Looking for Mr. Right

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WASHINGTON

"I was a conservative yesterday, I am a conservative today, and I will be a conservative tomorrow," declared Fred Thompson to the Conservative Party of New York State, billing himself as the "consistent conservative" in the GOP race -- in contrast to ex- mayor Rudy Giuliani.

In his defense, Rudy cites George Will as calling his eight years in office in the Big Apple the most conservative city government in 50 years.

And, truth be told, Thompson was reliably conservative in his Senate years. But so, too, has been John McCain -- and Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo. Hunter, however, splits with Thompson and McCain on trade. Paul disagrees …