[jellybean]

It is a bad habit, not a southern thing and he better get over it soon or someone will create a ten minute video of him going uuuhhhhhh uuuuuuhhhhhh uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh.

I'm curious whether you'd say the same things about Rush? On the same page with the Larry King interview is an audio clip from Rush. If you listen you'll hear him stammer and say "ahhh" quite often. In my experience it's a trait of those whose mind is working faster than they are able to get the words out.

[Shelayne]

That’s exactly right, jellybean. Another interviewee I heard recently uttered a lot of ahs and ums, and that was Duncan Hunter. So, it is NOT something unique to Fred Thompson. I agree with you about the mind going faster than the mouth allows.

I think it’s perfectly fine. I’d rather hear ahs and ums than, “like ya know”.

[A CA Guy]

Fred does not have the professional delivery style of a Rush in speech by a long shot.
Fred does (like Rush) have incredible content, intellect and quick humor.
On the other hand, Fred looks and handles himself in front of the camera like a pro visually compared to Rush who seems to always look uncomfortable in front of the camera IMO.

PS: Rush is not running for President.
PS2: I’m kind of shocked Larry King could ask Rush anything he would ever Rush to ever think twice about before speaking.