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“Fred T withdrawing from the race was a great disappointment.”

Fred didn't withdraw from the race until after he took third in South Carolina and lost his last chance to get his candidacy off the ground. He didn't fail for lack of energy or lack of clarity. He was a good conservative candidate. Unfortunately he arrived late in the process when Republicans were already deeply divided and being a good candidate no longer counted for anything.

Social conservatives were mad because they'd been told for more than a year that they had to accept a lisping, cross dressing, pro-abortion New Yorker. They were gravitating toward some weight loss guru from Arkansas. Lots of veterans were mad because the party seemed to be dissing McCain (who richly deserved dissing). Romney was doing what he does best — spending a boatload of money to promote himself and making everyone queasy.

Fred only started thinking about running after the food fight was well under way. By then the party was no longer looking for the right leader. It was just settling internecine scores and his efforts were wasted.

Disappointed conservatives who want to write him off are wasting a precious asset. Fred explains conservatism to the masses better than anyone in America today aside from Limbaugh, and Rush is never going to be a public official.

Fred may not be right for another presidential run but he there are other roles he could play. Republicans need a coherent national campaign for control of the House in 2010. Such a campaign needs a leader, and nobody in Congress is remotely suitable. The House Republican caucus needs to go outside its ranks for a leader with stature who can speak to the nation on their behalf. Fred would be the perfect choice.

Nothing in the Constitution requires that the Speaker of the House be a member. Republicans can choose any leader they want and elect him Speaker if they take the House. But Fred could probably win the seat in Tennessee Zach Wamp is vacating to run for Governor in a walk if he needs to join the club.

Of course the retards in Congress would never do anything as clever as choosing Fred to lead them. They don't know their own limitations and probably think they can manage without help. Mike Huckabee probably has a better chance of being the next Pope than Fred has of being the next Speaker, but it's fun to dream.