DES MOINES, Iowa -- Possible U.S. presidential
contender Fred Thompson made his first foray into the early
voting state of Iowa on Friday, courting supporters with
folksy sayings but playing coy about whether he would enter
the race.
"I think the American people are going to give us a shot,"
said Thompson, a Hollywood actor and former Tennessee
senator seen as a strong potential contender for the
Republican nomination to run for president in the November
2008 election.
"I think they're going to open the door and open their
hearts and their minds to what we have to say and who we
are," he added, rejecting suggestions he had waited too late
in the process to be able to catch up with his competitors.
Thompson took a formal step toward seeking the presidency in
early June, establishing a committee that allowed him to
hire staff and raise some funds while testing the waters to
decide whether to formally enter the race.
His presidential campaign-in-waiting has dragged on longer
than expected, even as his standing in opinion polls remains
competitive with Republican front-runners Rudy Giuliani, a
former New York mayor, and Mitt Romney, a former
Massachusetts governor.
Thompson told Iowa voters he did not believe the United
States had come to grips with the threat of extremist Islam
and he said he was concerned about overspending and the
national debt.
But he remained coy about tossing his hat into the ring.
"If things play out the way I've got in mind," Thompson
said, "we'll be seeing a lot more of each other."
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