The Next Reagan? (re: Fred Thompson)

Fred Thompson has been consistently conservative on social policy and provided critical help in getting John Roberts confirmed as Chief Justice.

The Republican Party presidential field seems wide open. Giuliani has lost valuable campaign papers, which might compromise a promising candidacy. He also is to the left of the Republican center on many issues, but his honesty and likeability make up for much of that. McCain is nominally pretty conservative, but he is simply disliked and mistrusted by too many Republicans. Romney is handsome and smooth, but unless he runs away from the pack early, his possible flip-flops on social issues will hurt him.

There are dark horses, like Mike Huckabee of Arkansas or Frank Keating of Oklahoma – both are popular, articulate, conservative and made their careers in state government, rather than Washington. Tom Tancredo would make a wonderful president, but has little chance of winning either the nomination or the general election.

Republicans need someone like Ronald Reagan, someone everyone knows, someone everyone likes, someone who is conservative and – most importantly – someone who would hold the presidency for eight years. What qualifications would such a candidate need? He would have to be someone who is very articulate and convincing in front of the camera, someone who exudes confidence, someone who naturally appeals to women voters, someone familiar with the news media, someone who has kept very much in the public eye and yet someone who has been away from the mess in Washington for awhile.

Is there such a man? Yes, there is: Fred Thompson. He has been consistently conservative on social policy and his help in getting John Roberts confirmed as Chief Justice to the Supreme Court was critical. Thompson has a record in the Senate and he voted conservative, according to the American Conservative Union, eighty-six percent of the time.

Although a conservative senator, he is well liked in the Senate. He also knows the Senate very well, although he has not been a member of the Senate for five years. Thompson also supported John McCain in 2000 and was his national co-chair. He has managed to be friendly with McCain and yet a strong supporter of President Bush. In short, he would be a unifier for the entire Republican Party and should receive the strong support of McCain, if Thompson won the nomination.

The most intriguing aspect of a Thompson candidacy, however, would be his extensive and successful experience as a movie star, a regular on two very popular television programs (programs, pointedly, that are particularly popular with women voters), and now as the replacement for Paul Harvey, whose radio program reaches tens of millions of older Americans every single day.

There is another Republican who did a regular radio commentary, who appeared before the American people for years on a very popular television program, who before that was a successful movie star, and who had left politics for several years before running for president. Who? Ronald Reagan, of course. He spoke to the American people with a radio commentary during the years between his defeat for the 1976 nomination and his run for the 1980 nomination. He was on General Electric Theater, a highly rated show, for years before entering politics. President Reagan honed his skills as a communicator at every single level.

Fred Thompson would naturally appeal to a couple of voting groups who do not naturally gravitate to Republican candidates: women who watch Law & Order, senior citizens who listen to and trust Paul Harvey, and young voters who have seen Thompson's many action movies. Fred Thompson also is an impressive and brilliant communicator. He also exudes a confidence and a leadership which people naturally seek in a president in troubled times.

Would Thompson run? He originally intended to run for re-election in 2002, but the death of his daughter caused him to reconsider. Thompson obviously does not “need” to be president to feel fulfilled in his life, but that is the very thing which most Americans want – someone, like Ronald Reagan, who actually wants to be president in order to serve his country and not his ego. It certainly seems that Fred Thompson cares about the future of America and he is clearly energetic and active enough to make a presidential run.

Would Thompson win? Today people are identified by image not policy briefs; Fred Thompson of Law & Order fame has the permanent image as a “good guy” to America. If his opponents complained that he was “just an actor,” then Thompson could easily answer: “Yes, just like Ronald Reagan was just an actor” (and no one says today that Ronald Reagan was a bad president.) He might run and he could easily win. After that, this well liked and brilliant actor might be the next Reagan.

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Bruce Walker has been a published author in print and in electronic media since 1990. His first book, Sinisterism: Secular Religion of the Lie, by Outskirts Press, was published in January 2006.

"Law & Order" .... D.A. Arthur Branch (107 episodes, 2002-2007)
... aka Law & Order Prime (USA: informal title)
- Church (2007) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Talking Points (2007) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Charity Case (2007) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Remains of the Day (2007) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Corner Office (2006) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
(102 more)
"Conviction" .... D.A. Arthur Branch (1 episode, 2006)
- Pilot (2006) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" .... D.A. Arthur Branch (11 episodes, 2003-2006)
... aka Law & Order: SVU (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Special Victims Unit (New Zealand: English title)
- Gone (2006) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Rockabye (2005) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Starved (2005) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Goliath (2005) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Night (2005) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... D.A. Arthur Branch
(6 more)
"Law & Order: Trial by Jury" .... D.A. Arthur Branch (13 episodes, 2005-2006)
- Eros in the Upper Eighties (2006) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Boys Will Be Boys (2005) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Day (2005) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- Blue Wall (2005) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- The Line (2005) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... D.A. Arthur Branch
(8 more)
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005) .... Sen. Fred Dalton Thompson
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" .... D.A. Arthur Branch (2 episodes, 2005)
... aka Law & Order: CI (USA: promotional abbreviation)
- In the Wee Small Hours: Part 1 (2005) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
- In the Wee Small Hours: Part 2 (2005) TV Episode .... D.A. Arthur Branch
Last Best Chance (2005) (V) .... President Charles Ross
Racing Stripes (2005) (voice) .... Sir Trenton
Evel Knievel (2004) (TV) .... Jay Sarno
Rachel and Andrew Jackson: A Love Story (2001) (TV) .... Voice of Andrew Jackson
"Sex and the City" .... Politician on TV (1 episode, 2000)
- Politically Erect (2000) TV Episode .... Politician on TV

Baby's Day Out (1994) .... FBI Agent Dale Grissom
In the Line of Fire (1993) .... White House Chief of Staff Harry Sargent
Born Yesterday (1993) .... Sen. Hedges
Barbarians at the Gate (1993) (TV) .... Jim Robinson
"Matlock" .... Gordon Lewis / ... (2 episodes, 1989-1993)
- The Juror (1993) TV Episode .... Prosecutor Mr. McGonigal
- The Hunting Party (1989) TV Episode .... Gordon Lewis
Keep the Change (1992) (TV) .... Otis
Day-O (1992) (TV) .... Frank DeGeorgio
Stay the Night (1992) (TV) .... Det. Malone
White Sands (1992) (uncredited) .... Arms Dealer
Thunderheart (1992) .... William Dawes
Bed of Lies (1992) (TV) .... Richard 'Racehorse' Haynes
Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992) .... Stockman
Cape Fear (1991) .... Tom Broadbent
Curly Sue (1991) .... Bernard Oxbar
Necessary Roughness (1991) .... Carver Purcell
Class Action (1991) .... Dr. George Getchell
Flight of the Intruder (1991) (uncredited) .... Court-Martial Captain
Die Hard 2 (1990) .... Trudeau
... aka Die Hard 2: Die Harder (Philippines: English title) (UK: promotional title) (USA: video box title)
Days of Thunder (1990) .... Big John
The Hunt for Red October (1990) .... Rear Admiral Joshua Painter - USS Enterprise

Fat Man and Little Boy (1989) .... Maj. Gen. Melrose Hayden Barry
... aka Shadow Makers (UK)
"Roseanne" .... Keith Faber (1 episode, 1989)
- Let's Call It Quits (1989) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... Keith Faber
"China Beach" .... Lt. Col. Reinhardt (1 episode, 1989)
- Twilight (1989) TV Episode .... Lt. Col. Reinhardt
"Wiseguy" .... Knox Pooley (3 episodes, 1988)
- Last of the True Believers (1988) TV Episode .... Knox Pooley
- Revenge of the Mud People (1988) TV Episode .... Knox Pooley
- School of Hard Knox (1988) TV Episode .... Knox Pooley
Feds (1988) .... Bill Bilecki
Unholy Matrimony (1988) (TV) (as Fred Thompson) .... Frank Sweeny
... aka Deadly Vows (UK: video title)
No Way Out (1987) .... CIA Director Marshall
Self:
2000s
1980s
"This Week" .... Himself (1 episode, 2006)
- Episode dated 2 July 2006 (2006) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... Himself
"Meet the Press" .... Himself (2 episodes, 2005)
- Episode dated 24 July 2005 (2005) TV Episode (as Fmr. Sen. Fred Thompson) .... Himself
- Episode dated 29 May 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Himself
"Hannity & Colmes" .... Himself (2 episodes, 2004-2005)
- Episode dated 6 July 2005 (2005) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... Himself
- Episode dated 25 March 2004 (2004) TV Episode (as Fred Thompson) .... Himself
Celsius 41.11: The Temperature at Which the Brain... Begins to Die (2004) .... Himself
... aka C 41.11 (USA: short title)
Watergate Plus 30: Shadow of History (2003) (TV) (as Fred Thompson) .... Himself
Download This (2002) .... Himself
"Dennis Miller Live" .... Himself (1 episode, 2000)
- Reducing Government (2000) TV Episode .... Himself

Marie (1985) .... Himself
... aka Marie: A True Story

So far nothing. But, I would not discount that. the big thing was getting out of the draft, ala Clinton and Guiliani.

Anyway another article I found.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,161699,00.html

GLENEAGLES, Scotland — President Bush has named former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson (search) to help shepherd his yet-to-be named Supreme Court nominee through the Senate, White House spokesman Scott McClellan (search) said Wednesday.

Thompson, a Republican and actor on the NBC television series "Law & Order," agreed to accept the post in a telephone conversation with the president on Monday, McClellan said.

"Senator Thompson will guide the nominee through the confirmation process," McClellan said.

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor (search) surprised Washington last Friday by announcing her retirement from the high court after 24 years, giving Bush his first opportunity to name a new justice. Court watchers were expecting such an announcement from Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist (search), who is 80 and afflicted with thyroid cancer.

Thompson, 62, retired from the Senate in 2002 to pursue an acting career. He has appeared in the movies "The Hunt for Red October," "Cape Fear" and "In the Line of Fire."

He was elected to the Senate in 1994 to serve out the term of Democrat Al Gore, and was easily re-elected in 1996. He retired in 2002. Thompson was a member of the Judiciary Committee, which will hold confirmation hearings on the eventual nominee.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said his former colleague has a "profound understanding" of judiciary matters and is known for a "no-nonsense style."

"Fred is a well-respected leader admired on both sides of the political aisle as someone who is fair-minded and straightforward," Frist said in a statement. "He is experienced in the ways of Washington and will undoubtedly provide valuable insight and counsel throughout the confirmation process."

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and a current member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also praised Thompson as the "kind of person who can bring people together and can avoid something no one wants: a confrontation."

Ed Gillespie, former Republican National Committee chairman, also will help the administration push Bush's nominee. He is expected to help with strategy, lobbying and news media relations.

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