Thompson and McCain

More than once I've seen it written that Fred Thompson and John McCain are close friends. This has led me to wonder whether Thompson would really run for President. His politics aren't that different from McCain's after all, so why should Thompson try to steal McCain's thunder?

There's one issue at least where Thompson seems to be staking out a different position: immigration.

Note the second and third paras:

Thompson, speaking at the National Restaurant Association annual show, said the bill will not win the support of the American people because they don't trust senators' promises to block illegal immigrants from crossing the Mexican border into the U.S.

"Nobody believes them. It goes to the bigger issue of the lack of credibility our government has these days," said Thompson.

When he says "Nobody believes them," who is "them"? Wouldn't that be the people pushing comprehensive reform, e.g. John McCain?