The American Spectator

The Spectacle Blog

I also tuned in to watch Fred Thompson being interviewed by Sean Hannity. The news portion of the interview was that Thompson announced his new website, I'mWithFred.

After watching two hours of Republicans answer tough questions, I thought Thompson's performance was a dud. If I didn't know going in that he was considered a top tier presidential candidate, I would have thought of him as just another talking head. He was fine at laying out a lot of the problems and challenges we face that he said people aren't really talking about correctly or don't comprehend (Iran, the War on Terror, globalization, entitlements, etc.) but he didn't offer any solutions to those problems or make any sort of case for why he thinks he might be the person best suited to solve them. Say what you want about Romney, McCain, and Giuliani, but they point to specific accomplishments of theirs to make the argument that they are the most qualified to lead the nation at this time. When Rudy Giuliani complains about government not working, he can credibly say, as he did in tonight's debate, "I turned around New York City, I can turn around Washington." For all of the hoopla surrounding Thompson, neither he nor any of his fans have made the case for what he has tangibly done that recommends him for the highest office in the land. Obviously, it's early, and he hasn't even announced he's running yet. But now that it seems apparent that he intends to run, it's showtime--and he has to offer more than just more folksy outsider schtick.

topics:
Entitlements, Iran