Posted on 03/22/2007 12:20:50 PM PDT by STARWISE
Thirty five years ago, Fred Thompson, then an obscure country lawyer from Tennessee, became a familiar face to millions of Americans engrossed in watching the historic drama of the Senate Watergate hearings unfold on television.
The exposure he received as the Republican counsel to the committee investigating the scandal propelled him to a lucrative law practice, a substantial movie career, then the U.S. Senate and finally a return to acting and private law practice.
When he first won election to a seat once held by his longtime mentor, Howard Baker, he was considered almost immediately by many as a potential presidential nominee. Possessing a rugged 6-foot-4-inch ((I believe he's 6" 6")) frame and a voice as rich and smoky as the Tennessee mountains, he is an imposing figure.
But he seemed reluctant to pursue the prospect with any fervor, and he soon became bored and disillusioned with the Senate, a condition not unusual among bright people after a few years in the world's champion debating club. He left that aspect of politics, but despite star billing on TV's "Law & Order" series, he kept his political ties and friends.
The other day Thompson cranked up the buzz about the 2008 Republican presidential nomination by letting it be known that if the planets were aligned this summer, he "might" be interested in seeking the job his friends hoped he would years ago.
That this tentative step could stir up such interest pretty much certifies the lack of overall enthusiasm by GOP regulars for the current crop of hopefuls.
While Rudolph Giuliani is leading in the early polls, his damaging personal life has damaged his image. John McCain's former stature as the man to beat has slipped because of his support for more troops in Iraq.
Mitt Romney's onetime socially liberal stances have hurt him first with conservatives and then with moderates when he disavowed them.
Thompson's appearance on the scene seemed to stimulate a burst of interest, particularly among the conservatives who view him as acceptable and among the moderates who point out that he has never been reactionary.
Also, Baker is leading the Thompson draft. The former Senate Republican leader's endorsement still carries a lot of weight.
Part of the equation may be the "Hagel factor." Nebraska Sen. Charles Hagel, a Vietnam veteran who is a hard nosed opponent of the Iraq policy and often mentioned as a potentially viable alternative for Republican moderates. He still hadn't made up his mind.
Some who earn their living speculating about politics saw Hagel's hesitancy as a possible deference to Thompson. The two were close friends.
Obviously Thompson's name recognition is high enough because of his TV and movie performances to make a late entry into the campaign more plausible than it might be for others. But he also has solid credentials as well as a presidential demeanor.
Whether or not he possesses the desire, money and organization to capture the nomination and then the White House against odds that at this stage clearly favor whoever wins the Democratic nod is another question.
FRedheads .. PING !
Boy...I sure don't like reading he was a good friend of Hagel.
You don't suppose he would pick Hagel as a running mate, do you??? UGH
Please add me to the ping list.
And I wish Fred would just run!
It is interesting to note that every single major Republican nominee was attacked in the article, associated with a 'bad point' and not one 'good point' to any of them. Drive by media at their best.
I'm not going to get excited or even speculate about a man who hasn't committed and officially entered the race.
Jelly and Howlin are keeping the ping lists .. ;) Go to it,
guys !
Dearlord, NO .. I would pray that would NEVER EVER happen. That would be abyssmal ..simply frightening.
Well, if that's what the author wants to believe, I suppose it's okay...
Being the subject of a recall movement in your own state should count for something, though.
From the piece you posted:
"Whether or not he possesses the desire, money and organization to capture the nomination and then the White House against odds that at this stage clearly favor whoever wins the Democratic nod is another question."
This is clearly the conventional wisdom in the MSM- the libs will take POTUS in 08.
Unbelievable, isn't it?
Run, Fred, RUN!!!
Yeah, that's it.
The writer sounded sane right up to this sentence.
Our first foot-long president!
Yep .. he sure leaked out his little bias: for abandoning our troops.
The FRedhead list grows longer. :)
In FDT's 1975 book, "At That Point In Time," Fred writes that he is 6'5".
BS. McCain's stature has slipped because he is a raving lunatic that co-sponsored the CFR restrictions on free speech, colluded with the democrats and his "gang of 14" to keep judicial filibusters in place, and undermined W's initiatives from tax cuts to private social security investment accounts at every opportunity. In terms of the GOP nomination, supporting more troops in Iraq in an effort to ensure and achieve victory is about the only positive thing you can say about him.
Hagel is a non-starter that might not even be able to win the GOP primary for his own senate seat if he were up for reelection.
But, for the first time since hearing of his potential candidacy, hearing him talk about his personal considerations ... family, money, etc., I'm sensing that he could be convinced not to. I can understand, but my heart kinda sunk.
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