Thompson on the economy

Fred Thompson gave a very unsurprising sub-par performance at the Republican debate. He blundered during his first response on the economy. He had a long pause during his answer, which is not atypical for him, and his rainbows-and-lollipops picture of the economy was such a weak answer to the question of why two out of three Americans don't think the economy is going well, especially compared to the answers given by Romney right afterwards and Ron Paul and the Huckster later on.

Giuliani gave a pro-free-market answer in between Romney and Paul, and he spoke with conviction and credibility, while Thompson just seemed like he answered because he had to. Politicians have to speak in generalities. The whole art is to do this while at the same time seeming to speak one's mind with passionate conviction. It's a difficult thing to do: inspire people to agree with you who might not if they really knew your concrete positions, motivate the people who agree with you already while not alienating too many on the fence, speak dispassionately and with gravitas on issues that divide people without giving the impression that you'll say and do anything that will get you elected.