Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson finally threw his hat into the ring of Republican presidential candidates.

In the Senate he was known for being a lazy legislator but an energetic pursuer of poon.

He is a one-dimensional actor with a tiny palette. But he is the best right-wing Hollywood candidate in his price range.

Ever since Ronald Reagan lowered the bar of American politics to enable mediocre thespians to run for high office we have suffered our share of Republican cardboard.

Sonny Bono became a Congressional representative. Arnold Schwarzenegger became Governor of California. And even the talentless drip who played "Gopher" on The Loveboat held a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa.

Now Fred Thompson wants to get into the act. His "qualifications" amount to little more than being able to emote on demand and read a mean teleprompter. He's not an "empty suit," but a desiccated, mummified version of 1950s Man. John Wayne meets Charlton Heston.

His ideas about blockading Iran while continuing to occupy Iraq make him the scariest Republican presidential aspirant to come out of the woodwork since the day Rudy Giuliani announced his candidacy.

Where is William Shatner when you need him?

Comments

[Geriann2]

Just think, Paul Newman is a Democrat and he never ran for president. He was handsome AND a great actor. Why can't we have that??? Fred Thompson is not handsome in my book. I think he's downright ugly.

[Boyaca]

You all miss the point. Americans really do not understand the difference between fantasy and reality. They think that if it resembles realty, it follows that it must be.
You get the government you deserve. There will be a rabbit pulled out of the hat for the Republican Party. Fred Thompson looks like it. Now the big eraser comes out and everything is going grey again in the American mind.Believe me, in 6 months time he is going to look marvelous.

[Doofus]

Well, maybe we Americans don't manufacture much of
anything real anymore, but we do make fine TV shows!

Reality is highly over-rated. And over-ratings must be good, right?

"We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—ju­diciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

Shatner in 2008: He Has Gone Where No Man Has Gone Before!

Shatner '08: He'll Keep the Universe Safe from Terrorists!

I Like Bill! He Won the Cold War with the Klingons!

Shatner for President: He Made Love to a Green Alien Female! (What other candidate can make such a claim?)

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

I would much rather have William Shatner run for president -- perhaps Leonard Nimoy could be his running mate -- he's a better actor than Thompson, and at least he isn't a war monger - and he likes gay people too because he recited that moving tribute to Elton John's "Rocket Man" (go see it on Youtube) -- if we're just going to elect out of work actors then Shatner is my man! SHATNER in 2008!

[zendem1]

Fred Thompson is dangerous. The Reptillians will paint him as the second coming of Lincoln and that fucking boob Reagan all rolled into one. He'll run on "Security,­Honesty,In­tegrity,Ta­xes," or SHIT for short. The Demofools, meanwhile will nominate Hillary, who will mobilize the right-wing nutball base, and coupled with some Diebold skullduggery, Thompson and his wife Yoko, will be elected President of the United States. If the thought of that doesn't make you want to move to Canada...

[Elder2008]

Just another Bush! Do we really want four more years of the same thing?

[TommyMcCarthy]

It's very difficult for me to see Schwarzenneger as a member of the "cardboard" & "empty suit" club". Obviously the jury is out but everything I hear from the Calif. Governor sounds alot like what the folks on OUR team should be working on.

It's quite alarming really, given that swear word next to his name (Republica­n).......t­m

[Incredulous]

Not to mention that Thompson was a defense lobbyist for 15 years! A defense lobbyist as President! The death cult's wet dream! Global war ad infinitum! They're counting their money already, and gloating!

[Giglawyer]

Gee, I love how Fred Thompson's other life as a lawyer, prosecutor, asisstant US attorney, minority counel in the Watergate hearings, and Washington power lawyer are so easily forgotten because he is now an actor. He may not be the right guy for the job, but your failure to see him as anything but an actor is disingenous at best.

And as for being an "energetic pursuer of poon", well that sounds rather Clintonian now, doesn't it.

[djthedj]

He's deep down just a lobbyist, owned by the highest bidder, which seems to be perfect for you republicans. Thanks for bankrupting America, jackass.

[Kahawa]

What scares me about Fred Thompson is what I've seen in the past. I thought it was a joke when Reagan ran for Governor of California, and then when he ran for President. I thought there was no way US citizens would vote for someone just because he was a well-known actor ... I forgot that our popular culture is so thoroughly dominated by television and movies and the comings and goings of assorted celebrities whose reason for celebrity is a mystery to me (like Paris Hilton, those Simpson sisters I keep seeing on the covers of magazines I don't read). After all, not everyone is educated and politically aware enough to listen to the broad spectrum of issues rather than the few they feel most passionate about. Not everyone knows better than to vote on the basis of celebrity.

This is a real threat, and Thompson's election would be no surprise to me. It would be awful, but no surprise.

[JengoPop]

I think Fred Thompson can win. Who do you think will win the Republican nomination? Thompson, Giuliani, Romney, maybe Ron Paul? Vote today at http://www.pollicious.com

[Doofus]

Anybody remember Ron Reagan hosting
'Death Valley Days' way back then, talking
about the good old days with the mule team & all.
Back when men were men & that was that.

Sort of like Fred Thompson fighting crime
on 'Law & Order'. (Guess which show has the
more useful title.)

Anyway, I personally find Fred very soothing,
and strangely compelling. Must resist urge to
vote for Fred. Must resist urge...

[Ani]

Please, Doofus ... resist urge to vote ... for ... Fred.

The worst thing for me is that my daughter likes him. LIKES him???? On what basis? He's another old actor, for heaven's sake - with a trophy wife half his age - what is it, his third, fourth??? I find that agonizingly Republican.

Also, don't forget, Doofus, the guy was a failed Senator, as well as a Washington lobyist for many years. Don't let his golly-gee-­whiz-I-dri­ve-a-red-p­ickup gag fool you. He's just another war monger who wants to put you in the poor house. If you're old enough to remember Death Valley Days, you're old enough to have your SS yanked from under you by this lazy-as-a-fox fool.

I'll hold good thoughts that you'll come to your senses before election day.

[backhandpath]

I'm old enough to remember back when we in Tennessee thought of Fred Thompson as Howard Baker's Half-Ass Kisser.

[Doofus]

These 'TV Persona' guys come into the race
with a powerful advantage is all I'm saying.

There's still hope, though...

Paul/Kucinich - Tag Team 2008 - Yes, We Got No 'TV Personas'!

[Marnie1]

"Ever since Ronald Reagan lowered the bar of American politics to enable mediocre thespians to run for high office we have suffered our share of Republican cardboard."

thank you for having the guts to call Reagen what he so obviously was. He was a B movie pretty man who spouted platitudes.

He ruined the economy, and won wars against Panama and Granada. And still there are people who want him on Mount Rushmore.

[realitytrumpsbull]

Yeah, President Shatner, that'd be a riot! And, why not? Can't do any worse than what we've got now, all directions point upward...

[FogBelter]

I don't ... know if the American ... people deserve ... President ... Shatner ... yet.

Maybe we should start with Alf.

[backhandpath]

Belter, that's cute.
Watching Chicken Fred announce on Leno, I noticed how he turned on the slight, away-look, just enough bashful glance of somebody just out of their depth and a bit nervous, really uncomfortable actually with all this attention stuff...in a word humbility. Yeah, it's a new word. It comes from the amblin' quality of humblin'humility that Everyman has deep down in his gut, where he can bellyfeel it staight.
Have you noticed how bad actors end up making bad presidents? Go Figure.

[TexasDem0]

The GOP voter will select celebrity over experience and competence every time.