Steven Latimer

It's been reported that all along Fred Thompson was just jockeying to become the VP candidate and never was interested in being the GOP nominee for president.

If Fred Thompson were to be the GOP nominee, it would be a blessing and a curse.

It's a blessing because even the non-politically astute know who he is since he appeared on Law and Order. He has a lot of fans who don't give a flying crap about politics who will vote for him anyway. Also, we all know that carrying the South is an essential element to any successful nationwide GOP effort. A Southerner on the ticket will do this.

But it's also a curse; after running a shoddy campaign, do we really want him on board as the VP candidate? This would come up as a big liability, since we all know the VP is "only a heartbeat away."

Barring hell or high water, Mitt Romney or John McCain will be the GOP nominee. Since candidates almost always select a running mate from a different geography, it's very likely a Southerner will hop on board as VP (and McCain and Romney will NOT select each other). And since candidates often look to the field, this leaves Huckleberry and Fred Thompson, neither of whom are attractive, for obvious reasons.

When the time comes, conservatives should look at South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford or Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue.

Even better yet, let's revive Reagan.