Fred Thompson and fans of his continue to spar with the Politico, this time over the headline to a piece, “Resignation Greets Thompson’s Third Place.” They contend the video shows lots of fight and vigor still in Fred, with no sign of ‘resignation” among his supporters. Fred-friendly Erick at Redstate wonders who runs the publication.

A Fred fan e-mails me:

Aside from Fred getting in the upper teens, last night’s result (Romney getting whipped) is probably the best thing that could’ve happened for Fred Thompson’s campaign. Why? Because if Romney does indeed lose New Hampshire and thus tanks(I don’t think he can lose New Hampshire and then do well in the South), the Romney supporters have to go somewhere, and I think they go mostly to Fred.

I could see that happening, but I don’t know how much I would bet on it. Candidates don’t usually look for reasons to quit and quite the opposite, they look for any thin reed of hope as justification for fighting on. Even if Romney gets blown out in New Hampshire, he’ll continue to make at least a “last stand” on semi-home territory in Michigan. If he has even modest success in either of those states, he’ll figure he might was well fight on in South Carolina and Florida, and then take his chances on Super Duper Tuesday, betting that he can afford to run a national campaign in the run-up to that day and that no one else will…

Now, maybe Romney’s supporters will look at disappointing finishes, conclude their first choice doesn’t have a chance, and look around for other options – and I figure they won’t flip to Huckabee. But I think as long as Romney’s saying “I’m still in it,” he’ll only lose his supporters on the margins.