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REPUBLICAN 2: Fred Thompson Auditioning for role of a lifetime:
McClatchy Newspapers ^ | 02/01/2008 | Margaret Talev

Posted on 02/01/2008 7:44:42 AM PST by TheThirdRuffian

Editor's Note: Fred Thompson will appear as the second candidate on Connecticut's Republican primary ballot, even though he has withdrawn from the campaign.

WASHINGTON — Fatherhood and ambition. In Fred Thompson's life, they rise and fall together, a recurring couplet in the nostalgic story of a Tennessee fella who's guided more by life's surprises and others' expectations than he is by any master plan.

Consider:

The small-town jock called "Freddie" and "Moose," who, at 17, upon getting his high school girlfriend pregnant, married her, heeded her politically connected family and made something of himself.

The divorced U.S. senator, lawyer, lobbyist and actor who dropped out of politics when one of his three grown children died from a prescription drug overdose.

The unlikely 65-year-old comeback kid, now remarried with a 4-year-old girl and a 1-old boy, who's running for the Republican nomination for president.

On the campaign trail, Thompson treats criticism that he doesn't have enough fire in the belly with a father-knows-best attitude.

"I've had the worst thing that can happen to a father, and the best thing that can happen to a father," Thompson told retirees this fall in South Carolina, in the drawl that's central to his persona. "I think you come out from the other end of that with a sense of what's important and not important."

Two of Thompson's most important experiences played out in the public eye: the Watergate hearings and his 1985 movie debut, "Marie." But with voters, he talks about parenting as much as he does about politics and acting.

Seeing daughter Hayden's sonogram — the first time he'd glimpsed any of his children in the womb — strengthened his anti-abortion views, he says. Wanting a stable world for his second family helped nudge him to audition for a part that would be less fun than TV shoots, but more consequential.

His wife, Jeri, a former Republican consultant, said that one night while they were still mulling whether to make the race, they sat at their kitchen table in Northern Virginia and saw their little girl perched at the top of the staircase.

"He had this very strange look on his face," she recalled of her husband. "I said, 'What are you thinking?' and he said, 'A lot goes through my mind from the time she's at the top step to the time she's at the bottom.' It's when he decided, I think. In his mind, there was a decision made."

Thompson has children older than his wife, 41, and younger than his grandchildren.

His progeny span two generations, bookends like the Vietnam and Iraq wars to the major societal, economic and global changes that have rocked America in his lifetime.

Thompson was born in Alabama and raised in Tennessee by parents whose formal education ended with junior high school. He graduated from Memphis State University and the Vanderbilt University law school while working and raising children.

He read Barry Goldwater's "The Conscience of a Conservative," started a Young Republicans group and worked on a congressional campaign, as a federal prosecutor and for the re-election of Tennessee Republican Sen. Howard Baker Jr.

Baker became a powerful mentor. He gave the young Thompson, whom Richard Nixon once called "dumb as hell," a job as chief Republican counsel on the committee investigating Watergate.

Thompson wasn't the staffer who discovered Nixon's secret audio taping system, and he later admitted that he warned the White House that it would be revealed. He didn't initially understand the administration's culpability. But Baker arranged for Thompson to ask about the tapes in televised hearings, and that helped bring down the president.

Thompson got national exposure; a book deal and an anti-corruption reputation that drew clients, including state parole official Marie Ragghianti, to his new law practice.

Ragghianti exposed a cash-for-clemency scheme under Tennessee Gov. Ray Blanton, lost her job and hired Thompson to clear her name.

"He's personable and straightforward, and he was just what I needed at a very dark hour in my life," Ragghianti said in an interview.

There was a book about the case, then a movie with Sissy Spacek — "Marie" — in which Thompson played himself. That launched his career as an actor even as he kept a hand in on Capitol Hill.

Celebrity eased Thompson's election to an open Senate seat; he replaced Tennessee's Al Gore, who became Bill Clinton's vice president.

Serving from 1994 through 2002, Thompson got mixed reviews. He was a reliable Republican vote, but critics said he lacked the appetite for the long hours and tedium and didn't leave much of a legacy.

In 1997, he was chosen to lead a Senate inquiry into alleged campaign finance abuses by the Clinton afministration. Expanding that to look at Republican wrongdoing won him points with Democrats and independents, but angered many in his party.

They also he let the Clinton probe fizzle.

"He was rolled by Senate opponents and the Clinton machine," said Tom Fitton, the president of the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch.

"He did not act with the aggressiveness and energy appropriate, given the allegations."

The final year of Thompson's Senate career, his daughter Betsy, who had bipolar disorder, died from what was deemed an accidental overdose of painkillers.

"That basically took all the proverbial wind out of his sail," said Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., who attended the funeral in 2002 and began pushing last year for Thompson to run for president.

"It took his heart right out of his body."

Thompson went back to acting, and making money, as fictional District Attorney Arthur Branch on TV's "Law & Order." He also gave up the single life, marrying Jeri, whom he'd met years earlier while grocery shopping. Then they had children.

His wife said they neither planned it nor ruled it out. "We do both believe in God having his hand in things," she said. "We went with that."

"I saw him completely get a second lease on life with Jeri and the kids," Wamp said.

About this time, Thompson was diagnosed with a non-fatal lymphoma, which required chemotherapy.

But he had a new appetite for GOP politics. He helped manage Chief Justice John Roberts' confirmation to the Supreme Court in 2005, was chairman of the State Department's International Security Advisory Board and championed President Bush's commutation of White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence in the CIA leak case — all while taping the crime series and working for ABC Radio.

When retiring Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee said last year that he wouldn't seek the presidency, Wamp pressed Thompson to get in.

Thompson wasn't interested, Wamp said. But Baker intervened, and Jeri encouraged him.

No other Republican had an easy lock on the nomination.

Wamp thinks that Thompson's image and message are selling points, and so is his personal experience of "raising a second family in a different generation than the first."

"I remember when Bush 41 didn't know the price of a gallon of milk," Wamp said, referring to a much-hyped 1992 campaign incident when the first President Bush was reportedly surprised by grocery store scanners, and his critics seized on that to charge that he was out of touch with ordinary Americans.

Thompson, on the other hand, has a campaign bus with a diaper-changing table.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Connecticut
KEYWORDS: 2008; ct2008; fred; fredthompson; thompson
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To: TheThirdRuffian

>>
No, if one qualified to be on the ballot (which he did), he’s still legally running whether he’s doing so actively or not -— it is not an administrative error.
>>

Of course this is not meaningful. There is no requirement for one to be on the ballot to be running. The waitress behind the counter at McDonalds can be written in, whether she’s on a ballot or not.

Thompson withdrew his candidacy. He did so in writing.

The McDonald’s waitress is as much a candidate as he is. Leave the poor man alone.


41 posted on 02/01/2008 9:14:47 AM PST by Owen
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To: Ancesthntr

more liberal than MCcain? Romney balanced their state budget without raising taxes surrounded by liberal whackos. He raised some fees but that was for direct services rendered, not on people’s bills and income. Also, he vetoed the very liberal part of the healthcare bill of mandates for employers and penalties, but he was overrided by the liberals. He also is proposing a zero rate capitol gains tax and big cut in lower income tax rates. Has MCcain done anything similar? I do know that he tried to import another huge wave of illegals into our country by his latest bill...it would have allowed many millions of extended family to join the present family members. Wow, how caring of the american job holder!


42 posted on 02/01/2008 9:17:55 AM PST by fabian
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To: RDTF; fabian
what is wrong with these people?!

If you think something is "wrong" with people who still yearn for a real Conservative leader like Senator Thomspson, then I have to ask what is "wrong" with you?

Romney isn't an option. He is a liberal on gun control, abortion, homosexual rights, and made horrible judicial appointments in Massachusettes. These days, he lies and spins to tell everyone he really wasn't doing all that. Nine out of the ten people on FR who keep telling me to vote for Romney are the same ones who belong to his LDS church and are so far gone for him that they would support him even if he switched to the Green Party.

McInsane is a pro-amnesty, unstable, Gang of 14, free speech hating weirdo.

Huckabee can't win - and he was pro-illegal aliens (even giving them in state tuition), soft on criminals, and a huge tax raiser.

So.....true Conservatives have been kicked in the jimmy by the GOP and have no one left to support.

Reading this article reminded me of what a decent, fine, and Conservative candidate Thompson was.

I'll vote for him on Tuesday in my state if he is still on the ballot. Throwing my vote away? Hey, it's my vote. Get your Mitty hands off of it.


43 posted on 02/01/2008 9:17:58 AM PST by SkyPilot
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To: TheThirdRuffian

Vote Fred and you get John....


44 posted on 02/01/2008 9:19:14 AM PST by Sybeck1 (McCain/Huckabee 08! Let's make Mississippi, Texas, and Utah swing states!)
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To: Resolute Conservative
I writing in Fred where I live

Why don't you just write in McCain or Hillary and cut out the middle man?

45 posted on 02/01/2008 9:24:02 AM PST by calvo (Your strength isn't what you can do, but what you can endure.)
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To: calvo

I can not/will not vote against my principles. I did in the past not anymore. Fighting from a minority is easier than fighting a liberal candidate your party put in office.

Besides I want the Dims to get the blame for what is about to happen in this country.


46 posted on 02/01/2008 9:27:10 AM PST by Resolute Conservative
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To: papasmurf
I call it that because, when they tally up the write ins, regardless of what was written in, they’ll look at each other, and all will say a collective...”Oh, shiit!”....despite, the language....I like your Style. :D
47 posted on 02/01/2008 9:27:18 AM PST by skinkinthegrass (just b/c your paranoid, doesn't mean they're NOT out to get you. :^( FRed was LMSM roadkill)
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To: SkyPilot

So you make this personal Skypilot?

I have enough since to know that you will end up with Obama or Hillary if you do that. That is not an option for me. Keep your stubborn head in the sand.


48 posted on 02/01/2008 9:27:33 AM PST by RDTF
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To: RDTF

since=sense


49 posted on 02/01/2008 9:29:16 AM PST by RDTF
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To: SkyPilot

you sound defensive of your sillyness to me. My hands are not on your vote...I’m just trying to get you and others to see your judgementalism. You see, many decent leaders have been for the assault weapons ban which Mitt was for too, but still believe in the 2nd ammendment. We can still obtain some pretty awesome guns and he knows that. I am not aggreeing with the ban, but to conclude that he is against the second ammnetdment because of that is false. And he has always been against abortion but was not clear and strong enough to believe that it should be illegal. He has changed his mind and sounds very real to me. Haven’t you ever changed your mind and gathered the courage of your convictions? And do you know the process of nominating judges in Mass.? They have to be approved by their liberal commitee, do they not? And he did try and fight the gay marriage deal, perhaps not forcefully enough...but again, to project the liberal legistlatures actions onto him is false. You need to do more reseach because I have found that some right wingers are way too quick to judge , not having all of the facts. The right can be and is wrong sometimes, as well as the left.


50 posted on 02/01/2008 9:33:58 AM PST by fabian
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To: TBP
So this is a non-issue.

I don't think so. Yeah, those other Republican appointees were horrible. But none of them were as bad as Thurgood Marshall, Ginsburg or Breyer. Also, even Bush 41 appointed Thomas, and Bush put in Alito and Roberts. Sometimes we get lucky with the RINOs, but we NEVER will with a Demonrat.

I know he wouldn't appoint an Alito - to McStain's dishonor. But he said that he'd appoint someone like a Roberts. To me there is little difference - and, again, at least you have a chance. Hillary will nominate Schumer or Spitzer types. Do you want that?

51 posted on 02/01/2008 9:48:52 AM PST by Ancesthntr (An ex-citizen of the Frederation trying to stop Monica's Ex-Boyfriend's Wife from becoming President)
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To: TheThirdRuffian; All
I miss Fred
52 posted on 02/01/2008 9:51:32 AM PST by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
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To: fabian
more liberal than MCcain?

Uh, I didn't say that. Note that in my post #34, this was part of an italicized quote - which means, by general consensus here at FR, that the quote was lifted from elsewhere. Specifically in this case, it was a quote from TBP's #22, and I was quoting him/her to be able to respond in disagreement.

53 posted on 02/01/2008 9:51:53 AM PST by Ancesthntr (An ex-citizen of the Frederation trying to stop Monica's Ex-Boyfriend's Wife from becoming President)
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To: sageb1

Thank you for that link - I hadn’t seen it and loved it.


54 posted on 02/01/2008 10:20:33 AM PST by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: RDTF

They have back bone enough to vote for the one they want to be elected and if enough do it things will change.


55 posted on 02/01/2008 10:20:54 AM PST by lolhelp
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To: TheThirdRuffian

I’ll vote for him here in CT


56 posted on 02/01/2008 10:23:37 AM PST by underbyte
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To: underbyte

>> I’ll vote for him here in CT

And if that helps McCain, do you care?


57 posted on 02/01/2008 10:25:36 AM PST by Gene Eric
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To: CharlesWayneCT
It is completely inaccurate to say that he said 'no' to the job.

to the process? possibly.

Bottom line - Republicans said 'no' to him, not the other way around (and Fred is very pragmatic).

58 posted on 02/01/2008 10:27:49 AM PST by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: fabian; greyfoxx39
you sound defensive of your sillyness to me.

Thanks - so do you.

I’m just trying to get you and others to see your judgementalism.

Yes - let's not be "judgmental" of Romney's liberalism.

You see, many decent leaders have been for the assault weapons ban which Mitt was for too, but still believe in the 2nd ammendment.

LOL! OK, you have me laughing now....

Do you know how absolutely "silly" that statement sounds?

We can still obtain some pretty awesome guns and he knows that. I am not aggreeing with the ban, but to conclude that he is against the second ammnetdment because of that is false.

Oh, good grief. Is the room spinning?

And he has always been against abortion but was not clear and strong enough to believe that it should be illegal. He has changed his mind and sounds very real to me

I can't even converse with you. All this spin is making me dizzy. I have seen the video clips of Romney saying flat out he was for ABORTION in 1994, 1998, and 2002. Now suddenly, he "changes his mind" and you expect me to believe him?

He is a liberal, and I won't support him. Neither will thousands of other Conservatives.

Best of luck with your guy though.

59 posted on 02/01/2008 10:43:23 AM PST by SkyPilot
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To: lolhelp

think about what you are saying. You think you can get enough people out of billions to write in the right name to get enough votes to beat the 2 parties? It’s insane and won’t happen.


60 posted on 02/01/2008 10:58:59 AM PST by RDTF
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