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Will The Actor Knock Out The Fraud?

A Thompson run would be a serious, possibly fatal, blow to the prospects of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who hopes to emerge (against either McCain or Giuliani) as the “conservative alternative.” Thompson would be a rival for that role, and the announcement of his candidacy would create at least a temporary boomlet that would […]

A Thompson run would be a serious, possibly fatal, blow to the prospects of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who hopes to emerge (against either McCain or Giuliani) as the “conservative alternative.” Thompson would be a rival for that role, and the announcement of his candidacy would create at least a temporary boomlet that would eclipse Romney if the former governor had not already increased his standing in key polls. ~Stuart Rothenburg

You have to appreciate the willingness of Republican voters to avoid the exhausting pursuit of authenticity.  In spite of the supposed yearning for the return of Reagan, Republicans have been only too happy to state considerable support for an occasional cross-dresser, a media darling, a monumental fraud, a stunning hypocrite and an actor.  It now seems to me (and Stuart Rothenburg) that Thompson should hurt Romney quite a lot if and when Thompson joins the race.  In the past, I have assumed that Fred Thompson’s candidacy was absurd and of no importance, but as I have since discovered his candidacy is only too viable and it is the democratic process that is truly and uncompromisingly absurd.   

The subtle and learned James Poulos believes Thompson’s candidacy does not hurt Romney.  Let me offer an explanation for why I now think this probably is the case.  First of all, there’s not enough room for two pretenders in the race.  Romney is pretending to be a conservative, and Fred Thompson the actor will be pretending that he is a viable candidate for President.  Thompson, as one skilled in the art of pretending, will do a much better job in his chosen role than Romney can do in his, so much so that otherwise sane people will buy Thompson’s candidacy when they will not buy Romney’s conservatism.  Where Thompson’s pretense will seem charming and endearing, Romney’s will continue to be seen as embarrassing and insulting to thinking people everywhere.  If you believe Dobson, Thompson is not really a Christian, but if true this also hurts Romney, who is also not really a Christian.  There is the possibility that Thompson threatens to undermine Romney in that pivotal “non-Christian conservative” voting bloc.  Thompson drives a pickup truck; Romney made his announcement surrounded by “cars and memories,” including his dad’s model compact car, the Rambler.  In the GOP primaries, the pickup truck beats the Rambler every day.  Thompson and Romney are both rich, but Romney’s entire persona screams “corporate robot,” while Thompson’s lawyer/actor past (which ought to make him completely untrustworthy) oddly makes him seem more accessible and, well, human.  Then there is the matter that Thompson is actually credible when he says he is pro-life, while Romney never will be.  Both of them are almost unhinged in their Persophobia, but again Thompson wins the contest because he has been seen on television in military uniform in a movie and Romney has not.

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