Free Republic

Not too long after he entered the Senate in late 1994, Fred Thompson was often heard to quip, "I often long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood."As he moves ever closer to a presidential run, the Will Rogersesque line fits well into his folksy persona -- but the musing does carry with it one big caveat.Even if the Tennessee Republican ends up being the one true show-business candidate in a race with a bevy of superstar contenders, that doesn't mean that the entertainment industry will automatically line up behind him.There's the obvious reason: Republicans make up a small...

1. Who would you vote for, given the current field? A. Gilmore B. Giuliani C. Huckabee D. Hunter E. McCain F. Paul G. Romney H. Tancredo I. Tommy Thompson 2. Who would you vote for, knowing that Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich would be candidates? A. Gilmore B. Gingrich C. Giuliani D. Huckabee E. Hunter F. McCain G. Paul H. Romney I. Tancredo J. Fred Thompson K. Tommy Thompson 3. Suppose it's after New Hampshire, and most of the lesser known candidates have dropped out. Who would you vote for? (PLEASE answer this one.) A. Giuliani B. McCain C. Romney...

It's been a long time since there was an official FR poll on this subject, and I'd like to propose certain conditions: 1. Who would you vote for, given the current field? A. Gilmore B. Giuliani C. Huckabee D. Hunter E. McCain F. Paul G. Romney H. Tancredo I. Fred Thompson J. Tommy Thompson 2. Who would you vote for, knowing that Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich would be candidates? A. Gilmore B. Gingrich C. Giuliani D. Huckabee E. Hunter F. McCain G. Paul H. Romney I. Tancredo J. Fred Thompson K. Tommy Thompson 3. Suppose it's after New Hampshire,...

Fred Thompson, the politician and actor considering a White House bid, said Friday he favors helping the Iranian people overthrow the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad if the chance arises. The former Tennessee senator accused Tehran of "playing a larger part in killing our soldiers" in neighboring Iraq. Many Iranians don't like their government, "and I think we ought to capitalize on that," Thompson told The Associated Press. "There is a chance they may mobilize themselves, and we need to assist them if that happens." Some public opinion polls show Thompson registering in the double digits even though he hasn't...

"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...

SO now we have a Republican boomlet in the race for president, in the person of lawyer-actor and ex-Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee and "Law and Order." He's considering a run, he said on Sunday.He'd make for a thrilling candidate, in part because he would be the first person in history to run for president after playing a president in a film about a terrorist attack (2005's "Last Best Chance"). Thompson has also appeared on film as a White House chief of staff, the director of both the CIA and the FBI, and has been the fictional representative of very...