Fred makes it official

DURHAM, N.H., Sept. 5 -- After months of testing the waters, former senator Fred Thompson (Tenn.) jumped into the race for the Republican presidential nomination on late-night television Wednesday, as his eight rivals clashed here in a debate that featured sharp exchanges over Iraq and immigration.

Thompson used an appearance on NBC's "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" to kick off his campaign. "I'm running for president of the United States," Thompson told Leno during the show's taping early Wednesday evening.

He followed that up at midnight with a longer video on his campaign Web site outlining his reasons for running, citing threats to national security and the economy and the need to change Washington. "I know that reform is possible in Washington because I have seen it done," he said. "I do not accept it as a fact of life beyond our power to change that the federal government must go on expanding more, taxing more, and spending more forever."

Thompson's Republican rivals appeared unbowed by his entry and used their forum to take potshots at him for skipping the debate. "Maybe we're up past his bedtime," Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) quipped. Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani joked: "I think Fred is a really, really good man. I think he's done a pretty good job of playing my part on 'Law & Order.' "

Asked by Leno why he wasn't in New Hampshire, Thompson said, "I'll do my share, but I don't think it's a very enlightening forum, to tell you the truth."

Thompson's long-awaited announcement brings a potentially formidable candidate into the Republican race. His Southern roots, conservative message and celebrity appeal from movies and television have already pushed him into second place in most national polls, behind Giuliani.

Fred announced months later than the other candidates because they knew that they were going to run for at least a year longer than he did (Hillary's campaign began before Bill even left the White House nearly eight years ago). Mr. Thompson has had to do in a few months what Julie Annie and the others have had at least three times as long to do, put together a national campaign organization.

As for Fred's decision not to participate in last night's debate let me ask you a question:

Rudolph Giuliani is the leading candidate on the Republican side. If the primaries were all held today he would gain the nomination and if the general election were held tomorrow he would beat Hillary Clinton and become the next president.

What does really gain for himself by standing on a stage with third tier candidates like Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo (both fine men who would make good presidents, but this just isn't their year and by now they should know it)? Does Giuliani add to or subtract from his stature by sharing a stage with ass-clown Ron Paul and being treated in exactly the same manner as that wackjob?

Newt Gingrich was right about the debates serving no useful purpose the way they are currently formatted. Of course Fred will have to attend all upcoming debates, but he does himself no harm by holding himself aloof from this one. There is still plenty of time for him to risk eye damage from the stage lights reflecting off of Ron Paul's tinfoil hat.

Here is Fred on Leno making his announcement:



There is also the fact that on Leno he was seen by tens of millions while the debate was watched by tens of thousands.

Here is Fred's first campaign commercial:



Here is a link to his website with a longer announcement.