Bob Novak adds more fire to the flames of a possible Fred Thompson candidacy for President, reaffirming reports that Thompson’s possible run is by no means just a publicity stunt:

In just three weeks, Fred Thompson has improbably transformed the contest for the Republican presidential nomination. It is not merely that he has come from nowhere to double digits in national polls. He is the talk of GOP political circles, because he is filling the conservative void in the Republican field.

Republican activists have complained for months that none of the big-three contenders — Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney — fits the model of a conservative leader for a conservative party. The party faithful have been waiting for another Ronald Reagan. But in the past year, nobody mentioned Thompson as the messiah until he appeared March 11 on ”Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.”

His statement to Wallace that he was ”giving some thought” to a presidential run generated a reaction that surprised Thompson. In the first Gallup Poll that listed Thompson (March 23-25), he scored 12 percent — amazing for someone out of public life for more than four years. More important than the polling data is his backing within the political community. Buyer’s remorse is expressed by several House members who had endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Romney.

Novak asserts that the speculation is more than just hype:

Friends bet Thompson will run. He clearly wants to try, and his wife, Jeri, is all for it. Seeking the best timing, he wants to avoid the pitfalls encountered by Democrat Barack Obama, who may have damaged himself by starting his campaign too quickly.

Run, Fred, run. H/T to Drudge Report.