Fred Thompson, speaking in London, at the Policy Exchange think tank:

Back in the U.S., we’re able to watch the House of Commons’ “Prime Minister’s Question Time,” which Mr. Brown will now endure. I’ve thought that America needed a weekly question and answer period between the President and Congress. But in the past few months I’ve decided it isn’t such a good idea.

I’m a little unclear on who that joke was directed at. Bush? Pelosi and Reid? Himself, because he doesn’t want to be subjected to questions from Congress?

During the Q&A, Fred said that he expects Petraeus to report “mixed results… progress in Anbar, progress in Baghdad, but it’s gonna take longer.” Video here.

Beyond that, it’s a very strong speech, clearly trying to evoke a grand, sweeping vision of the U.S.-U.K. relationship.

Having said that, I stick by the interpretation of my Thompson guy over the Politico’s sources, that this is Thompson fulfilling a pledge to appear that was set up long before his not-quite-campaign caught fire… No candidate for the American Presidency in his right mind unveils his foreign policy at a think tank in London.

UPDATE: Next on Fred’s date list? Bibi Netanyahu.