Does Fred Thompson Have A Strategy?

Fred Thompson is in danger of becoming little more than a favorite son candidate from Tennessee.

Seriously, does he have a strategy?

Where is Thompson going to make his stand? In Iowa polls he's in fourth place. We don't see him improving on that, although he could slip to fifth before it's all over.

In New Hampshire, Thompson is in fourth or fifth place, depending on the poll you read. Ron Paul may beat Fred in the Granite State.

In South Carolina, Fred has slipped to third, after a couple polls showing him with narrow leads. And he's not doing any better in any other early states, such as Florida and Michigan. (A Nevada poll that is now a month old had Thompson in second there, but we suspect he's slipped out west as well since then.)

The Law and Order star better get moving--if he finishes third or worse in the first five contests, he's toast. If we were Thompson, and facing the numbers he's facing, we'd put all our eggs in South Carolina and declare that we're going to win the Palmetto State. Iowa and New Hampshire look hopeless at this point, especially with the other candidates pouring their resources into those states, so why spend any more time on them. SC at least still offers the chance for Fred to demonstrate that he is the South's candidate.

Frankly, we think Big Fred's in big trouble, even if he can sneak in a win in SC. Heck, McCain, Huckabee and even Ron Paul are better positioned strategically than Thompson. He needs to circle his wagons pronto.