Via the NYT: Thompson Declares His Candidacy for President

After months of false starts, staff shake-ups, and questions about the seriousness of his intention to run for president, Fred Thompson rolled out his presidential candidacy this evening with a two-pronged, guerrilla-style entry into the race that sought to take the spotlight from his Republican opponents as they squared off in a debate.

The Leno/commercial during the debates/late night announcement thing was fairly clever–it at least garnered him an extra dollop of attention and it was a slightly different way of making his intentions known. Still, I remain a skeptic in regards to the strength of Thompson’s support in the party, as I really don’t think a lot of his enthusiasts really know as much about him as they think. He has been as much “none of the above” as he has been anything else to this point in time.

It is noteworthy that his announcement, while a good PR move, was a low-risk, low-information affair (which has been the hallmark of his “campaign” to date):

In skipping the debate and a more formal announcement at a news conference or on a news program, Mr. Thompson provided himself a pleasant, risk-free forum, safe from potential negativity and tough questioning from reporters, a debate moderator or the public.

I like the way the BBC put it, as I like the British turn of phrase employed:

“I’m running for president of the United States,” he announced in an appearance on a popular chat show.

“Chat” seems about right.