Fred Thompson For President?
Republicans face a paradox coming into 2008. Our strongest candidates, polling-wise, are men that don't always represent the core values of the Republican Party. Republicans need to be careful, because spending too much time looking for the perfect candidate might distract us from finding a good one. Democrats who voted for Ralph Nader in 2000 found that out the hard way. That being said, the idea of former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson running for president is appealing on many levels. First off, he is not a career politician and has lived a full and succesfull life as a lawyer, politician, and actor. The comparisons to Reagan are obvious (though Thompson probably is a much better actor). I've done some quick research (i.e. Wikipedia) and here are his stats:
- Assistant US Attorney, 1969-1972- Campaign Manager for Howard Baker, 1972
- Co-Cheif Council for Senate Watergate Committee, 1973-1974
- Toppled Tennesse Gov. Roy Blanton by exposing his corruption of selling pardons, 1977
- Actor in such movies as "Cape Fear," "In The Line of Fire," & "Hunt For Red October"
- Elected United States senator from Tennessee, filling the term of Vice-President Al Gore by defeating six-term Rep. Jim Cooper, 1994
- Re-elected to US Senate, defeating attorney Houston Gordon, 1996
- Chairman, Senate Committe on Governmental Affairs
- National Co-Chairman, John McCain For President 2000
- Actor, playing D.A. Arthur Branch on the NBC hit "Law & Order," 2002-present
- Unofficial shepard of the nomination of Judge John Roberts to the US Supreme Court
Pretty ecclectic, one that I think can resonate with America. His acting career gives him automatic name recognition, his political career gives him knowledge of power at its highest, and his career as an attorney gives him credibility as a professional. It seems his candidacy is being unofficially explored by a cadre of Tennessee Republicans past and present lead by ex-Senate Howard Baker (perhaps looking to become secretary of state), Rep. Zach Wamp, and state GOP Chairman Bob Davis. I would not be suprised if Lamar Alexander and Bill Frist weren't lurking somewhere behind this as well.
Fred Thompson For President?
