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As Senator Rose, Lobbying Became Family Affair
New York Times ^
| July2, 2007
| DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Posted on 07/01/2007 9:13:44 PM PDT by Politicalmom
WASHINGTON, June 29 On Christmas Eve 1994, Fred D. Thompson Jr. was out of a job. A 34-year-old self-described late bloomer, Mr. Thompson had graduated from law school just two years before and practiced law only for his father, Fred D. Thompson Sr., who was about to be sworn in as a senator from Tennessee.
I was out on the street, knocking on doors, recalled the younger Mr. Thompson, who is known as Tony.
But attending Brentwood Methodist Church in Nashville that night, Tony Thompson ran into the departing incumbent senator, Harlan Mathews, a Democrat. Mr. Mathews invited Tony to join him in a Nashville lobbying business, a job that would let him capitalize on his fathers new position.
I dont just believe in the tooth fairy, Mr. Mathews said. A lot of people were seeking access not necessarily unfair access, but seeking access so Tony was employed in a number of areas where his father had made a reputation or his fathers advice or whatever was going to be valuable one of these days.
Now the elder Mr. Thompson, who also worked as a lobbyist before and after his eight years in the Senate, is aiming for an even higher post, preparing a run for the Republican presidential nomination. In the folksy drawl that built him a lucrative sideline as a screen actor, Mr. Thompson is presenting himself as a reform-minded outsider taking on Washington, just as he did when he campaigned for the Senate as Ol Fred the real live country lawyer, and cruised Tennessee in a rented red pickup truck.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections; fredthompson; lobbying; nyglbtt
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Here's the "big, scary hit piece".
My Dad just called from CA saying that Fred was in "big trouble."
Fortunately, he's arriving here tomorrow, so I can reassure him. :p
To: jellybean; girlangler; KoRn; Shortstop7; Lunatic Fringe; Darnright; babygene; pitbully; granite; ...
2
posted on
07/01/2007 9:14:51 PM PDT
by
Politicalmom
(Nearly 1% of illegals are in prison for felonies. Less than 1/10 of 1% of the legal population is.)
To: Politicalmom
This is all the NY Times can dig up? LOL
3
posted on
07/01/2007 9:15:52 PM PDT
by
RDTF
(Republicans believe every day is July 4th, but Democrats believe every day is April 15th. - Reagan)
To: Politicalmom
4
posted on
07/01/2007 9:16:40 PM PDT
by
Ciexyz
To: Politicalmom
Hillary, Newt and now NY Slimes and he has not even made an official announcement. They must be sweating bullets.
To: Politicalmom
The most shocking piece of information in here is that he rented the Red Pick Up truck he used campaigning.
6
posted on
07/01/2007 9:18:27 PM PDT
by
elizabetty
(Perpetual Candidate using campaign donations for your salary - Its a good gig if you can get it.)
To: Politicalmom
Family business - the Presidency will make them very rich.
7
posted on
07/01/2007 9:21:09 PM PDT
by
donna
(Typhoid Mary Matalin, the Republican Administration Destroyer.)
To: Politicalmom
unless they catch Thompson in bed with a live boy or a dead girl, he will be the next POTUS.
deal with it, NYT...
8
posted on
07/01/2007 9:25:10 PM PDT
by
kellynla
(Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
To: Politicalmom
I posted this before...
Although clients valued Tony Thompsons service because of the perception that he had access to his father, Mr. Mathews said, Senator Thompson was sensitive to the potential appearance of favoritism to his sons clients and sought to keep a distance. Rather than relying on his father, Tony Thompson relied mainly on political contacts in Tennessee he had made campaigning for his father, Mr. Mathews said.
Sounds ok by me.
To: RDTF
That this is a politically connected family? That's like saying hookers live in a bordello. Let the
New York Times bring us something REALLY newsworthy.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
10
posted on
07/01/2007 9:26:31 PM PDT
by
goldstategop
(In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
To: RDTF
The NYT piece on the lobbists in the Reid family was much better. Oh, wait a minute, the Times didn`t run that story.
11
posted on
07/01/2007 9:27:11 PM PDT
by
bybybill
(HUNT RINOS IN THE PRIMARIES, SKIN RATS IN THE FALL)
To: elizabetty
Not true. It is parked in front of his Mom’s house in Tennessee right now.
The campaign leased it, for some arcane reason having to do with how campaign money can be spent.
12
posted on
07/01/2007 9:28:50 PM PDT
by
Politicalmom
(Nearly 1% of illegals are in prison for felonies. Less than 1/10 of 1% of the legal population is.)
To: donna
the Presidency will make them very rich.It sure did the clintons.
13
posted on
07/01/2007 9:33:53 PM PDT
by
barker
( A smile is a curved line that sets things straight.)
To: bybybill
The NYT piece on the lobbists in the Reid family was much better.The Nancy Pelosi defense contract piece is my favorite.
14
posted on
07/01/2007 9:34:48 PM PDT
by
Jeff Chandler
(A man who will not defend himself does not deserve to be defended by others.)
To: goldstategop
Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. (born 22 September 1951, Mount Kisco, New York) became the publisher of The New York Times in 1992 and chairman of The New York Times Company in 1997. Sulzberger is the son of the previous Times publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger and grandson of another Times publisher, Arthur Hays Sulzberger. He is married to artist and journalist Gail Gregg. Is the NYT saying there is something wrong with going into the family business?
15
posted on
07/01/2007 9:36:49 PM PDT
by
Aria
(NO RAPIST ENABLER FOR PRESIDENT!!!)
To: Politicalmom
since it’s the NY Slimes, it’s safe to assume every word of it is a lie.
16
posted on
07/01/2007 9:38:04 PM PDT
by
balch3
To: Politicalmom
Imagine if the Slimes went fishing on Hillary...
To: Politicalmom
What a joke....Is this all Hillary’s hit men can come up with?
18
posted on
07/01/2007 9:49:16 PM PDT
by
skimask
("Hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated"....George Bernard Shaw)
To: Politicalmom
the headline behind the headline
As Conservative candidate Rose, Times dug deeper for dirt
Looming threat of electable conservative shocks Times into actual investigative reporting - but when will they mention the White House travel office under Hillary?
19
posted on
07/01/2007 10:01:55 PM PDT
by
WOSG
(thank the Senators who voted "NO": 202-224-3121, 1-866-340-9281)
To: All
Mr. Thompson is presenting himself as a reform-minded outsider. I've heard many people make this claim; the only problem is that Fred never has, for bad or good.
20
posted on
07/01/2007 11:38:59 PM PDT
by
Doofer
(Fred Dalton Thompson For President)
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