All of the so-called “front runners” missed the opportunity to address the GOP base on core cultural issues. A presidential forum called “Values Voter Debate” was held this week in Florida. It was moderated by WorldNetDaily’s Joseph Farah.

Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson all decided to skip the opportunity to talk about the most important issues facing America. No doubt their handlers determined that wading into tough issues like abortion, gay rights, embryonic stem cell research, parental authority in public schools, the threat posed by Planned Parenthood to our children’s welfare – these and many others were simply too hot to handle.

The absence of these “leaders” seems to only confirm what many of us have feared: These men are simply not prepared to lead America.

Joseph Farah wrote that the most disappointing truant was Fred Thompson. That seems right. There is the obvious fact that Thompson has skipped out on any forum in which he might be challenged by serious opponents. But the disappointment is deeper: For months there has been a lingering hope that Thompson might be the one to put it altogether – message, conviction, money and organization. His consistent timidity raises large doubts about his ability not just to campaign – but to govern.

That pessimistic view is only confirmed by statements Thompson made last week regarding the Terri Schiavo case. When asked if he thought the President and Congress were right to intervene on her behalf – Thompson said he needed more time to study the issue. He went on to suggest that it is generally a bad idea for the federal government to intervene in local matters.
His answers seem to betray a man who just doesn’t much care about the serious threats to humanity posed by the legal sanction of killing the most vulnerable among us.

It may well be time for the conservative movement to coalesce around a Duncan Hunter or Mike Huckabee – and do the hard work of making one of them a front-tier candidate.