In a tight race, Thompson's got the goods

There are few people more profoundly different from me than Sen. Fred Thompson.

I am, or so I have been told, a high-energy New York Italian-American. He is a laid-back Tennessean. I root for the Yankees. He couldn't find Yankee Stadium even if his plow horse knew the way up the Major Deegan blindfolded. I come to an opinion quickly. Fred takes his time to look at all sides, study the implications, review the options and then proceed with the dedicated focus of a laser.

He is what New Yorkers may describe as "folksy," and by doing so they miss a very complex and driven individual. Woven within his personality is an intellect that permits him to make decisive, tough, insightful decisions. Behind that disarming Tennesseean drawl is a genuine, warm and caring American who also has the energy, steely will and political skills to be the winning Republican standard bearer for president of the United States.

The upcoming primary process won't be easy for any of the contestants. Smart and capable, New York's Rudy Giuliani has a head start in the polls and fund raising. Sen. John McCain is a genuine American hero and a patriot. Gov. Mitt Romney is articulate and passionate about his politics.

But Fred Thompson can win.

In a swirling, complex campaign that will be about issues including the defense of our nation in an era of terrorism, a successful policy for energy independence, health care at a time when the baby boomers are marching on Social Security and the overall strengthening of our economy, Thompson has captured the essence of what we are in search of as a nation. He has written, "We are steeped in the tradition of honor and sacrifice for the greater good. We are proud of this heritage. I believe that Americans are once again ready to achieve this greater good: which is nothing less than the security, prosperity and unity of our country."

It's a platform that speaks not to regions but to a nation. It is a position that sweeps aside the traditional political labels and addresses the concerns of every American. Thompson resonates with our presidential constituency in a manner unseen since Ronald Reagan. I know because I ran on the same ticket as President Reagan and saw the power of his Republican coalition up close and personal. Thompson has acquired that mantle.

As Republicans, we will be faced with difficult primary choices " no candidate will match our own political ideology perfectly. Some in New York find Thompson too conservative for their taste, but I can tell you from personal experience that a Conservative endorsement is nothing less than strategic in building your political base for success at the polls. The real question that must be asked is which candidate most closely mirrors your own position and which one of our party's primary hopefuls can take on, and beat, the opposition.

It is a lesson national Democrats continue to misjudge, as evidenced by the likes of Michael Dukakis as a prior Democratic presidential candidate.

In the months to come, some very good, very smart and very dedicated Republicans will be engaged in a marathon run for primary wins across the country. They are all made of tough metal. We need to ask ourselves: Who can capture the gold?

My vote's for Thompson.

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