FRED THOMPSON UPDATE:
Reagan's Men Throw In With Fred Thompson
Ronald Reagan's closest allies are throwing their weight behind the White House bid by the late president's fellow actor, Fred Thompson.
The film star and former Republican senator from Tennessee will this week use a speech in the heart of Reagan country, in southern California, to woo party bigwigs in what insiders say is the next step in his coming out as a candidate.
Fred Thompson’s character in Law and Order is ‘the president all Americans want’
A key figure in the Reagan inner circle has now given his seal of approval to Mr Thompson, best known as a star of the television crime drama Law and Order.
As deputy chief of staff, Michael Deaver was a key member of the "troika" of aides who kept the Reagan White House on track. With the chief of staff James Baker and special assistant Ed Meese, he was the master of image and presentation.
Mr Deaver sees the same raw material in Mr Thompson as was perceived in Ronald Reagan, describing him as someone "that could really make a difference". He added: "He is very popular in his party. He could change this whole thing and turn this primary system upside down.
"As Ronald Reagan used to say, after he stole a line from Al Jolson, 'Stay tuned, you ain't seen nothing yet'."
Mr Thompson's political and acting careers have been closely interwoven for more than 20 years. He originally worked as a lawyer and -Republican campaign -manager, and was a key legal counsel in the Watergate scandal in the Seventies
He was then asked to play himself in a 1985 film about a real-life judicial corruption scandal in Tennessee, supposedly because the producers could not find a professional actor who could portray him plausibly. That launched his acting career, which he has maintained alongside stints as a senator and continued Republican campaigning.
He has been a popular choice for on-screen authority figures, playing variously a White House chief of staff, a CIA boss, a highly placed FBI agent, and a senator. As one New York Times critic noted: "When Hollywood directors need someone who can personify governmental power, they often turn to him."
Mr Deaver voiced the view of many Republicans that the current crop of declared candidates is unsatisfactory. Of the front runner, the former New York mayor Rudi Giuliani, he said: "His popularity may be a mile wide and an inch deep. I'm sure that lead will shrink."
Mr Deaver's intervention is significant. He is very close to Mr Reagan's widow, Nancy, and is seen as the keeper of the Reagan flame.
Clark Judge, a White House speechwriter for Mr Reagan, said: "Fred Thompson, like Ronald Reagan, is a man of tremendous substance. There is a sense in the party that none of the candidates is quite 'it'."
Mr Reagan, he said, had "embodied the mission of the party - entrepreneurial growth, limited government and a strong national defence. Whoever can bring that mission into this age will be the nominee. And it may be Fred Thompson." Roger Stone, who was a Reagan campaign strategist, said: "The president Americans want is, in fact, the guy they see on Law and Order: wise, thoughtful, deliberative, confident without the cockiness of George W Bush, urbane yet country. Fred Thompson communicates all those virtues."
In 1965, when Mr Reagan, then the host of the television show Death Valley Days, was considering whether to enter politics, members of the Lincoln Club in Orange County persuaded him to run for governor of California.
On Friday Mr Thompson will address the 45th annual dinner of the Lincoln Club, which is billed as the "largest and most active political club in the United States." The invitation was one that other Republican candidates had tried to secure.
The club includes some of California's richest businessmen - a necessity if you need to raise $20 million quickly in order to compete with Mr Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney. The club found $100,000 for the 2003 campaign to oust California's Democrat governor, Gray Davis, which helped Arnold Schwarzenegger into the post.
Mr Thompson has shown that he recognises the importance of assuming the Reagan mantle. He is on record as saying: "Ronald Reagan believed in something. How much we need that today. He showed what can be done if you have the will to push for tough choices, and the ability to ask the people to accept them."
Mr Reagan himself, asked whether his training as an actor had prepared him for the presidency, once replied: "I don't see how any fellow that wasn't an actor could do this job."
Americans need not wait for Mr Thompson to win next year's election to see him in the Oval Office. He plays President Ulysses S Grant in the film, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which opens next month.
Ronald Reagan's closest allies are throwing their weight behind the White House bid by the late president's fellow actor, Fred Thompson.
The film star and former Republican senator from Tennessee will this week use a speech in the heart of Reagan country, in southern California, to woo party bigwigs in what insiders say is the next step in his coming out as a candidate.
Fred Thompson’s character in Law and Order is ‘the president all Americans want’
A key figure in the Reagan inner circle has now given his seal of approval to Mr Thompson, best known as a star of the television crime drama Law and Order.
As deputy chief of staff, Michael Deaver was a key member of the "troika" of aides who kept the Reagan White House on track. With the chief of staff James Baker and special assistant Ed Meese, he was the master of image and presentation.
Mr Deaver sees the same raw material in Mr Thompson as was perceived in Ronald Reagan, describing him as someone "that could really make a difference". He added: "He is very popular in his party. He could change this whole thing and turn this primary system upside down.
"As Ronald Reagan used to say, after he stole a line from Al Jolson, 'Stay tuned, you ain't seen nothing yet'."
Mr Thompson's political and acting careers have been closely interwoven for more than 20 years. He originally worked as a lawyer and -Republican campaign -manager, and was a key legal counsel in the Watergate scandal in the Seventies
He was then asked to play himself in a 1985 film about a real-life judicial corruption scandal in Tennessee, supposedly because the producers could not find a professional actor who could portray him plausibly. That launched his acting career, which he has maintained alongside stints as a senator and continued Republican campaigning.
He has been a popular choice for on-screen authority figures, playing variously a White House chief of staff, a CIA boss, a highly placed FBI agent, and a senator. As one New York Times critic noted: "When Hollywood directors need someone who can personify governmental power, they often turn to him."
Mr Deaver voiced the view of many Republicans that the current crop of declared candidates is unsatisfactory. Of the front runner, the former New York mayor Rudi Giuliani, he said: "His popularity may be a mile wide and an inch deep. I'm sure that lead will shrink."
Mr Deaver's intervention is significant. He is very close to Mr Reagan's widow, Nancy, and is seen as the keeper of the Reagan flame.
Clark Judge, a White House speechwriter for Mr Reagan, said: "Fred Thompson, like Ronald Reagan, is a man of tremendous substance. There is a sense in the party that none of the candidates is quite 'it'."
Mr Reagan, he said, had "embodied the mission of the party - entrepreneurial growth, limited government and a strong national defence. Whoever can bring that mission into this age will be the nominee. And it may be Fred Thompson." Roger Stone, who was a Reagan campaign strategist, said: "The president Americans want is, in fact, the guy they see on Law and Order: wise, thoughtful, deliberative, confident without the cockiness of George W Bush, urbane yet country. Fred Thompson communicates all those virtues."
In 1965, when Mr Reagan, then the host of the television show Death Valley Days, was considering whether to enter politics, members of the Lincoln Club in Orange County persuaded him to run for governor of California.
On Friday Mr Thompson will address the 45th annual dinner of the Lincoln Club, which is billed as the "largest and most active political club in the United States." The invitation was one that other Republican candidates had tried to secure.
The club includes some of California's richest businessmen - a necessity if you need to raise $20 million quickly in order to compete with Mr Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney. The club found $100,000 for the 2003 campaign to oust California's Democrat governor, Gray Davis, which helped Arnold Schwarzenegger into the post.
Mr Thompson has shown that he recognises the importance of assuming the Reagan mantle. He is on record as saying: "Ronald Reagan believed in something. How much we need that today. He showed what can be done if you have the will to push for tough choices, and the ability to ask the people to accept them."
Mr Reagan himself, asked whether his training as an actor had prepared him for the presidency, once replied: "I don't see how any fellow that wasn't an actor could do this job."
Americans need not wait for Mr Thompson to win next year's election to see him in the Oval Office. He plays President Ulysses S Grant in the film, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which opens next month.
Labels: Fred Thompson
20 Comments:
And I dont want to hear a friggen word about Ron Paul!
The first GOP debate takes place in Columbia SC on May 15th. I am going with press credentials from HinzSight and will be at least participating in the press conferences.
I understand that Thompson is attending and I hope to get a moment with him.
I beleive from what I am reading and hearing that he is going to run and will announce toward the end of May as he completes obligations that bind him through the month. He is forgoing the exploritory and going straight for the official entrance into the mix.
Wow Ken!!
This is fantastic!!
Lucky you lol
Would you tell him WE GOTTA HAVE HIM PLEASE!!!!???
Fred Thompson, on his initial campaign interview on FOXNEWS Sunday, made it clear that he supports legalizing the illegal immigrants who are already here. Is this conservativism? Is this faithfully executing the laws of the US? No, it is the rewarding of a criminal element that should not be here. Fred is no conservative; he just plays one on TV.
Nice try Ray,
You better go look at the interview again, it's on YouTube.
And I know that is you Ron Paul freak.
Piss on Ron Paul.
This is Realconservative. I'm not Ray. Anyway,
"Americans for Better Immigration" gives Thompson a career grade of C ; on chain migration, C ; visa lottery, C- ; reducing unnecessary visas, F ; on reducing asylum fraud, C- ; on reducing amnesties, D ; and on interior enforcement, C+.
Fred Thompson also supports affirmative action.
Thompson is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, which supports the creation of a North American Union and the eradication of American sovereignty.
Fred Thompson needs to get off the pot. We need a real conservative like Thompson that can bring the party together and get behind him. I'm not going to respond to real annoyance anymore Marie, it appears that it has taken my advice and has obtained it's membesrship card in John Birch Society, good luck with that annoyance.
Real,
I suggest you go look at the YouTube Video also.
Almost everything you typed is incorrect. Go to any of the sites I just joined up with and you can view Fred Thompson's voting record for yourself.
Look on my sidebar or on the top of this blog under the Picture of Congress (Yeah Ron Paul Included) stabbing our Troops in the back!
Ron Paul is part of the Conspiracy Theory loones. Those that believe the President attacked his own Country which is just as looney as you are.
Jenn,
I believe Fred will anounce real soon. Ken will give me the lowdown lol.
As for Anon/Real whatever dont worry I have been dealing with assholes like that since I have been blogging.
I'm real suspicious of people who style themselves "Real Conservative."
They usually turn out to be anything but.
I hope Thompson does run. I think he'd really shake things up.
I found the story about Deaver and friends interesting. But a side note: most of those guys are way past their prime. Though they can direct a huge pile of California cash to jump start a Thompson campaign.
P.S. Ken, you lucky dog.
Mike,
I know it will deny it but I bet you it's the same person that followed me over here from Curt's.
CentFla
It he/she is NOT what anyone thinks he/she is.
And I dont give a rats what it is anymore. It's a Ron Paul fan whom I have found out is a Conspiracy Theory addict, and is in favor of full impeachment of OUR President and that to me is absolute insanity.
Anyway on to Fred Thompson,
I think he will REALLY shake things up alot.
I think Thompson can win, he has alot of supporters.
In a way it's almost terrible what we are doing, dragging the man up and practically shoving his butt in office lol.
But he understands the groundswell and the grassroots support for this effort.
He has to be better than any of the Democrats and he speaks his mind and tells the truth. He wont let anything get over on him.
I guess he reminds us of Reagan so much (Although there will NEVER be a replacement for Reagan) that we want him so bad.
Ken is a lucky dog lol
RC here,
Americans For Better Immigration grade Fred Thompson's record:
http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgrades.php3?District=TN&VIPID=743&retired=1
Realannoying,
You know what you can do with that poll or whatever that thing is I shouldnt have to tell you by now.
I want Fred Thompson screw Ron Paul end of story!!
has nothing to do w/ RP.
Thompson sucks on Immigration.
As long as you enjoy open borders, Thompson is your man!
RealyRealyAnnoying,
Go to Fred Thompson's website and look at his voting record and see this for yourself.
I dont feel like digging up and copying and pasting it for you.
I already looked at his record on immigration. Thompson stinks. He'll do NOTHING different than what's being done now.
You guys may as well vote for Giuliani.
http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgrades.php3?District=TN&VIPID=743&retired=1
Okay , so Thompson said that he is for recognising illegals "aspiration for citizenship" and that there should be enforcement "at the border." I stand corrected. This will solve everything.
Fred Thompson??? You're kidding, right? He won't shake anything up. He'll continue the status quo of the party and continue its pathetic warhawk stance. Go Ron Paul 2008!!!!
Ha!
Are you people insane?
If you think I am going to vote for the Tin Foil hat wearing Ron Paul who believes we attacked ourselves on 9-11, you are all out of your friggen minds!
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