George Will: Will Thompson Last Longer Than New Coke?

If I were a republican running for president, I wouldn't want George Will saying things like this about me.

Fred Thompson's plunge into the presidential pool -- more belly-flop than swan dive -- was the strangest product launch since that of New Coke in 1985. Then the question was: Is this product necessary? A similar question stumped Thompson the day he plunged.

. . .

He also is unfamiliar with the details of his own positions.

. . .

Thompson, contrary to his current memories, was deeply involved in expanding government restrictions on political speech generally and the ban on issue ads specifically. Yet he told Ingraham "I voted for all of it," meaning McCain-Feingold, but said "I don't support that" provision of it.

. . .

Which brings us to the financial implausibility of his late-starting campaign.

Suppose he does something unprecedented -- gets 100 people a day, from now until Jan. 1, to contribute the permitted maximum of $2,300. After subtracting normal fundraising costs and campaign overhead, he would still enter 2008 vulnerable to being outspent at least three-to-one by his major rivals.

It seems the republican savior may not be all he was cracked up to be. Other than a slight bump in the polls from a canned, bobble-head announcement video, he was doing better running for president when he was still thinking about running for president.