That's what I'm talkin' about:

Philadelphia Inquirer | Wanted: A real GOP challenger

...there's no traditional Republican [running]. George W. Bush has U-turned away from Ronald Reagan's support for limited government, Ike's devotion to a balanced budget, and for that matter, the truth-telling of Honest Abe.

Instead, Bush and his Panderepublicans are throwing a frat party of higher spending, tax cuts, and IOUs. His motto on money: If it feels good, do it... and let our kids pay later.

In his pursuit of fiscal extremism at home and nightmare weapons in Iraq, Bush has misled and misinformed the public. He said the 2001 tax cuts would be financed entirely with surpluses, not debt, and he claimed Saddam Hussein was closing in on nuclear weapons. Not so.

With Bush's legacy of debt and deceit, he deserves to be challenged by an honest-to-goodness, mainstream Republican - starting with New Hampshire's premier primary on Jan. 27...

What Republican would dare stand up to Bush? Former New Hampshire Sen. Warren Rudman - a leader against deficits and a visionary on terrorism - would be a strong challenger. Indeed, Bob Kerrey, a 1992 presidential candidate who cochairs the anti-deficit Concord Coalition, told me this week: "Warren Rudman could win the New Hampshire primary."

I like Rudman; he's a Republican who clearly cares about long-term effects of fiscal policy and who (with Gary Hart) was warning about commercial airliners being flown into buildings well in advance of 9/11.

Watching Bush have to argue with Rudman would be worth a lot to me; hell, I'd give Rudman money. Unfortunately, it's just about too late:

Insiders predict that no Republican will go to New Hampshire this week to launch an underdog challenge based on principle. But until 5 p.m. this Friday, it's not too late for an independent-minded Republican to stand up for budget sanity and presidential honesty.

Still.. maybe send Senator Rudman an e-mail? (One of his addresses can be found here.)