don't see him getting 270 electoral votes where is counts.
By the way, on getting the nomination, if it is not obvious now, it will be ever so obvious in retrospect, everything is different in 2008.
With super super Tuesday, with huge States holding early primaries, everything we think we know about a candidate winning the nomination is moot. I don't believe Iowa serves any useful purpose and South Carolina is rendered much less significant. New Hampshire only helps if there is a win by someone very unexpected.