Who does he think he's fooling? By all available evidence, including his own statements, Fred Thompson is a candidate for president. The only place he doesn't act like a presidential candidate is in campaign finance filing.
Bad news for him: Lane Hudson, a talented young progressive, is calling him on it in a complaint to the FEC. The meat of the argument? While Thompson has told campaign finance enforcers that he's merely "testing the waters," he's not only referring to himself publicly as a candidate, he has signed a lease for a campaign headquarters, and he is already raising money for the general election. Does a couple considering a pregnancy reserve a room to deliver the baby?
Thompson is clearly testing the waters here. But they aren't the waters of a possible candidacy. No, he's seeing how much his opponents will let him get away with when it comes to flouting election law. And he's no doubt relying on his Hollywood Law & Order image to let him get away with it. Too bad for him he didn't foresee Lane Hudson raining on his parade.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Hey Fred...if you are waiting for the Republican party to beg you to run.....don't hold your breath. The longer you play ganes and NOT announce your candidacy ...the more you will find people NOT as enthused as they would have been some months ago. I know as, as a Conservative Republican, I have been waiting patiently....BUT you have all but exhausted my patience. Regretably, I am about to through my support to Rudi Giliani....he can assuredly kick Hillary's ass. I say regretably because he is pro-choice and has not taken a firm position against gay marriage ...to the best of my recollection. I do, however, love his position on dealing with terrorism WORLDWIDE !!! We must continue to take the war to them...or the terrorists will bring it to us here as they are in every other corner of the world. We need a VERY STRONG President....that counts Hillarious Clinton out as it would her hisband Billie...he was always soft on terror. Fred...you could be the one...but if you wait another month....I think you will be too late and Rudi...who REALLY wants the job...will certainly get it !
STEVE at 4:19PM on Aug 20th 2007
2. I thought the reason for his not announcing was that it would be a conflict with his acting on Law and Order.The series would have to shutdown because it would create an unfair advantage to the other candidates with his face showing up almost every day on the reruns and loss of revenue to the producers of the show
Jay at 5:07PM on Aug 20th 2007
3. These actors are something else. They play so much
that they don't know when to get serious.Does america
need him and when? Is this whole thing just some game. When will only serious contenders be conscidered? It's time that we stoppped playing with our lives.
ZXE at 1:39AM on Aug 21st 2007
4. fred is forever the actor and this is is big "audition"
bkend at 4:17AM on Aug 21st 2007
5. FRED THOMPSON, IS THE ONLY TRUE CONSERVATIVE, AS A LIFLONG DEMOCRAT I WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANY OF THESE SO-CALLED DEMOCRATS WHAT THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THEN LIBERAL SOCIALIST.
THE COUNTRY IS SO FAR IN THE TANK THAT NEITHER PARTY CAN UNITE THE COUNTRY AND I BLAME WILD BILL AND INTERNET GORE ALONG WITH SOME LOONS ONTHE SUPREME COURT IN THE LAST 30 TO 40 YEARS.
RON at 6:19AM on Aug 21st 2007
6. Fred Thompson has been married twice and had a twenty year affair with another woman.He was described as "LAZY" by his Senate colleagues. He was never described as a Conservative until some bloggers decided to use the phrase. He has waffled so much on Immigration that nobody knows whwere he stands. He's a joke. Fred, its time to go back to Pigeon Forge or Hollywood or whwerever you come from. Cathy
Cathy Murray at 11:08AM on Aug 21st 2007
7.
I don't believe in law's to govern everyday policies & practices; but, if I did, I'd push for a law to restrict campaigning until Labor Day Weekend (1 year out). GO FRED!
Exception: Congress and any other 2 year office. I'd set their filing date as 4th of July (the year of their election). Perhaps, then we might get some WORK out of our elected officials instead of non stop fund raising and campaign puppetry.
You, the Power of the People could & should make this little day dream a reality. We need to save ourselves from being imposed upon 24/7 for years that don't end. Vote for candidates that respect our family time, work time and pocketbooks. Vote for a work horse; not, a show horse.
Your Vote is Your Voice, Use it Thoughtfully.
Use it to impose Term Limits. Use it to get rid of Cold Cash and Pork Belly politicos. Use it to get rid of Warm and Fuzzy Campaigners by electing Proven Serious Minded Problem Solvers with the Guts to do the basic job of government!
Your life, my life the American Way of Life depends on your willingness to think critically and act through the voting process and your allegiance to our constitution.
Campaigning is a cash driven party, it's not reality and it's not work! Ideas aren't accomplishments! Putting evidence based research & deep knowledge into action is an idea that becomes an accomplishment. SERVING with integrity, wisdom, heart and courage is work!
Stop me, I must be daydreaming of days gone by..................or days that I won't live to enjoy.
Deb at 11:39AM on Aug 25th 2007
8. I cant afford email. I have to pay for medicines and health insurance that pays for all those uninsured people living off the system. I would tell the media, you and the politicians to speak the plain truth and stop airing non issues and noise. I dont care when you announce or run. skip the hysterics. If New Orleans gets hit again, bulldoze it down. All you did with the billions Americans gave you was build gambling casinos and whorehouses, after you padded your crooked Democratic pockets. Get a life!
warren sully at 3:36PM on Aug 26th 2007