If he only was one.
Fred is a moderate liberal Republican, in the mold of his friends and closest political allies John McCain, Chuck Hagel, Howard Baker and Lamar Alexander.
I agree with Thompson's votes about 85% of the time.
As Reagan said, "An eighty percent friend is not a 20 percent enemy."
Therefore, Thompson qualifies as an ally, not an enemy.
EternalVigilance wrote: "Fred is a moderate liberal Republican..."
Wrong. Let's review, shall we?
According to OnTheIssues.org, Fred Thompson consitently voted for business, against higher taxes, for a balanced budget, for ANWR drilling, terminating CAFE standards, for capping foreign aid, for free trade, for private property rights, for personal retirement accounts and for welfare reform. He was rated 100% by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 90% by the League of Private Property Voters, 97% by the National Tax Limitation committee and 88% from the National Taxpayers Union. That, my friend, is an economic conservative.
Again, according to OnTheIssues.org, Fred voted consistently against abortion, for gun owners, against the gay agenda and for school vouchers and educational savings accounts. He was rated zero by National Abortion Reproductive Rights Action, zero by the American Federation of Teachers, just 6% by the National Education Association, zero by Americans for Democratic Action and only 11% by the ACLU. That is a social conservative.
Finally, OnTheIssues.org reports that FDT consistently voted for homeland security issues, for law enforcement, for a national missle defense shield and other military appropriations, and for using military force against Iraq. And that is a security conservative.
In addition, Project Vote Smart listed Thompson as having supported Contract With America items 100, and his 2002 American Conservative Union score was 89 (Duncan Hunter's was 88 that year). The NRA called him a "staunch supporter of the Second Amendment." The National Journal describes FDT as "a conservative [who] has a record to back it up." Intellectual Conservative says Fred "has been consistently conservative on social policy." Human Events calls Thompson "A Conservative Who Can Win." The American Spectator refers to Fred as "solidly conservative." Now that's a conservative's conservative!
Nice try to paint FDT as something other than what he is - a conservative's conservative, but as Hillary said to Bill, "No cigar." Care to try again?