Welcome to the State, Fred. What Kept You?

One of the women standing by the vats of chili calls out: "Are you gonna let him eat?"

Nope. More questions.

Thompson mops his forehead with a paper towel.

Can you win the New Hampshire primary? a reporter asks. Thompson may be doing well nationally, but he's polling fourth here, where many activists already have committed to other candidates.

"Yes."

How?

"Working hard," Thompson says, adding that he plans to be in New Hampshire "early and often."

Early and often. But for months now, there are so many things about Fred Thompson that New Hampshire has been pondering. (The state likes to ponder. Likes to ask questions, meet a candidate a few times, ask some more, and ponder.) Questions! Like: After so much waiting to get in the race, can Thompson live up to the expectations surrounding him? Could anyone? And about this notion that he's lazy, that he doesn't want the presidency badly enough -- will that notion disappear or will it calcify? And can he attract activists in the state when his challengers have already been here and there and everywhere, reading "Owl Babies" to New Hampshire's preschoolers (that's Mitt Romney) and answering important questions from the people, like, Will you get Alzheimer's while you're in office? (John McCain).

Sure, there's still time, says Chuck Morse, a former state rep who's attending the chili-fest. "My home town of Salem -- there are still a few people that I consider activists that haven't signed up with anyone yet," Morse says.

Himself, he's with Romney.

Even Thompson's supporters know it: He had better start doing things New Hampshire's way. Meeting the people. Eating the chili.

"He's gotta stay here for awhile," says Herbie Geiler, who's wearing a Thompson T-shirt. "New Hampshire likes to shake hands with candidates multiple times."