If Thompson runs — at least on paper — he has the potential to win the Republican nomination and the White House, unlike the other non-front-runners, who for one reason or another appear unlikely to make the cut as presidential material.
He could run as a common sense Washington outsider with Ronald Reagan-class communications skills. Thompson's name recognition is still limited, but his celebrity means his face recognition is unusually high and very favorable.
"He'd have instant credibility within the party and would be a very formidable candidate against any Democrat in November," said former U.S. Sen. and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, who is neutral in the nomination fight. "He has a very solid conservative record, but like Reagan, he has been able to charm many who may not agree with him on every issue."
Bob Beckel, who managed 1984 Democratic nominee Walter Mondale's campaign, called Thompson potentially a Democratic electoral nightmare because of his communications skills and ability to appeal to swing voters.
Courtesy of Peter A. Brown, QUINNIPIAC March 20, 2007
