My Fred Thompson Post-Mortem

Patrick Ruffini wrote one on Hugh Hewitt's site, so I thought I'd express my own thoughts here.

Fred's moment came when he made his YouTube response to Michael Moore and totally destroyed him. He should have been prepared at that moment to launch his campaign, because all the eyes of the blogosphere and, to a smaller extent, the MSM, were focused on him at that moment. Fred didn't have the funds at that moment, but how much did it cost to do the YouTube video?

Imagine if Fred had done a whole series of those videos, and released one or two per week: each one explaining his take on issues, or responding to an attack, or making an attack of his own. During this period he would be preparing his formal run by assembling his team and starting the fundraising process. The videos would continue throughout the campaign, until the very sight of Fred swiveling in his chair and taking his cigar out of his mouth would be the signal to be ready for something entertaining and enlightening.

He didn't do it, obviously. Wish I'd emailed him back when the Moore video came out and suggested it. Maybe he just needed someone to nudge him a little to see how effective it was.

Ah, well.

Poe Toaster Day!

A yearly tradition, going on for over 40 years:

Small article here.

Updates as details emerge.

Update: He showed up.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Undeterred by controversy, a mysterious visitor paid his annual tribute at the grave of Edgar Allan Poe early Saturday, placing three red roses and a half-filled bottle of cognac before stealing away into the darkness.

Nearly 150 people had gathered outside the cemetery of Westminster Presbyterian Church, but the man known as the "Poe toaster" was, as usual, able to avoid being spotted by the crowd, said Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House and Museum.

The tribute takes place every Jan. 19 — the anniversary of Poe's birth.

The visitor did not leave a note, Jerome said, electing not to respond to questions raised in the past year about the history and authenticity of the tribute.


One of my favorite days of the year because of this tradition. *laughs*

Volcano Galeras Erupting In Columbia.

AP story.

Galeras notoriously killed a bunch of scientists in 1993 that had descended into the crater to take instrument readings. Apparently quiet, the volcano woke up when they were already inside the crater itself. Being hit by red-hot boulders is a memorable way to go, I guess.

Volcano Erupting In Chile.

The Llaima volcano in Chile is erupting.