Campaign of the seven veils
FRED THOMPSON, the actor and former Tennessee senator, isn't scheduled to announce his campaign for president until tomorrow, but he has made his intentions known. For months, Thompson has flirted openly with entering the Republican field. The website for his exploratory committee touts a "national house party to hear Fred Thompson announce his campaign." At this point, the only way Thompson could surprise anyone would be to opt out of the race.
Somehow, though, Thompson could not quite get himself into the race in time to take part in tonight's debate, cosponsored by the New Hampshire Republican Party. He seems to be ducking a prime chance to spar with his rivals in a vital early-primary state - and to let voters size him up against them. He's slated to appear on Jay Leno's show instead.
The episode illustrates how silly the reluctant-candidate-waiting-in-the-wings routine has become. Long after others have declared, Thompson is still campaigning by striptease. It's well past time for him to submit to closer scrutiny by voters, in New Hampshire and elsewhere.
Republicans in New Hampshire are rightly annoyed. New Hampshire party chairman Fergus Cullen said Thompson has deliberately timed his announcement to avoid the debate. "New Hampshire voters could be forgiven for wondering whether he's ready for a substantive discussion of the issues," Cullen said, "and for wondering what the heck he's been doing all summer if not preparing for a substantive discussion of the issues."
Thompson's backers compare him with Ronald Reagan, another actor-politician. But the ex-senator's campaign seems based on a romantic theory of political campaigning: News of his interest would touch off a wave of Fredmania (and a flood of donations), as Republicans dissatisfied with their other choices gravitated to Thompson. But a few seasons of "Law and Order" do not a new Reagan make - and even that modern Republican icon lost a bruising nomination battle in 1976 before emerging victorious four years later.
Thompson's playbook has been used before, and its record has not been good. In 2004, many centrist Democrats were intrigued by the possible candidacy of retired General Wesley Clark. But Clark did not handle well the many rigors and indignities of a modern presidential campaign, and his candidacy never really caught on. Thompson, at least, has won two statewide elections in Tennessee. But his fund-raising this year has been slower than expected.
A long process of strategic dithering can help a campaign, because donations to exploratory committees are not subject to the same disclosure rules as donations to official campaigns. But at some point, those who intend to run for president just need to get into the race officially - and fight it out like everyone else. 