Fred Thompson, the Law-and-Order candidate for the Republican nomination for president, has left the stage.

Running in the South Carolina primary--where it was assumed his uncomplicated conservatism combined with his down-home charm would win over voters--he ran a distant third. He'd accumulated just five delegates for his efforts since Iowa. 

When a candidate exits the race, the question is whether he represented ideas or policies that may be lost to the campaign.

With Thompson, at least in the field of healthcare, the answer is a plain "no."

He had no formal healthcare proposal. His statements were generally in support of the free market, limited government control and personal responsibility. He spoke against "one size-fits-all," "government-run" solutions. All these ideas well represented by the remaining candidates .

Certainly Thompson's supporters are disappointed by his withdrawal.

In the world of healthcare, it's no great loss.