Ryan wrote last week at the NNN about the opening for Chuck Hagel in the Republican electorate. The meat of the argument: Iowa Republicans (and Republicans in general) are actually quite against the war. At least when you ask them about it as an issue. But Republicans have been rabid and cultlike in their support of a failed presidency. It’s not speaking against the war in Iraq that gets you into trouble with Republicans - it’s speaking against George W. Bush.

Even Mitch McConnell two weeks ago conceded that Hagel has been mostly right about the war in Iraq. So, why, then, are many Republicans ready to get rid of him in Nebraska? Why is his candidacy for President a non-starter among Republicans nationally? It has a lot to do with the fact that he’s been a vocal critic of George W. Bush, even daring to bring up the “I” word as a possible solution to Bush’s refusal to take accountability.

If the Republicans simply wanted a hawk, John McCain would be running away with the nomination. Their current disgust with the candidates reflects more than a disconnect on the issues, but a disconnect on strategy and a disconnect with their base. In order to win in 2008, the Republican Party needs to run far, far away from Bush. But, since their base is the 28% of Americans who still support Bush, they have to tread lightly.

So, they cloak their language in code-words: “Ronald Reagan Republican,” a “true conservative,” etc., painting the failures of the Bush administration not as failures of the Republican Party, but failures of the administration to adhere to conservative values. Fed up with “Rudy McRomney,” the Republicans find themselves searching for a candidate that they can stomach.

Which brings us to Fred Thompson, the Republican Messiah du jour. Thompson was a U.S. Senator from Tennessee from 1994-2003. During that time, he was a co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation that is poison to Republican ears. They speak of Fred Thompson’s “charisma” as if they know another Fred Thompson. They’re willing to project onto Thompson whatever they want to believe he can be. As an actor by trade, Thompson is more than willing to play the part.

Problem is, he’s not a very good actor, and I suspect even Republicans will grow tired of his act by the time we reach September. We’re seven months away from the first contest of the 2008 election, and I haven’t the slightest clue who the Republican nominee will be. But they’ll keep looking for someone, to save the Republican Party from itself.