A 'Law & Order' Presidential Candidate?

Washington Post ^ | March 29, 2007 | Michael D. Shear

[RWR8189]

"Law & Order" star and former U.S. senator Fred Dalton Thompson is considering a bid for the White House that would test whether Hollywood can once again launch a Republican to the world's premier political stage.

His interest, confirmed in a brief interview this week, is generating buzz in Washington. He was third among Republican-leaning voters in a recent Gallup-USA Today survey, behind Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and ahead of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

The onetime senator from Tennessee is known to many Americans for playing New York District Attorney Arthur Branch on "Law & Order" and an admiral in the film "The Hunt for Red October." But his real-life record as a no-nonsense lawmaker who also served as the minority counsel to the Senate Watergate committee is appealing to party activists dissatisfied with the current crop of Republican hopefuls.

"He has a conservative bearing and a conservative presence, but he's independent in his thinking and his voting record," said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), who added that Thompson is "seriously considering" a presidential campaign at the urging of many friends. "He has a commanding television presence that makes every other politician in America jealous."

Alexander, a friend of 40 years and twice a presidential candidate himself, said Thompson is likely to take his time deciding and could wait to enter the contest until around Labor Day. Recalling a well-attended Washington cocktail gathering held Sunday, Alexander said: "Fred Thompson was the talk of the party."

[Columbine]

It's between Thompson and Rudy for me,

So, why did you call yourself MittFan? :)

[SuziQ]

I like Thompson, but Labor Day is simply ridiculous. It raises the question as to why he feels he should be able to spend the rest of the spring and summer relaxing while everyone other candidate is out busting their tail.

What makes you assume he'd be relaxing? I'm thinking during that time he'd be meeting with all kinds of folks and laying the groundwork so that when he DID announce, he could hit the ground running.

He has more of a 'past record' than Rudy does, since he was active in the Watergate hearings and TN politics before he began acting, then spent 8 years in the Senate, which is, by the way, the same amount of time that both Her Heinous and Obama will have spent before Election Day, 2008.

[A1 Southern Man]

No there will be plenty of money for Fred Thompson. It is stacking up right now just waiting for the words "I'm in". Then you will see the fastest growing political war chest in history.

[SpaceBar]

Many months ago before Fred Thompson tested the waters, I commented to a family member while watching Law and Order that Thompson was the sort of person we needed to run. Good old fashioned no nonsense sort of guy and a known quantity. Not a perpetual reinvention depending on the prevailing political winds. If he throws his had in the ring officially, this freeper is with him all the way.

[Route66]

I agree.

[dannyboy72]

I like Thompson, but Labor Day is simply ridiculous

ummm... it's 2007 and no one gives a damn accept us political nerds - who will support the man regardless of when he starts to campaign. If I had my way, they'd all shut up about '08 until our troops hav e WON the war they are fighting right now while you and I are sitting at a desk complaining on a computer.

[John Valentine]

Thompson could raise 20 million plus in a week without a single boiled chicken dinner fund-raiser.

By the end of the second week he'll have 50 million plus.

[CA Conservative]

I suspect the media was trying to make a preacher look like a twit.

Not to be nit-picky, but Dobson is not a preacher - never has been.

[Sola Veritas]

"Not to be nit-picky, but Dobson is not a preacher - never has been."

That is correct, he is a clinical pyschologist by education. I'm surprised at what I have heard he was supposed to have said. Another well known conservative "Christian" radio program known as "Point of View" was really glad to hear Sen. Thompson might run.

If Dr. Dobson has shown reluctance about Thompson, I speculate it is because he has been impressed by Newt's "confession of guilt."

[skepsel]

I'm with you, always did like Fred Thompson. Liked Phil Gramm (spelling?) back in the day too, another plain spoken, no BS politician. Gramm fizzled in '96 tho, too southern I guess with his drawl. Respected Gramm that when he changed parties from Dem to Rep he resigned and ran for his House seat again, unlike that Sen Shelby from Alabama who changed parties from Dem to Rep immediately after an election.

[RockinRight]

I agree.

However...Fred has a unique ability here - right now, he's getting paid to promote himself via Paul Harvey's show. He's also getting plenty of guest spots. So from a name and position recognition standpoint, he'll be OK.

What I worry about is by Labor Day, everyone who will donate will already have given all their money to the other guys.

I'd say he better declare before the end of June.

[RockinRight]

I think these are the things he's trying to figure out by having all these dinners and get-togethers with party leaders like Ed Gillespie and all his Tennessee friends. Hopefully they're telling him this:

"Fred, you can check things out for a few weeks, but you can't wait too long to declare. I've got guys willing to donate big bucks to your campaign, but they aren't waiting around forever."