Posted on 09/08/2007 10:47:14 PM PDT by SmithL
After weeks of speculation and months of wondering when he would go for it all, Fred Thompson now can remove the "all-but-declared" title from his presidential candidate status.
The former Tennessee senator announced late Wednesday night - early Thursday morning - as a guest on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" on NBC, the network that broadcasts the "Law & Order" series that starred Thompson for the last few years.
He will join a field of several fellow Republicans who have been working hard to become the party's presidential nominee for the 2008 election.
In fact, Thompson's announcement came on the night when eight other GOP candidates were engaged in a debate at the University of New Hampshire.
Some have been mildly critical of Thompson for waiting so long to announce while they were slugging it out in pre-primary debates and public appearances. A couple of the GOP hopefuls have spent more money than Thompson has raised.
And to ratify his dive into presidential politics, Thompson aired the first advertisement of his campaign during a commercial break on Fox News.
Whether Thompson joined the campaign too late remains to be seen. Since there is no clear front-runner pulling away from the crowd and since Thompson has been all-but-declared for the last few months, his timing might be just right.
The first primaries are in January, with some states vying to gain the earliest possible advantage. Tennessee's primary is Feb. 5, along with at least 19 other states.
What is important for Thompson right now is what a Newsweek article about him this week referred to as "retail politics" - hand-shaking, baby-kissing and talking to multiple groups almost unceasingly. He already has been doing that, but the pace no doubt will be accelerated in the months ahead.
Also, in the coming months, Thompson will have to be clear where he stands on issues and why he should be chosen over the other contenders for the nomination. His charisma and his deliberate, thoughtful style will help, as will the realization that voters are seeking clarity, not dogma.
The war in Iraq and Afghanistan could be a minefield, prompting candidates to be clear but also flexible.
While some have likened Thompson to former president Ronald Reagan, others have been critical, saying he is too much like President Bush, and do we really want another term of Bush? One pundit even suggested in an uncomplimentary way that Thompson was Dick Cheney "with a drawl."
A recent article in National Review noted that Thompson has not run for office since his Senate re-election campaign in 1996, more than 10 years ago.
On the plus side, however, Thompson has worked for others, including shepherding Chief Justice John Roberts through the Senate confirmation process. And he has stayed close to government through part-time lobbying efforts.
As fundraisers are planned in Tennessee, Thompson wasted no time getting into the mix, flying to Iowa to begin campaigning in earnest. There is every indication his appearance on the national scene will be welcomed.
From this point on, however, Thompson's past is prologue. What really counts is the game he is in now. The stakes are the highest, and he gives every indication he can play with the best of them.
Thompson isn't playing, he is fighting for the future of his children and grandchildren. That is the only reason he is in this race....that and the grassroots demanded it! Otherwise I think he would take a nice calm life in the country with wifey and kids and a maybe an acting job here and there.
God Bless FDT!
>>>Otherwise I think he would take a nice calm life in the country with wifey and kids<<<
McClean, Virginia, is the country?
heh.
I’ll give you a pass. McClean, Virginia, has a higher population density than Atlantia, Georiga. And double that of Nashville.
McClean is the Tony side of DC. Just sayin...
‘Ya notice the increadibly petty little ankle-biting “attacks” on Fred’s campaign?
That’s all they got, folks!
GO FRED!
Yup Flintlock, petty petty petty.
Thank you Cheyenne for correcting me....LOL!
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