They're eating each other. We reported yesterday on the video put out by firefighters who don't want to be a stepping-stone in Rudy's march to the White House; and today, Fred Thompson took that knife and buried it firmly in Rudy's back.

The Murdoch Post has the autopsy:

Likely Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson hit Rudy Giuliani's turf yesterday, talking with the city firefighters-union chief who's going all out to derail the former mayor's 2008 candidacy.

Thompson had breakfast with Uniformed Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy and former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato hours before he met with Conservative Party leader Mike Long.

Now, Al D'Amato's distaste for Rudy is not exactly a secret. But this isn't his doing.

[Cassidy] said Team Thompson asked for the meeting, adding, "I think our endorsement's important."

Thompson said, "I have the greatest respect for Steve and his organization and what they're doing."

What a snake. The firefighters put out a video that, with ample cause to be sure, rips Giuliani to shreds, and good on them for it. But it takes a Fred Thompson to drop all pretense of collegiality and party solidarity and take the wheel of the bus that just drove over Rudy's reputation.

If this is what the republican primary is going to look like, grab the popcorn, folks; it's going to be brutal.