It seems almost amusing to think that as recently as, say, August, a significant portion of the Republican Party was absolutely convinced that actor-lobbyist-politician Fred Thompson was going to ride into the presidential forum on a white horse and save the party from electoral ruin.

It’s clearly not working out as planned. Even if we put substance aside, Thompson, at this point, is perhaps the least capable candidate of the 18 people running for president.

Twenty-four minutes after he began speaking in a small restaurant the other day, Fred D. Thompson brought his remarks to a close with a nod of his head and an expression of thanks to Iowans for allowing him to “give my thoughts about some things.”

Then he stood face to face with a silent audience.

“Can I have a round of applause?” Mr. Thompson said, drawing a rustle of clapping and some laughter. “Well, I had to drag that out of you,” he said.

Ouch. This comes just a few weeks after Thompson, while campaigning in Florida, drew such blank stares from his audience that he asked no one in particular if his microphone was on. It was.