Free Republic

The news that Howard Baker had passed at the age of 88 set off a kaleidoscopic swirl of memories, impressions, recollections and reflections -- so many it was surprising, for he was not a particularly memorable politician, and certainly not a colorful one. On the contrary, Howard Baker's great strength was an ability to meld into the background, to mediate between the political stars of his time, to serve rather than lead, to be the gray between black and white opposites, always the man in the middle, the one in the background when a president signs a bill into...

Former Sen. Howard H. Baker Jr., a moderate Republican known as the politician who inquired what President Richard Nixon knew during the 1973 Senate Watergate hearings, has died. He was 88.

Former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker has endorsed John McCain for president. Baker was influential in convincing fellow Tennessean Fred Thompson to run and was an honorary national chair on his campaign. Baker, who ran unsuccessfully for president in 1980, was also Ronald Reagan's chief of staff and recently served as the U.S. ambassador to Japan. In a statement released Saturday, McCain said Baker gave up his own political aspirations to join Reagan's staff and guided the president's tax cuts during the 1980s. McCain pledged to continue the Reagan tradition that Baker served. A spokesman for Baker said the former...

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. *...

MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 7 /Standard Newswire/ -- Senator Fred Thompson announced his extensive Tennessee political leadership team today. Senator Howard Baker will serve as the honorary chairman of the Tennessee delegation, joined by 13 honorary co-chairs and 61 honorary state chairs, reflecting the depth of support for Senator Thompson in Tennessee. This leadership team includes two former United States Senate majority leaders, current and former members of Congress, former governors, and every Republican member of the Tennessee state legislature. "I am grateful for the wide support I'm receiving from my home state of Tennessee," said Senator Fred Thompson. "This group...

There's a debate coming up. Fred has made it pretty clear in the past that these little dog and pony shows don't do much for him as far as anyone getting any REAL chance to speak up and speak out. In fact, not so far back I mentioned his quote about accepting the fact that he needed to "be a good boy and stand in line and wait for them to throw me a fish just like everybody else." He continues to field the pot-shots about being lazy...that's fine-no one seems interested enough challenge his policy positions or his general...

The day before his first appearance in a Republican debate, former Sen. Fred Thompson used Columbus Day to make sure stories tomorrow begin by announcing his national campaign co-chairs, rather than leading with the importance of a stellar performance. National co-chairs include former Sen. Howard Baker, who long served as a mentor to Thompson and virtually shoved him into the race, and former Sen. Spence Abraham, who has been a major part of the nascent campaign for months. Former Sen. George Allen, himself once thought to be a top-tier presidential contender, and former State Department official Liz Cheney round out...

Sen. Fred Thompson announced today the members of his National Campaign Leadership Team: Sen. Howard H. Baker will serve as honorary chairman of his presidential campaign and Sen. Spencer Abraham, Sen. George Allen, and Elizabeth Cheney will serve as campaign co-chairs. "Howard Baker is my longtime mentor, advisor, and close friend, and I am very grateful that he will serve as honorary chairman of my campaign," said Sen. Fred Thompson. "I am also very pleased to announce that former Senators Abraham and Allen, as well as Liz Cheney, will serve as co-chairs of my national leadership team." Sen. Fred Thompson...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Karen Hanretty October 8, 2007 571-730-1010 Fred Thompson Announces National Campaign Leadership Team McLean, VA - Sen. Fred Thompson announced today the members of his National Campaign Leadership Team: Sen. Howard H. Baker will serve as honorary chairman of his presidential campaign and Sen. Spencer Abraham, Sen. George Allen, and Elizabeth Cheney will serve as campaign co-chairs. "Howard Baker is my longtime mentor, advisor, and close friend, and I am very grateful that he will serve as honorary chairman of my campaign," said Sen. Fred Thompson. "I am also very pleased to announce that former Senators...

Former Senate Republican leader Howard Baker said Friday he is urging his friend Fred Thompson, a TV actor and former U.S. senator, to run for president and is encouraging others to draft him. Among potential complications in a Thompson race is that he is good friends with McCain, a current presidential candidate. Thompson endorsed McCain for president in his 2000 bid. Baker said his wife, former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker, R-Kan., already supports McCain for president and Baker said he too might back McCain if Thompson does not run.

Fred Thompson does not want to meet the Butter Princess. Everywhere he turns at this morning's meet-and-greet at the Minnesota State Fair, he is surrounded by hundreds of star-struck onlookers, many of them "Law & Order" fans who line up three-dozen deep for a close-up with the actor who would be president. Thompson, a sometimes reluctant campaigner, is in full movie-star mode, and has his good-ole-boy charm set on high. All the women he meets are "honey" and the men "buddy." Even dressed down in khakis and a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he is hard to miss....

Fred D. Thompson rose to national prominence in the mid-1970s. As chief counsel to the Republicans on the Senate Watergate Committee, he famously asked the question that revealed the existence of the White House taping system that ultimately led to President Richard M. Nixon's resignation. But Mr. Thompson was also an active participant in the White House's efforts to deflect blame from the president and discredit his accusers, plotting strategy with Mr. Nixon's lawyers and leaking information to them. (Continued for 9 more pages)

Among the 9,167 donors who contributed a combined $3.46 million in the month of June to former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson's "testing the waters" committee, several are notable names. Georgette Mosbacher, a leading Republican fundraiser, who once dated Thompson, contributed $2,300. Former Sen. Howard H. Baker, gave $2,300. Peyton W. Manning, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, gave $2,300. Douglas J. Feith, the former Defense Department official now teaching at Georgetown University, gave $2,300. Katuria D'Amato, former New York Sen. Al D'Amato's wife, gave $2,300. Trace Adkins, a country music singer, and his wife Rhonda, each contributed $2,300 maximum. Richard A....

It took a while, but Republican Fred Thompson’s opening report on his fundraising for his presidential exploratory campaign committee is providing the first glimpse of the prominent early supporters of his still-unofficial White House bid. Thompson’s report — filed with the Internal Revenue Service, with which he registered his “testing the waters” committee, rather than the Federal Election Commission (FEC) — showed that he raised $3.46 million and spent $626,000 between the committee’s incorporation on June 4 and the end of that month. Thompson’s report is studded with contributions from prominent business leaders and politicians in his home state of...

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Political dialogue needs a little more humor like what Bob Dole used to disarm critics and amuse supporters, Howard Baker told a Lied Center audience Sunday night. Baker, a former U.S. senator from Tennessee, presidential candidate and President Ronald Reagan's chief of staff, was in Lawrence to receive the Dole Leadership Award. It is named for Dole, a former U.S. senator from Kansas, and is presented annually to someone who promotes politics as an honorable profession. Baker, who is trying to get former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee to run for president in 2008, is...

That's what I've been told this morning. Supposedly Howard H. Baker Jr. has told Thompson "it's his time." I did a quick search and found this: Former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker (R-Tenn.) is contacting powerbrokers in the Republican Party to build support for a 2008 presidential campaign by his one-time protégé, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.). I have no idea of the veracity of this, and it's all very fast moving. And there's this: Sources told FOX News that Thompson, 62, now one of the stars of the popular NBC prime time series "Law & Order," has not ruled...

Former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker (R-Tenn.) is contacting powerbrokers in the Republican Party to build support for a 2008 presidential campaign by his one-time protégé, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.). Baker, who Wednesday made a visit to the Senate, was asked by several Republicans about his involvement on Thompson’s behalf. “He said, ‘I am making a few calls and I think it’s a great idea,’” said one Senate Republican who heard Baker discuss his efforts to advance Thompson’s prospects. One Republican who discussed a possible bid with Thompson described his interest and Baker’s queries as “a friendly exploration.” Baker...

An open-minded review of what extreme environmentalists have wrought on the USA and on the world inescapably leads to the conclusion that they have caused millions of deaths and trillions of dollars in damages and losses. If you think this is incorrect or an exaggeration, let us consider the record with respect to just three issues: the snail darter, nuclear power and DDT. The Snail Darter In 1976, with the Tellico Dam on the Tennessee River 99% complete, its construction was stopped and its destruction was ordered after a tiny fish called the snail darter was discovered in that river.

Anti-war protestors twice tried to disrupt Vice President Dick Cheney during a speech today honoring Tennessee statesman Howard H. Baker Jr. at the University of Tennessee. Cheney didn’t acknowledge the hecklers and never faltered during his 10-minute speech at Thompson-Boling Arena for the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy. At one point during Cheney’s remarks, two women shouted, "War, what is it good for?" Another pair of protesters answered from different part of the arena. Police hustled both groups outside. A few moments later, three protesters raised a green and white sign demanding "Peace...

Friday, January 21, 2005 · Last updated 3:10 p.m. PT Bush shifts ex-ballclub partner to Japan THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON -- President Bush is naming a former fellow investor in the Texas Rangers, J. Thomas Schieffer, to be the U.S. ambassador to Japan, the White House announced Friday. Schieffer, the U.S. ambassador to Australia and brother of Bob Schieffer of CBS News, was a member of the investment group that bought the Rangers in 1989 and was president of the baseball team while Bush was a part owner. He also was a Dallas attorney with a portfolio centering on oil...