Interest in Thompson's Bid Skyrockets

As the news came out yesterday that Fred Thompson would be joining the presidential race in July, it became pretty clear that GOP activists have not been happy with the current field of candidates. One of Thompson's staffers is seeing the reaction first hand:

One of America’s busiest guys these days is Mark Corallo of Corallo Comstock Inc. in Alexandria. He’s the media strategist and former Justice Department public affairs director who is the public voice of Fred Thompson’s prospective presidential campaign. A few hours after The Politico reported on Wednesday morning that the actor and former senator was moving swiftly toward declaring his candidacy, Corallo e-mailed: “The response is unreal. Total explosion. Can’t keep up with the incoming. Received over 300 e-mails from people who want to contribute and/or volunteer. Drinking from the fire hose.”

Corallo said that by day's end, he had more than 500 inquiries.

You think yesterday was big...just wait.

I was listening to Hugh Hewitt on the way home yesterday and he's of the opinion that when voters see Fred Thompson, they'll just see another George Bush. Another Southerner. It won't look like a change (as opposed to Giuliani or Romney). I couldn't disagree more. Thompson is infinitely more eloquent than Bush and certainly a bigger presence. He does not appear to fit in the "compassionate conservative" mold which has driven Bush to greatly increase the size of the federal government and back such nonsense as the immigration bill, the Medicare prescription drug benefit, and McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform. Being compassionate is one thing, but being stupid is another, and I don't think those moves by Bush were particularly smart.

Thompson is not Reagan, but he's the most Reaganesque candidate in the field (or about to be in the field), and I think GOP voters will respond to that in a big way. Look for some major donors previously committed to other candidates to bolt for Thompson once he's in.