Bright Red Fred

I'm already on record predicting that Fred Thompson will be the GOP nominee. He's a strong candidate for the same reason he's the most watchable actor on Law & Order: As flat as his performance might be, he's Brando compared to the one-note thespians around him. In a race against two men who will never be accepted by the Republican base and one who would be rejected as a poseur if it weren't for the competition, any candidate with conservative credentials, widespread name recognition, and no criminal record should be able to sweep the field. On top of that, Thompson's charisma has been honed for the intimacy of the small screen, an enormous advantage not just in a campaign but in the presidency itself.

I have no axe to grind here. I disagree strongly with Thompson on many important issues, most notably the war, and the only warm feelings I have for him come when I watch Law & Order, a show so thick with center-left platitudes that his center-right platitudes feel like a breath of fresh air. I don't want the man to win the nomination. I just think he will.

The question the Democrats should be asking is: Who do we have who can match Fred Thompson's advantages? Who has both a solid liberal record and a name already beloved by the public? Who has a reassuring presence that transports nervous citizens to the comforts of childhood? Who looks good on TV?

Hang on...I can't believe no one has suggested this yet...

Comments

Malcolm J. | May 31, 2007, 9:51am | #

just hope there are no "Snuffleupagus eruptions".

tarran | May 31, 2007, 9:58am | #

I think Al Gore will be the next president of the United States.

I don't like it, but that's my prediction. He'll throw his hat into the ring shortly before the primaries start in earnest. He will be a credible anti-war candidate while also being pro-war in general. He will bring in everybody who yearns for the good old days of Clinton. He will appear visionary for his promotion of the "global warming" boondogle. This time around he will be the outsider coming in to clean up Washington instead of the corrupt insider.

jimmydageek | May 31, 2007, 9:59am | #

I'd rather vote for evil Bert with Ernie as VP...

joe | May 31, 2007, 10:03am | #

Jesse Walker, I alway knew you were a shill for...

VM | May 31, 2007, 10:04am | #

with this one, hier, as Secy of State

aaron | May 31, 2007, 10:04am | #

one-note thespians around him

The ghost of Jerry Orbach would like a word with you.

joe | May 31, 2007, 10:09am | #

I can the Democratic Convention now.

The lights go up, the music starts, and the crowd rises as one, chanting, "Give us the bird! Give us the bird!"

Dan T. | May 31, 2007, 10:11am | #

Fred Thompson has "widespread name recognition"?

mitch | May 31, 2007, 10:15am | #

tarran,

I think people are tired of Gore, and of the Clintons. I think Obama will be the Democratic nominee; people aren't sick of him yet, and he is charismatic and a solid "liberal." Alot of that stuff you say about Gore (anti-this-war but interested in other wars; outsider) applies to Obama. I also think many Democratic primary voters will be thrilled to vote for an African American.

A Thompson/Obama contest would be interesting, and probably more edifying than the hate-powered bloodbath of a Giuliani/Clinton contest.

Jesse Walker | May 31, 2007, 10:19am | #

Fred Thompson has "widespread name recognition"?

Yes.

Cab | May 31, 2007, 10:19am | #

I think Romney can take him. If Romney can win (or do well) in Iowa and win New Hampshire, that will provide enough Rom-mentum for Feb 5th.

Dan T. | May 31, 2007, 10:21am | #

Fred Thompson has "widespread name recognition"?

Yes.

Well, I suppose he does now that he's been a candidate for a while.

But if you had asked 100 random people a year ago if they knew who Fred Thompson was, how many would have?

carrick | May 31, 2007, 10:24am | #

But if you had asked 100 random people a year ago if they knew who Fred Thompson was, how many would have?

More than any of the other candidates outside gore, clintion, or guiliani.

Jesse Walker | May 31, 2007, 10:25am | #

Actually, to be exact, he has widespread face and voice recognition. But I think his name is pretty well-known too.

Lost_In_Translation | May 31, 2007, 10:25am | #

I'll admit, having never seen Law and Order, I don't know who Fred Thompson is, but I must be a rarity.

JVLaB | May 31, 2007, 10:27am | #

Roosevelt Franklin '72.
Uncaught & Unclowned.

mitch | May 31, 2007, 10:27am | #

Dan T.,

Law & Order and all its many variations are quite popular; is it still on like 4 times a day?

Cab,

I think there are alot of good things you can say about Romney, but he has been stumbling lately.

Dan T. | May 31, 2007, 10:32am | #

Anyway, I do think Jesse Walker is probably correct that Thompson will be the GOP nominee. Being an actor really is great training for being President, since in both cases you spend the majority of your working time reading lines written by somebody else while pretending that you mean them.

Stephen the Goldberger | May 31, 2007, 10:33am | #

he has widespread recognition among the Republican Party faithful, which is what matters in a primary election.

He is clearly the least objectionable candidate, and the one most likely to assemble some sort of coalition of Republican Special Interests.

He's the equivalent of...I don't know not Barrack Obama, but how about...George W. Bush?

norbizness | May 31, 2007, 10:35am | #

If only Jill Hennessy weren't Canadian...

Plus, are we forgetting the yeoman's work done by Sam Waterston in warning us about the dangers robots present to the elderly?

Warren | May 31, 2007, 10:37am | #

I was watching a CATO event (I forget which one) and the speaker was saying that; If you speak is soft low tones, at a measured pace, people will find what you say reasonable, no matter how outrageous your actual words. He was talking about Cheney, but it applies to Thompson as well.

As for the Democrats, it's going to be Hillary. Otherwise she can repent on her deathbed, and Satan will lose his claim on her, and seven generations of female descendants souls.

Lamar | May 31, 2007, 10:47am | #

I know J.Walker went in a different direction, but when I first glanced at the post, I thought that he was comparing Fred Thompson to Big Bird. Both are big, tall, goofy characters who only talk about general inanities in a self-important way.

Max | May 31, 2007, 10:48am | #

Little known fact: in high school, Fred Thompson was voted Most Likely to be Least Objectionable.

Franklin Harris | May 31, 2007, 11:00am | #

I also think Thompson will (not should) win the GOP nomination. For people who supposedly pride themselves on being rational rather than emotional when it comes to politics, Republicans sure have a hard time sorting fact from fiction these days. They think "24" has something to do with how to fight a real-world "war on terror," and they think Fred Thompson should be president because he once helped Jack Ryan track down a Russian sub.

Of course, the sad thing is that Thompson probably is better than every other GOP candidate not named Ron Paul.

Edward | May 31, 2007, 11:15am | #

I pray (so to speak) that Ron Paul somehow pulls it off. Paul's candidacy would kookify the Republican party into oblivion.

Bill Richardson will get the Democratic nomination and win by a landslide no matter who the GOP nominates, but, oh, if only it could be Ron Paul.

VM | May 31, 2007, 11:20am | #

Lost_In_Translation:

Fred has had a decent film career - No Way Out, Hunt for Red October, In the Line of Fire. Probably most here have never seen law and order, either.

Even though you didn't mean your post to sound that way, we still should, per the rulez, DRINK! :)

whatllayahave

LarryA | May 31, 2007, 11:21am | #

Anyway, I do think Jesse Walker is probably correct that Thompson will be the GOP nominee. Being an actor really is great training for being President, since in both cases you spend the majority of your working time reading lines written by somebody else while pretending that you mean them.

And the last time we had an actor for president it worked out well. :-)

He is clearly the least objectionable candidate, and the one most likely to assemble some sort of coalition of Republican Special Interests.

And after nomination he's the one most likely to pick up uncommitted voters.

For instance, Thompson's the only R running (perhaps the only candidate running) who can play his union card.

Grant Gould | May 31, 2007, 11:24am | #

He's won all the debates so far, and by a big margin; I'd say he's a shoo-in.

Lamar | May 31, 2007, 11:26am | #

"And after nomination he's the one most likely to pick up uncommitted voters."

And he'd be likely to free Americans currently committed to a mental facility, in order to reassure his reelection.

JLM | May 31, 2007, 11:29am | #

To me, Fred Thompson will always be that guy that bitched out the two stock car drivers for wrecking each other in "Days of Thunder". I think he was supposed to be the head Nascar official, or something like that. Yee-haw.....

wsdave | May 31, 2007, 11:55am | #

"If you guys so much as trade paint..."

James B. | May 31, 2007, 11:58am | #

For instance, Thompson's the only R running (perhaps the only candidate running) who can play his union card.

http://eventful.com/performers/P0-001-000015238-4

Dennis Kucinich is a current member of The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States (IATSE), an AFL-CIO affiliated union.

Jim Robinson | May 31, 2007, 12:29pm | #

Fred is joke. he thinks he can "Act" his way into the White House with no qualifications.

He plays on tv what Rudy was in real life. He is a posuer!

jb | May 31, 2007, 12:37pm | #

James B: And if Kucinich were running on the R ticket, Ron Paul might have a fighting chance.

joe | May 31, 2007, 12:58pm | #

"He is clearly the least objectionable candidate, and the one most likely to assemble some sort of coalition of Republican Special Interests.

He's the equivalent of..."

Walter Mondale?

Lamar | May 31, 2007, 1:03pm | #

Can we call Fred Thompson "Big Bird" until he goes on record with something of substance?

aaron | May 31, 2007, 1:20pm | #

He plays on tv what Rudy was in real life. He is a posuer!

Thompson was an assistant US Attorney and Chief Counsel to the Watergate Committee.

me | May 31, 2007, 2:24pm | #

Lost_In_Translation | May 31, 2007, 10:25am | #
I'll admit, having never seen Law and Order, I don't know who Fred Thompson is, but I must be a rarity.


Yeah I mean he was a US SENATOR. So even if you are too good for TV watching maybe you should know him because of that if you were the least bit politically informed.

Lamar | May 31, 2007, 2:25pm | #

Thompson was the one who blew the cover on the tape recorders in the White House.

Lamar | May 31, 2007, 2:26pm | #

....during Watergate.

Guy Montag | May 31, 2007, 2:39pm | #

Oh, I truly hope that AGW/V-Chip/Interwebs inventor is the Democrat candate vs. Fred. I truly do.

Guy Montag | May 31, 2007, 2:44pm | #

Thompson was an assistant US Attorney and Chief Counsel to the Watergate Committee.

I thought he was the minority councel, tapped by Sen. Baker of Tennessee for the position.

Oh, he also was instrumental in getting a crooked Governor in Tennessee relieved early without an impeachment so that the pardons he sold could not take effect. Lamar Alexander took his oath of office about three days early in that one.

Guy Montag | May 31, 2007, 2:47pm | #

For instance, Thompson's the only R running (perhaps the only candidate running) who can play his union card.

Actor/Director/Producer/Fantasy Documentarian Al Gore does not have a union card and he won an Acadamy Award?

Do those Hollywood union people know this? STOP THE PRESSES!

Lamar | May 31, 2007, 2:49pm | #

Oh boy. Here comes Montag, the only man who can link the death of Jesus to Al Gore.

Lost_In_Translation | May 31, 2007, 3:23pm | #

me,

Why don't you name all the standing senators right now, without looking...jesus. I'm sorry, but all I've heard about Mr. Thompson before today was that he played some guy on Law and Order.

I have nothing against Fred, but he has given me nothing to be for Fred either.

VM | May 31, 2007, 3:31pm | #

L_i_T:

hier

For those who've also never seen L&O, you'll find that you've probably seen him in a movie.

poco | May 31, 2007, 3:35pm | #

I've only ever seen him as a creepy, abusive boss in the first season of Roseanne. He really brought the creep, too. Shudder.

Lamar | May 31, 2007, 3:36pm | #

I didn't realize that Thompson was elected to the Senate in a special election.

Lost_In_Translation | May 31, 2007, 3:40pm | #

VM,

Yes, I've looked him up now and no he's not a complete unknown, but "me's" implication that he was some sort of important figure in a time period that I should have known all about him is rediculous. Hell, in '02 I had just started college, so I think it's fair to say I hadn't been following his career closely along with any other political figure. And frankly, I'd warrant most people in my age group that don't watch L&O would say the same thing. And from his movie career, he was playing bit parts, so I can hardly think it means instant name recognition.

VM | May 31, 2007, 4:05pm | #

Exactly!

Especially with your vintage, FDT wouldn't be as recognizable ('cept from L&O) - totally agree.

Even though you didn't mean your post in the way that "me" interpreted it, I still called for a DRINK, per the H&R rulez. :)

The headline from yesterday:

Thompsons Don't Take a Dump, Son, Without a Plan.

Posted on May 30, 2007, 10:35am | David Weigel

is a play on a line from "Red October"

cheers!
VM

Franklin Harris | May 31, 2007, 4:24pm | #

Actor/Director/Producer/Fantasy Documentarian Al Gore does not have a union card and he won an Acadamy Award?

Actually, he didn't win one, technically speaking. The movie's producers did, but Gore isn't one of them. (And producers aren't unionized, anyway.)

Guy Montag | June 1, 2007, 8:44am | #

Frank Harris,

Didn't he have a speaking role on screen? Thought that was one of the hoops to getting your SAG card. Perhaps there are others.

Lamar,

Yea, he won a special election rather than being appointed when Al Gore became Vice President. Then he won another election about 2 years later and retired from the Senate after that term.

Where Jesus fits in I have no idea, but I am sure you can make something up and no, I am not going to explain any of this post to you :)