Fred! Landslide?

Holman Jenkins has some kind words for Senator Fred Thompson in today's Political Diary, though he couches them (fairly) in concern for the campaign:

Fred Thompson is emerging as the policy intellectual of the Republican race, making all the sadder his lack of financing and organization.

His deconstruction of the country's health care woes was nothing short of impressive by campaign standards in the New Hampshire debate. Last night in South Carolina, he reframed the immigration argument with deft strokes, saying the problem of 12 million illegals would gradually solve itself if Washington gained control of the borders, gave employers a biometric way to confirm the legality of employees, etc. "If we did those things, we would have enforcement by attrition."

Translation: Stop worrying about those who are here. That's a backward-looking focus. His "high fences and wide gates," Mr. Thompson's expression of how immigration policy ought to be organized, hit just the right note.

His summary of the economy's current skittish state was also masterful and more complete than any other candidate's, concluding: "We would all be a lot better off if people knew that these tax cuts of '01 and '03 were not going to expire at the end of 2010, which they're scheduled to do."

Mr. Thompson's stage presence is what you'd expect from his risumi. His ability to speak persuasively about policy in paragraphs is the unexpected revelation. A focus group organized by pollster Frank Luntz for Fox News (which hosted last night's debate) began the evening with only two Thompson supporters. By the end, he was judged the winner in a landslide.

I was surprised at how firmly Thompson went after Gov. Huckabee last night. I'll agree he did well, but I do not see the landslide. He cemented his #2 spot on my list last night with a strong performance.

But Hizzoner showed some of the ideals that attracted me to him in the first place. To grow the economy by (he always counts on his fingers) "Reducing Taxes, Reducing Regulation, and Reducing Litigation."

The debate went a little over, and my TiVo cut out when he was giving his immigration answer. I'll assume it was bad, but my only choices are McCain and the Democrats. Thompson's "high fence and wide gates" is a good line -- I like the wide gates and the rest of ThreeSourcers like the high fence. The South Carolinians wanted red meat on immigration. My train has left the GOP station.

In the end, I see Mayor Giuliani and Senator Thompson as having supply-side economics sufficiently hard wired to ensure my support, Senator McCain doesn't get it. But he would be a great Commander in Chief, is a man of great integrity, and most closely matches me on trade and immigration.

Governors Romney and Huckabee continue to slip. Both have too much faith in government, and now Governor Romney is responding to Huckabee's success by becoming "Huck Lite," letting populism creep in to his rhetoric. Huckabee is hopeless, but got the biggest applause lines out of the crowd in Myrtle Beach.

I commented below about Rep. Paul. Who cares about the newsletters. I will be happy not voting for him because he is ready to throw Israel to the wolves. Yet he can't muster a libertarian position in immigration and thinks we are broke because we borrow.

2008 Race Posted by jk at January 11, 2008 12:59 PM