Grandpa Knows Best

Took him long enough:

Fred Thompson formally launches his White House bid today, focusing less on what he stands for than what he'll try to represent: a deep-voiced conservative who instills confidence and looks more like a president than the other eight candidates.

In short, he's trying to become the conservative version of Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama, who has talked dismissively of policy plans and focused his campaign on "hope" and "change" and getting past the partisan divisions that have wracked Washington for decades.

Mr. Thompson's first campaign television ad -- scheduled for broadcast last night in the middle of yet another Republican debate he was skipping -- centered on the slogan "Security, Unity, Prosperity." Also, in a taped appearance on NBC's "Tonight Show," Mr. Thompson told host Jay Leno, "I'm running for president of the United States."

I think even the punditry, with the exception of Margaret Carlson, has thrown in the towel on Grandpa Fred. After all, this comic put it best: