Has Thompson’s entire political career consisted of just two years in the U.S. Senate?
Fred Dalton Thompson (born August 19, 1942 as Freddie Dalton Thompson[1]) is an American politician, lawyer, lobbyist, and character actor. He represented Tennessee as a Republican in the U.S. Senate from 1994 through 2003.
Obama is the one with the two year stint.
Fred was elected twice, once to fill the term of Algore in 1994, then a full term in 1996 for six years. He could have run one more term but didn’t because of Betsey and other things. He believes in term limits and took himself out of the picture, like George Washington did.
He was also a prosecutor and has done other work for the government. He’s been on a committee to advise the secretary of state until he started this campaign. He had a high security clearance. Plus working on the staff of the watergate committee. Worked on the John Roberts nomination. Worked as an unpaid staffer for several political campaigns. Founded a Young Republican group in his hometown.
No.
Heavens no.
One thing that lefties seem to be continually arguing is that conservatives who want to see Fred Thompson as the GOP nominee for President are hypocrites because he lacks experience even more so then any of the Democratic frontrunners - Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards.
Well, they’re all attorneys, right? So it should be easy to compare their resumes. Lets take a look:
Barack Obama: Two years as a US Senator. No leadership positions in the Senate. Eight years as a state senator. Ran unsuccessfully for congress in 2000. Private practice attorney, law professor. Top quality education (Harvard)
Hillary Clinton: Six years as a US Senator. No leadership positions in the Senate. Eight years as First Lady of the US. Twelve years as First Lady of Arkansas. House Judiciary committee staffer, private practice attorney, law professor. Top quality education (Yale)
John Edwards: Six years as a US Senator. No leadership positions in the Senate. Democratic nominee for Vice-President in 2004. Private practice attorney. Top quality education (North Carolina)
Fred Thompson: Eight years as a US Senator. Four years as Chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee. Assistant US Attorney. Co-Chief Senate Watergate Council. Special counsel to the Governor of Tennessee (1980), Special Counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (1980-81), Special Counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee (1982), Private practice attorney. Actor, Radio show personality, research fellow with the American Enterprise Institute. Top quality education (Vanderbilt).
So, basically here we have four politicians, all attorneys, all with law degrees from top institutions, all with eight years or fewer in the Senate, all without long careers in public office. But from a legal perspective, Fred Thompson’s resume is clearly far more impressive. If we were sitting and examining each of these resumes for, say, an appellate court appointment none would dispute that Thompson’s is superior to the other three.
Now granted, we’re looking for a President here, not a judge. One could argue that Hillary’s experience as first lady was very valuable. Perhaps. But Fred Thompson - despite only serving a few years longer then the others in the Senate, held a tremendously important Committee Chairmanship while there. Combined with his work in a US Attorneys office, leading the Watergate investigation, and as an attorney advising Senate committees, he has enormous experience dealing with government reform issues and an understanding of the workings of the highest levels of government. Experience that the three Democrats simply don’t have. Each of them came to the US Senate already hungry for the Presidency, and have spent most of their time as Senators working toward that goal.
Fred Thompson’s resume is far superior. Arguing otherwise is ludicrous.