The Mackinac Republican Leadership conference is over, and there are some notable moments to consider. While generally speaking, meetings like this are gone and forgotten, I think this weekend we saw some very symbolic types cast.

Thompson

Prior to his speech the man from Tennessee was enjoying near Rock Star status, according to Robert Bluey. In a post at Restate titled “Fred Thompson: The Other Rock Star in Michigan” Bluey had this to say:

I've run into Fred Thompson twice today at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference and I'm about to see him a third time as he addresses attendees during dinner.

My first encounter came early this afternoon in the lobby of the Grand Hotel when a pack of supporters surrounded him in hopes of scoring an autograph or a photo. Then later this afternoon, I attended a brief press conference, where about a dozen cameramen and even more reporters asked him about the importance of Michigan in presidential politics, the state's economy, and his views on campaign-finance reform.

After the speech Bluey reported this:

My high expectations for Fred Thompson were met with bitter disappointment tonight after listening to a boring and uninspiring speech that was more appropriate for someone running for president of the Rotary Club rather than president of the United States.

Thompson's address to the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference had the potential to top Rudy Giuliani's moving speech last night. Instead, things went bad right from the start. Moments before Thompson took the stage, Rep. Tim Walberg gave a quick speech blaming last year's GOP losses on Republicans who had fallen asleep. It gave Thompson a punch line; he told the audience that he hoped that he wouldn't put them to sleep. Then he did just that. It was like watching Bob Dole -- without the Viagra.

Bluey wasn’t the only one bored to tears, let’s read what Martin has to say.

The "Law & Order" star gave a listless version of his stump speech to a packed dinner crowd last night that failed to meet the considerable anticipation many Michiganders had for him going in. It was Thompson's debut in a state that will now likely vote third in the GOP contest next year, and few came away impresssed. Trying to be as charitable as possible in describing Thompson's performance, Michigan Republican Chairman Saul Anuzis said in a chat with reporters this morning that "It appeared that it was a very off-the-cuff speech."

What Bluey finds surprising, most Thompson critics would label “Vintage Fred.”

Rudy

Rudy, on the other hand, delivered what some referred to as “Red Meat.”

In remarks last night, the New Yorker summed up his philosophy of smaller government, lower taxes, and less regulation, hit hard at what he called "Islamo-Fascism," ripped into Democrats who won't condemn Moveon.org's attacks on General Petraeus, and invoked the names of Ronald Reagan, Lady Margaret Thatcher, and French President Nicholas Sarkozy (who, Giuliani said, he admires so much that he "has started to drink French wine again.").

It was a good speech for Rudy.

Romney

Romney’s many years of experience finding problems and fixing them came into play yesterday. While Romney very easily could have spoke about Islamo-Fascists and those nasty Dems, but Romney has spent time studying the issues facing the party and rolled them out in what was a probably for some in the party, a bitter pill.

Justin already covered Romney’s speech, so I will leave it to him, but suffice it to say, there is no candidate who has the room fo this platform. No candidate has claim to solving complex problems, turning around troubled organizations and governments, and an impeccable sense of integrity.

Romney has placed his bets. The question I have is, is there anyone who thinks that cleaning up the party is not necessary?

With Rudy we will get a candidate who understands the GWOT. With Romney we will get a candidate who will speak to the independent disgused with the GOP. If Republicans fail to recognize he need to clean house we will keep loosing 2006 style. If we can get our act together, we will be victorious.