I think FT is doing the same thing Newt is. He will run only if he thinks he is needed. I think that he’s not in any hurry. I don’t know how binding radio contracts are compared to TV contracts. They may not be that binding at all.
Thompson is getting just as much attention now as he would get should he announce, and doesn’t need anywhere near the cash.
I’m really baffled as to why people believe it is critical that good candidates announce very early. I can understand why a marginal or poor candidate would do so, but not why the likes of Thompson (either of them) would have to.
Frankly, I think Hitlery announcing her candidacy so early was a HUGE error for her, and several of the other Demodog candidates made the same error. It was essential, on the other hand, for candidates like Taranto and O’Dumbo to do so - for quite different reasons.
Since he signed the contract after thinking about running, I would presume there is a clause letting him out at any time, something that wouldn’t have been in a TV show contract.