Thompson isn’t the only one under surveillance. Politics junkies and rival campaigns have been looking for signs among other potential candidates. Pundits are watching Al Gore’s waistline under the theory that the former veep will slim down if he decides to seek the Democratic nod. Will Michael Bloomberg run? Contact with Ross Perot and his advisers might be a sign that the New York City mayor will mount a third-party run for the White House. Others are watching how often Chuck Hagel talks to Bloomberg, after the Nebraska senator hinted that he’s talked to the mayor about a joint ticket. Also under close watch: Newt Gingrich’s continued efforts to make nice with social conservatives in his party, who have problems with his string of failed marriages and admission of adultery.
Thompson, who now lives in Virginia, hasn’t driven his pickup in several years. The paint is peeling and its U.S. Senate license plates expired back in 2002. Mark Corallo, a spokesman, says Thompson “just hasn’t had the heart to sell her.” “I don’t know if the truck will be resurrected,” he told NEWSWEEK, adding that Thompson has made no decision about 2008. In other words, he’s still idling in the driveway.
