Tommy Thompson's Exit: The End of an Era?

When Tommy Thompson spoke to the TEA Party folks in Madison the other day, it may well have signaled the end of an era.

Thompson acknowledged that his day was over in elected politics and that 'another generation' of Republicans would have to step up and take his place.

One suspects that Thompson can read the polls and the moods; he wouldn't be Tommy if he couldn't.

His day, and that of Charlie Crist (FL) is, indeed, over. The same may well be true for Bob Bennett (R-Utah), who is having a very hard time in his caucus/primary race against a conservative opponent. Same is true of Dan Coats (IN) who's barely staying ahead of a conservative (R) challenger.

Even John McCain is affected; he's had to change his spots (again), hoping that (R) primary voters in Arizona don't have a memory extending back........ohhhhh.........24 months or so.

By and large these old lions are Big Gummint Republicans. They are modified-limited-hangout-Progressives; people to whom The Government is sacred and always right. They are 'faint Statists' as opposed to the hard-core variety now occupying the White House and holding Congressional majorities (and in the Wisconsin Legislature); but they are Statists, nonetheless.

And their era is over. Thompson, to his credit, recognizes it and had the courage and grace to formally hand over the keys to the next group, Paul Ryan and Scott Walker among them.

That's good. He demonstrated something that Obama never will: grace under fire.