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As has been reported elsewhere today, Fred Thompson's mother is gravely ill right now. Our prayers ought to be with Sen. Thompson, his mother, his wife, and their family. This must be a very difficult time for them. All of this political stuff is of only secondary importance right now.

That said, here is what I would do, politically, if I were Thompson: I would just lay low. Just wait. See what happens in Louisiana's caucuses tomorrow. See what happens in Florida next week. See who drops out of the race at some point. And then consider reviving my campaign, full force, once the field is narrower. The likelihood is that Thompson would win in a one-on-one contest vs. ANY of the remaining candidates, and he might even win pluralities in a three-way race. Even after Super Tuesday, there will still be nearly half of the delegates to be awarded. And, depending on what happens in Florida, the chances of a brokered convention look increasingly realistic (not yet LIKELY, but definitely more and more possible). If he enters the convention on a roll, having won several of the later contests, he could still emerge as a consensus choice.

Meanwhile, though, none of this matters in the here and now. What matters is Sen. Thompson's family. May God be with them and bless them.