Ron and Fred

I know this stuff really doesn't matter yet, but it's nice to see so much grass-roots Republican interest in Fred Thompson.

Latecomer Fred Thompson, who hasn't officially entered the 2008 presidential race, is setting Republican pulses racing in this early voting state.

Thompson, 64, an actor and former Tennessee senator, has no serious political organization in South Carolina and makes his first appearance in this campaign season in the state on Wednesday. So it's a sign of Republicans' deep unease with the current field of 10 GOP candidates that conservative voters are watching Thompson with interest.

[...]

A poll last week showed Thompson and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani fighting for the lead in South Carolina. It's not clear whether voters are drawn to Thompson because he is the new candidate on the block, or whether his growing popularity is a function of perceived flaws with the other top-tier contenders.

Giuliani's support for abortion rights chafes the core of the GOP here. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's Mormon religion has been questioned by Christian conservatives who wield sizable clout in the state party. Arizona Sen. John McCain riled those conservatives here in 2000, and more recently has found himself on the wrong side of immigration legislation from the perspective of many Republican voters.

And my hero, Dr. Ron Paul, is holding his own, even though the Republican leadership is treating him like a plantars wart, trying to chop him off before he causes too much trouble.

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will add party crashing to his campaign tactics this weekend.

The Texas congressman, who has struggled to top 1 percent in national polls, wasn't invited to a forum of presidential candidates Saturday in Des Moines. The gathering is sponsored by the Iowa Christian Alliance and the watchdog group Iowans for Tax Relief.

Instead of grumbling, Paul's campaign decided to hold its own party , in the same hall as the forum. They're calling it a celebration of life and liberty.