Can this man save the Republican party?

Image from DailyKos.

This is Fred Thompson, who is maybe running for the Republican nomination for president. A lot of Republicans are really excited about him for one or more of the following reasons:
  1. He's a former Senator, which makes him stand out so well against all the other candidates.
  2. He plays a tough character on Law & Order, and Republicans can't distinguish between fiction and reality (e.g. they think we should torture people because it works on 24). Glenn Greenwald has a good analysis of this phenomenon re: Fred Thompson.
  3. He's an actor, and Republicans are so infatuated with Reagan that anyone who shares even the most irrelevant traits with him is seen as "the next Reagan".
  4. The other 10 Republican candidates suck so bad the Republicans would embrace Al Sharpton at this point if he was willing to put an "R" after his name and pander on a few issues a la Mitt Romney.
I never understood why the imprimatur "AS SEEN ON TV!" carried such weight with the American consumer. But maybe it will work with Republican primary voters. I like this Kos quote on the matter:
It really is hilarious how right-wingers can whip themselves up into a frenzy about "Liberal Hollywood", but shriek like little girls when a Hollywood celebrity winks at them.
Just in case you, too, may be catching Thompson fever, here's some ibuprofin for you:
WALLACE: What would you do now in Iraq?

THOMPSON: I would do essentially what the president's doing.

Ouch. I think even Iowa Republican caucus goers don't want that: this poll says that 54% of Iowa Republicans want us to withdraw completely within 6 months (HT: Sullivan). Yes, 54% of Iowa Republicans.

The guy is also "pro-traditional marriage", but married to someone who is 4 years younger than his own daughter. Here they are (that's his current wife, not his daughter):

Image from CBS.

Eeew! I wonder what "tradition" marrying someone younger than your daughter comes from? I hereby forbid either of my parents from ever marrying anyone younger than me. And if they do, I will do everything in my power to see to it that they do not get elected President. Or even receive the Republican nomination.

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