Racking Up the Mileage Points

California may be a decidely Democratic state but at the start of this week, it was the place to be for Republican presidential contenders.

Rudy Giuliani headlined a "Flag Day Salute" Sunday in Irvine, while John McCain was in Northern California for the start of a four-day swing through the state that focuses on fundraising. Today finds Mitt Romney in Riverside County; in his one public event, he'll gather with his "California Leadership Team" at a golf course in Corona. He also spends Tuesday and Wednesday in the state, mostly in Southern California.

Shadowing these announced candidates will be the race's most prominent unannounced one: Fred Thompson. The New York Times' Caucus blog reports that he'll be looking to add some intellectual heft to his anticipated campaign by meeting with scholars at Stanford University's conservative Hoover Institution.

But the politician best known for his acting parts isn't forgetting the girl that brung him to this dance — he travels to beautiful downtown Burbank Tuesday to tape an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

— Don Frederick

Photo: Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.); Credit: AP