Fred Thompson speaks

this guy at Time thought it would be good for McCain to do something like this; a 2 minute direct address to Americans for one last "vote for me" push.

Only problem is that I thought the worst part was at the end. McCain is already doing the fear/negative attacks and it's not working, because a lot of people are already in a lot of trouble. Most have lost money, their homes, their healthcare, their jobs....it's already bad. It is also weakened slightly because because Republicans are always telling you not to vote for Democrats (same way Dems say it the other way). I also have a hard time thinking of people that admire Fred Thompson, hate the idea of an "extreme liberal agenda" and are still undecided.

The main positive I saw is that it brings up the good qualities in McCain that have been absent the past few weeks, and reminding people of those never hurts.

@ dean2:  I couldn't disagree more.  I picture Thompson as a talking bassett hound.

I quite like Thompson's formulation of conservatism in this video:

"Responsible change is the essence of conservatism. We must change in order to preserve what's best about our country. We've always been able to accomodate change without turning our back on our first principles."

I find that element of conservatism--the more dispositional side of conservatism--to be underdiscussed and underemphasized, in the present day. It's a bit abstract, but I think that if the rapid change of an Obama Administration is met with disappointment, this type of view might have more of an audience.

With that in mind, if he were interested, I'd be happy to see Fred Thompson as RNC Chair. I don't know if he would want that kind of role.

 As he was in his speech at the Convention, Fred was very effective and persuasive here.  Senator Thompson's popularity and gravitas remain intact and he should not be overlooked or underestimated for 2012.  Fred and Jeri want it really bad and they have a plan to get in earlier and are raise their profiles should there  be an opening.  However, I feel that if Palin decides that she wants the nomination, that Fred will stand down in 2012.  Palin has a very compelling claim to 2012 being 'her turn.'

 Please help promote these videos.  I want conservatives to learn to use the Internet as a weapon laden with facts.

The media does not manufacture gaffes, the candidates deliver them.  The McCain Palin choice has had a "Kick Me" sign on it's back since the beginning.  The media can't steer clear (exception Fox) of them.  It's a gaffe factory.

Thompson's "fear the enemies" "thirty years of experience" does not work in a post cold war globalized world.  McCain has thirty years of experience in a world that does not exist anymore. He does not have the mental elasticity to embrace what's happening in the world.  The party's ideals can be employed in the next election and beyond, but the party must cleave from the past (McCain and Thompson) and categorically avoid dancing with a popular zombie (Palin).  If she is the new guard, the party will face obliteration.   Likability must be accompanied by genuine competent knowledge of national and global issues.  It also needs to embrace basic English grammar if gaffes have anything to do with where the party finds itself today.