Fred Thompson takes a lot of heat for his, um, lackadaisacal campaign style. As Stephen F. Hayes notes here, Thompson's style leads many in the media to set expectations low - so low that the former senator easily exceeds them.
I think the larger critique to be made of Thompson is that his campaign style can be hit or miss. In the video above, you see a candidate who is energetic, engaged, and compelling. You don't quite see that in the video below:
In a Republican primary in which around 70 percent of likely voters consider themselves conservatives, Fred Thompson has a solid rationale behind his candidacy and a likable, folksy style. In order to win the nomination, however, he will have to turn in more performances like that in the first video, and fewer like the second.
