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Posted: October 17, 2007 6:47 PM
Thompson's Officially In, But Where is He?
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Contrary to his original schedule, the GOP’s newest entry to the presidential field, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, skipped a visit to New Hampshire this week, bypassing the early voting state where he has only been once since his officially announcing his candidacy.

”He’s a late entry. That will probably hurt him,” Bow, N.H., resident Geri Gormley told the Associated Press. ”We’re grass roots. Candidates come up and pick our brains, one on one. We had (Barack) Obama’s staff come to our door today. That’s good strategy.”

However, starting on Monday with a series of fundraisers in New York and remarks at the Conservative Party of New York State Reception, where he was accompanied by Alfonse M. D’Amato, Thompson kicked off a travel-filled week. He also appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Your World with Neil Cavuto” where he challenged former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s conservatism.

“I don’t think that the mayor has ever claimed to be a conservative,” Thompson said, while labeling himself as the “consistent conservative.”

On Tuesday, Thompson was in Washington, D.C. for more fundraising and remarks at the Republican Jewish Coalition Presidential Forum as well as the Republican Presidential Trust Dinner.

The Politico this week detailed Thompson’s relationship with the Guggenheim Advisers, a $3 billion investment group that paid him between $100,001 and $1 million since the beginning of last year for “personal services.” Thompson who in the past served on the group’s board along with his campaign’s top economic adviser, Lawrence Lindsey, stepped down in June, the same month he created his exploratory committee, the Politico reports. “In his first month of fundraising, Guggenheim’s executives and managers contributed $13,500 to the committee, according to a report the committee filed with the Internal Revenue Service,” the Politico wrote.

“That made the fund among Thompson’s top contributors in his crucial early fundraising push. In his first month of fundraising, he accepted at least $34,900 from donors affiliated with hedge funds and private equity firms, a Politico analysis found.”

The Thompson campaign announced this week that Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington will serve as the Chairman of the campaign’s Illinois operation and Congressman Don Manzullo will serve as its Vice-Chairman. Attorney General Greg Abbott and Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson will serve as co-chairs of the Texas campaign.

On Wednesday, Thompson delivers remarks at the Club for Growth Fall Economic Conference, followed by a scheduled interview on the Michael Medved Show, while his wife, Jeri, will speak to the Republican Jewish Coalition for the National Women’s coalition Kickoff Breakfast. On Thursday, Thompson will be in Georgia for fundraising events and on Friday, he will return to Washington, D.C. for the “Washington Briefing 2007: Values Voters” Summit.

Over the weekend, Thompson will be in Florida and will participate in the Fox News Channel Presidential Debate at 8p.m. on Sunday.