EDITORIAL - Fred Thompson must be the luckiest guy in American politics – he doesn't yet have a platform available on his web site, skips debates, waits for months before announcing under the assumed role of “testing the waters”, records videos on his web site and somehow manages to bring in impressive support from the American people.

Blind support. Thompson is playing a very important role in today's election season – the idea of a true Conservative. Specific platform initiatives are largely beside the point with Fred. He is smartly drawing on the frustration of a blind populace and soaking in all the support he can – without actually putting his ideas up for debate. His entire candidacy can be summed up in two simple words: “Google it”.

How lovely. Some may say the debates are utterly useless, and that's a fair statement. But at the very least, debates demonstrate a candidate's ability and willingness to stand in front of a national audience and field questions about a variety of subjects. Talking points ensue, of course, but debates do tend to provide at least an element of truth behind what a candidate for the White House believes is best for America.

The American people deserve better than this from a presidential candidate. The people need to be able to visit a candidate's web site to get a consolidated view of the candidate's positions instead of hunting around the Internet finding bits and pieces of what Reuters and Associated Press writers think he believes. This would show that not only is Fred prepared, but he's serious, about leading the free world. As far as I can tell, neither prepared, nor serious, are accurate words to describe his candidacy.

Conservatives are frustrated and angry. They accurately recognize the expanses of federal government control and authority under the rule of the GOP, both in the executive and legislative branches of government, and they want change. Conservatives need a “true Conservative” to support; somebody to hang their support on; a saving grace, if you will. Anybody.

Many like the idea of Fred Thompson. But, they may not realize that Thompson voted to continue funding for the National Endowment of the Arts, hardly a legitimate role of the federal government. Fred is also a supporter of campaign-finance reform and even voted to prevent a self-employed worker from deducting health care expenses from his or her federal taxes. He also provided $75-million dollars in taxpayer money for so-called “abstinence” programs. Are those small government principles? Hardly.

Fred's platform simply does not exist. While every other candidate provides issue statements on their web sites, Fred's doesn't. It offers cute little videos of Fred talking about himself, but when it comes to anything of substance, the entire Fred Thompson persona is entirely lacking.

But again, it's not about substance with Thompson, or his supporters. It's about the “true Conservative” idea that Thompson is supposed to be. It is about the need that many Conservatives have in supporting a candidate whom they truly believe is a supporter of a limited and Constitutional federal government – because, after all, that is what Fred is supposed to be. But unfortunately, Fred's non-existent platform fails to provide any meat to those ideals.

Ask a hundred Fred Thompson supporters what his view of free trade is, and I bet 95 percent couldn't come up with an accurate response. And how could they? Fred hasn't told us. His web site is silent, aside from recording videos to Micheal Moore.

The CATO institute said of Thompson, “...he sponsored or cosponsored legislation over the course of his career that would have resulted in a net increase in federal spending of $3.1 billion.” Granted, many other candidates on the GOP side of the aisle surpass that amount several times over, but a limited and Constitutional federal government includes several billion dollars in lower spending, not an increase.

Thompson also supports a Constitutional amendment banning the act of flag-burning and supports the federal government defining marriage, which are positions that many civil liberties and small government activists would question. While these issues do tend to fall in line with a typical Conservative, they fall far short of small government principles and personal responsibility.

Even among die-hard Thompson supporters, when asked about Thompson's view on virtually any issue, they will typically direct you to an OnTheIssues.org page that details Fred's voting record during his 8-years in the Senate. While voting records are certainly legitimate qualifications for a candidate's fitness for the White House, the complete lack of an “in your own words” understanding of Fred's positions is deeply troubling, even among the most ardent Thompson supporter.

Compare that to candidates like Hillary Clinton or Ron Paul; supporters of those candidates can typically provide their candidate's view on the issues when asked, and in the candidate's own words to boot. But not with Thompson. Fred's platform needed to be made public the night he officially announced on the Jay Leno late night comedy program.

As far as Thompson is concerned, he's still in Hollywood. He's playing the part of “the” Conservative in the 2008 presidential elections. But, typical of Hollywood productions, the entire act has thus far been nothing more than smoke and mirrors, visual effects and artificial intelligence.

So why the strong support for Fred Thompson? It can't possibly be because of his platform, because he doesn't appear to have one. It can't be because of his performance in any of the debates, because he has yet to participate in one. It also can't be because of Fred's mastery of the issues, because he's hardly spoken of them, at least not in a venue to be questioned about them.

Fred is taking advantage of a frustrated Conservative populace who are begging to support a candidate who is supposed to be a real Conservative. Enjoy the blind support while you can, Fred, because one of these days you'll need to go head-to-head with the other candidates and actually make your views on the issues known, not to mention put them up for debate. Your education will begin shortly on what the American political landscape is truly like, something that you have clearly forgotten during your stint in Hollywood.