Over the weekend, the Associated Press reported that many on the Right were beginning to have second thoughts about Fred Thompson:
Prominent evangelical leaders who spent the summer hoping Fred Thompson would emerge as their favored Republican presidential contender are having doubts as he begins his long-teased campaign.
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Thompson's less-than-clear stance on a U.S. constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and his delay in entering the race are partly responsible for a sudden shyness among leading evangelicals.
AP reports Thompson came close to winning over the influential Arlington Group but some of its members have since cooled toward his campaign, which validates the rumors we noted last week:
"A month or two ago, I sensed there was some urgency for people to make a move and find a candidate," said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a Washington-based conservative Christian group. "Right now, I think people are stepping back a little and watching. The field is still very fluid."
In short, as desperate as the Right is to find a candidate it can rally around, they just don’t seem to be sure that Thompson is the one:
"He's got a real opportunity to be the most credible conservative candidate across the board," said Gary Bauer, a one-time presidential aspirant who heads the advocacy group American Values. "Whether he can put it all together remains to be seen. But he's got a real chance to emerge as the major conservative alternative to Giuliani."
Others are skeptical about whether Thompson can fill that role.
Rick Scarborough, a Southern Baptist preacher and president of Texas-based Vision America, said that while he is encouraged by Thompson's strong voting record in the Senate against abortion, he questioned the candidate's commitment to social issues.
"The problem I'm having is that I don't see any blood trail," Scarborough said. "When you really take a stand on issues dear to the heart of social conservatives, you're going to shed some blood in the process. And so far, Fred Thompson's political career has been wrinkle-free."
Of course, there is one right-wing leader who is absolutely convinced that Thompson would be just about the best candidate ever:
Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said Thompson's position is consistent with the former senator's support for limited federal government and giving power to the states.
Land said it is healthy that expectations for Thompson have diminished from unrealistic levels and he does not think evangelical excitement has dimmed for a man he described as a "masterful retail politician."
As Land stated several months ago, “I don‘t endorse candidates,” but that obviously doesn’t mean he can’t shower his candidate of choice with praise every opportunity he gets.
