The mystery of "Fred"

It strikes me that the entire intrigue of Fred Thompson's presidential campaign is that he's not a candidate yet, so everybody wishes he was one. Even if he acts like a candidate, he still leaves Republicans wanting more:

Staying true to his character so far, he was vague and coy, even when there was a shout from the crowd: “Hurry up and declare, already!”

It's smart to be vague and mysterious when that's the only weapon you've got in your bag. When your entire political resume is being an obscure backbench senator in a faction that most people don't really like any more (see DeLay and Gingrich), it's good to keep speculation focused on your "mysterious" intentions so they can't analyze your record.