Is Dick Morris huffing paint thinner?

Or is he freebasing toenail polish?

Right on the heels of his content-free assertion that George W. Bush is on the cusp of a major public opinion surge, Morris predicts similar good fortune for Rudy! Giuliani.

Fred Thompson, having long delayed his announcement to run for the GOP presidential nomination, may have mistimed it after all. He chose to announce just a few days before Sept. 11. With Rudy Giuliani front and center on 9/11 (it is, after all, HIS day), the former mayor may catch up with the undisputed bounce that Thompson has gotten as a result of his announcement.

Fred gained rapidly in most polls with his announcement, passing Rudy in the Rasmussen polling for the first time since July. But will 9/11 even up the score? I think it probably will.

This is what it's like in the hazy universe where Dick Morris dwells. Every event or series of events is good for Republicans and bad for Democrats.

Imminent recession? Good for Bush!

Complete lack of progress in Iraq? Great for Bush!

Anniversary of 9/11? Phenomenal for Rudy! Never mind that it is, literally, the only hook upon which he hangs his presidential campaign. He's going to leave everybody in the dust.

Back in the real world, however? Not so much.

ABC Poll: Giuliani's Lead Drops to Single Digit

Newcomer Fred Thompson Is a Real Competitor

Sept. 12, 2007 —

Reminders of his leadership in the days after Sept. 11 may not be enough to guarantee Rudy Giuliani the Republican nomination.

Despite the presidential hopeful's lead among the Republican pack in recent months, the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll suggests an unexpected down shift for the front-runner.

The former New Yor mayor slipped nine percentage points nationally, tumbling from 37 percent in July to 28 percent today.

Though Giuliani rated better with Republicans concerned more about major terrorist attacks, among those less focused on terrorism he is in a dead heat with former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, who was the choice of 19 percent of those polled.

Giuliani's drop also may mean good news for the beleaguered Arizona Sen. John McCain, who seems to have stabilized his downward motion over the last few months.

Not only is Rudy! failing to gain a substantial lead over rest of the pack, but Dead Man Walkin' John McCain is even making up some ground.

Dick, I'm serious. This is getting painful. Please make it stop.