Thompson May Delay Until September

Bob Novak has information on an upcoming Fred Thompson fundraiser that's a signal that he's heading toward a formal announcement:

In advance of a formal solicitation for funds or an announcement of his candidacy, Fred Thompson's presidential campaign is quietly organizing its first Washington fund-raiser at the downtown J.W. Marriott hotel the last week in July.

This event will give the clearest signal so far of how successful the actor-politician will be in his late-starting drive to finance his run for president. It will be watched carefully to see whether Thompson picks up important lobbyists and other Washingtonians who earlier had lined up for Sen. John McCain's fading campaign for the presidential nomination.

A footnote: Thompson may not announce officially as a candidate until September, although an "exploratory" committee may soon be unveiled.

I'm not sure how long the charm of a Thompson non-candidacy will continue. Supporters, both financial and otherwise, want to see a decision made and a formal entry into the race. The Thompson advisors run the risk of waiting a little too long and losing the momentum the campaign has generated up until now.

There is one obvious benefit to the delay - it's giving the media the opportunity to burn up all their best attack articles before the campaign even starts. The LA and NY Times have been on a tear with new revelations coming almost daily, and they haven't made one bit of difference in the polling.