TV Star, Former Republican Senator Fred Thompson Mulls '08 Presidential Bid

Fox News ^ | March 8, 2007

[West Coast Conservative]

Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson is facing increased calls to get into the 2008 GOP nomination race.

Sources told FOX News that Thompson, 62, now one of the stars of the popular NBC prime time series "Law & Order," has not ruled out a presidential bid, and has authorized advisers and supporters to continue to gauge support.

Advisers are holding regular strategy sessions, investigating fundraising avenues and private polling to measure enthusiasm. Perhaps pre-eminent among a number of prominent Thompson backers working behind the scenes is former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker.

Baker has been a mentor to Thompson since before the Senate's Watergate hearings, for which Baker hired Thompson as majority counsel and for which Thompson earned fame for having Baker ask the key question that led to President Richard Nixon's downfall: "What did the president know and when did he know it?"

Baker ran for president himself in 1980. Thompson eyed the White House in the 1990s.

While Thompson, who also helped raise money and advise I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's legal defense fund, continues to mull a bid, sources said he has been inundated with calls from GOP donors and supporters urging him to run.

Thompson has a solid and consistently conservative voting record that his supporters said makes a stark contrast to Republican frontrunners Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney.

This week, he told radio news host Mark Levin that he would have something to say about his plans, but not yet.

[buckalfa]

SE Ohio, east of US 23 and south of I-70 is pretty much yellow dog democrat territory. Only Cincinnati and the
non urban areas of the remainder of the state lean to the GOP. Given the sins of the GOP in Ohio during the Taft
administration, Ohio should be considered in the lean Blue
column for 2008.

[montag813]

they are as good as we are going to get

Yes, but who does Fred Thompson look like in DRAG? What do his legs look like in nylons? What if the first debate is held in transvestite format? Rudy will be ready. Fred may come off too masculine. These are the tough questions we need answers to in the "New GOP"

[phil1750]

RUN FRED RUN ! ! !

[Hildy]

You're not Laz's cousin, are ya? I just read your profile...I like your style!

[jmc813]

You're not Laz's cousin, are ya? I just read your profile...I like your style!

I'm not, but I'm honored you asked. Glad you liked the freeper page. It's about high time I add some stuff to it.

[linda_22003]

"Reagan had Nancy knocked up before he married her,, oh my heavens!!!!!!!!"

Well, he did it himself.... you make it sound like he contracted it out. :)

[linda_22003]

Dick Armey said that, not Fred Thompson.

[cgk]

This site's a nice idea, but no substitute to listening to doing your own research and using your own judgment.

AMEN - truer words have not been spoken on this forum in how one should go about learning about the candidates.

[joesbucks]

He was also, as Republicans in DC tend to be, so focused on being "fair" and being seen as such by the media, that his hearings descended into appeasement.

So you're saying being far isn't a goal?

[itsahoot]

not being quite the "insider" that would make him a negative.

I will wait until we hear his position on immigration and borders.

[buckalfa]

Mr. Thompson's candidacy would make things interesting.
Maybe he is the answer to needing a candidate with
the best qualities of Rudy and Newt but in the mold
of Reagan. I would love to hear Thompson state his
positions and vision for America. That said, Ohio
is lost to the GOP on the national ticket level until
at least the 2012 election cycle.

[streetpreacher]

That wasn't the point. The one you did find reflects nothing about the state of the 2000 primary season. It was an oddball piece with maybe 4 or 5 posters and 10 or so comments. It means nothing. I remember well the McCain threat and how it caused the rallying effect around GW. A few threads on FR is not indicative of the entire Republican politic.

[AmishDude]

Here's another one. Same original poster. 73 replies. Many high-fives.

Do you want me to find another one? "NWO" is usually a good search term to find these kinds of threads.

[jellybean]

Your name has been added the Draft Fred Thompson ping list. :)

[M. Thatcher]

So you're saying being far isn't a goal?

No, duh - I assume most of us know the DC definition of "fair," which is why I put it in quotes: "Fair" in DC is when the Republican rolls on his back and apologizes for breathing while Sandy Burglar stashes stolen national secrets under a construction trailer.

My point was that Senate Committe Chair Thompson in 1997 was virtually emasculated instead of issuing the coup de grace to the Clinton Crime Contingent when he had them in his gunsights, as I had hoped.

But as I said, he's a decent guy and I would support him were he the nominee.

[Hildy]

I was being sarcastic. I was mocking the people who have been making an issue out of Guiliani's divorce. I don't care who anyone marries..or the ages. FYI: My husband is 20 years older than me...I was 38 and he 58 when we met. We married two years later and we're going on 10 happy years together.

[Politicalmom]

You can't see the moral difference between marrying a younger person and having adulterous affairs?

[rightinthemiddle]

J.C. Watt for President? Now that would be exciting.

J.C. Watts could actually be President of the United States.

[rocksblues]

Senate Years of Service: 1994-2003 Party: Republican THOMPSON, Fred Dalton, a Senator from Tennessee; born in Sheffield, Ala., on August 19, 1942; attended the public schools in Lawrenceburg, Tenn.; graduated from Memphis State University 1964; received J.D. degree from Vanderbilt University 1967; admitted to the Tennessee bar in 1967 and commenced the practice of law; assistant U.S. attorney 1969-1972; minority counsel, Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities (“Watergate Committee”) 1973-1974; special counsel to Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander 1980; special counsel, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations 1980-1981; special counsel, Senate Intelligence Committee 1982; member, Tennessee Appellate Court Nominating Commission 1985-1987; actor; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in the November 8, 1994, special election to fill the unexpired portion of the term ending January 3, 1997, left vacant by the resignation of Albert Gore, Jr.; took the oath of office on December 2, 1994; reelected in 1996 for the term ending January 3, 2003; not a candidate for reelection in 2002; chair, Committee on Governmental Affairs (One Hundred Fifth and One Hundred Sixth Congresses; One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 20, 2001-June 6, 2001]); resumed acting career. How will his not being drafted or joining the military play?

[BobS]

There are rare times when our genes just screw up and produce a fetus that won't last even nine months in the womb and be stillborn. You can see very early if a baby has two arms and two legs and fingers and toes growing. Every pregnant woman should see what she is bringing to life by week 20. That will change all hearts.

If ultrasound can show me what my intestines are doing with the pickle I ate, you can see what a baby is doing floating around in your tummy. Just watch the crt monitor.