If Fred Thompson gave more speeches like the one tonight ...
He'd be the Republican nominee. The problem, of course, is that I don't think he wanted to be president. If you're willing to put your family, friends and entire life through this scrutiny, you had better want to be president.

My favorite part of the speech? Here.

Now our opponents tell you not to worry about their tax increases.

They tell you they are not going to tax your family.

No, they're just going to tax "businesses"! So unless you buy something from a "business", like groceries or clothes or gasoline ... or unless you get a paycheck from a big or a small "business", don't worry ... it's not going to affect you.

But it does. It always does, and I'm thrilled someone finally said it.

I'm a huge Joe Lieberman fan, but his speech couldn't match Thompson's. Joe's never struck me as a great public speaker. But he made a good appeal to centrist Democrats and independents.

The message I received from tonight?

"You won't be voting for a Republican. You'll be voting for John McCain."

I'm not sure if it will work. I still think McCain's chances are a longshot. But we'll see. I'm rarely right on these things.

One quick note on Sarah Palin:

Leave her family alone. If you're a member of MSNBC or something, just imagine it's John Edwards.