Fred Thompson: Lazy, K-Street, Phony

By: The Grey Havens
Published On: 6/26/2007 6:09:11 PM

In his run for the US Senate, Fred Thompson, the actor and million dollar earning lobbyist, rented a red pickup truck to stump Tennessee.  He used a good 'ol boy persona to project his fake disgust towards "Washington Insiders", despite being a liscensed member of the Washington establishment elite.  The trick with he pick 'em up truck and flannel shirts worked, and the K-street phony went on to be regarded as one of the laziest Senators in Washington history. 

Now he's about to run again, this time for President.  In the post-Abramoff era, when America distrusts pay for access shills like Thompson, he's standing up for the wholesome goodness of selling government to the highest bidder, while still claiming to declaim the terrors of gridlocked Washington.

The AP image caption say it all:

Actor and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., speaks at a fundraiser in Richmond, Va., in this June 2, 2007, file photo. Thompson, who likes to cast himself in the role of Washington outsider, has a long history as a political insider who earned more than $1 million lobbying the federal government. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)


Hey, it's all legal...

Fred Thompson, a likely Republican presidential candidate, on Tuesday defended his work as a Washington lobbyist, telling The Associated Press that lobbying is an important part of life because "government's got their hands in everything."

The actor and former U.S. senator from Tennessee added, "Nobody yet has pointed out any of my clients that didn't deserve representation."

That just screams "outsider".  [Below the fold: human atrocities, barnstormin', and high livin'!]

A bit more:

He lobbied for a savings-and-loan deregulation bill that helped hasten the industry's collapse and a failed nuclear energy project that cost taxpayers more than a billion dollars.

He also was a lobbyist for deposed Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was widely criticized for endorsing "necklacing," the gruesome practice of execution where gasoline-soaked tires are thrown over a person's neck and set ablaze.

Nothing would do more to reclaim America's good standing in the world than filling the White House with a guy who took a bunch of money representing Aristide.  Woooeee!  Nothing says America like wrapping a guy's head in gas filled flaming tires.  George Washington would be so proud.


It's crony/phonies like Fred Thompson who are making a four letter word of "conservatism".  Will America ever trust these Abramoff Republicans again?

Clearly a principled conservative like Fred Thompson will be able to convince America that he's the right guy to salvage this nation's credibility.  Will the lazy, insider, phony, rent a really beat up old pickup truck this time?  If elected will he pick a rusty old piper cub as his Air Force One?  Will he put on a really good act and convince America that he's neither lazy, nor available for the highest bidder?  Only time will tell. 

File this one in the "Conservatives can't do anything without irony" file, and keep it handy for the "Fred Thompson: Barnstormin' America" tour, coming soon to a hedge fund picnic near you.


Comments



Fred sounds like Allen (Teddy - 6/26/2007 8:00:07 PM)
when it comes to phony personas and running against the Insiders when he are one. The only difference is, Fred is a professional actor, and may be able to bring it off. Heehaw!


My thought exactly (The Grey Havens - 6/26/2007 8:28:17 PM)
all hat, not cattle, gold pocketwatch


Hows he any different? (JScott - 6/26/2007 9:18:19 PM)
Taking into account the views expressed, even if they are all 100% accurate, how does Thompson differ from say any other likely opponent on the Democrat side. When we get lazy and through out things like he's the "laziest Senator" it is if we are asking people to see that their guy is lazier than are guy becuase lest face facts folks, look at bills proposed by Clinton, Obama, Edwards during his time in the Senate we are not talking about overachievers by any means. In fact based on speeches on the floor, bills proposed, and simple down right hard work in front of the camera you would be harder to find anyone working harder than Duncan Hunter (R) in the House and Democrat Kucinich, both these gentleman though we may not like their views have worked harder than virtually anyone.
Research and find how many times you get a hit on speeches on the Senate floor by Obama, Clinton, Brownback, and even McCain. Guys there are relatively few. How many bills have these folks proposed? McCain leads that by a landslide.
  So what we are left is determining which of the candidates is just "lazy" enough to lead our great nation. Friends face the music if records really mattered would we really have the front-runners we have right now. National politics has become simply an extension of corporate Americas marketing arm...the brand that wins is the one grows it and protects it the best. Clinton spoof video demonstrates that.All of these folks, including Thompson either have a brand name of likeability/sellibility or they dont...period. Laziness in the end will have little to do with it.


This was common knowledge (Chris Guy - 6/26/2007 9:47:22 PM)
when Fred Thompson was in the Senate. The man does not like to work long hours, period.

Some Republicans have questioned whether he has the "fire in the belly" to seriously run for President. That's why laziness WILL have something to do woth it. Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney and the like are machines when it comes to campaigning.



It's not likability, it's trust (The Grey Havens - 6/26/2007 10:33:48 PM)
Leadership requires trust, and people don't trust somebody who's not willing to do the heavy lifting.

It's not "likability", it's trust.



Trust is likeability (JScott - 6/28/2007 2:23:53 PM)
Can any of us name one person in this world that we "trust" but do not "like". In politics if you trustem you likem, if you hatem you sure as h*** down likem very much. The two are are tied together I'm afraid.


Strong points and a fair question. (JPTERP - 6/27/2007 2:32:02 AM)
Too often candidates win because of the way they are packaged--not because of their record or fitness for the job.

Having said that, beyond the packaging there is a paper trail and a record of service for all of these candidates.  Beyond shear laziness I would worry about Thompson based solely on the groups that he's supported in the recent past.  Given his championing of Libby, and work on behalf of the large corporate lobbies as well as his outreach efforts with NeoConservatives it's hard in my mind to see where a Cheney vice presidency would end and a Thompson presidency would begin. 

If people like what Cheney/Bush have achieved, here's a guy who's likely to continue their approach towards government.  If people don't want a continuation of that approach there are better options--on both sides of the aisle. 

I do think work ethic matters, but I would place a higher premium on intelligence and experience--especially in an executive capacity.  The reality of the U.S.'s global reach also requires someone with an understanding of the world beyond the U.S. borders.  And by "understanding" I mean "first hand" experience with the world outside the U.S.'s borders.  The global political environment is a lot more challenging than it was in 2000, and it will require superior leadership to what we've had in recent years.



Experience, Intelligence and Judgement (The Grey Havens - 6/27/2007 9:31:38 AM)
VA bloggers went batnuts overa FFX Dem who represented the Scientologists as a lobbyist.  Now we have Aristide's mouthpiece and we're not supposed to question the judgement of this man?

Of course we should.

The courts didn't appoint this phony to represent Mr. Burning Tire Torture, Thompson chose to rep for him because of the money.

Principles vs. dollars.

The judgement of the President determines the direction of the nation. Thanks to the Cheny Presidency our freedom is under assault and our future prosperity is in jeopardy.  Only the backwash last one quarter of the people want to continue in the deranged direction we've been going.  What direction will a phony sellout like Fred Tompson take us?

Judgement matters and elections have consequences.  You don't have to look too far beyond Iraq, Guantanimo, the Roberts "activist judge" Court, or indeed K-Street to see where this schill would take us.

More of the same is the toilet drain.