Thompson offers a preview of the themes he is likely to emphasize in a presidential campaign.

From The New York Times:

In a preview of the themes he is likely to emphasize in a presidential campaign, Fred D. Thompson tossed some red meat to Republicans [during a speech in Richmond, Virginia] Saturday night, assailing the immigration bill in Congress and warning of a mushroom cloud he said radicals around the world were waiting to see rise over the United States.

The speech was both a call to arms and a declaration to conservatives that he is one of them. Mr. Thompson paid homage to Barry Goldwater as his political inspiration. He denounced the so-called death tax. He took a swipe at Democrats for what he said was hanging out a “surrender” sign in the war in Iraq.

“Believe it or not, we still have many friends around the world,” Mr. Thompson said. But he said those friends needed convincing “that this is a battle between the forces of civilization and the forces of evil and we’ve got to choose sides.”

He was short on specifics, offering instead a broad conservative approach toward smaller government, lower taxes and a bigger defense budget.

It was his views on immigration that brought the diners to their feet with sustained applause.

“You’ve got to secure the border first before you do anything else,” he said, adding, “This is our home, and we get to decide who comes into our home.”