DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) - Former Sen. Fred Thompson may dominate the coverage in Iowa over the next 48 hours - after all this is the first state he's visiting since officially announcing Wednesday his bid for the White House. But if Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign has anything to do with it, not all eyes will be on the actor-turned-senator-turned presidential candidate.
In a statement, Obama's campaign said a group of the Illinois senator's senior advisers will travel to Iowa Thursday and Friday to meet with people "to get their insight and ideas about the most pressing challenges facing America."
The campaign said the purpose is to further the Illinois senator's policy agenda.
"I want my senior advisers to get advice and insight from people in the Heartland - not Washington special interests," Obama said. "Our campaign is building a grassroots movement for change, and I don't just want Iowans' support - I want their ideas."
The team of eight advisers will include various policy directors and chairs whose areas of focus range from women's issues to foreign policy. They'll be split up, and meetings will be held across the state.
-CNN Iowa Producer Chris Welch