Fred Thompson: I will fight against a "left-wing, big government, high taxing, weak-on-national security Democratic Party"

Thompson: More Surprises in Store
ABCNews | Christine Byun

About three months after his initial campaign kick-off, Republican candidate Fred Thompson returned to Iowa with a re-invigorated pitch in his final appeal to the early voting state.

Thompson -- who will spend 15 days in Iowa leading up to the Jan. 3 caucuses -- warned the country is "one successful terrorist plan away from nuclear attack."

Barely pausing to clear his throat, the former Tennessee Senator boomed, "it's not time for on-the-job training," a familiar jab on this year's campaign trail. Thompson believes he has the leadership skills to lead the country in national security issues.

"When the time comes where our worst enemy in the world is sitting across the table thinking about what he can do to the United States of America ... Who do you want sitting across the table representing us?" Thompson asked, a question which staffers say will be one of the campaign's driving themes during his statewide tour.