Naptime

This little candidate was too crazy.


And this little candidate was too shifty.


And this little candidate was too old.


Which little candidate is just right?


I love all these reminders of Grandpa Fred's advanced age. No doubt his handlers wince every time Freddie answers that he's forgotten something from the recent past.

And now we learn that Grandpa Fred's campaign schedule is loose enough to accommodate plenty of naps.

His critics, already pointing to what they call Mr. Thompson’s skimpy Senate record, might find even more ammunition in his campaign schedule.

[snip]

Since Thursday morning, when the tour began, Mr. Thompson has made no more than three campaign stops a day, with long stretches in between. In recent spins through Iowa, he kept a similarly relaxed schedule.

That doesn't sound good.

Trouble is, doesn't sound like he's doing too well once he's off the bus.

But once off the bus, Mr. Thompson has shown occasional signs of discomfort. In a speech here on Friday, he sweated profusely under the afternoon sun, breathed heavily and, while struggling over a question, asked no one in particular if his microphone was on. (It was.)

Some audience members, in a crowd that easily reached into the hundreds, winced as Mr. Thompson sweated through the question-and-answer session.

“I’m surprised they didn’t pull him out of there,” said John Chambers of nearby Punta Gorda, after the speech ended. Suzanne Miranda, who watched the event from a lawn chair, said, “I felt bad for him.”

I don't think pity is what he was looking for.

When he's not breathing hard while speaking, Grandpa Fred is getting up to speed on the ol' issues.

Several of Mr. Thompson’s aides said he had been spending his time being briefed, often on the phone with advisers. And much of the discussion has focused on economics and security, said Rich Galen, a senior adviser to the campaign. “He’s been going through the briefing books,” Mr. Galen said.

What was all that long lead-time for again?

It's bad enough that Bush is yearning for his term to end - more than a year from now - so he can kick back and clear some brush full-time. Are we supposed to take seriously the candidacy of someone who can't wait his presidential term to be over before it's even started?

When referring to America's high quality health care, Freddie Thompson says,

“That’s good news. But we have more retired folks. I hope to become one of them one of these days.”

Nervous laughter from the audience.

“Not too soon,” he added hastily.

Freddie, time for your afternoon nap.