Blue Crab Boulevard

You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet

Get ready for the whole enormously over-long primary campaigns to be turned on their ear. It looks very, very likely that Fred Thompson is going to come in. And he has the backing of some of Ronald Reagan's inner circle. The world of politics just got very, very interesting.

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.

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.

This is going to be enormously entertaining. Fred Thompson is a real wild card in the 2008 presidential race. There will be much hyperventilation from the Democrats about Thompson's media exposure, there will be outright fear from a lot of candidates. Yep - should be fun to watch. Let's see if he can touch people the same way Reagan did. My guess? He can. And that is scaring the heck out of a lot of politicians.

Politics | Gaius Saturday, 28 April , 2007

By Purple Avenger, Saturday, 28 April , 2007 @ 7:00 pm

If Fred is in, he’s my preferred candidate with Rudy as VP. I think Thompson will eat the current crop of democrats alive.
By Quilly Mammoth, Saturday, 28 April , 2007 @ 7:32 pm

I’ve been a supporter of the Draft Fred Movement for quite a while. Go to Youtube.com and call up some of his speeches.
By Roderick, Monday, 30 April , 2007 @ 8:31 am

You guys are truely desperate (and demented).

The only viable candidate you can get is a 64-year-old -turned-actor-turned politican who has cancer, a 30-something trophy wife (second wife) and a child under 3?

My, my, my how the Republican party has become the party of desperation. LOL
By UncleBestraffe, Monday, 30 April , 2007 @ 8:45 am

This is good news–pretty much guaranteeing the current nose-dive of the GOP will not only hit ground, but probably auger-in to less than zero.

The GOPs current lack of credibility begins with Regan. Regan’s “war on drugs” was a warm up for idiots “war on terr,” and Regan’s obfuscation of language, disregard for laws, and disdain for complexity helped pave the way for currant occupant.

Keep coming up with cracked actors, rascists and 3 or 4 time losers in the marriage department. You go gurl!
By ppp, Monday, 30 April , 2007 @ 9:14 am

I’m gonna have to second Rod-

It seems very unlikley that Fred is going to sweep in as the white knight of the Republican party. this truly seems like wishful thinking. I loved him on Law and Order, though- a great show.
By TQTGA, Monday, 30 April , 2007 @ 10:22 am

Fred worked eighteen years as a lobbyist and had a significant role in de-regulating the Savings and Loan industry in the early 80’s (precipitating a crash and taxpayer-funded bail-out in the late 80’s). I think the most important question about Fred right now is “Is he, like Reagan, also made of Teflon?”.
By Gaius, Monday, 30 April , 2007 @ 10:28 am

I see the character assination has begun. Thompson must have the Dems scared out of their minds.
By ppp, Monday, 30 April , 2007 @ 11:43 am

I can assure you with the utmost confidence that the democrats are definitely NOT “scared out of their minds” by Thompson. If the Rs are going to win in ‘08, they are going to have to do a LOT better than that. Thompson is going to magically save the Republicans in much the same way that the surge is going to magically save the war in Iraq.