Fred Thompson is an odd choice for the torch-carrier for the conservatives in the Republican primary and an indication of how desperate they are to field a single worthwhile candidate in the race. The most obvious and much-cited example of this is his support for the odious McCain-Feingold, which accomplished nothing except to infringe on the right to free speech. Many believe that it was McCain's crusade on this issue that permanently put him on the outs with conservatives and here they are lining up around one of the other Republicans to actually vote for it.

A number of conservatives are making the comparison between Thompson and Ronald Reagan, as they did with George W. Bush eight years ago, and once again (though for different reasons) the label doesn't really fit. Thompson may be a great many things, but he does not appear to be a visionary. He comes across, rightly or wrongly, as a president that would be more of a sober-minded administrator rather than groundbreaking president. He really doesn't seem to have "the vision thing." I actually think that's part of his appeal since since this is a more serious-times-call-for-serious-people election rather than a Jesus Jones "Right Here, Right Now" election. If he ends up in a general election against John Edwards or Barack Obama I think that it would serve him quite well, though less so if pitted against Hillary Clinton or Al Gore.

By and large, there is a degree of latitude that a candidate can take when it comes to ideology. By emphasizing different issues and taking either moderate or more idealistic stances on issues where the candidate is conflicted, someone like Thompson could either come across as a conservative firebrand or a relatively moderate conciliator. I am a little concerned that he will dance a little too closely with the ones that brung him, the conservatives, and cede too much center-ground in the 2008 election. I'm worried that his center-appeal will be forsaken in an attempt to fill the present vacancy for the role of a stalwart conservative.

All of this is something of a moot point if Thompson doesn't run. Up until the last few days I really didn't think he would, but I think the newest polls give him some encouragement to toss his hat into the ring. Not only is Thompson polling well for a candidate that's not even a candidate, but he's pulling support from the right places. One of the chief impediments to a Thompson candidacy is his close friendship with John McCain. There's no doubt that if he can't be the nominee himself, Thompson would want to see McCain get the nod (Thompson was one of McCain's chairmen in 2000) and a worst-case scenario for Thompson would be running, losing, and bringing McCain down with him. But interestingly he is pulling most of his support not from McCain, but from New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. that actually gives him an opportunity to have his cake and eat it, too. Not only could he run without hurting his friend, he could run and help his friend at the same time.

I've been watching The West Wing recently, and at the beginning of the second season Josh Lyman and Sam Seaborn are talking about the presumptive Democratic nominee John Hoynes. They meekly declare (or resign themselves to the fact that) of Hoynes, "He's our guy," with a clear sadness that they don't have anyone they can really rally behind (enter, of course, Martin Sheen). That's more-or-less how I feel about McCain, who (current polls notwithstanding) I believe to be the presumptive nominee. In many ways, Bush has become many of the things that I feared McCain would, so I don't have as much to fear in that area. Also, the McCain-Feingold damage is done so it's a moot issue for me. And there's a lot about McCain to like, notably that in 2000 he was the most serious of the four major candidates (Bush, Gore, Bradley, and McCain) about the deficit and he's a stubborn enough sunnuvagun that he might veto excessive spending, though that's a pretty tall order. The downside is that Bush himself has shown us some of the perils that come with stubbornness (though I think the upsides of his stubbornness, which were very real, have been forgotten by many and conservatives in particular). And there is the sense among many of us that he is the Natalie Maines of the Republican Party, always eager to make sure that outsiders understand that he's not like others of his ilk.

Where a potential Thompson candidacy seems most strong in the primary is that a lot more of us can point to him and say with at least a little enthusiasm, "He's our guy!" With Thompson we theoretically wouldn't have to worry about what's going to happen in the debates. We wouldn't have to worry that he'll mangle his sentences or come across as clueless or petty. If nothing else we know he can act his way through it. And unlike our current party leader, he exudes a certain authority that it's easier to rally behind. The question at this point is whether or not we would be able to get the rest of the country to rally behind him, too.