"I am running for
president of the United States," he said during a taping of NBC''s "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" Wednesday
evening, drawing applause and cheers from the audience.
It''s the same venue that helped launch the electoral career of another celebrity-turned-politician, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Thompson also talked about his decision to join the race in a webcast that went online early Thursday.
"I''m going to give this
campaign all that I have to give, and I hope that you''ll join me," Thompson said in the video announcement posted on his campaign Web site. "Our country needs us to win next year, and I''m ready to lead that effort."