Well, Bob Novak thinks so. Here are some of his observations from this week's Evans/Novak Political Report:...The hype over former Sen. Fred Thompson has some substance to it, as the actor-politician has already begun approaching experienced campaign hands in key states. Thompson already evokes the obvious comparison to Ronald Reagan because of his profession.
Thompson effectively embraced the Republican right when he ran for and entered the U.S. Senate. From the perspective of the Republican Party's conservative base, he stacks up well against each of the "Big Three" leading Republican candidates. His voting record (lifetime American Conservative Union rating: 86%) in the Senate is more conservative than that of Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain (lifetime ACU rating: 82%), none of his position-switches are nearly as bad or as recent as those of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), and nothing in his background is as negative as that of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R).
Given enough money, Thompson could make a good run at it by tearing down the conservative credentials of the "Big Three" and then building himself up as a tax-cutting, pro-life former senator. His acting role on "Law & Order" does not hurt, either.
Although he remains at the top of the second-tier candidates, Kansas Republican Sen. Sam Brownback's third-place finish in the CPAC straw poll was impressive considering he spent less than $2,000 organizing for the event. All but four of his 40 student volunteers paid their own way. Romney finished first in the poll with 21 percent, followed by Giuliani at 17 percent, and then Brownback at 15 percent.
Romney reportedly spent more than $300,000 in organizing for the event and transporting, registering and housing volunteers. Brownback's backers assert that if the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., hadn't been on spring break, Brownback could have beaten Giuliani.
