Former Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.), a supporter of Romney, tells me that he doesn’t share the pessimistic view of 2008 that many Republicans hold. “I believe that this cycle is going to be very similar to 1992,” he says. “That year, it was all about changing Washington. That’s why Clinton won, and Republicans gained ten seats in the House.”

This, of course, feeds right into his message that Mitt Romney is the outsider, the candidate most distant from Washington, who can change the way things there are done. I don’t buy it, but it’s always a pleasure talking with Talent.

Then the Thompson commercial comes up on Fox. All I can say is, “Why couldn’t he show up?”