SNEAK PEEK: It Happens

October 23, 2007— -- It happens.

No, we're not talking about the Barack Obama perspective on Mitt Romney's Obama-Osama gaffe -- which, you will no doubt note, is far different than his campaign's perspective. LINK

Or the need for senators running for president to cancel some of their Wednesday events to be in D.C. for a close cloture vote on Judge Southwick (a 5th Circuit judicial nominee) and an 11:30 am-ish close cloture vote on the American Dream Act (a measure which would give the children of undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship).

We're talking about the second look that Fred Thompson may soon start getting from members of the media who pilloried his lazy-like-a-fox demeanor.

Thompson is earning that second look by laying out base-friendly policy details on immigration, stepping up to the plate on Social Security, and showing some passion when talking about the end-of-life decision he faced in his own family.

He also showed at Sunday's G.O.P. debate that his record on right-to-life issues gives him latitude to go after Rudy Giuliani on abortion.

To be sure, Thompson still faces considerable hurdles.

As Thompson adviser Rich Galen notes, before Thompson can present himself to G.O.P. voters as the Republican with whom they are most comfortable, he must first convince them that he: (1) can win the war on terror and (2) can beat Hillary Clinton -- two areas where Giuliani is perceived as strong.

He also has to contend with: (1) Giuliani preparing to step up his criticism of Thompson as "the biggest obstacle to tort reform in the United States Senate," (2) a potential attack from Romney for being open to cutting Social Security benefits for all seniors without regard to income, (3) the chance that Mike Huckabee catches Romney in Iowa and catapults himself into contention, (4) the continued difficulty to complete a sentence without coughing, and (5) the x-factor of whether or not there is enough room in the GOP contest for TWO candidates with a Jan. 29/Feb. 5 strategy.

As for Wednesday, in addition to the DREAM Act vote, the immigration issue will intrude on the Democratic race when Bill Richardson delivers a 4:30 pm ET policy address on Latin America at UCLA.