FRED!

I've steered clear of presidential politics for far the most part, but last night I watched Fred Thompson declare his candidacy for the President on The Tonight Show and I am impressed. Fred Thompson is such a clear and confident speaker that you can't help but feel he is going to say and do what he thinks is right regardless of what the pundits -or anyone else for that matter- thinks.

For example, it was virtually unanimous among the talking heads (even those who liked Thompson) that it was a very bad idea for him to wait so long to announce his candidacy when everyone else had announced nearly a year before. He would not be able to raise enough funds, he'd be behind on the campaign trail, he's missing all the debates, etc. Yet everyone I know thinks the process is too drawn out, campaigning for president starts virtually on the day after the last election. Thompson argued that this was the right time because it was traditional for Presidential Candidates to wait until after Labor Day to make their pronouncement. So that was what he did, pundits be damned (my words, not his).

Kudos to Thompson, I'm not giving a full endorsement yet, but I am happy to see a conservative man of integrity enter the race.

Also - I loved this response that Thompson gives to Michael Moore about the supposed health care crisis in the US and how much better Cuba's health care is. Notice the Cuban Cigar!