Fred is gaining, all's right with the world

From The LA Times:

WASHINGTON -- Republicans antsy for a conservative standard-bearer in the presidential race have begun to rally behind Fred Thompson, propelling the former Tennessee senator to within hailing distance of the lead for the party's nomination, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll has found.

Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani holds first place in the survey, with support from 27% of the Republicans and independents who said they plan to vote in the party's 2008 primaries.

But Thompson, an actor who plays a prosecutor on NBC's "Law and Order," runs just behind, with 21%. Indications are he will join the race within the next month.

The two other major GOP contenders, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, fall well short of the leaders and are in a battle for third place. McCain was backed by 12% of those polled, Romney by 10%. The rest of the crowded field is mired in single digits.

There are those who believe that because Fred is not number one at this time that he has lost his shot at the nomination. That view assumes that every Republican primary voter is thoroughly engaged, aware and plugged in at the present time.

That is a false assumption (we do know what happens when we assume don't we, we make an ASS of U and ME).

The truth is that most of the folks who will turn out to vote on primary day are not even paying attention yet. This is a mistake on their part because the new front-loaded primary schedule means that the nominee will be selected by the end of next February, but people act upon what they believe the truth to be, not what it actually is.

What this poll tells us is that McCain and Romney do not stand a chance, much less the third tier candidates like Huckabee and Hunter and that there is massive dissatisfaction with Julie Annie.

All Fred has to do is not say that he is for a "woman's right to choose", not for gun control or higher taxes and get through public appearences without drooling on himself and he has the nomination.

Absent the usual live boy or dead girl, of course.