Does Fred lack luster?

I know CNN is trying to make it look like he does. But maybe he does. The worst problem for Fred Thompson presenting himself as the candidate to beat the Democrats is that he's another Senator.

The other night when I was listening to the Republican debate and the candidates were asked about Thompson, I thought Giuliani was changing the subject at the end of his response, switching from talking about Thompson to taking a shot at the Democrats:

I like Fred a lot. I think Fred is a really, really good man. I think he’s done a pretty good job of playing my part on "Law & Order." (Laughter.) I personally prefer the real thing, and -- but I think Fred will add something to this race. But I think this is a nomination you have to earn, though.

Nobody’s going to give it to you; nobody’s going to glance it to you; nobody’s going to crown you.You’ve got to go out there, like these gentlemen have done, and I’ve done. You’ve got to -- you’ve got to meet people in Iowa and New Hampshire and all over the country. You’ve got to work hard for this.

And finally I think it’s going to come down to experience. This is not a time that the United States should be electing someone who’s going to get on-the-job training. You need people with executive experience.

And my real concern is you have three leading Democratic candidates, none of which have ever run a city, a state or a business. (Cheers, applause.) And this is not -- this is -- America’s at war. America’s got some big problems. It’s not the time for on-the-job training as an executive.

He wasn't changing the subject. He was saying: The Democrats with a chance (not Richardson) are all Senators. So we shouldn't put up a Senator against a Senator. Preserve the ability to attack the opponent because she (or he) has only been a Senator.