James Dobson is right about one thing: Fred Thompson can't speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail. This was Thompson's grand opportunity to show this audience more than his Senate record, more than his affection for John Roberts or Tom Coburn, more than his dedication to the institution of marriage (twice), and more than his moment of awe when he saw his daughter's sonogram. That's baseline stuff for this crowd; they're looking for catchy phrases drawn on scripture and rhetorical venom for perceived enemies.

Expected to drop out of the race later today in his native Kansas, Sam Brownback came to the Values Voters Summit this morning to give not a stump speech but a call to action. Without a mention of his expected withdrawal -- or the presidential race at all -- Brownback was a striking counterpoint to John McCain, who preceded him with a lackluster, passionless speech. McCain, who got a stony reception for his inclusion of war on terror detainees in his call to treat all life as sacred, seemed uninspired and even bored with his own overtold stories of being tortured as a POW.