Candidate Thompson

DNROnline.com ^ | June 2, 2007 | Staff

[Politicalmom]

William F. Buckley once made the classic statement that he’d rather be governed by the first 200 names in the Boston phone book than by the first 200 people listed on the Yale faculty rolls.

With all the current presidential candidates, it almost appears those 200 people are taking Mr. Buckley up on his offer. Isn’t the number of candidates in the high two figures now?

The latest probable entry is former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson. The current "Law and Order" actor is enthusiastic about getting into the race, aides say.

Mr. Thompson may shake up the GOP race but his entry also shows that the conventional wisdom of one era is almost always wrong.

In the television age, many pundits said candidates would have to be telegenic, handsome and appealing – Mitt Romney is the ideal candidate for a television age. Or perhaps Barack Obama. Both men are young, telegenic and, to a degree, charismatic.

With all due respect to Mr. Thompson, he did not play the leading man in his movie days. He was the grizzled business or military veteran. No one would mistake him for George Clooney.

While the actor does have a distinctive voice – and some gravitas – he may be attractive to Republican voters because of his ideas, ideas that are expressed in cogent, thoughtful and, almost always, crystal-clear ways.

Which means voters are more interested in substance, not style, or makeup.

Which is a good thing for the republic.

[Politicalmom]

Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference

Please FReepmail jellybean if you want on/off this list. WARNING: This ping list is EXTREMELY active.

[jellybean]

Ummm...this is gonna sound strange. Would you please add me to your ping list. :)

I forgot my name wasn't on my copy of the list.

[dixiechick2000]

ROTFLOLOL!

That’s a HOOT. ;o)

[Politicalmom]

You're on!! Welcome aboard. Should I ping you to add you to the list? :)

[jellybean]

If you do then I’ll have to send myself a welcome message. LOL

[Politicalmom]

I think we should have a rousing chorus of “I’m my own Grampaw.” right about now.

We’re starting to sound like a Monty Python sketch. :)

[The Pack Knight]

With all due respect to Mr. Thompson, he did not play the leading man in his movie days. He was the grizzled business or military veteran. No one would mistake him for George Clooney.

Good for Fred. I'm one twenty-something American who prefers his Presidents on the older, "grizzled" side.

I was always struck by the fact that, unlike a lot of other civilizations, ambitious Roman men couldn't wait for their hair to turn gray, since that meant they were experienced enough for serious office. I think they had it right there.

Youth is great, but perhaps not the best attribute of a leader.

[RebelTex]

You two are a riot.

Abbott & Costello reincarnated.
“Who’s on first?”

Or maybe Lucy and Ethel?
“Uh oh, Lucy. Here comes Ricky.”
“Lucy, you got some ‘splainin to do.”

;^D

[LangdonAlger]

Wow. As a college student in Harrisonburg, VA, I never thought I’d see a link to the DNR. It’s a conservative paper, but in a very small town.

I’m glad to see Thompson in the race. I’m a supporter of Duncan Hunter, Mike Huckabee and Tom Tancredo, but I’ll gladly board the Thompson Express if/when he secures the nomination.

And as a long-time lurker and first-time poster, I think this is going to be a fun ride!

[MaxMax]

LOL. Good catch..

[Rick_Michael]

Today’s yahoo top searches: 2)Fred Thompson

Seems like he’s getting attention.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

" Good for Fred. I'm one twenty-something American who prefers his Presidents on the older, "grizzled" side. "
Teddy Roosevelt.
Abraham Lincoln ( one commentator on the PBS Civil War series was quoting someone who said to the effect that " Abraham Lincoln was so ugly, that, he was both ugly and somehow his ugliness was in a sense a thing of beauty at the same time"
Teddy Roosevelt was a President who in bodied the iconic image and spirit of what America is, he was also ruff and gruff.
He actually lead a charge with his men up a hill with bullets flying passed his head in Cuber during Spanish/American war in a group called the Ruff Riders.

[The Pack Knight]

It was either PBS or the History Channel, but there was a special on Lincoln where Gore Vidal pointed out that Lincoln actually had a high pitched, nasal voice. He was even so kind as to take time out from oblique potshots at Bush to give us his impression of Lincoln's voice. Evidently Lincoln was very self-conscious about his voice, but in the end, I'd say it helped him become a better orator by forcing him to compensate.

George S. Patton had exactly the same issue, George C. Scott's portrayal notwithstanding.

[Uncle George]

BE NOT MISLED——WE’LL WIN WITH FRED

[trisham]

Bump for Fred Thompson!