The gungrabber shipment
You didn't miss the kool aid shipment. Thompson is popular here because the front runners in the GOP are gun grabbers and this is a gun board.
Giuliani believes Congress should pass a law declaring that every state must enforce certain standards. Among them, handgun owners would have to prove competence with a gun, demonstrate "good moral character", and show a need to have the gun before being allowed to purchase a gun.
He said so in
this interview on national TV.
Giuliani also filed a lawsuit against gun manufacturers for the "harm" they have caused by being in business. He clearly does not want them in business.
As for
Romney, he's a "lifelong hunter" who has hunted twice in his life. He said he owns a gun, but actually, his son owns it (yes, that's singular, because the plural of "gun" is "arsenal"
). He's an NRA life member who joined when he decided to run for President. He signed a permanent mean-looking weapons ban in Massachusetts, and supports the Brady Bill, among other anti-gun positions.
Where are conservatives who believe in gun rights supposed to turn? They can turn to Ron Paul, but he opposes the current nation-building in Iraq and an interventionist foreign policy of being the world's policeman, so many will not support him. John "don't talk about politicians before an election" McCain? Don't think so.
Thompson is benefiting from NOT being any of those guys, and being better known than the next tier of candidates.