A new horse in the stable

With a presidential stable of of old nags the Republicans are looking for a fresh filly. Is Fred Dalton Thompson that filly? Robert Novak says maybe:

Thompson's performance Tuesday night, with his remarks off the record, helped show why many Republican insiders are ready to support him. Thompson is winning straw polls at Republican conferences and running well in opinion polls mainly because of dissatisfaction, for varying reasons, with the three leading GOP candidates -- Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney. Thompson at the dinner confirmed the perception inside the party of his potential to be an extraordinary candidate.

Mitt Romney the ultimate flip flopper and a Mormon cultist, John McCain is senile and Rudi Giuliani is - well, Rudi Giuliani. So Fred probably looks pretty good. My friend The GTL™ sums is up pretty well:

I think I’ve just figured out why the neoconservatives want this guy to run for President so badly: he uses his full middle name just like serial killers do. Not just “Fred” Thompson, but “Fred Dalton” Thompson. Staying the course in the “Big Oil and Nation Buildin’ Bidness” will require somebody with a serial killer’s mentality, so I applaud the neoconservatives for encouraging the use of Mr. Thompson’s FULL middle name…

Of course Mr Thompson's biggest problem will be how to distance himself from George W. Bush without distancing himself from George W. Bush. If he does too much distancing he can't win the Republican primary but if he doesn't distance himself enough he can't win the general election. So Fred Dalton Thompson are you ready for the Kabuki Dance.