Fred Thompson Creeps Me Out

In case you missed it, here is the video Fred Thompson opted to run during the last Republican presidential "debate." It further solidifies my impression that Fred Thompson seems like a creepy old man. He's like that guy in the neighborhood that everyone is scared of and when you hit your ball into his yard it turns out that he really is mean and he keeps your ball instead of giving you a new one signed by Babe Ruth like James Earl Jones would do. Oh, and then he burns down your house.

Here is my non-professional assessment of the Republican candidates, in no particular order.

1. Fred Thompson: (see above). His attack on Romney and Huckabee was strange. There is a sense that Romney is a little spineless with no core convinctions except that he should wear that special Mormon underwear. It just seems that some Republicans are hopeful that he will be their spineless weasal for 4-8 years. So what good did it do Thompson to point it out again? His attack on Huckabee was pretty anti-climatic. I mean, Huckabee was in the public spotlight for decades and that's the clip they chose? Wow, that's hot stuff! Thomspon breaks Reagan's 11th commandment and in so doing so, looks very foolish.

2. Rudy Giuiani: He's shown little regard for commandments 1-10, so breaking the 11th was not that difficult. I can't believe that after the stunning-and well deserved losses-in 2006 due to ethical "lapses" that Republicans are looking to this guy to be their standard bearer. The stories will continue to pour in about his conduct as mayor and he won't make it much past Florida, I hope.

3. Mitt Romney: He's trying to fight a war on two fronts (Huckabee and Rudy G.). Social conservatives have put their hope in a false Messiah with this guy. He will continue to do what is politically expendient for himself until no longer in the public eye, a time which won't come soon enough to suit me.

4. John McCain: I actually like John McCain. I wish Republicans weren't punishing him for his "mistakes" on the immigration issue. He's a genuinely decent man who seems to have no shot to do anything significant in the primaries.

5. Mike Huckabee. Huckabee resonates with people because he can articulate his positions well. I personally like him the best of all the Republican candidates. Huckabee is able to explain his policies and decisions in ways I always wished Buh would. Of course, there is a fear that he would demonstrate all the fiscal discipline of a Bush administration (none). Personally, I think that his willingness to consider expenidtures and revenues simultaneously makes him more appealing, not less. Too often, Republicans want to just focus on cutting revenue and Democrates want to focus on increasing expenditures. (Greenspan's new book offers a scathing critique on the squandered opportunities of the 90s. I'll try to write a post on that soon.)