Fred Thompson Makes the Best Case for John McCain, But...

After watching former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson give the keynote address on Tuesday night at the Republican Convention, one comes away wondering where all that fire power was when Mr. Thompson ran in the Republican primary earlier this year. Senator Thompson's speech is the first rousing speech at the Republicans' show to nominate Senator John McCain for president of the United States. Even President Bush's address via satellite was rather flat and lifeless, which is not surprising, judging from the tenuous relations between the President and Senator McCain, dating back to Mr. Bush's campaign's hostile treatment of the senator during the 2000 Republican primary season. John McCain did not really want Mr. Bush on the floor of the convention, and with the satellite deal, the Republican candidate can somewhat dodge the "McCain-Bush twain" mockery from Democratic quarters.

Senator Thompson, the former actor, took the stage and took the delegates for a ride. He gave a narrative of Senator McCain's life that succeeded in painting a much more graphic portrait than even the videos of the McCain's life shown at the convention into its second day. I was simply moved by Mr. Thompson's presentation of the presidential candidate. One might even say, Thompson introduces McCain better than McCain himself is capable of doing. It was an A+ speech that underscored the generational military service of the McCain clan, stretching as back to the 19th century, and as current as deployment in Iraq. Thompson narrated McCain's 5-year torture-laden captivity in Vietnam with the touch of a master story teller, punctuating every little important detail, yet holding the greater theme of service and "Country First" right before the nation's eyes.

Simply put, Senator Thompson's portrait of Senator McCain seemed to have lit the flame of pure patriotism in the hearts of all grateful and proud Americans, especially the delegates assembled at St. Paul.

Yes, Senator Thompson did manage to slip through some red meat for partisan Republicans by taking numerous jabs at the Obama-Biden Democratic ticket. He poked fun at Obama's inexperience and the Democrat's tendency towards higher taxes on businesses, which Thompson humorously pointed out will affect everyday Americans. It was amazing how Mr. Thompson tactfully wove all that together, especially with the added bonus of making it hard to tell if the speaker was reading from a teleprompter. Simply brilliant.

Nevertheless, like the thematic banners and background images displayed at the Republican Convention, Mr. Thompson's speech missed the boat in no small way by sticking almost exclusively to a national security genre. American voters have made it clear in no uncertain terms that this presidential election is not going to be primarily decided on which candidate will do a better job at defending America against terrorists and other enemies. The real bump in the road for the "Country First" security-minded Republican Convention is that we already have a president of McCain's kindred spirit in the White House right now, a president who is as militant about national security as any patriotic American can get. Yet there is no real proof that America is more secure now under President Bush than when he first took office. Except for the vague explanation, "There has not been another attack since 911," there is no solid evidence that our nation's security has improved under G.W. Bush.

So one big question begs to be answered: What will President McCain do to secure America that President Bush has not done, or is not currently doing? And if President McCain will do nearly or exactly the same things that President Bush has done for our national security, then how can Candidate McCain still contend that electing him to succeed Mr. Bush represents bringing change to Washington?

Thus, while it is true that Fred Thompson succeeded in making the best case for McCain as the war hero, who has served this country his entire adult life, it may be the wrong case that Senator Thompson has laid out in such a strong way. It's like going in the wrong direction at a faster speed; you may get there quicker, but you'll soon find out it's not the destination you desired.

Unless the remaining two days of the Republican Convention makes a U-Turn and puts the spotlight on the economy, rather than mention economic issues in passing, like using partisan attack lines about "tax and spend" liberals, the McCain-Palin ticket may be in for an ice-cold shower on November 4th. According to poll after poll, when millions of Americans choose a president on that day, they won't be thinking so much of Osama bin Laden as they will be about runaway foreclosures, unemployment, the rising cost of health care and college, bank closings, less money for the family's groceries, alternative energy that will eventually wean America off of petroleum, and other bread-and-butter matters.

While securing America remains an important agenda for whoever will be elected president, the majority of American voters have made it known that a Democratic administration will do just as good a job defending and protecting this land of liberty as a Republican one will. What Americans doubt is that whether a Republican president will do any better to turn this economy around than the current administration has done. Right now, it seems like Democrats have the edge when it comes to the question of, "Who is more likely to improve the economy for the folk on Main Street?". Until the Republican ticket can make a strong case that McCain-Palin will do a better job at restoring the economy to health, I'm afraid the war-hero path may not lead to Pennsylvania Avenue for the Republicans, not this year.

Senator McCain has admitted that the economy is not his strong suit. The time may be ripe for the senator to change suits. But even if Mr. McCain chooses to remain in his military suit, that should not take away from Mr. Thompson's great speech about his one-time rival for the Republican nomination.