So John McCain is on Laura Ingraham’s show right now and she just asked him about Fred Thompson. Focusing on “qualifications,” McCain says that he admires and respects Fred …. just like he’s come to respect and admire …. Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee. McCain’s implicit message? Senator Thompson is second-tier material. McCain’s the only second-tier guy who could get away with that. “No surrender” doesn’t only refer to the war for him.