I'm crossing my fingers that this man runs:
It looks as if Fred Thompson is getting ready to run for president. Friends of the former Tennessee senator turned actor (anonymous to protect their relationship) say he's increasingly tempted to enter the 2008 Republican primaries, fueled in part by new polls that show he's got a serious shot at the White House. A Gallup poll released last week found Thompson ranked No. 3 behind front runners Rudy Giuliani and John McCain with 12 percent support among Republicans—all before he's even formally launched a campaign. Last week Thompson was spotted in Washington lunching with former Senate majority leader Bill Frist, who has publicly urged his longtime friend to run for president. On April 18, Frist and Tennessee Rep. Zach Wamp will host Thompson on Capitol Hill, where he'll meet with House and Senate members to discuss his possible candidacy. Wamp, who heads a draft-Thompson committee, told NEWSWEEK that so many lawmakers have expressed interest in the meeting that organizers had to reserve a bigger room and extend Thompson's visit from one hour to almost a full day. "I really believe he's in," Wamp says. "I think it's only a matter of him getting his personal affairs in order."One longtime Thompson friend, who declined to be named while discussing the former senator's personal life, tells NEWSWEEK that Thompson is looking into his contract obligations to "Law & Order" and talking with producers about how his run could affect the franchise. Election law requires equal air time for candidates. If enforced, the law could mean that more than 100 episodes over the past five seasons of "Law & Order" and its various spinoffs might have to be removed from the airwaves during Thompson's run—or other candidates could demand equal air time. (But not their own show, says former Federal Election Commission official Larry Noble: no " 'Law & Order: Straight Talk Express' or 'Law & Order: It Takes a Village.' ")
Another issue: his address. Thompson and his wife, Jeri, sold their Tennessee home last year and moved to the D.C. suburbs, a closer commute to New York, where "Law & Order" is filmed. A spokesman for the Tennessee Division of Elections tells NEWSWEEK that Thompson was purged from the state's voter rolls last November. Thompson's son Fred Jr. told reporters his dad is currently "looking to buy a place" in his home state.
Is Thompson, who often complained about long hours in the Senate, up for the rigors of a lengthy campaign? "If he decides to do this, Fred will work as hard as anybody," says Tennessee GOP chairman Bob Davis, a former Thompson aide. "These things don't come around very often, and I think he knows that."
Fred is the only one who could stir me from my electoral torpor. His mellifluous voice and soothing accent is like a cool cloth on a fevered brow. I'm fairly sure we're for the same stuff too.
Posted by floridacracker at April 2, 2007 03:20 AMFred Thompson is the man !!!
But I've never watched Law & Order..is that ok ?
Posted by: csason at April 2, 2007 05:45 AMI want to add my voice to yours. Fred Thompson is probably the best candidate running for president in either party. The support for Thompson has two sources in the GOP.
1. Those who reject all of the above for whatever reason. Since all three front leaders must contort their records to fit the middle of the GOP’s beliefs.
2. Many in the GOP do not want someone they have to guess about their positions. Thompson has a track record.
What’s not calculated in to Thompson’s support numbers are the Independents that he will pick up in the General Election, just as he did in Tennessee, when he stood for reelection. He gathered more votes for a statewide office than any other individual.
In addition, Thompson puts the fear in Democrats. Think about it! A debate between Thompson and Hillary or Obama. I would pay to see that event. Visit http://www.AnotherRonaldReagan and hear Thompson in his own words.
he's not perfect but who is? that mccain-feingold thing is my only quibble. even though born in bama he be. Go Vols! :)
Posted by: richard at April 2, 2007 06:53 AMDamn.
Which one of these Fred, Sweet Fred posts is the negative, and which one is the positive..??
I am assuming Donnah put two up here for a reason.
If this is the positive one, then I would like to change my vote to Fred is the best man for the job.
So far, he has come down on the right side of every issue that I am interested in.
Posted by: csason at April 2, 2007 08:00 AMNo, it was a glitch I hadn't noticed. Thanks for pointing it out, Owen.
When I was typing this up, all I could keep thinking was "Debates!" I want him to have lots and lots of debates.
Posted by: Donnah at April 2, 2007 08:34 AMI'm hoping he runs. Considering the others that have announced their candidacy, I'm tempted to write him in even if he doesn't run.
I like the suggestion that I read elsewhere that the equal time provided to other candidates should be them reading his lines from his movies and TV shows. The thoughts expressed by his characters are provided by scriptwriters and it would only be fair if the other candidates had as little control over what they could say during their equal air time.
Posted by: marybeth at April 2, 2007 09:01 AMLol, I saw the double post and csason's first comment and decided to wait. ;p
"Thompson's popularity reflects weakness among announced Republican candidates..." I would have to say that is the best understatement of the campaign season thus far, imho, made by Robert Novak.
The party conservatives are not enamored with the liberals and 2nd teir candidates that are currently running.
If Fred does hop into the race he will probably outpace all the current wannabee's and have the nomination locked up by December.
And yes, I'm looking forward to the debates he'll have against whoever the Democrats nominate. I'm hoping that his prior experience as a lawyer holds him in good stead.
With the current weak crop of candidates most people are drumming their lips and looking for the tiniest little spark of something to get excited about. But Fred, sheesh. That guy would have people jumping to their feet.
Posted by: Donnah at April 2, 2007 11:47 AMYep, he's a good, honest, red-blooded Hellmann's kinda guy.
Get's my vote.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 2, 2007 11:50 AM"....The party conservatives are not enamored with the liberals and 2nd teir candidates that are currently ....."
You can say the same thing for the liberal caucus..what a joke..
Recycled Clinton
Recycled (and gussied up) Edwards
Recycled Gore (all warmed up..and my footprint in his butt)
Recycled Sharpton/Jessie in the form of Obama
I think I am missing one..
Recycled McCain
Recycled Newt
..
We will have to see about this Hellman's business.
I was wishing for some Fred when GWB2 announced his bid.
I hope the rest of the world is ready, cause he won't be playing with any of this stuff. He is the real deal, right down to pushing the button.
Thompson is the closest thing to a Reagan Republican available at this time who is willing and able to run. I'd vote for him over any of the other Republican candidates. Polls show his numbers to be low right now but he's going to have to make up his mind soon so he can start raising campaign funds.
And on a lighter note:
Tennessee Rep. Zach Wamp
I love that guy's name! Almost onomatopoeia-esque.
oh please oh please oh please. I sooo want to see him run. Like Donnah say's - just THINK of the debates.
AND, he's the real deal. Holy Cow!
Posted by: Tammi at April 2, 2007 08:31 PMDoes all this mean I shouldn't have donated 25 bucks to Hillary's campaign ? O my God, what have I done ?
I like Thompson - I had high hopes for him when he first went to the Senate and I was heartened by his excellent response to one of Clinton's speeches as his party's counter-point speaker just days after coming to DC as Tennessee's newest senator. But his failure in 1997 to control John Glenn during the public hearings by the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs on campaign finance scandals embroiling the Clinton administration, left me with doubts about his ability to operate successfully when pitted against corrupt and devious examples of his political opposition.
Another point that worries me is his lack of executive experience. I still like Fred Thompson but I'm not so sure he should be on the top of any ticket yet.
Finally, I know he admires John McCain and has supported him in the past but if he still comes down with the view that McCain-Feingold was a good idea, then I'm going to start questioning Thompson's judgment too.
Posted by: tfhr at April 2, 2007 11:42 PMYa, that series of votes for that craptastic assault on freedom of speach still pisses me off and it's going to be one of the first issues he'll have to answer to if he does run.
There are some things to admire about John McCain, but all of them were in the 60's and early 70's, after that he became a politician, in the worst sense of the word.
I heard he always wanted to be a Gator.. :)
Fred 'Hillary Killer' Thompson... yeh
Posted by: csason at April 3, 2007 11:52 AMFred will make a great V.P.
IMHO, Rudy is the man and here's why:
As a real D.A. of New York (not as an actor) he prosecuted and virtually ended the reign of organized crime that had endured for generations. The skill sets he learned in this phase of his career will be invaluable in fighting and prosecuting terrorist cells in this country.
NYC had been in decline for three decades, mired in liberal politics and the byzantine power politics of civil service unions. Rudy turned the city around. One only needs to walk around Times Square at 12 o'clock at night to realize how safe the city has become.
Then there are the 9/11 heroics, where he came close to being killed while directing operations near the twin towers.
So Fred is cool, but I see Rudy as a once in a lifetime candidate.
Posted by: bob at April 5, 2007 08:26 PMAgreed, but the question remains - can those two get along? Thompson would also be 74 or so after two terms as VP. If he does have presidential aspirations, time is not on his side.
Posted by: tfhr at April 6, 2007 05:30 AM