I continue to believe that a Giuliani-Thompson ticket would be an excellent thing. They have complimentary areas of expertise and experience. One is tough and energetic, the other paternal and comforting. One is thoroughly urban. The other conveys that small town folksy thing, despite all the sophistication of a Washington player. (That’s a good thing.) Neither has quite as perfect a personal life as we would like — but Hillary doesn’t either. And they aren’t financially corrupt. According to my friend Barbara Ledeen, Thompson is uniquely qualified to upend the nonperforming bureaucratic cultures at State, CIA and DoD, given his years of hard work on oversight committees. I think Rudy has the energy and the combativeness to encourage those fights. I could go on.

I could also, if I were so inclined, outline the case against Fred. I am not so inclined right this minute — but I will say that it starts with the culture of Tennessee Republicans. Have you ever seen one that was really a conservative? Howard Baker? Bill Frist? Lamar! (Leading Iraq “moderate”; anti-school choice Secretary of Education). It’s a funny place, Tennessee. You would think it would be really conservative by nature, but it produces squishes.

Fred, however, seems to be as conservative as we are going to get. And he can articulate the rationale for things exceptionally well, in a way that invites citizens to really listen. I think he would make a perfect Vice President.