Thompson To Enter GOP Presidential Race

Former U.S. Senator And Actor Will Announce Campaign Details Via Webcast On Sept. 6

(CBS/AP)  Republican Fred Thompson, whose entry into the presidential race has been long anticipated, will officially launch his candidacy Sept. 6 in a Webcast on his campaign site, followed by a five-day tour of early primary states.

The preliminary campaign of the former Tennessee senator and "Law & Order" star disclosed details about how he will formally enter the race in a Thursday afternoon conference call with supporters.

House parties will be held nationwide on Sept. 6. A tour of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina will quickly follow the Internet announcement on www.imwithfred.com, with later stops in Florida, and a homecoming event in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., on Sept. 15.

Next Wednesday, Thompson will appear on NBC's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" but he won't participate with his Republican rivals in a debate that same night in New Hampshire.

Now that Thompson's entry into the race is practically a done deal, CBS News chief political correspondent Jeff Greenfield reports that Republicans are asking what he’ll bring to the table.

For openers, there's his 35 years in the public limelight, from Watergate, to eight years in the U.S. Senate, to all his acting roles - most recently as the "Law & Order" district attorney Arthur Branch. It's a blend of experience and celebrity that should play well in the view of Tennessee Rep. Zach Wamp, an ardent supporter.

"He's very smart and savvy politically, and I think he'll present the kind of united front that our party needs," Wamp tells CBS News.

Thompson, 65, brings to the eight-man GOP field a right-leaning Senate voting record with a few digressions from party orthodoxy and a healthy dose of Hollywood star power. He is hoping to attract conservatives who are lukewarm about the current crop of candidates.

Earlier this year, Thompson saw his popularity soar in polls when he acknowledged he was considering a run. Since then, he's consistently ranked among the top Republicans in national polls and surveys in key states alike. In April, he disclosed that he was diagnosed in 2004 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a highly treatable form of cancer.

He has spent months "testing the waters" of a presidential campaign, playing coy with the public about his intentions even as he opened campaign offices, started raising money and hired a campaign staff. But his preliminary campaign stumbled this summer, fueling doubts that Thompson has what it takes to mount a challenge to top contenders Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain.

"The level of excitement over Thompson's candidacy has waned somewhat over the course of the summer," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "It's not too late, but he needs jump into this thing with full force in order to regain some of that momentum."

Organizationally, Thompson underwent a series of staffing changes, including the replacement of his manager-in-waiting, and other aide departures amid consternation about the active role of Thompson's wife, Jeri. At the same time, little progress was made setting up organizations in key states.

Thompson also failed on the fundraising front to reach the $5 million goal his backers had set for the first month he sought to bring in cash, and he dramatically lags his top rivals in money. He reported a lackluster $3.5 million.

He also faced questions this summer about his career as a lobbyist, including his work for a family planning group seeking to relax an abortion rule and work on behalf of a Tennessee savings and loans in favor of legislation that loosened federal oversight.

His delayed entrance into the race - which at one point was to occur in July - has prompted rumblings in Washington and early primary states that he may have missed his window.

[glossypan]

Less respect for our Constitution than any GOP candidate.

[konabike]

He will lose... Dem''s will win. Clinton!

[truthspeake2]

Just what this country needs...another Conservative "actor".

[glossypan]

It is difficult to defeat show biz candidates. Most voters make their decisions based on twenty second ads and professional actors deliver them better than professional lawyers. I keep hoping the American electorate will wake up and read past the first paragraph but so far whoever says it loudest, says it nastiest and says it most usually wins.

[huskerarmy]

Just what this country needs...another Conservative "actor".
Posted by truthspeake2
Isn''t it odd how GOPers always cry that "actors shouldn''t get involved in politics," yet they are clearly more willing to elect them?

[gretagreen]

He looks as good as any of the other Republican candidates -- which isn''t saying much. Good thing we have some fine Democratic candidates to choose from.

[name_verify]

Thompson''s has the best looking wife and that''s what counts.

[gkc99]

Another phony "frahd cheeyikin" *******.

His wife is uglier than Dennis Kucinich''s wife.

He looks like Frankenstein and is every bit as bright.

Another figurehead for the fascist neocons.

And let''s hear about his military record--he looks Vietnam age.

[joenc-2009]

Get ready for the big YAWN.

As soon as the GOP base realizes Fred ain''t Ronnie, his bubble will burst.

I give him about 10 minutes.

[gkc99]

Thompson graduated from college in 1964, the year the Vietnam war got under way. But he went to law school, graduating in 1967.

So how did Frahd Cheeyikin Fraid dodge the draft and the Vietnam war?

Other priorities, like Dickless Cheney?

[thisandthat1]

At the Press Conference, he should announce what day he''ll be dropping out, too .... save everyone some time.

[prinzowhales]

Another S&L crook running for the presidency...a fitting bookend for "I married the Mob" McCain. Its like Senator Craig running to lead the ''Moral Majority''....Its a shame that Thompson doesn''t get the ''exposure'' for his really harmful and really immoral actions that Craig is getting for his potty room rendevous.

[johnbinnj]

JUST LISTEN TO THOMPSON

This guy has absolutely NOTHING to say
I hope he wins the nomination.
A turkey shoot for the Dems then.

[gwagener]

Thompson has Non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma.
The 5 year survival rate is 53%.
By the end of a theoretical first term, Thopson would have had it for over 5 years.

Vote for Thompson only if you want a president better than 50% chance of dieing in office.
Non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma is an immediate disqualifier, not even clse to a gray area. I know, my mother died of Non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma.
http://www.lymphomation.org/statistics.htm

[indivthinker]

Thompson is the worst possible GOP candidate. He is as dumb as Hillary and as inexperienced as Obama.

Ron Paul ''08.

[skyk-2009]

Thompson''''s has the best looking wife and that''''s what counts.
Posted by screen_name_ at 05:14 PM : Aug 30, 2007

Rigth!! I''d suggest, after the Worst in History, we should pick the guy who has some actual SOLUTIONS to problems like our Bridges that are falling down, Road''s that are falling apart, a Standard of Living that''s dead last, the Reality that a man at age 30 today will make $5,000 per year LESS than his dad did at that age, People getting their pensions ripped away, a health care system that is ranked 39th in the world... I mean we can''t have anymore of the Wide Spread people, we need HONEST, real answers.

[huskerarmy]

Thompson is the worst possible GOP candidate. He is as dumb as Hillary and as inexperienced as Obama.
Ron Paul ''''08.
Posted by indivthinker
I hope he isn''t as dumb as Bush? Ron Paul? Isn''t he the guy who believes that urinating in public should be legal?

[thisandthat1]

screen_name_at? If that''s the criteria ... how do you account for Bill Clinton being elected?

[Krazcarl]

Another hollywood wanna be can''t make it on prime time now wants to run my affairs. There''s a real war being waged the country is in finacial ruin america needs him like a screen door in a submarine. How do these idiots sucker people for cash to run if thier not crooked?

[kansas1946]

I am sick of this guy already, and he isn''t even running yet. It is really kind of laugable that this is supposedly the Republican''s great white hope. If this is the best they can come with the Democrats can only lose because of their own stupidity, not because anyone of substance is running against them.

[mommajommah]

well, kansas... he might be the great white hope, but at least the best man in our party isnt a woman.

[greybeardvet]

Thompson comes across as a pretty decent but slow guy. Maybe his relaxed style will catch on but my guess is that the bible thumpers won''t accept him and the neo-cons will question his loyalty. He''s going to have to be a better panderer if he want the nomination from the Grand Old Perverts party.

[glossypan]

Huskerarmy... not quite right. Ron Paul says there should be no public. No commons at all. Everything privately owned - the beaches, the parks, the streets, the highways, the schools. All owned by individuals, corporations, and religious institutions. God help you if you are not able to pay the tolls. No more of this bootstrap stuff - if you are born a serf you stay a serf.

[curtis41]

This will be a great contest of one conservative federalist and one moderate against a socialist and one newbie. Should be nastier than usual. Fred Thompson is not only on time, he was not so stupid as to start to early on a campaign. Of course, he will have to overcome the enthusiastic endorsement of Clinton/Obama by Fidel Castro and other communist dictators. Looks like the left wing bloggers go to this site first. There are two good men running out front, Fred Thompson and Rudy Guiliani. Or, we could vote for higher taxes, governmental gridlock, no 2nd amendment rights (sort of like in Washington, D.C.,, NY and Chicago). We can have warmed over socialized medicine and other dumb governmental programs that government has no business running. If the government sold beer, it would be $90 a six-pack and 90 days delivery. Why not restrict government to roles it can do better than the private sector. Also, secure our north and south borders before you give away the store. We need a President who is NOT afraid to tackle the hard issues and is not concerned with just the next election and their own skin and golden parachute. For the security of our republic, we need someone who will NOT cut and run and I do not see this in either leading democratic candidate, lots of lips moving, but lacking both ability and intent. Fred Thompson will help pull out every GOP and Independent voter and get a LOT of anti-Hillary Clinton votes to boot. Stay tuned September 6th or thereabouts.

[donbl1]

Uncle Fred will do well in most of the states outside of the NE. Might even do well in Southern California.......

Uncle Fred has a slow peaceful delivery that will contrast pretty sharply with Rudy Giuliani or Hillary (I returned the money) Clinton. He has gravitas. And, when giving a prepared speech, pretty effective.

Lot of Washington knowledge and at 6''6" will tower over the others when in a video comparison.

This could be a fun election. A pretty sharp contrast with fellow republicans and the democrats.

[glossypan]

curtis 412 is right... Fred Thompson is not stupid. He is a Gucci and Armani wearing superslick lawyer and lobbyist. He puts on the good ol boy persona to lead the sheeple to the ballot box.

[seven-pesos]

a little flag waving...a little bible thumping,

all those redstate christian creeps will fall right in line boy.

ha,ha,ha.

those redstate people are so gullible.

look how the fell for all that bush bullsheet.

[frb01]

As soon as he enters the race, the media will jump on the health issue and talk about Jackie Kennedy and Paul Tsongas who I think both died from the same illness. But we probably need to have that debate because it has been since Johnson or Eisenhower that we had real seroius presidential health issues.

[thisandthat1]

Question: How do you know when your political party is in serious trouble? Answer: If you''re jumping up and down with your arms in the air, yelling ''WE WANT FRED...WE WANT FRED" ... that could be a clue.

[kansas1946]

well, kansas... he might be the great white hope, but at least the best man in our party isnt a woman.
Posted by mommajommah at 06:01 PM : Aug 30, 2007
**************
Not exactly sure what that means, but, you know, I am a bit slow. I don''t have a party, so I will vote for the best man (or woman). It is just that the Republicans don''t have anyone that vaugely interests me. I am sure that will change, because I have voted for many Republicans in the past. The party is in disarray right now and can''t decide what direction they want to take.

[speakinup]

My, My... Look at all the scared Liberals coming out of the woodwork. They sit in judgement of Fred. Mocking him. "the great whilte hope", "bible thumper", "puts on the good ole boy persona", "Another S&L crook", "He looks like Frankenstein and is every bit as bright.".

Ok, ok - we hear your contempt for this "wanna be".

Or, would that be FEAR ? Fear that even Fred can beat the best you have to offer, (snicker) Hillary.

I mean, if he''s such a lousy posibility for President, I would think any person of INTELLIGENCE in the opposite party would be cheering for the ''bum''.

Looking forward to another four years, libs ? You''d better.

[donnie900]

Isn''t it funny how political analysis seems like a criminal investigation?

[donnie900]

Not that I''d know anything about crime investigating, other than what I see on teevee.

[thisandthat1]

speakinup? You forgot "lazy", "dimwitted" and and "slow"

[donnie900]

You got the wrong guy, liberals. We''re not the enemy.

[seven-pesos]

not one southern state will vote for hillary...

guaranteed,
warranteed,
money back guarantee,
double your money back guarantee,
will kizz yo'' azz guarantee,
bet my life on it guarantee,
bet my wife on it guarantee,
bet my daughter''s virginity on it guarantee.

ha,ha,ha.

bush loving, southern, republican christian snakes...

nothing good comes out of the south.

[name_verify]

Moron. Hillary comes out of the South.

[glossypan]

Scared Liberal here. I am scared that once again a hot button candidate will take the election and continue the Reagan bushdaddy bushbaby tradition of forking over our great grandchildrens tax dollars to Megacorporations to run offshore with. I am afraid of more years of warrantless wiretaps, no-knock search warrants from secret courts and a bloated federal bureaucracy to keep the peasants in line.

[starleo146]

The party is in disarray right now and can''''t decide what direction they want to take.
Posted by kansas1946 at 06:36 PM : Aug 30, 2007

YOU MIGHT CHECK THE BATHROOMS OF AIRPORTS.

[starleo146]

Posted by frb01 at 06:25 PM : Aug 30, 2007

IN ALL HONESTY HE DOES NOT LOOK WELL.

[afmca]

He is just a more polished version of George Bush. He is just as intellectually weak and lazy. He is already bowing down and kissing the butt*s of the religious nut jobs. We have been under the power of bigoted southern politicians for almost 7 years with Bush, DeLay, Lott, Frist, etc. .. we don''t need another actor pretending to be President. If this is all the Republicans have to offer they really don''t deserve to lead the country.

[kansas1946]

He has just spent too much time being a lobbyist for my taste. I am not fond of lobbyists, and I really don''t want one for a president. Besides, there is just something about this guy that doesn''t ring true.

[wangbang]

Wow, if he wins, for the first time ever we will have a First Lady who will elicit calls of "Show us your t*ts!" from the crowd!

[kansas1946]

The party is in disarray right now and can''''''''t decide what direction they want to take.
Posted by kansas1946 at 06:36 PM : Aug 30, 2007

YOU MIGHT CHECK THE BATHROOMS OF AIRPORTS.
Posted by starleo146 at 06:57 PM : Aug 30, 2007
***************************
LOL. That wasn''t very nice. (Funny, though)

[mommajommah]

hey screen_name_at..... hillary is NO southerner, i will have you know.... you must have fallen for her negro dialect recitation of that poem in birmingham a few months ago.

[cdfoxtrot]

How many "pre-announcements" can someone make? The suspense is killing me.

[actornaught]

Empty suit, and not a bright one, tho'' THAT worked well for w.

tommy''s wife is probably more qualified, and THAT worked for Clinton...

[gretagreen]

He looks thin, don''t you think.

I''m a little concerned also,glossypan, but I do think the Dems have some really good candidates this time. I don''t know which one to support though and may not even vote in the primary.

[myidoncbs]

Duh. He''s finally about to announce his intentions, as if we didn''t know. By now, I can''t imagine why anyone would care. BTW, he''s pysically very unhealthy, he''s getting a bit old, he''s very ugly, and he''s a bad actor. He was a successful lobbyist, but that is certainly not something to be proud of. He should fit in well with the looney fringe repugs who are looking for a father figure... at least until they discover what he''s been trying so hard to hide from them. Then, who knows?

[glossypan]

I will definitely vote in the primary and the candidate that I vote for probably will not be nominated. The more votes, the more influence on the party platform. I have slight misgivings about both frontrunners. Hillary in charge of what has become a completely unaccountable federal police force (HSA) is a little bothersome. I could throw my unwavering support to Obama but his proclaimations that God is on his side are too much like the current gang of scoundrels.