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Fred Dalton Thompson
United States Senator from Tennessee
In office December 2 1994 – January 3 2003
Preceded by	Harlan Mathews
Succeeded by	Lamar Alexander
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	(1) Sarah Elizabeth Lindsey (Knestrick), 1959–1985; divorced (2) Jeri Kehn, 2002–Present
Alma mater	Memphis State University, Vanderbilt University
Profession	character actor, senator, lawyer, lobbyist, public speaker, radio personality

Fred Dalton Thompson (born August 19 1942 as Freddie Dalton Thompson) is an American politician, lawyer, lobbyist, and character actor. He represented Tennessee as a Republican in the U.S. Senate from 1994 through 2003.

Thompson is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Visiting Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, specializing in national security and intelligence. He resides in McLean, Virginia near Washington, D.C..

As an actor, Thompson has performed in film and on television. He has frequently portrayed governmental figures. In the final months of his U.S. Senate term in 2002, Thompson joined the cast of the long-running NBC television series Law & Order, playing New York City District Attorney Arthur Branch.

On May 30, 2007, Fred Thompson asked to be released from his television duties, potentially in preparation for a presidential bid. Then on June 1 2007 he formed a presidential exploratory committee regarding his possible 2008 campaign for President. On September 5, 2007 Thompson announced on The Tonight Show: "I'm running for president of the United States," and he steered viewers to fred08.com for a 15-minute video announcement of his candidacy.

Early life and education

Freddie Thompson was born August 19, 1942, in Sheffield, Alabama to Ruth Inez (Bradley) and Fletcher Session Thompson, an automobile salesman. He attended public school in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, graduating from Lawrence County High School. After graduation, he worked days in the local post office and nights at a bicycle assembly plant.

Thompson entered Florence State College, now the University of North Alabama, becoming the first member of his family to go to college. He subsequently transferred to Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis, where he earned a double-major in philosophy and political science, in 1964, as well as scholarships to both Tulane and Vanderbilt law schools. He went on to earn his J.D. degree from Vanderbilt in 1967.

Attorney

Thompson was admitted to the State Bar of Tennessee in 1967. He worked as an assistant U.S. attorney from 1969 to 1972. In that position, he successfully prosecuted bank robbery and other cases. At that time, he shortened his first name to Fred.

In 1972, he was the campaign manager for Republican U.S. Senator Howard Baker's successful re-election campaign, which led to a close friendship with Baker. He later served as co-chief counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee in its investigation of the Watergate scandal, (1973–1974), and afterwards wrote a book about it.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Thompson worked primarily as an attorney, with law offices in Nashville and Washington, DC. Among the cases Thompson handled in his private law practice were personal injury claims and the defense of individuals accused of white collar crimes. While in private practice, he also accepted appointments as Special Counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (1980–1981), Special Counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee (1982), and Member of the Appellate Court Nominating Commission for the State of Tennessee (1985–1987).

Some of his clients were foreign corporations, such as a German mining group and Japan's Toyota Motors Corporation. Thompson has served on various corporate boards. For example, in the 1990s, he did legal work for the engineering firm Stone & Webster, while also serving on its board of directors.

Role in Watergate hearings

Thompson was appointed minority counsel for the hearings surrounding the Watergate scandal. He was responsible for Sen. Baker's asking one of the questions that is said to have led directly to the downfall of President Richard Nixon—"What did the President know, and when did he know it?" Thompson himself asked former White House aide Alexander Butterfield at a public committee hearing about listening devices in the White House, although the committee already knew the answer to that question, because Butterfield had been interviewed earlier by Senate investigators in closed session.

Nixon was reportedly angry that Thompson had been selected as minority counsel to the Senate Watergate committee; Nixon believed the young Thompson was not skilled enough to interrogate unfriendly witnesses and would be outfoxed by committee Democrats. According to historian Stanley Kutler, Thompson and Baker "carried water for the White House, but I have to give them credit — they were watching out for their interests, too... They weren't going to mindlessly go down the tubes" for Nixon.

In his Watergate memoir, Thompson acknowledged that he provided information to President Nixon's lawyer even though he had no authority to act for the committee. Thompson "believed it would be in everyone's interest if the White House realized, before making any public statements, the probable position of both the majority and the minority of the Watergate committee" regarding the Watergate tapes. In response to renewed interest in this matter, Thompson says, "I'm glad all of this has finally caused someone to read my Watergate book, even though it's taken them over thirty years."

Corruption case against Tennessee Governor

In 1977, Thompson represented Marie Ragghianti, who was a former Tennessee Parole Board chair. Ragghianti had refused to release felons who had bribed aides to Democratic Governor Ray Blanton in order to obtain clemency. With Thompson's assistance, Ragghianti filed a wrongful termination suit against the office of Governor Blanton.

Thompson previously considered legal action on behalf of other state employees who were allegedly dismissed for political reasons. In the Ragghianti case, Thompson helped to expose the cash-for-clemency scheme that eventually led to the removal of Blanton from the Governor's office. In July 1978, a jury awarded Ragghianti $38,000 in back pay, and ordered her reinstatement. Ragghianti's case would garner national attention, leading to the publication of a book titled, Marie, and a film of the same name.

Lobbyist

Thompson has been a lobbyist intermittently since 1975, and has earned about $1 million from his lobbying efforts during that time. He says that criticism about his lobbying activities is likely to increase as he gets closer to announcing his candidacy, but Thompson also expects that such criticism will produce “the same results” as it did during his 1994 and 1996 Senate races. Except for the year 1981, his lobbying never amounted to more than a third of his income. According to the Commercial Appeal newspaper:

Fred Thompson earned about half a million dollars from Washington lobbying from 1975 through 1993....Lobbyist disclosure records show Thompson had six lobbying clients: Westinghouse, two cable television companies, the Tennessee Savings and Loan League, the Teamsters Union's Central States Pension Fund, and a Baltimore-based business coalition that lobbied for federal grants.

For example, in 1982, on behalf of the Tennessee Savings and Loan League, Thompson lobbied the U.S. Congress to pass the Garn - St Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 which deregulated the Savings and Loan (S&L) industry. This Act was supported by President Reagan and a large congressional majority, but it turned out to be one of many contributing factors that led to the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s. Thompson received $1600 for communicating with some congressional staffers on this issue.

Thompson also did some lobbying for free. For example, when Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was overthrown in 1991, Thompson made a telephone call to John H. Sununu who was then White House Chief of Staff, in order to advocate (as Thompson described) "restoration of the democratically elected government of the Republic of Haiti." Eventually, "Aristide was restored to power in 1994 by U.S. troops under President Clinton."

Billing records show that Thompson, who describes his position as pro-life, was paid for about 20 hours of work in 1991 and 1992 on behalf of a family planning group trying to ease a departmental regulation on abortion counseling in federally-funded clinics. President George H.W. Bush eased the departmental regulation when he sent a memo to Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan stating that the regulation should allow referrals of women to facilities that perform abortion, but not to facilities whose principal business is providing abortions. With this easing of the regulation, Congress failed by 12 votes to override a veto by Bush of legislation that would have completely overturned the regulation.

After leaving the Senate in 2003, Thompson's only lobbying work was for London-based Equitas Ltd, which is a reinsurance company. He was paid $760,000 from 2004 to 2006 in order to help prevent legislation that Equitas said unfairly singled them out for unfavorable treatment regarding asbestos claims. Thompson spokesman Mark Corrallo said that Thompson was proud to have been a lobbyist and believed in Equitas's cause.

Character actor

The 1977 corruption case against Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton later became the subject of a 1983 book, Marie, by Peter Maas. Director Roger Donaldson bought the film rights and traveled to Nashville to speak with the people involved with the original case. After meeting with Thompson, Donaldson asked Thompson if he wanted to play himself in the movie; Thompson agreed. The resulting film, Marie, was released in 1985.

Donaldson then cast Thompson in the part of the CIA Director in his next movie, No Way Out, in 1987. Thompson would go on to appear in many films and television shows. A 1994 New York Times profile wrote that "When Hollywood directors need someone who can personify governmental power, they often turn to ."

In the final months of his U.S. Senate term in 2002, Thompson joined the cast of the long-running NBC television series Law & Order, playing District Attorney Arthur Branch. Thompson began filming during the August 2002 Senate recess.

He has also made occasional appearances in the same Arthur Branch role on other shows, such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and the pilot episode of Conviction. On May 30 2007, he asked to be released from the Arthur Branch role, potentially in preparation for a presidential bid. Due to concerns about the equal-time rule, scenes with Branch will be excised from reruns shown on NBC, but TNT episodes will be unaffected.

Senate (1994–2003)

Two campaigns for U.S. Senate

In 1994, Thompson was elected to finish the remaining two years of Al Gore's unexpired U.S. Senate term. Gore had been elected Vice President of the United States in 1992, and resigned his Senate seat leaving Harlan Mathews as "caretaker" of the seat. During the 1994 campaign, Thompson's opponent was longtime Nashville Congressman Jim Cooper. Thompson campaigned in a red pickup truck, and Cooper charged that Thompson "is a lobbyist and actor who talks about lower taxes, talks about change, while he drives a rented stage prop." In a good year for Republican candidates, Thompson defeated Cooper in a landslide upset victory, overcoming Cooper's early 20% margin in the polls to defeat Cooper by an even greater margin. On the same night Thompson was elected to fill Gore's unexpired term, political newcomer Bill Frist, a Nashville heart surgeon, defeated three-term incumbent Democrat Jim Sasser, the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, for Tennessee's other U.S. Senate seat, which was up for a full six-year term. The twin victories by Thompson and Frist gave Republicans control of both of Tennessee's Senate seats for the first time since Sasser ousted incumbent Bill Brock in 1976.

In 1996, Thompson was re-elected (for the term ending January 3 2003) with 61% of the vote, defeating Democratic attorney Houston Gordon of Covington, Tennessee, even as Bill Clinton narrowly carried Tennessee by less than three percentage points on his way to re-election. The GOP continues to hold the seat, as it was won by former Tennessee Governor and Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander in 2002.

Senate career

While in the Senate, Thompson served as the chairman of the Committee on Governmental Affairs from 1997 to 2001. The committee investigated alleged Chinese attempts to influence American politics prior to the 1996 elections. However, Thompson was "largely stymied" during those investigations, with witnesses declining to testify, claiming the right not to incriminate themselves, or simply leaving the United States' jurisdiction. Thompson's final report on the matter also pointed to another problem: "Our work was affected tremendously by the fact that Congress is a much more partisan institution than it used to be."

When control of the Senate passed from Republicans to Democrats in 2001, Thompson became the ranking minority member of the Committee on Governmental Affairs. Among his other assignments during his years in the Senate were the Finance Committee (dealing with health care, trade, Social Security, and taxation), the Intelligence Committee, and the National Security Working Group.

Fred Thompson's work as a senator included investigation of the Umm Hajul controversy involving the death of Tennessean Lance Fielder during the Gulf War, support for campaign finance reform, opposing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and promoting government efficiency and accountability. One of his more unusual acting roles was serving as a Clinton stand-in, to help prepare Bob Dole for presidential debates in 1996.

Thompson has an 86.1 percent lifetime (1995–2002) American Conservative Union vote rating, compared to 89.3 for Bill Frist and 82.3 for John McCain. Senator Susan Collins of Maine characterized her colleague this way: "I believe that Fred is a fearless senator. By that I mean he was never afraid to cast a vote or take a stand, regardless of the political consequences." Thompson was "on the short end of a couple of 99-1 votes," voting against those who wanted to federalize matters that he believed were properly left to state and local officials.

On February 12 1999, the Senate voted on the Clinton impeachment. The perjury charge was defeated with 45 votes for conviction, and 55 including Thompson against. The obstruction of justice charge was defeated with 50 including Thompson for conviction, and 50 against. Conviction on impeachment charges requires the affirmative votes of 67 senators.

In the 2000 Republican presidential primaries, Thompson initially backed former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander, who eventually succeeded Thompson in the Senate, two years later. When Alexander dropped out of the presidential race, Thompson endorsed Senator John McCain's bid and became his national co-chairman. Both McCain and Thompson were contenders to be then-Governor Bush's running mate in 2000.

Post-Senate activities

Thompson was not a candidate for re-election in 2002. He had publicly stated his unwillingness to have the Senate become a long-term career. Although he announced in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks his intention to seek re-election ("Now is not the time for me to leave," said Thompson at the time), upon further reflection he decided against it. The decision seems to have been prompted in large part by the death of his daughter. However, he has remained politically active, eventually declaring his intention to run for President, in September of 2007.

Political work

In March 2003, Thompson was featured in a commercial by the conservative non-profit group Citizens United that advocated the invasion of Iraq, stating: "When people ask what has Saddam done to us, I ask, what had the 9/11 hijackers done to us -- before 9/11," and he has remained supportive of that invasion.

Thompson did voice-over work at the 2004 Republican National Convention. While narrating a video for that convention, Thompson observed: "History throws you what it throws you, and you never know what’s coming."

After the retirement of Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in 2005, he was appointed to an informal position by President George W. Bush to help guide the nomination of John Roberts through the United States Senate confirmation process. Roberts was subsequently confirmed as Chief Justice.

Until July of 2007, Thompson was Chair of the International Security Advisory Board, a bipartisan advisory panel that reports to the Secretary of State and focuses on emerging strategic threats. In that capacity, he advised the State Department about all aspects of arms control, disarmament, international security, and related aspects of public diplomacy.

Legal defense for Lewis Libby

In 2006, he served on the advisory board of the legal defense fund for I. Lewis ("Scooter") Libby, Jr, who was indicted and later convicted of lying to federal investigators during their investigation of the Plame affair. Thompson, who had never met Libby before volunteering for the advisory board, was convinced Libby was innocent. The Scooter Libby Legal Defense Fund Trust set out to raise more than $5 million to help finance the legal defense of Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff. Thompson hosted a fundraiser for the Libby defense fund at his home in McLean, Virginia. After President Bush commuted Libby's sentence, Thompson released a statement: "I am very happy for Scooter Libby," Thompson said. "I know that this is a great relief to him, his wife and children. This will allow a good American, who has done a lot for his country, to resume his life."

Radio analyst

In 2006, he signed on with ABC News Radio to serve as senior analyst and vacation replacement for Paul Harvey. He used that platform to spell out his positions on a number of political issues. A July 3, 2007 update to Thompson's ABC News Radio home page referred to him as a "former ABC News Radio contributor," indicating that Thompson has been released from his contract with the broadcaster.

Controversy

Fred Thompson has seen some controversy, most notably allegations about pro-choice lobbying, allegations about using his political action committee to benefit his son, and allegations about his role during Watergate.

Political positions

Thompson has said that federalism is his "lodestar," providing "a basis for a proper analysis of most issues: 'Is this something government should be doing? If so, at what level of government?'"

Thompson supports free trade and low taxes. He says that Roe v. Wade was a wrong decision that ought to be overturned, and that he is pro-life, but he also has said that states should decide not to criminalize young women for early term abortions. Thompson is skeptical that humanity is to blame for global warming. He says citizens are entitled to keep and bear arms if they do not have criminal records. Thompson's support of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation brought criticism from groups such as Gun Owners of America (GOA), who said that the legislation limited their ability to inform the public about the gun rights voting records of incumbent politicians. Thompson now says that the limitation on political speech within thirty or sixty days of an election was wrong and should be repealed. Thompson says U.S. borders need to be secured before considering comprehensive immigration reform. Thompson supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq, but he believes that mistakes have been made since then. He is opposed to withdrawal from Iraq. He also believes that aggressive statements made by president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad should not be dismissed as the opinion of a lone radical.

Preface to presidential campaign

Before becoming a declared candidate, Thompson was included in several polls that indicated strength in the states that vote early in the caucus and primary schedule.

Testing the waters

On March 11 2007, Thompson appeared on Fox News Sunday to discuss the possibility of a 2008 candidacy for president. The announcement spurred several grassroots draft movements, including a well-organized draft campaign started by Dean Rice, a former Thompson political aide, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

While Thompson had not yet formally announced his intentions, he said he would "leave the door open." Thompson stated that he would not be interested in accepting a hypothetical nomination for vice president, explaining "I don't think I would ever want to do that and be in the second position."

In July of 2007, a New York Times article cited Thompson's aides as saying on July 18 that Fred Thompson planned to enter the race just after Labor Day (the first Monday in September), followed by a national announcement tour.

Thompson's March 11 announcement spurred a flurry of conjecture, discussion, and activity on the internet. A "Draft Fred Thompson" forum site became a particularly popular online forum for supporters of Fred Thompson. One group of Fred Thompson supporters, many of whom call themselves "FredHeads," organized under the banner "FredHeadsUSA" with a plan to build a grassroots pro-Fred political movement in the physical world to expand on the vigorous pro-Fred activity already taking place in the virtual world.

On May 15, he published a widely viewed video in which he declined to debate Michael Moore about Cuba. Then on May 18, Thompson continued his Internet campaign by posting a letter to Pajamas Media acknowledging his online supporters.

Exploratory committee

Thompson formed an exploratory committee on June 1, 2007. Unlike most candidate exploratory groups, his is organized as a 527 group. Thompson's first public appearance after this exploratory committee formed was June 2 at the Virginia Republicans annual fund-raising gala in Richmond, Virginia, according to the Virginia Daily Press. Shortly thereafter, on June 5, 2007, Thompson launched his official website. Also on June 5, there was a Republican Presidential candidates debate with the then current 10 candidates, from New Hampshire, broadcast on CNN. Thompson was mentioned repeatedly as one of the poll front runners, even though he did not participate.

On June 12, 2007, Thompson appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He would not announce his candidacy, but referred to his presidential exploratory committee, which he stated had yielded positive prospects. Leno mentioned that Thompson was #2 in the polls, and asked Thompson if he would at least state if he would like the job of President. Thompson responded that, while he did not crave the job itself, there were things he would like to do that he could only do by holding that office.

Political insiders in Tennessee expect the inner circle of a Thompson campaign to include, in addition to his politically experienced wife, a number of functionaries with whom Thompson has been associated in the past. Also said to be likely senior advisers are former Republican National Committee chair Ed Gillespie, former vice president of the food and tobacco company Altria Tom Collamore, PR man Mark Corallo, former chairman of the Federal Election Commission Michael E. Toner, former U.S. Senate aide Tom Daffron, longtime Tennessee politician Tom Ingram and Congressman Zach Wamp.

In early July 2007, Liz Sidoti of Associated Press wrote: "Thompson's easygoing, no-nonsense style is clearly his strength and undoubtedly has helped him soar in presidential polls." Tucker Eskew, a Republican strategist unaligned in the race said, "Smooth is good, but sometimes nitty gritty is essential" and "He'll be tested (but) he has a little time."

On July 24, 2007, Thompson announced he was replacing his acting campaign manager, Tom Collamore, with former Michigan Senator and Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and Florida GOP strategist Randy Enright. Collamore would remain as an advisor, Enright would be political director, and Abraham did not have a title.

On July 31, 2007, the Thompson committee reported to the IRS that it had raised almost $3.5 million and spent $625,000 in its first month.

On August 8, 2007, Bill Lacy was named manager of Thompson's testing the waters committee. Lacy had worked in the campaigns of President Reagan, President Bush, and Senator Dole, and had worked on Thompson's 1994 campaign.

Thompson visited Iowa on August 17, 2007, but did not then officially launch his presidential campaign. Thompson was asked by NBC if he was officially in the race for president. Thompson replied with a simple "No." It was also noted that Thompson was already prepping for the Republican debates, so that he will be able to join the other Republican candidates on stage at the events when he is an announced candidate.

On August 17, 2007, Thompson said that if elected president, he would work to overturn Roe vs. Wade. He also said he does not support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, but that if necessary he would support one preserving each state's right to decide the matter for itself.

On August 30, 2007, Thompson's aides revealed that he would enter the presidential race on September 6. Prior to that entry, the September 10, 2007 issue of Newsweek hit newsstands with a detailed cover story about Thompson.

2008 presidential election campaign

Template:Future election candidate

Thompson became a Republican Party primary candidate to represent his party in the 2008 United States presidential election, having declared his intent to seek the nomination on September 5, 2007. Thompson announced on the Tonight Show With Jay Leno broadcast of that day that he would be running for the presidency in 2008. He then began a five-day tour of early voting states, including Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Polls

Public opinion polls indicate strength nationwide, and in the states that vote early in the caucus and primary schedule.

Endorsements

As of August 30 2007, Thompson had been endorsed by 18 current members of Congress, including both of Tennessee's senators. Also, on June 12 2007, former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato (New York) endorsed Thompson for president.

Personal life

In September 1959, at the age of 17, Thompson married Sarah Elizabeth Lindsey. Their son Frederick Dalton "Tony" Thompson Jr. was born in April 1960. Another son and a daughter were born soon thereafter. While Thompson was attending law school, both he and his wife worked to pay for his education and support their three children.

The couple divorced in 1985. They have two surviving children, as well as five grandchildren. Thompson's daughter Elizabeth "Betsy" Thompson Panici died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs on January 30 2002.

Prior to his second marriage, Thompson had been romantically linked to country singer Lorrie Morgan, Republican fundraiser Georgette Mosbacher and columnist Margaret Carlson. Thompson met Republican consultant Jeri Kehn in July of 1996 and the two married on June 29, 2002. They have two small children.

Thompson has non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), a form of cancer. "I have had no illness from it, or even any symptoms. My life expectancy should not be affected. I am in remission, and it is very treatable with drugs if treatment is needed in the future — and with no debilitating side effects," Thompson said. Like many patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Thompson received treatment with Rituxan. Thompson's cancer, though currently incurable, is reportedly indolent, the lowest of three grades of NHL. Thompson has nodal marginal zone lymphoma which is a rare form of NHL, accounting for only 1% to 3% of all NHLs. Coincidentally, two other potential Republican presidential nominees have also had cancer: John McCain and Rudy Giuliani.

Thompson is a member of the Churches of Christ, a non-denominational group of Christian churches affiliated with the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement.

Filmography

Movies

TV series

• Law & Order (2002–2007)
• Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005–2006)
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (11 episodes, 2003–2006)
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2 episodes, 2005)
• Conviction (1 episode, 2006)
• Sex and the City (1 episode, 2000, as "Politician on TV")
• Matlock (1 episode in 1989 as "Gordon Lewis" and 1 episode in 1993 as "Prosecutor Mr. McGonigal")
• Roseanne (1 episode, 1989, as "Keith Faber")
• China Beach (1 episode, 1989, as "Lt. Col. Reinhardt")
• Wiseguy (3 episodes, 1988, as "Knox Pooley")

Electoral history

Footnotes

1. Matthews, Joe (6 September, 2007). "Thompson wed his ambition". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-09-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
2. American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Scholars & Fellows.
3. Thompson, Fred. "Modern Political Archives: Fred Thompson Papers, 1993–2002". University of Tennessee. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
4. Locker, Richard (14 March, 2007). "Thompson may house hunt in Tenn". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2007-04-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
5. ^ Bragg, Rick (November 12, 1994). "Grits and Glitter Campaign Helps Actor Who Played a Senator Become One". The New York Times. pp. Sec. 1, p. 10. Retrieved 2007-04-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
6. ^ Associated Press and Cameron, Carl. "Fred Thompson Quits 'Law & Order,' Moves Closer to 2008 White House Bid", Fox News (2007-05-31).
7. Steve McGookin (2007-09-05). "Thompson Finally Steps Onstage". Forbes.
8. Bloomberg.com: Worldwide. Retrieved September 6, 2007.
9. Bond, Paul. "Fred Thompson Says Rivals Got in Presidential Race Too Early" (2007-09-06).
10. Fred Dalton Thompson Biography (1942-) via filmreference.com.
11. Reitwiesner, William Addams. "Ancestry of Fred Thompson". self-published, non-authoritative. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
12. ^ Lawrimore, Erin. "Biography/History", University of Tennessee Special Collections Library (2005).
13. ^ "About Fred", via imwithfred.com (Official Site). Retrieved (2007-07-13).
14. Fred Thompson Hometown Biography, Lawrenceburg Tennessee
15. Malcolm, Andrew (6 September, 2007). "Shocking truth about Fred Thompson revealed!". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-09-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
16. Thompson, Fred. At That Point in Time: The inside story of the Senate Watergate Committee (1975).
17. Vogel, Kenneth. "Rivals Take Aim At Thompson", CBS News (2007-06-12). Retrieved 2007-07-08.
18. ^ Cottle, Michelle (1 December, 1996). "Another Beltway Bubba?". Washington Monthly. Retrieved 2007-04-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
19. ^ Dilanian, Ken. Past as lobbyist may play into future as candidate, USA Today (2007-06-06).
20. ^ "Thompson cooperated with White House during Watergate". Associated Press. 08 March, 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) Cite error: The named reference "thompsoncooperates" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
21. Cameron, Carl (08 March, 2007). "National TV Star, Former Republican Senator Fred Thompson Mulls '08 Presidential Bid". FoxNews. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
22. ^ Lowy, Joan. "Fred Thompson Aided Nixon on Watergate," Associated Press (2007-07-07).
23. Kranish, Michael (July 4, 2007). "Not all would put a heroic sheen on Thompson's Watergate role". The Boston Globe. pp. Sec. 1, p. 10. Retrieved 2007-07-08. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
24. ^ The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture: Leonard Ray Blanton, 1930–1996. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
25. ^ "Fred Thompson defends lobbyist past". USA Today. June 26, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
26. ^ Locker, Richard. "Thompson tells why lobbyist pay rose with GOP-led Senate", Commercial Appeal (1994-11-05).
27. Leibold, Arthur. "Some Hope for the Future After a Failed National Policy for Thrifts" in Barth, James et al. The Savings and Loan Crisis: Lessons from a Regulatory Failure, pages 58–59 (2004). Leibold cites Strunk and Case, Where Regulation Went Wrong: A Look at the Causes Behind Savings and Loan Failures in the 1980s, pages 14–16 (1988).
28. Vogel, Kenneth. "'Law & Order' And Lobbying", The Politico (2007-04-02).
29. "Thompson lobbied for family planning". San Francisco Chronicle. July 19, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
30. "Future uncertain as Congressional drive to block Title X gag rule fails", Wash Memo Alan Guttmacher Inst. 1991 Nov 22;(18):1–2, 4.
31. Clymer, Adam. "President Vetoes Bill on Abortion; Override Bid Fails", New York Times (1991-11-20).
32. Birnbaum, Jeffrey. "Thompson Will Take On Outsider Role After Playing Access Man", Washington Post, June 12, 2007
33. ^ Hayes, Stephen F. (April 23, 2007). "From the Courthouse to the White House". Weekly Standard. Retrieved 2007-05-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
34. "TNT won't pull reruns starring Thompson", Seattle Times (2007-09-01).
35. Powers, William. "The Politician's Pickup Lines", Washington Post (1994-10-21). There is some question about whether Thompson actually did the driving. According to Kevin Drum of the Washington Monthly, "Thompson didn't even deign to drive the thing himself." Drum, Kevin. "Fred Thompson's Red Pick-up Truck", Washington Monthly (2007-05-07). Retrieved 2007-06-18. Media reports in May and June 2007 said that Thompson still has the truck, which is "parked behind Thompson's mother's home outside Nashville." Chipman, Kim. "Thompson's Backers Check His `Fire in the Belly' for 2008 Race", Bloomberg (2007-06-28). According to Newsweek, "The paint is peeling and its U.S. Senate license plates expired back in 2002." Bailey, Holly. "The Sign of the Red Truck", Newsweek (2007-05-28). Retrieved 2007-07-10.
36. Traub, James. "Party Like It's 1994", New York Times Magazine (2006-03-12): "The Republicans shocked political professionals, including President Bill Clinton, by gaining 52 seats in the House, giving them a majority there for the first time in 40 years. (They picked up eight seats in the Senate to wrest control there as well.)"
37. Heilemann, John. "The Shadow Candidates". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2007-06-18. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
38. "United States of America Presidential Elections of 1996, Electoral College Vote by States", Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive.
39. ^ Fund, John (17 March, 2007). "Lights, Camera ... Candidacy?". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2007-04-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
40. Thompson, Fred. "Additional Views of Chairman Fred Thompson, Investigation of Illegal or Improper Activities in Connection With 1996 Federal Election Campaigns, Final Report of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, Senate Report 105-167 - 105th Congress 2d Session" (1998-03-10).
41. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, History of Committee Chairmen. Retrieved (2007-07-13).
42. Sen. Thompson's Official Senate Web Site (via Archive.org).
43. "How conservative is Fred Thompson?", Washington Times Editorial (2007-06-23).
44. Profile at Project Vote Smart (including bio, positions, finances, interest group ratings, votes, and statements).
45. Theobald, Bill."In D.C., tenacious Thompson defied prediction: Reliable conservative had fierce independent streak", The Tennessean (2007-07-08).
46. ^ Thompson, Fred. "Federalism 'n' Me", AEI (2007-04-23). Retrieved 2007-05-13.
47. Neal, Terry M. (18 August, 1999). "McCain Re-Emerges; Receives Thompson Endorsement". Washington Post. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
48. "Bush: 'The days of speculation are over'", USA Today (2000-07-22).
49. Zuckerbrod, Nancy."Thompson eyed for vice presidential role", via oakridger.com 2000-07-03). Retrieved 2007-07-10.
50. ^ Halperin, Mark (May 24, 2007). "A New Role for Fred Thompson". Time. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) Cite error: The named reference "TIME070524" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
51. "Interview with Mike Boos of Citizens United". CNN. March 1, 2003. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
52. Goldsmith, Brian. "Beware The 'Convention Candidates'", CBS News (2007-04-20).
53. Thompson, Fred. "The Pitch", via YouTube. Retrieved (2007-07-13).
54. Lee, Christopher (September 9, 2005). "Hill Veterans Light the Way for Nominee". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-07-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
55. International Security Advisory Board, Former Members, State Department web site.
56. International Security Advisory Board, State Department web site.
57. Shane, Scott (February 9, 2007). "Media Censors for the Jury Let a Style Item Get Through". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
58. Bohn, Kevin (February 9, 2007). "Libby trial provides a rare look inside the grand jury". CNN. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
59. Loller, Travis. "Looking at Thompson's Lobbying Past", ABC News (2007-06-25).
60. Copeland, Libby and Montgomery, David. "Scooter Libby's Pals, Trusting In Providence", Washington Post (2007-07-03).
61. George W. Bush, "Statement by the President", The White House, 2 July, 2007, accessed 2 July, 2007.
62. "Political Leaders Express Outrage, Support for 'Scooter' Libby's Commuted Sentence". Fox News. July 03, 2007]]. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
63. Miller, Korin. Names and Faces, The Washington Post (2006-02-25).
64. The Fred Thompson Report, ABC Radio Networks.
65. ^ Thompson, Fred. "Prepared Remarks for Speech to Lincoln Club Annual Dinner", ABC Radio, May 4, 2007. Accessed May 13, 2007.
66. Thompson, Fred. "Case Closed: Tax Cuts Mean Growth", ABC Radio, April 14, 2007. Accessed May 13, 2007.
67. "Transcript: Former Sen. Fred Thompson on 'FOX News Sunday'". 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
68. "Exclusive! Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson on Possible White House Bid", Fox News Interview (2007-06-05).
69. Bailey, Holly. "Away From the Cameras," Newsweek (2007-06-25).
70. Thompson, Fred. "Plutonic Warming", AEI, March 22, 2007. Accessed May 13, 2007.
71. Thompson, Fred. "Armed with the Truth", ABC Radio, May 10, 2007. Accessed May 13, 2007.
72. Fields, Craig. "Presidential Candidates And The Second Amendment: Fred Thompson", Gun Owners of America (GOA). Accessed June 10, 2007.
73. Sean Hannity interview of Fred Thompson, Fox News, June 6, 2007. Accessed June 9, 2007.
74. "Former Sen. Fred Thompson on 'FOX News Sunday'". 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2007-07-02.
75. "Thompson: U.S. must rebuild military". 2007-08-21. Retrieved 2007-07-02.
76. Thompson, Fred. "Remarks to Policy Exchange in London" (2007-06-19). Retrieved 2007-07-02.
77. "Transcript: Former Sen. Fred Thompson on 'FOX News Sunday'". Fox news. March 11, 2007. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
78. Seidman, Joel. "Thompson rules out VP spot on GOP ticket", MSNBC (2007-05-11).
79. Nagourney, Adam. "Candidates Shift as G.O.P. Field Alters", NY Times (2007-07-19).
80. See DraftFredThompson.com.
81. See the FredHeadsUSA web site and the FredHeads web site.
82. "Thompson Responds to Michael Moore Challenge" (video clip). Breitbart.tv. May 15, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
83. Thompson, Fred (21 May, 2007). "To PJM and Friends". Pajamas Media. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
84. "Fred Thompson to Speak in Richmond". WHSV TV. 2007-06-01. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
85. Horrigan, Marie (2007-07-31). "Fred Thompson's Long 'Exploration' Raises Money — and Confusion". Congressional Quarterly. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
86. Lessig, Hugh (2007-06-01). "Media horde to follow Thompson to Richmond". Daily Press. Retrieved 2007-06-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
87. imwithfred.com.
88. Struglinski, Suzanne and Roche, Lisa. "Actor heightens GOP debate drama", Deseret Morning News (2007-06-05).
89. "Thompson Tells Leno He Would Like to Be President". Fox News. 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
90. Cillizza, Chris. "Fred Thompson's Inner Circle", washingtonpost.com's Politics Blog (2007-06-12).
91. Whitehouse, Ken (June 1, 2007). "The 'Inner Fred'". NashvillePost.com. Retrieved 2007-06-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
92. ^ Sidoti, Liz. "Thompson Strong on Style, Not Substance", Associated Press (2007-07-05). Retrieved (2007-07-07).
93. Associated Press, Thompson Shakes Up Staff, by LIBBY QUAID, July 24, 2007
94. Quaid, Lib (July 25, 2007). "Former Michigan senator Abraham to co-chair Thompson bid". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-08-13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
95. "Thompson Committee Raises Millions in One Month". August 4, 2007. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |access date= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
96. "Bill Lacy Named Committee Manager". August 8, 2007. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |access date= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
97. "Thompson: Roe bad law and bad medicine". CNN. August 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    "Nix That". The Corner. August 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-20. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
98. Cite error: The named reference ap20070830 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
99. Bailey, Holly. "Grin and Bear It", Newsweek (2007-09-10).
100. Endorsements '08, The Hill (2007-08-01). Retrieved 2007-08-30.
101. Keating, Raymond. "D'Amato could be right on Thompson", Newsday (2007-06-18). Retrieved 2007-08-30.</
102. "Fred Thompson chronology". The Tennessean. May 6, 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
103. Kirkpatrick, David (July 2, 2007). "As Senator Rose, Lobbying Became Family Affair". New York Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
104. Baxter, Sarah. "Old Girlfriends Cast Their Vote for Thompson", Times Online (2007-06-24).
105. Grove, Lloyd (July 2, 2002). "Reliable Sources". The Washington Post. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
106. ^ "Former Senator Fred Thompson in Remission for Lymphoma". Fox News. April 11 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
107. Associated Press (May 15, 2007). "Fred Thompson discloses past cancer diagnosis". L.A. Times. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
108. Bloom, Mark. "Fred Thompson, GOP Potential Candidate, Had Rare NHL," MedPage Today (2007-04-11).
109. Useem, Andrea. "Fred Thompson's Faith: Churches of Christ 101", Religion Writer.com (2007-06-14). Retrieved 2007-06-15. At least two previous presidents were associated with the Restoration Movement religions, including James Garfield and Lyndon B. Johnson. After Garfield's time, the Restoration movement split; LBJ belonged to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which is another branch of the movement. Ronald Reagan was raised as a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), but later attended Presbyterian services. See Ronald Reagan Facts, Ronald Reagan Foundation.

External links

• Fred08.com, Friends of Fred Thompson, Inc. (official campaign site).
• The Fred Thompson Report, ABC Radio Networks (official site).
• The Official YouTube Page for Fred Thompson (official video site).
• The Official Flickr Page for Fred Thompson (official photo site).
• The Fred Thompson Papers, University of Tennessee (official archive).
• United States Congress. "Fred Thompson (id: T000457)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress..
• Fred Dalton Thompson at IMDb acting career.
• Center for Responsive Politics (aka OpenSecrets.org) campaign contributions.
• The Fred Files Lobbying disclosures, 1975–1994.
• LA Times photo gallery of Thompson's early years
• Fred Thompson Hometown Biography, Lawrenceburg Tennessee

v t e United States senators from Tennessee
Class 1	Cocke A. Jackson Smith J. Anderson Campbell Eaton Grundy Foster Grundy Nicholson Foster Turney Jones Johnson Patterson Brownlow Johnson Key Bailey H. Jackson Whitthorne Bate Frazier Lea McKellar Gore Sr. Brock III Sasser Frist Corker Blackburn
Class 2	Blount J. Anderson Cocke Smith Whiteside Campbell Wharton Williams A. Jackson White A. Anderson Jarnagin Bell Nicholson Fowler Cooper Harris Turley Carmack Taylor Sanders Webb Shields Tyson Brock I Hull Bachman Berry Stewart Kefauver Walters Bass Baker Gore Jr. Mathews Thompson Alexander Hagerty

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