Thompson should enter race or get out of the way

Will Fred run? That seems to be the question of the hour as former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson continues to toy with the idea of running for the White House in 2008. Thompson needs to get off the fence and either declare his candidacy or get out of the way so the serious candidates can run.

What’s the hurry? Well, for Thompson, making his decision soon would give him the opportunity to make up for lost time. Most of the candidates in the Republican field have been running for months. They have a huge head start in getting their names out there and in locking up available funds. Making his decision public would give him a chance to get aggressive about fundraising. It would give him a chance to be competitive.

For voters, a decision by Thompson would give them a chance to become reacquainted with the former senator and his politics. Many people know Thompson from his roles in movies like ‘The Hunt for Red October’ and TV shows like ‘Law and Order.’ But it’s been five years since Thompson left the Senate. In the world of Washington politics, that’s an eternity. Predictably, the Republican Thompson is anti-abortion. But what is his stance on the Iraq war, and how would he conduct it if elected president? Thompson points out correctly that there is a looming fiscal crisis in this nation, but what specifically would he do to address it? What would he do to address the health care crisis?

These are the kinds of issues Thompson needs to be addressing and giving specific answers on. He needs to make up his mind soon so voters can have a better idea of their choices in 2008. And he needs to make up his mind so voters can get to know him and what his positions are on the important issues.

Thompson has been toying with the idea of a presidential run for five months now. He has managed to raise the hopes of Republicans everywhere. It’s time to end the flirtation and make up his mind about his political future. It’s time to either get in the race or get out of the way.