Republican and Conservative political analysis and commentary

The Chattanooga Free Press endorses Fred Thompson for president, even though he isn't running yet (officially, wink wink). That's the lead item in The Daily Fred for today, April 10.

The Free Press editorialists are attracted to Thompson because of his character rather than his ambition, saying...

"It is significant that while there are many actively seeking the presidency of the United States, there is one outstanding individual who is not -- but is being sought because he has demonstrated many unique qualities of sound principle, possesses wisdom gained from proved experience, has admirable qualities of character and has displayed a cooperative spirit of good will that could inspire a great majority of Americans to unify enthusiastically to elect him."

Now onto the rest of today's Daily Fred...

...In Tennessee, the Tennessean newspaper reports on a statewide poll that found that Thompson "is by far the most popular potential presidential candidate among Tennessee Republican voters, with 45 percent of those surveyed making him their top choice.

That the former GOP senator would get top billing in his home state is not a surprise. What's surprising is his lead over possible opponents and the magnitude of support for a man who has only hinted at a run, said pollster Matt Towery of InsiderAdvantage. In a poll the group conducted for the Washington-based Southern Political Report newsletter, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the front-runner nationally among Republicans seeking the presidency next year, was listed by 15 percent as their top choice. Next was former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 11 percent and Arizona Sen. John McCain at 10 percent. "Fred Thompson is performing well in every poll in the sense he is unannounced," Towery said.

Mitt Romney isn't in the top-three in Tennessee when Fred's in the race, even though he secured a lot of early endorsements and fund-raising help in Tennessee after former Sen. Bill Frist decided not to run. That's significant. I have to wonder if U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, might be privately thinking of how she can climb down from her rather lofty position in the Romney campaign and get on board the Thompson Train.

...Boston Globe columnist Peter Cannellos weighs in on Thompson.

...George Will says Thompson is "hardly a conservative dreamboat" - and focuses on Thompson's votes more than a decade ago for the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform.

...But A.C. Kleinheider explains why Will is wrong.

I'm with ACK over Will on this one - Thompson only voted for McCain-Feingold, he didn't author it, and more recently has indicated recently he sees its problems and might be open to scrapping it in favor of "no limits" and full, immediate online disclosure. Voting for McCain-Feingold won't hurt Thompson in this race. Defending McCain-Feingold, as McCain still does, would, though it wouldn't hurt Thompson as much as it harms McCain because, A) he didn't author the legislation, and, B), McCain is mistrusted by conservatives for many reasons other than McCain-Feingold.

...The Left hates the thought of Fred Thompson being the Republican nominee. That's why big leftist blogs like MyDD are going after Thompson with posts like this one asserting that Thompson once was pro-choice. Thompson, of course, has a solidy pro-life voting record as a U.S. Senator, so the charge isn't going to go far.

...Politik Ditto comments on the Left's growing attempts to smear Thompson.

 ...more to come...