Our favorite curmudgeon, Bob “where’s the outrage” Dole, admits the candidacy of his favorite, John McCain, is fading, and Fred Thompson is picking up the slack:

July 27 (Bloomberg) — Bob Dole says his preferred presidential candidate, Arizona Senator John McCain, is fading and that his support is likely to be “picked up” by Fred Thompson, who is expected to announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination in September.

“My heart has always been with my good friend John McCain,” said Dole, former Senate majority leader and Republican presidential nominee. “But it’s just not happening, the buzz is gone,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt,” scheduled to air today.

The blunt Dole also said that Thompson would likely pick up that support, because he is the kind of guy people want “around the living room.” He also dismissed critics who say Thompson is not boisterous enough:

While critics say Thompson is “too easy-going, doesn’t have fire in the belly,” the “Law and Order” actor has “kind of a nice, laid back, easy-going approach,” Dole said. “I’m not so certain people want to hear somebody scream and shout.”

He also took a swipe at Newt Gingrich and his “pygmies” remark:

Dole took issue with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who said earlier this week that the Republican presidential candidates were “a bunch of pygmies.”

“I totally disagree with Newt Gingrich,” Dole said. “I don’t know how he has set himself up as the spokesman for the world, but to say we have got a bunch of pygmies, of course unless he gets in, then there is one that is not a pygmy.”

To say Newt is egotistical is to understate the case. Nonetheless, in fairness to Gingrich, he later explained his remark was meant as a comment on the system, not on these particular candidates. Of course, the explanation didn’t get much play in the MSM.

Still, Gingrich, who is considered in many quarters to be as polarizing as Hillary Clinton, is not what the party needs at this point. As much as I agree with his ideas, and admire his intellect, his nomination would ensure the Democrats’ victory.

Bob Dole has never been one to mince words. While still in the Senate, after an “assault weapons” ban was passed over Dole’s opposition (during the Clinton administration), he - while standing on the Capitol steps - sarcastically remarked: “I feel safer already.”

I confess I’ve always been a fan of Bob Dole. (Here come the “he’s a lobbyist” attacks.) I still am.

Chalk one up for the old codger.