Bring It On!

ON ABORTION

Roe v. Wade was bad law and bad science.

Appoint strict constructionist judges.

Has never been pro-choice despite 1994 news reports.

Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions.

Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions.

Voted YES on banning human cloning.

 

ON BUDGET AND ECONOMY

Voted YES on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts.

Voted NO on 1998 GOP budget.

Voted YES on Balanced-budget constitutional amendment.

 

ON CIVIL RIGHTS

Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes.

Voted NO on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping.

Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation.

Voted NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women.

Voted NO on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business.

Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage.

Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation.

Voted YES on Amendment to prohibit flag burning.

Voted NO on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds.

 

ON CORPORATIONS

Commerce clause does not mean Feds can regulate everything.

Voted YES on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy.

 

ON DRUGS

Voted YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses.

Voted YES on spending international development funds on drug control.

 

ON EDUCATION

Voted NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors.

Voted NO on funding student testing instead of private tutors.

Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction.

Voted YES on Educational Savings Accounts.

Voted YES on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules.

Voted YES on education savings accounts.

Voted YES on school vouchers in DC.

Voted YES on $75M for abstinence education.

 

ON ENERGY AND OIL

Solar system is warming, not earth.

Voted YES on drilling ANWR on national security grounds.

Voted YES on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months.

Voted YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling.

Voted NO on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards.

Voted YES on defunding renewable and solar energy.

Voted YES on approving a nuclear waste repository.

 

ON ENVIRONMENT

Voted YES on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior.

Voted YES on more funding for forest roads and fish habitat.

Voted YES on transportation demo projects.

Voted YES on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests.

 

ON FAMILY AND CHILDREN

Voted YES on killing restrictions on violent videos to minors.

 

ON FOREIGN POLICY

Voted YES on enlarging NATO to include Eastern Europe.

Voted NO on killing a bill for trade sanctions if China sells weapons.

Voted YES on cap foreign aid at only $12.7 billion.

Voted YES on limiting the President's power to impose economic sanctions.

Voted NO on limiting NATO expansion to only Poland, Hungary & Czech.

Voted NO on $17.9 billion to IMF.

Voted YES on Strengthening of the trade embargo against Cuba.

 

ON FREE TRADE

Market does more for freedom & prosperity than planners.

Protectionist trade policies are defensive & defeatist.

Markets do more for freedom than any central planner.

Protectionist trade policies are defensive & defeatist.

Voted YES on extending free trade to Andean nations.

Voted YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam.

Voted NO on removing common goods from national security export rules.

Voted YES on permanent normal trade relations with China.

Voted YES on expanding trade to the third world.

Voted YES on renewing 'fast track' presidential trade authority.

Voted YES on imposing trade sanctions on Japan for closed market.

 

ON GOVERNMENT REFORM

Passionate supporter of states rights.

Term limits counter professionalization of politics.

Voted YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads.

Voted YES on require photo ID (not just signature) for voter registration.

Voted YES on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations.

Voted YES on funding for National Endowment for the Arts.

Voted YES on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance.

Voted YES on Approving the presidential line-item veto.

Voted NO on banning more types of Congressional gifts.

 

ON GUN CONTROL

Allowing concealed carry could have limited VA Tech massacre.

Voted NO on background checks at gun shows.

Voted NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations.

Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows.

Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks.

 

ON HEALTH CARE

Voted NO on allowing reimportation of Rx drugs from Canada.

Voted NO on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages.

Voted YES on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit.

Voted NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare.

Voted YES on limiting self-employment health deduction.

Voted NO on increasing tobacco restrictions.

Voted YES on Medicare means-testing.

Voted NO on medical savings acounts.

 

ON HOMELAND SECURITY

Europe mothballs its fleet, when all should build military.

Voted NO on adopting the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Voted YES on allowing another round of military base closures.

Voted YES on cutting nuclear weapons below START levels.

Voted YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP.

Voted YES on military pay raise of 4.8%.

Voted NO on prohibiting same-sex basic training.

Voted YES on favoring 36 vetoed military projects.

Voted NO on banning chemical weapons.

Voted YES on considering deploying NMD, and amending ABM Treaty.

Voted YES on 1996 Defense Appropriations

 

ON IMMIGRATION

Opposes amnesty in any form.

Nation loses sovereignty if it cannot secure its own borders.

Voted YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work.

Voted YES on visas for skilled workers.

Voted YES on limit welfare for immigrants.

 

ON JOBS

Voted YES on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress.

Voted YES on killing an increase in the minimum wage.

Voted YES on allowing workers to choose between overtime & comp-time.

Voted YES on replacing farm price supports.

 

ON PRINCIPLES AND VALUES

Reveals he suffers from cancer, but it won't affect campaign.

Religious affiliation: Protestant.

 

ON SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security & Medicare are generational wealth transfers.

Voted YES on Social Security Lockbox & limiting national debt.

Voted YES on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees.

Voted YES on allowing personal retirement accounts.

Voted YES on deducting Social Security payments on income taxes.

 

ON TAX REFORM

Progressive tax redistributes wealth without helping economy.

Taxes burden production; keep rates as low as possible.

Tax cuts stimulate the economy.

Voted NO on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates.

Voted NO on increasing tax deductions for college tuition.

Voted YES on eliminating the 'marriage penalty'.

Voted YES on across-the-board spending cut.

Voted YES on requiring super-majority for raising taxes.

 

ON TECHNOLOGY

Voted YES on Internet sales tax moratorium.

Voted YES on telecomm deregulation.

 

ON WAR AND PEACE

I would do essentially what the president's doing in Iraq.

Take any chance to not get run out of Iraq.

Internationalizing war effort will not win the war.

President must decide on war based on unclear evidence.

Prophets of doom are wrong--we can't cut-and-run.

Goal of Iraqi enemies is to demoralize us.

Serious & painful international sanctions on nuclear Iran.

Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq.

Voted YES on allowing all necessary force in Kosovo.

Voted NO on authorizing air strikes in Kosovo.

Voted YES on ending the Bosnian arms embargo.

Condemns anti-Muslim bigotry in name of anti-terrorism.

Move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.

 

ON WELFARE AND POVERTY

Voted YES on welfare block grants.

Voted NO on eliminating block grants for food stamps.

Voted YES on allowing state welfare waivers.

Voted YES on welfare overhaul.

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Fred_Thompson.htm>

 

BOOP-BOOP-A-DOOP

Democratic fundraiser is a fugitive in plain sight!   California authorities have sought businessman Norman Hsu for 15 years. Since 2004, he has carved out a place of honor raising cash for such candidates as Hillary Rodham Clinton.

WASHINGTON -- For the last 15 years, California authorities have been trying to figure out what happened to a businessman named Norman Hsu, who pleaded no contest to grand theft, agreed to serve up to three years in prison and then seemed to vanish.

"He is a fugitive," Ronald Smetana, who handled the case for the state attorney general, said in an interview. "Do you know where he is?"

Hsu, it seems, has been hiding in plain sight, at least for the last three years.

Since 2004, one Norman Hsu has been carving out a prominent place of honor among Democratic fundraisers. He has funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions into party coffers, much of it earmarked for presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

In addition to making his own contributions, Hsu has honed the practice of assembling packets of checks from contributors who bear little resemblance to the usual Democratic deep pockets: A self-described apparel executive with a variety of business interests, Hsu has focused on delivering hefty contributions from citizens who live modest lives and are neophytes in the world of campaign giving.

On Tuesday, E. Lawrence Barcella Jr. -- a Washington lawyer who represents the Democratic fundraiser -- confirmed that Hsu was the same man who was involved in the California case. Barcella said his client did not remember pleading to a criminal charge and facing the prospect of jail time. Hsu remembers the episode as part of a settlement with creditors when he also went through bankruptcy, Barcella said.

The bulk of the campaign dollars raised by major parties comes from the same sources: business groups, labor unions and other well-heeled interests with a long-term need to win friends in the political arena.

But the appetite for cash has grown so great that politicians are constantly pressured to find new sources of contributions. Hsu's case illustrates the sometimes-bizarre results of that tendency to push the envelope, often in ways the candidates know nothing about.

As a Democratic rainmaker, Hsu -- who graduated from UC Berkeley and the Wharton School of Business -- is credited with donating nearly $500,000 to national and local party candidates and their political committees in the last three years. He earned a place in the Clinton campaign's "HillRaiser" group by pledging to raise more than $100,000 for her presidential bid.

Records show that Hsu helped raise an additional $500,000 from other sources for Clinton and other Democrats.

"Norman Hsu is a longtime and generous supporter of the Democratic Party and its candidates, including Sen. Clinton," Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for the campaign, said Tuesday.

"During Mr. Hsu's many years of active participation in the political process, there has been no question about his integrity or his commitment to playing by the rules, and we have absolutely no reason to call his contributions into question or to return them."

Wolfson did not immediately respond Tuesday night to questions about Hsu's legal problems.

Though he is a fugitive, Hsu has hardly kept a low profile. The website camerarts.com, which sells photographs taken at political events, features shots of Hsu at several fundraisers he hosted at Manhattan's elegant St. Regis hotel -- including a June 2005 luncheon for Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento).

Hsu lives in New York City. Efforts to contact him were unsuccessful. Barcella said Hsu chose to respond through his lawyer.

Records show that Hsu has emerged as one of the Democrats' most successful "bundlers," rounding up groups of contributors and packaging their checks together before delivering the funds to campaign officials. Individuals can give a total of $4,600 to a single candidate during an election cycle, $2,300 for the primaries and $2,300 for the general election.

One example of the kind of first-time donors Hsu has worked with is the Paw family of Daly City, Calif., which is headed by William Paw, a mail carrier, and his wife, Alice, who is listed as a homemaker.

The Paws -- seven adults, most of whom live together in a small house near San Francisco International Airport -- apparently had never donated to national candidates until 2004. Over a three-year period, they gave $213,000, including $55,000 to Clinton and $14,000 to candidates for state-level offices in New York.

The family includes a son, Winkle Paw, who Barcella said was in business with Hsu. Another son works for a Bay Area school board, while one daughter works for a hospital and another for a computer company.

"They have the financial wherewithal to make their own donations," Barcella said. "It didn't come from Norman."

Your thoughts........

BOOP-BOOP-A-DOOP

THIS JUST IN......

Fred Thompson plans to run, officially
In a webcast next week, former senator says he'll join the Republican presidential race.

WASHINGTON -- Former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee told supporters Thursday that he would formally enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination next week, with TV and Internet appearances designed to exploit the actor-politician's celebrity.

Thompson, 65, has talked since spring about running for president, but has repeatedly put off an announcement as he replaced staffers and raised more than $3 million for the fledgling effort.

Thompson and his aides told donors and supporters in conference calls that he would officially launch the campaign Thursday with a webcast. Aides later confirmed the private announcement in an e-mail to reporters. A tour of the early-voting states Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina are to follow the kickoff.

Thompson's campaign and NBC are trying to arrange an appearance by Thompson on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" on Wednesday, the night before the official kickoff. An NBC executive said Thursday that both sides were pursuing the booking but that his appearance was not confirmed.

The other Republican presidential contenders are scheduled to debate that night in New Hampshire. The Union Leader, the state's largest newspaper, said in an editorial this week that Thompson, who has been exploring a campaign for months to the impatience of some Republicans, should enter the race and appear at the debate. But a Thompson appearance on the Leno show could eclipse the debate, and give the candidate an enormous audience in a friendly entertainment venue.

"I believe that there are millions of Americans who know that our security and prosperity are at risk if we don't address the challenges of our time: the global threat of terrorism; taxes and spending that will bankrupt future generations; and a government that can't seem to get the most basic responsibilities right for its citizens," Thompson said in a statement e-mailed by his campaign.

Thompson shepherded few major bills during his eight years as a senator. As an actor, he is best-known for his role as New York Dist. Atty. Arthur Branch on the NBC drama series "Law & Order" and for his performances in such movies as "The Hunt for Red October."

There is precedent for beginning a campaign on "The Tonight Show": Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his gubernatorial campaign there in 2003.

By appearing on Leno's show, Thompson will attempt to use his celebrity to "go over the heads of pundits," in the words of one advisor.

In recent speeches, Thompson has also indicated a distaste for traditional position papers and policy stances. "To me there are a lot of issues," he said dismissively to the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference on Saturday in Indianapolis. "Goodness knows we are not deprived of issues or solutions that people have."

Instead, he has called for a focus on what he terms "first principles." His speeches have identified three: a tough stance on national security, the will to control federal spending, and a limited role for the federal government.

As he tested the waters in recent months, Thompson largely avoided sustained questioning from the news media, and he attended few traditional political events. Instead, he has relied on commentaries and videos released online to communicate with voters. A webcast announcement fits that pattern.

"He's going to hope his record won't be scrutinized," said Martin Kaplan, director of USC's Norman Lear Center, a multidisciplinary research center that focuses on the intersection of entertainment, commerce and society. Kaplan was also an official with Democrat Walter F. Mondale's 1984 presidential campaign.

"He won't have to take questions from the press, and he can run solely on his image," Kaplan said of Thompson.

The Thompson campaign said that the kickoff would be followed by appearances in Des Moines and Council Bluffs, Iowa, and that Thompson planned to visit New Hampshire on Sept. 8. The following week, he is scheduled to stop in South Carolina and Florida. His announcement tour ends Sept. 15 in his hometown of Lawrenceburg, Tenn.

I am so excited and relieved all at the same time!!!

BOOP-BOOP-A-DOOP

All About Fred Thompson!!

Frederick Dalton "Fred" Thompson (born August 19, 1942) 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.

Fred Thompson was born August 19, 1942 in Sheffield, Alabama to Ruth Inez (Bradley) and Fletcher Session Thompson, an automobile salesman. He attended the public schools in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee including Lawrence County High School. After graduating from high school, he worked days in the local post office and worked 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.

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

He was the campaign manager for Republican U.S. Senator Howard Baker's successful re-election campaign in 1972, 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 have been 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.

Thompson was appointed minority counsel for the hearings surrounding the Watergate scandal. He was responsible for Sen. Baker 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?" Also, Thompson himself asked former White House aide Alexander Butterfield, at the public committee hearing, about listening devices in the White House, although the committee already knew the answer to that question because Butterfield had earlier been interviewed 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 was apt to be outfoxed by committee Democrats. According to historian Stanley Kutler, Fred Thompson and Howard 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 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."

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 which 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.

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 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 women to receive referrals 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.

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 [Thompson]."

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.

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.

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.

Senator Thompson meeting with girl scouts.

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.

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, and is now considering a run for President.

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.

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."

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.

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 Iran should be taken seriously.

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.

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 has 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."

More recently, a New York Times article cited Thompson's aides as saying on July 18th that Fred Thompson planned to enter the race just after Labor Day (the first Monday in September), with 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 18, he continued his Internet campaign, posting a letter to Pajamas Media acknowledging his online supporters.

Thompson formed an exploratory committee on June 1. Unlike most candidate exploratory groups, his is organized as a 527 group. Thompson's first public appearance after this exploratory committee was June 2 at the Virginia Republicans annual fund-raising gala in Richmond, Virginia, according to the Virginia Daily Press. Shortly later on June 5, 2007 Fred Thompson launched his official website. Also on June 5, there was a Republican Presidential candidates debate with the current 10 candidates, from New Hampshire, broadcast on CNN. Fred 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 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 thousand 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.

Fred Thompson visited Iowa on August 17, 2007, but did not 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, Fred 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 June 12, 2007 former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato (New York) endorsed Thompson for Republican presidential nominee in 2008. Also, as of August 1, 2007, Thompson had been endorsed by eighteen current members of Congress, including both Tennessee senators.

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.

Fred and Sarah Thompson 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 current marriage, Thompson was romantically linked to country singer Lorrie Morgan, Republican fundraiser Georgette Mosbacher, and columnist Margaret Carlson. Thompson met Republican consultant Jeri Kehn on July 4, 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 churches affiliated with the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement.

Sorry about the lengthy info but I felt all should be shared about Fred Thompson!!! Now that you've had the chance to read all about Fred Thompson and his proven abilities, is he the right Candidate for you?

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David Kuo, former #2 in the Bush administrations Office of Faith-Based Initiatives and author of the new book Tempting Faith, joined Leslie Stahl on 60 Minutes to talk about the book's explosive revelations and the stark contrast between faith-based rhetoric and reality from an exclusive insiders perspective.

John Amato: David Kuo comes off as a very credible and honest man. He asks Christians to take a step back from politics because something is very wrong in the White House. Will this finally wake up the Extreme Christian right to accept the fact that Rove & Bush have been using them? They mock you and ridicule you and yet you'll still line up at the ballot box.

David Kuo is an evangelical Christian and card-carrying member of the religious right, who got a job in the White House in the president’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. He thought it was a dream-come-true: a chance to work for a president whose vision about compassionate conservatism would be matched with sweeping legislation to help the poor.

But Kuo says the so-called compassion agenda has fallen short of its promise and he blames President Bush for that in his new book. As correspondent Lesley Stahl reports, he also says the White House was a place that cynically used religion for political ends and that White House aides ridiculed the very Christian leaders who helped bring Mr. Bush to office.


In his book, Kuo wrote that White House staffers would roll their eyes at evangelicals, calling them "nuts" and "goofy."

Asked if that was really the attitude, Kuo tells Stahl, "Oh, absolutely. You name the important Christian leader and I have heard them mocked by serious people in serious places."

Specifically, Kuo says people in the White House political affairs office referred to Pat Robertson as "insane," Jerry Falwell as "ridiculous," and that James Dobson "had to be controlled." And President Bush, he writes, talked about his compassion agenda, but never really fought for it.

"The President of the United States promised he would be the leading lobbying on behalf of the poor. What better lobbyist could anybody get?" Kuo wonders.

What happened?

"The lobbyist didn’t follow through," he claims.

"What about 9/11?" Stahl asks. "All the priorities got turned about."

"I was there before 9/11. I know what happened before 9/11 … The trend before 9/11 was…president makes a big announcement and nothing happens," Kuo replies.

Kuo speaks as an insider. Even before he became the number two guy in the White House faith-based office, he had a long resume in the world of Christian conservatives.

Kuo says he took candidate Bush at his word during the 2000 campaign.

At the time, Bush proposed for the first time that he would spend $8 billion dollars on programs for the poor.

"I think it's one of the most important political speeches given in the last generation. I really do," says Kuo. "It laid out a whole new philosophy for Republicans."

After the election, to much fanfare, President Bush created the office of faith-based initiatives to increase funds to religious charities.

But Kuo says there were problems right off the bat. For one, he says the office dropped very quickly down the list of priorities.

Asked how much money finally went to them, Kuo says laughing, “Oh, in the first two years, first two years I think $60 million.”

"When you hold it up to a promise of $8 billion, I don't know how good I am at math, but I know that's less than one percent of a promise," says Kuo.

Part of the problem, he says, was indifference from "the base," the religious right. He took 60 Minutes to a convention of evangelical groups – his old stomping ground - and walked around the display booths, looking for any reference to the poor.

"You’ve got homosexuality in your kid’s school, and you’ve got human cloning, and partial birth abortion and divorce and stem cell," Kuo remarked. "Not a mention of the poor."

"This message that has been sent out to Christians for a long time now: that Jesus came primarily for a political agenda, and recently primarily a right-wing political agenda - as if this culture war is a war for God. And it’s not a war for God, it’s a war for politics. And that’s a huge difference," says Kuo.

Can you believe what things are coming to now and politics does it again!!!

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New York Republicans Fire Adviser Over Spitzer Call Allegations

Aug. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The New York Republican Party fired political consultant Roger Stone amid allegations that he made a threatening, profanity-laced telephone call to Democratic Governor Eliot Spitzer's father.

Such accusations ``can only serve as a distraction'' from the inquiries into Republican allegations that state police resources were misused by the Spitzer administration, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said in a statement announcing Stone's resignation ``at our request.''

Stone was accused by lawyers representing Spitzer's 83-year- old father, Bernard Spitzer, of threatening him with a government inquiry regarding loans to his son's 1994 election campaign, the New York Times reported. Investigators hired by Bernard Spitzer traced the anonymous call to a phone controlled by Stone, the Times said.

Stone, in a message on his Web site, denied he made the call and said he could be a victim of dirty tricks.

``The same Spitzer operatives who were caught red-handed trying to set Senator Bruno up are now trying to set me up because they have deemed that I have been an effective advisor to Senator Bruno and the Republican Senate Campaign Committee,'' Stone said.

The state Ethics Commission and Albany County District Attorney David Soares are investigating Spitzer's office. Their inquiries follow a report by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo that found aides to Spitzer acted improperly, though not illegally, in compiling police records on Bruno's use of state aircraft so they could plant negative news stories about him.

Two of Spitzer's aides declined to testify, leading Bruno, the state's most powerful Republican, to say more investigation is needed. Spitzer has denied knowledge of his aides' actions.

Cuomo's report also said Bruno's use of state aircraft on trips to New York City that included fundraising and state business didn't break rules existing at that time.

Stone said on his web site that the phone call could have been fabricated, and that his apartment isn't secure because it's in a building owned by a Spitzer supporter.

Spitzer couldn't be reached immediately for comment.

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 16 — Israel and the United States signed an agreement today that will give Israel $30 billion in military aid over the next decade. Officials called the aid a long-term investment in peace.

The officials insisted that the agreement did not depend on a simultaneous American plan to sell $20 billion worth of sophisticated arms to its Arab allies in the region, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. But Israeli officials acknowledged that the aid to Israel will make it easier for the Bush Administration to win congressional approval for the arms sales to Arab countries.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel has not objected to the arms sales, saying that he understands Washington’s need to assist moderate Sunni Arab states that, like Israel, oppose Shiite Iran’s reach for regional supremacy and nuclear weapons.

R. Nicholas Burns, who is Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, said at the signing ceremony here that “there is no question that, from an American point of view, the Middle East is a more dangerous region now even than it was 10 or 20 years ago, and that Israel is facing a growing threat” from Iran and its ally, Syria.

The threat, Mr. Burns said, is “immediate, and it’s also long-term.” He cited Iran’s support for organizations that the United States classifies as terrorist, and that are opposed to peace and stability in the region, like Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Palestinian territories and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The new aid to Israel will average $3 billion a year, an increase of about 25 percent from current figures. It would begin flowing in October 2008, when American economic aid to Israel is scheduled to end; Israel now has a vibrant, growing economy.

Uniquely, officials said, the new deal allows Israel to spend 26.3 percent of the aid on arms from Israel’s domestic defense industry; the rest of the money must be spent on American equipment.

The Israelis have some specific reservations about what kinds of equipment might be sold to Saudi Arabia, however, despite American promises that Israel will keep its “qualitative edge” regionally in military technology.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland and House Majority Leader, said in an interview today that “Congress will be supportive of the aid to Israel, but with respect to Saudi Arabia, I think we will look at that more closely.”

Mr. Hoyer said there are “specific concerns on guided missile technology that could be used defensively against Israel and that would be problematic.”

Some Israeli politicians have also discussed trying to win limits on where Saudi Arabia can deploy new weapons systems, restricting them to the east of the country, where they would be closer to Iran and away from Israel.

Mr. Burns and the Israeli team — led by the governor of the Bank of Israel, Stanley Fischer, who holds both American and Israeli citizenship — would not comment on the specifics of the military aid deal, saying that nothing had been finalized except the amounts.

Mr. Fischer said that Israel was grateful for the help, because it carries one of the highest burdens of defense spending “in what used to be called the free world,” amounting to some 10 percent of gross domestic product.

Mr. Burns said that the American commitment to Israel as an ally and friend was unshakeable, regardless of changes of government or policy differences, and that the regional threats to Israel were also threats to the United States.

Only strong countries are able to make peace, Mr. Burns insisted, calling the aid to Israel “an investment in peace, in long-term peace — peace cannot be made without strength.” The amount over 10 years is equivalent to more than $4,200 for each Israeli citizen.

In Gaza, Hamas briefly detained the Palestinian attorney general allied with Fatah after he returned to the Gaza Strip to try to prevent the Islamic group from altering the area’s judicial system. Fatah has ordered police and other civil servants, including judges, not to work for Hamas in Gaza, and Hamas then said it would set up Islamic courts. Today, Hamas fighters forced the attorney general, Ahmed Mughami, out of his Gaza City office at gunpoint; he refused to resign and was released.

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The State loses cash if needy kids aren’t insured.

SANFORD - J.W. Loucks looked a bit bored as he listened to speeches promoting Florida KidCare, the state's health-insurance program for needy children.

There was little in the 14-year-old's outward appearance that hinted at the crippling migraine headaches and chronic asthma that plague him, caused by a lesion on his brain. If it weren't for KidCare, his mother said, J.W. would probably be dead.

J.W. is a KidCare success story.

43rd: How Florida ranks in the country in children's health-insurance coverage.

$20 million: The amount Florida returned last year in 2005 federal matching dollars.

$140 million: The amount Florida has returned since 1998 in federal matching dollars.

But speakers at a news conference Monday warned that without work to streamline the tangle of red tape that keeps enrollment down, the state will continue to lose millions of dollars in federal matching funds.

"I'm terrified that if this goes away, my son will lose," Robin Loucks said.

State Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, called on Gov. Charlie Crist to include KidCare reform in next month's special session.

"We've got to put this on the calendar or face losing federal matching dollars," Randolph said. "For every dollar we refuse to put in . . . we send $3 back to Washington."

Last year, Florida returned $20 million in 2005 federal matching dollars because it did not enroll enough children.

The federal grant matches 71 cents for every 29 cents the state spends, said Tara Klimek, a spokeswoman for state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink. Since 1998 the state has returned $140 million, she said.

At issue are policies that make it difficult to enroll children and keep them in the program once they are signed up.

Three programs under the KidCare umbrella cover more than 200,000 children, but an estimated 614,000 Florida children remain uninsured.

Florida ranks 43rd in the country when it comes to children's health-insurance coverage, said Dr. Edward Zissman, chief executive officer of Altamonte Pediatric Associates.

He read a letter from the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics calling on Crist to include the issue in the special session, which begins Sept. 18.

A bipartisan effort to boost enrollment by removing some bureaucratic barriers failed during the regular session that ended in May.

Legislation passed by the House bogged down in the Senate because of disagreements about which state agency should oversee the program and whether immigrant children and those of state employees should participate.

Lawmakers did approve spending an additional $18 million to increase enrollment by 33,000.

Monday's news conference was one of four in the state to promote enrollment in the program, said Jodi Ray, director of Florida Covering Kids and Families, an advocacy group that helps states maximize funding.

Crist is pushing for more enrollment outreach through news conferences and daylong enrollment fairs, such as the one in Sanford on Monday for children in Orange and Seminole counties, Ray said.

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By LIZ SIDOTI | Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Not yet a declared White House candidate, Republican Fred Thompson may as well be for all his recent stumbles, from a staff shake-up to subpar fundraising to inconsistent answers about his resume.

Despite the difficulties, the "Law & Order" actor and former Tennessee senator continues to post strong marks in national surveys and early primary state polls five months before voting begins.

And his challenge is unchanged: living up to the hopes of dispirited Republicans searching for a conservative to rally around in the wide-open race.

"The expectation levels are sky high right now, so that means if you don't meet them financially, you don't meet them organizationally and you don't meet them message-wise, you're in trouble," said Joe Gaylord, a Republican consultant close to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who also may enter the GOP race.

Thompson has had difficulty on all three fronts in recent weeks:

* Sidelined his campaign-manager-in-waiting and watched a few other aides flee what Republican critics and allies alike describe as a woefully muddled organization in which Thompson's wife, Jeri, has extraordinary control. Other staffers are considering leaving as well, seemingly frustrated with the lack of direction.

* Reported collecting nearly $3.5 million in his first fundraising month, surpassing comparable totals of some likely rivals but lagging his backers' original $5 million goal. GOP officials say subsequent fundraising has fallen off some, which could indicate soft support for Thompson or reflect the traditionally slow summer.

* Fumbled questions about his past lobbying and his current policy positions. He was dogged for weeks by his conflicting answers about whether he lobbied in 1991 for a family planning group. Now, he is under fire for reportedly saying he would sign legislation replacing all federal taxes with a sales tax, only to have his spokeswoman deny such a pledge.

The difficulties appear to be lending credence to months-long skepticism about Thompson's hunger for the quest, including whether he is ready for the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign and committed to doing the work necessary.

Republican observers, who privately express dismay about the state of Thompson's bid while speculating about him possibly missing his shot, argue in the next breath that there's still time for him to perform well given the uncharacteristically early race and the unsettled GOP field.

Thompson supporters insist they are unfazed.

They dismiss the signs of discontent as inside-Washington issues that voters outside the Beltway will ignore. They attribute any difficulties to growing pains common for a startup campaign.

"Everything's operating just fine," said Mack Mattingly, a former senator from Georgia backing Thompson. "I think we're doing real well in the polls, I think we're doing well in the fundraising areas, and I'm content with the campaign structure."

Another supporter, Carl Ricker, a GOP fundraiser and a real estate developer in Asheville, N.C., argued that Thompson remains in a strong position and said: "He's going to gain more momentum and do even better once he announces formally."

Initially, Thompson's advisers indicated he would enter the race as early as July. But the month came and went, and the tentative plan was pushed back until the fall. The longer timetable allows Thompson to work out the kinks.

Late to the game compared to major rivals Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain, Thompson toyed with the idea of running throughout the spring but only made his intentions clear in early June when he established the "Friends of Fred Thompson, Inc.," committee to "test the waters" of a presidential bid.

He spent the past few months setting up headquarters in Nashville and northern Virginia, hiring a few dozen staffers, giving a few speeches and raising money.

All the while, his supporters have enthusiastically portrayed him as nothing short of the second coming of conservative icon Ronald Reagan. They pumped him up as the Republican who can rally the party's right-leaning establishment and upend the Democratic nominee in the general election.

The expectations for Thompson indeed are high -- perhaps too high. If the past few weeks are any indication, he runs a significant risk of failing to meet them.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF FRED THOMPSON AS A PRESIDENTIAL CANIDATE FOR THE 2008 ELECTION YEAR?

I think he's the cure for our countries government cancer!