Fred Thompson is scheduled to announce that he is a presidential candidate during a 15-minute webcast on Thursday — and he does not want anyone to miss it.
On Wednesday, the actor-former senator-lobbyist plans to air a 30-second advertisement on Fox News Channel during a Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire. Thompson is skipping the event, but he wants viewers to go to his Web site and hear what he has to say.
Thompson will also tape an appearance on NBC's The Tonight Show, which will air about an hour after the debate ends in many U.S. households. And he also plans to air another ad touting his webcast on Thursday.
While rivals — Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain — respond to questions during the debate questions, Thompson will control his own message via the Web.
"On the next president's watch, our country will make decisions that will affect our lives and our families far into the future," Thompson says in the ad. "We can't allow ourselves to become a weaker, less prosperous and more divided nation."
Thompson aides want as many eyes on the Web video as possible. The debate ad and follow-up commercial on Thursday will instruct viewers to go online and get their undiluted message straight from the candidate.
"We think one of the strongest weapons this campaign has is Fred Thompson's ability to connect directly with the public," says Todd Harris, Thompson's communications director. "We want to drive as much traffic as possible to the Web site."
Following that media drum roll, Thompson will make his first campaign appearance as a declared candidate on Thursday in Iowa.
Thompson is not the first to use the Internet and media to build up public interest. In January, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her Democratic presidential bid with a webcast.
From NPR reports and The Associated Press
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