Must Do Better
Thompson has stumbled when unexpected issues arise -- his non-attendance of church, the Senate's efforts to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo, a Florida woman who was brain-dead, or confusion over some of his past lobbying activities.
During these next four months, he has to be more adroit, and on the big stuff he must convince voters he's as much of a leader and tax-cutter as Giuliani, more genuine on social issues such as abortion than Romney, and as steadfast on national security as McCain.
Thompson Finds South Carolina `Ain't Beanbag':
8mm
Mr. Thompson's commitment to federalism has prevented him from endorsing the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would define marriage as between one man and one woman in the federal Constitution. His federalism trumps his social conservatism. Mr. Thompson says he believes marriage law should be decided by the states. Even though this position puts him at odds with some powerful social conservatives he'd like to see on board with his campaign, he's mostly stuck to his guns on the matter. In Florida last week, Mr. Thompson again disappointed some members of the right by saying that he disagreed with Congress's intervention in the case of Terri Schiavo. "Local matters generally speaking should be left to the locals," Mr. Thompson told the St. Petersburg Times. His spokesman was even more explicit to our Ryan Sager, saying that Mr. Thompson "believes that it was a decision for the family to make under state law, so there was no role for the federal government to play."
8mm