[alloysteel]

Fred Thompson is like an experienced diamond cutter studying the objective, to try to make the determination of the exact point at which the diamond shall be cleaved, to obtain the maximum value.

Diamonds don’t just split into world-class gems by themselves, you know. They are shaped and given their unique character by carefully chipping away the faults and creating the most highly accepted and desired conformation.

We all have a pretty good idea of what Fred would propose to do, were he President, and he is looking for the right path to reach that juncture.

[#1CTYankee]

Well put.

I find this part of the article worth noting

"Mr Deaver’s intervention is significant. He is very close to Mr Reagan’s widow, Nancy, and is seen as the keeper of the Reagan flame."

[Always Right]

Fred Thompson is like an experienced diamond cutter studying the objective

I don't think it is that scientific. There are commercial and legal reasons why Fred is waiting. Besides, Fred's got the momentum and has no reason to announce too soon. In the age of the internet, the game is much different.

[LS]

I'm for Fred, and I've written Zach Wamp about getting involved at a high level, but I'm here to tell you, "diamond" crap notwithstanding, he is running out of time. There will be a point VERY SOON where it will be impossible for someone to get in and mobilize for the primaries, now just about 10 months away.

I worked on the Blackwell campaign, and Ken was over a year out, just for a governor's race, making stops in every major town in Ohio---and he still got creamed. It's a huge effort, and I'm concerned that Fred is dallying.

[Old_Mil]

We all have a pretty good idea of what Fred would propose to do, were he President

We do? I don't. In fact, what I see about Fred is a little bit of the "cult of personality" type of buzz that surrounded the early days of the Ghouliani campaign before he was outed as a liberal democrat. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't vote for Thompson in a general, but compared to what is out there on Rudy/McCain/Romney/Hunter/Tancredo his policy positions are less well delineated. I've heard it said (without confirmatory evidence I might add) that he ran as a pro-abortion candidate in 96? What about his stand on the illegal immigration problem? The gay agenda? I'm a babies, guns, god, gays, illegals, taxes voter, and all six of those positions are ones I'm not willing to compromise.