Categorical Aperitif

Looks like we have some empirical verification of Matt Taibbi's thesis about the soporific qualities of Lobbyist Fred Thompson—though thankfully it looks like he may be a little too soporific for his own political good:

NEVADA, Iowa, Oct. 3 — Twenty-four minutes after he began speaking in a small restaurant the other day, Fred D. Thompson brought his remarks to a close with a nod of his head and an expression of thanks to Iowans for allowing him to “give my thoughts about some things.”

Then he stood face to face with a silent audience.

“Can I have a round of applause?” Mr. Thompson said, drawing a rustle of clapping and some laughter.

“Well, I had to drag that out of you,” he said.

Hey, how can you not get fired up about a guy who says earth-shattering things like this?

“On prosperity, I have a real novel approach, a real creative approach,” he said in Coralville the other night. “Let’s continue doing what works and quit doing what doesn’t work in this country. Tax cuts work.”

Turning to what he said would be a second priority of a Thompson administration, he said, “High, high, high on our lists of concerns for anybody who would think about becoming president of the United States is the security of this nation.”

Could it be that even Republicans are getting tired of simplistic mantras and trite clichés—even when they're gnomically uttered by serious-looking daddy-men who theoretically reek of cigars and Aqua Velva?

There may be hope for us yet.