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A friend of mine describes Fred Thompson as a "stud," but, for now, I'm not convinced.

While everyone is happy that he is well, I'm not one of those conservatives who is on the Thompson for President bandwagon ... not yet, anyway.  Heck, he's not even my favorite character on Law and Order ...

On April 24, I wrote ...

I keep trying to self-analyze exactly why I'm not buying into the Fred Thompson hype.

Logically, I would argue that 1. His popularity has more to do with discontent over the current crop of GOP candidates than with him, and 2. His record, while fine, is not substantially more conservative than the other candidates.

So it appears to me that the main thing a lot of conservatives like about him is ... style.

Ironically, this is precisely the area where (I believe) Thompson is weak. Let me explain...

And on April 25, I wrote ...

Over at NRO's the Corner, Ramesh Ponnuru writes:

Matt Lewis isn't sure it will wear well. But he gives, I think, short shrift to the way Thompson has managed to become a celebrity without losing his dignity. In our culture, that should count as an accomplishment.

I agree that Fred Thompson has become a dignified celebrity.  In all honesty, I'll admit to playing devil's advocate, a bit, when it comes to Thompson.  When I see everyone else in the movement drinking the Kool-Aid on someone, I get a little scared.  I don't think it's good to ordain anyone, just yet ...

"We had several days in there where we had South Carolina to ourself.  We made tremendous progress during those days."

"Thompson speaks the language of South Carolina, so he appeals across the geographic barriers other candidates are limited by."

“It’s like a homecoming in many respects ... It’s my neck of the woods … and my message is I’m the clear consistent conservative on the national scene that’s been there all along.”

"If you're weak on the issues that matter, you're left to start throwing mud -- and that's apparently what he's decided to do." 

"Momentum is there.  Fred Thompson's the one with the momentum coming out of the debate.  ... I think we've had the fire marshall come out two or three times to say we had over-flow crowds."  He adds:  "People appreciate consistency in South Carolina."

"...Friday Zen..."

Rasmussen: Huck holds nationally...

With just a week to go until the Iowa caucuses, the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll continues to show five Republican hopefuls in double digits nationally. In the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination, it’s Mike Huckabee at 20%, Rudy Giuliani 18%, John McCain 14%, Mitt Romney 13%, and Fred Thompson at 11% (see recent daily numbers). Ron Paul currently attracts 5% of Likely Republican Primary voters nationwide.

... That’s according to Sen. Fred Thompson’s Iowa Executive Director, Robert Haus, a self-proclaimed "fossil" of Iowa politics who has worked for candidates like Sen. Chuck Grassley, Bob Dole, and Steve Forbes.

Of course, Haus was referencing the endorsement Thompson recently picked up of popular conservative Iowa Congressman Steve King, and juxtaposing it with John McCain's endorsement by The Des Moines Register.

I talked to Haus while he was on the way to an event -- the fourth Thompson event of the day for him.  Haus was understandably upbeat, especially considering David Yepsen's column about Thompson today.

Haus tells me Thompson has been received quite well:

“I think, just based on the reception we’ve seen in the last 24 hours, it’s been nothing short of spectacular." 

“... It’s hoots and hollers and 'hell yeas' from the back of the room.  It’s almost Revivalesque.  It’s stuff we’re not used to in Iowa," says Haus.

He also tells me he's also surprised by the number of folks who are undecided, and the number of folks who are unhappy with the candidates they are currently supporting.

When asked to talk about organization, Haus is slightly less optimistic.  Regarding whether or not Thompson will have organizers in all 99 counties, Haus says they are working hard every day to build an organization:  “We’re going to build the ark until the rain starts," he quips.

He also notes that this year is unique, adding: “None of us have campaigned this hard over Christmas.”  This is true.  Most campaigns get a brief reprieval before the Cuacuses on say, January 17.  This year, of course, the caucus is on January 3.

One thing is clear:  Anyone watching Iowa had better not write Fred Thompson off just yet ...

Note: If you’re interested in Iowa politics, I recently also spoke with Romney’s Iowa Communications Director, Tim Albrecht

"What's your most treasured keepsake?"

Fred: "Trophy wife"

AP: "What's your lazy day activity?"

Fred: "Campaigning."

AP: Who's your favorite 20th-century president?

Fred: Martin Sheen (who played Josiah Bartlett in "The West Wing")

Thompson firmly believes he can play well with Evangelicals, sapping votes from their current favorite, Huckabee. He has been on the attack — trying to show holes in Huckabee's record both in press interviews and in a mailing that went out last week that accuses Huckabee of being weak on immigration.

"We've talked about immigration, we've talked about his record on taxes, we've talked about him wanting to lift the embargo against Castro and things like that and some of the stuff he switches his position on and some of the stuff he stays with," Thompson said.

He also had some pointed criticism of Romney. His campaign has labeled Romney a flip-flopper on social issues such as abortion and gay marriage. When asked if the negativity could turn off Iowa voters, Thompson replied: "If you're supposed to go to the presidential elections without talking about the issues and where people's positions on issues that would be news to me."

"Well, I won't be raising my hand, I assure you..." 

(Listen here)

"He's been a long opponent of the embargo against (Cuban President Fidel) Castro. He thinks we should lift the embargo against Castro, and I disagree with that," said Thompson, whose campaign put out a statement the day before attacking Huckabee on the issue.

...before Thompson's event, he told reporters in Miami that he has come to understand Cuban-Americans' perspective on the embargo and said as president he would veto any legislation attempting to lift it.

Thompson said that was a political move.

Not a bad idea to hitch himself to the Huckabee press-wagon in Miami, but couldn't he jump on a plane to Iowa right after? This morning, he was on the Glenn Beck Show, on which he didn't mention Iowa or being there, and I've heard nary a word about him since.

Beginning Monday, December 17, Thompson will launch a bus tour that will take him throughout the state...

"Iowa is critical to our campaign, and it may in fact be everything to our campaign," says one Thompson official. "If we don't do what we need to do in Iowa, it will be tough to compete effectively down the road."

Which begs the question: Why doesn't he just start living there today instead of waiting a week?

Thompson has said publicly that he needs to finish in the top three in Iowa. Campaign officials say that a strong third place finish--presumably behind new frontrunner Mike Huckabee and former frontrunner Mitt Romney--would likely give them enough momentum to survive New Hampshire and compete in South Carolina and beyond. A second place finish would be a victory. "Just when the interest is there the greatest, is when we'll be here the most."

"These are the kinds of things I've been talking about all of my life. Now, if the American people have other priorities, if they want someone who smiles a lot more than I do, or someone who is a better quipster than I am, who has no experience in these areas, that's for the American people to decide."

"I'm often asked why taxes are so high and government is so big. It's because the faith we have in local churches has become so small. If we'd been doing what we should have -- giving a dime from every dollar to help the widows, the orphans and the poor -- we now wouldn't be giving nearly 50 cents of every dollar to a government that's doing ... what we should have been doing all along."