Republican Presidential Candidate former Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) has pulled out of participating in the Republican Debate in Boca Raton, Florida scheduled for later this week on MSNBC.
Is this a harbinger of things to come? If so, I believe that the end has come too soon for Fred.
As a Romney supporter I have always felt common cause with Thompson's campaign, as both Fred and Mitt have been sounding similar themes (if differing a little bit on the margins), and believe the media template of his candidacy has been unfair and has ill-served the greater cause of informed democracy. I think, in the end, Fred has been campaigning "over the heads" of the drive-by media and our fast food, sound bite populace. Fred has run a thoughtful and meaningful campaign based on ideas, and his supporters have carried themselves with dignity and have been a credit to the Party and to their candidate. I think Fred's presence in the race has helped drive the debate and forced other candidates, including Governor Romney, to stay true to conservative principles and not stray off into McCain/Huckabee style heterodoxies.
If this is indeed the end of the Thompson candidacy, that leaves his West Virginia supporters with an important decision to make in the lead-up to the state convention: to whom to throw their support.
I'd like to ask all those Thompson delegates reading this to consider supporting Governor Romney at the state convention. "Full spectrum" conservatives --social, economic, and foreign policy-- can rally around Governor Romney. In the next two weeks, we'll be working hard to earn your support.
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