Thompson's Senate career faces scrutiny as nears White House race

Boston Globe ^ | June 1, 2007 | Thomas Ferraro

[Zakeet]

Fred Thompson, a Hollywood actor turned White House contender, had a reputation while a U.S. senator of being frustrated with the slow-moving legislative process and preferring dining with friends to late-night congressional sessions.

But the 64-year-old Republican, who retired from the Senate in 2003 after serving eight years, was also seen as a charismatic speaker who exuded confidence, battled government waste and abuse and backed campaign finance reform.

"The consensus seemed to be that he didn't like to work real hard, but was good to have on your team," said a Senate Republican aide. "People said the same thing about (former President) Ronald Reagan," another one-time Hollywood star.

But Paul Light of New York University's Center for the Study of Congress, said: "The risk he faces is that people want him so much to be like Ronald Reagan that he can't possibly live up to the test. He needs to develop a persona that's distinctly his."

Yet Light said the 6-foot-6 conservative may fill a Republican void. "There's a search for someone who has the right credentials and presence to take on someone like (Democratic White House hopefuls) Hillary (Rodham) Clinton and Barack Obama."

[Zakeet]

This article is a weak attempt at a hit piece on Fred by the Boston Blob and El Rooters.

Among Thompson's many perceived flaws:

A New York Times analysis showed that Fred defended gun rights, opposed abortion, mocked warnings of climate change, said Iraq could become a haven for terrorists and described President John Kennedy, a Democratic icon, as "an astute proponent of tax cuts."

An unnamed veteran lobbyist said Fred was viewed as a lazy son of gun who would say at two in the afternoon, 'I'm done.' Can you name one major piece of legislation he authored? I can't.

Another unnamed lobbyist said, I like Fred. But I'm not sure he has the energy to wage a long presidential campaign.

Enjoy.

[cdcdawg]

Fred has them worried. They should be.

[billybudd]

Fred appeals to the slacker blood coursing through my veins.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

LOL.

How about we put Hitlery’s Senate career to some scrutiny?

[kjo]

Isn’t it interesting how Thompson’s political career will now be put under the liberal microscope, but Obama’s somehow, doesn’t count?

[moonman]

John Fonda Kerry sat in the U.S. Senate for 20+ years and never authored a piece of legislation. When he ran for the presidency, did anyone at the Boston Globe write an article on that?

[LdSentinal]

How about we put Hitlery’s Senate career to some scrutiny?

Never happen with the liberal media.

[Armedanddangerous]

SO? Ive always maintainted that if you can get all your chores done by 2pm, why not go home and have a sandwich and a nap??

[Rodney King]

Congress should work less. They spend most of their time just figuring out how to take money out of our pockets.

[johnny7]

This article is a weak attempt at a hit piece on Fred by the Boston Blob

Homo's hate him...

[cripplecreek]

More than anything his record on border control concerns me. NumbersUSA gives him an overall grade of C but he did improve over his last couple of years in office. NumbersUSA has a pretty detailed record. It’s a mixed bag of excelent, good, mediocre, and horrible.

http://grades.betterimmigration.com/view_history.php3?District=TN&VIPID=743

[R.W.Ratikal]

“The consensus seemed to be that he (Thompson) did not like to work real hard . . . . “

Then Thompson was in the right job when he was in the Senate. The average senator shows up for work only every once in a while and then only from 10 to 300 two or three days a week. A senator’s biggest challenge is to stay sober until lunchtime.

The only time a senator can be counted on to be in his seat until midnight is when a pay raise is being considered.

[JoanneSD]

Exactly, sounds as if Mr. Thompason knows how to manage his time.. but he could of started his day at 4 in the morning too... which lots of people do.. and he put in 2 hrs overtime..

[skinkinthegrass]

This article is a weak attempt at a hit piece on Fred by the Boston Blob and El Rooters....You got that right....but, We know, whos' "fingerprints" are all over this "hit piece". Boston Blob/NYSlimes/ComPost et al , are squarely in Shrillary 's Claws....
her bootlickers/shills...no "freedom of the press" here.

[cdcdawg]

I think we need more Senators who don’t do anything. When these guys and galls start doing things and agreeing, we usually get something really awful.

Wasn’t it Reagan that said something like “They say hard work never killed anybody, but I’m not willing to risk it?”

[Rennes Templar]

If that’s all they can muster, Fred’s lazy, they in trouble.

[billybudd]

A very good point indeed.

[Politicalmom]

This lazy thing is a load. I heard the author of the new Fred biography on KSFO on Friday, and when he talked to one of Fred's former employees about the "lazy" charge, she laughed hysterically and said she quit because she was working herself to death trying to keep up with Fred.

PING!!

Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference

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[Gay State Conservative]

Great! Does that mean we get to hear again from the Secret Service agent who testified that he saw Hillary’s Chief of Staff leaving Vince Foster’s West Wing office with an armload of papers a few hours after his death?

[skinkinthegrass]

The average senator shows up for work only every once in a while and then only from 10 to 300 two or three days a week. A senator’s biggest challenge is to stay sober until lunchtime....yup, sounds like "Swimmer" Kennd(runk)ey's "Monthly Work-Schedule"....except, He's Drunk, all the time 24/7/52/yr/decade