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"You're you in every role you play." So said Katharine Hepburn. (At least I think she did. I can't find any citation for it through Google, but trust me. It's certainly something she would have said.) Simply put, the actor isn't so different from the role he/she plays.
Fred Thompson's camp would surely take this to heart. They know that American voters are greatly influenced by the public performance aspects of the presidency: Bush atop the rubble at Ground Zero was Oscar - and reelection - worthy. (Bush with the Mission Accomplished banner won an Oscar that was later revoked.)
My bet is Thompson will welcome voters equating him with the guy they see on the big and small screen. But what does Thompson's list of credits tell us about the man?
Most importantly, he's comfortable in the Commander-in-Chief role, having played Presidents Andrew Jackson and Ulysses S. Grant. Jackson was a strong president. That's good. But Grant was a colossal failure as president. Thompson's comfort in the role is troubling.
Thompson played Jay Sarno, creator of Caesar's Place and Circus Circus in Las Vegas, in the TV movie "Evel Knievel." Sarno was a shrewd businessman - the mastermind behind Vegas' transformation into a family entertainment center. (Both big business and heartland conservatives have something to cheer about here.) But there was a dark side to Sarno. Do we really want a president who can easily channel a gambler and rumored mafioso?
With so much turmoil at our intelligence agencies, Thompson's background as CIA Director Marshall (No Way Out) and FBI Agent Dale Grissom (Baby's Day Out) is reassuring.
And Thompson's military bona fides are indisputable: Rear Admiral Joshua Painter in The Hunt for Red October and Maj. General Melrose Hayden Barry in Fat Man and Little Boy. (Compare this to the silly walk-on performance of John McCain in Wedding Crashers!)
His work as a gruff District Attorney (Law and Order) and small-town prosecutor (one episode of Matlock) should neutralize any challenge from slickster John Edwards.
And his time with NASCAR (Big John in Days of Thunder) is catnip to red staters.
Still it's not all good news. His work as an arms dealer (White Sands) raises all sorts of thorny questions. And then of course there was his appearance on an episode of "Sex and the City". The title of that episode: "Politically Erect."
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Something we did last July - when Fred Thompson was in the second callback stage of his audition for presidential candidate. (It's been a long process.):
Yes, Fred Thompson was a lawyer and politician before he was an actor. But his experience as an actor is no doubt an important factor in his viability as a presidential candidate. For Head of State - the man (or woman?) behind the bully pulpit - we want someone who can act the role of President: Grave at times of crisis, with a light touch at others, and always dignified. It's a role that requires a fairly wide range.
Taking politics out of it, which actor (or actress?) do you think would make a good President?
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
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simigwrltj at 10:42AM on Jan 24th 2009
2. I like him on Law & Order. I'd vote for him, anybody is better than the current President.
Does anyone else think that Bush is actually as dumb as he is, or does he just play that role?
MrsMoRocca at 5:09PM on May 31st 2007
3. Mo, quick question. "Damn I Look Good!" Tell me why you really posted it. To see how many woman post and say youre sexy, or hot, etc.... You are hot so add that to your list. Still Luv Ya.
~Jasmine~
MrsMoRocca at 5:13PM on May 31st 2007
4. Not ANOTHER Republican, PLEASE. We've suffered enough.
Phil at 5:28PM on May 31st 2007
5. If only someone could dig up some footage of Thompson singing, "The sun'll come out... tomorrow.."
... I think that might just put him 'over-the-top.'
At least he'd manage to say his lines in the right tone of voice and with the correct expression on his face.
Admittedly that is not a reality-based 'plus'.
pboyfloyd at 6:41PM on May 31st 2007
6. Bush is a great actor. And he's isn't dumb, he just looks and acts that way to fool us. He's gotten everything that he wanted by acting as a lier, a Christian, a recovered alcoholic and a good president who cares about America and the Iraqi people. He was a good enough actor to fool Tony Blair. And there are still people he is fooling.
I don't know if Thompson's ability as an actor is as good as George Bush's. I don't know if America is ready to look beyond the facade.
Mary at 9:08PM on May 31st 2007
7.
Wait, he was in No Way Out?!?!?!
And we want to make this man PRESIDENT?!?!!
Peter at 2:45AM on Jun 1st 2007
8. Does he believe in evolution?
Betty at 2:51PM on Jun 1st 2007
9. I find it very intriguing that media types that have quick and instant access to audio, video and written records of what these people have done and said, promote disinformation and a popularity contest instead of giving the public the information that they need. As far as I can tell, there is very little difference between Thompson and McCain. I have yet to see a politician that wouldn't make a better actor than a legislator, so I'm unimpressed with the information that I have found up to this point that would cause me to support Freddy!
Cdalealden at 3:09PM on Jun 3rd 2007
10. Just what we need, another right wing religious asshole from the South to screw things up even more.
Beldar at 5:44AM on Jun 4th 2007
11. Thompson is fascinating - a familiar tabula rasa. We think we know what he's about, but we don't at all. Maybe he's got the conservative bona-fides, maybe he's for mandatory gay marriage and stem-cell farms. Who knows? Gonna be an interesting year and a quarter.
Daniel K at 2:09PM on Jun 4th 2007
12. Phil said it, not another republican please!
goike at 8:16AM on Sep 7th 2007
13. [[Does anyone else think that Bush is actually as dumb as he is, or does he just play that role?]]
I took a speech class. My professor insisted that Bush DELIBERATELY talks like a moron, because for some strange reason we trust morons. Just being a Southerner seems to be a big help when it comes to getting elected.
OomYaaqub at 10:02AM on Sep 7th 2007
14. All joking aside, Thompson looks awful in recent pictures. My understanding is he has lymphoma, although in remission. I have to question his health. The guy looks haggard and in my opinion, older than age 65.
Besides that, his heart does not seem to be in this at all. There are rumors it was his wife that talked him into running, according to Newsweek.
David S. at 11:25AM on Sep 7th 2007
15. I'm not really feeling Fred Thompson as President. But I still think he will get the Republican ticket. Anyway, in the previous post I had said Bill Murray would make a good President. But now I have changed my answer to Macaulay Culkin. If he was President I'd seriously would want to be First Lady...not gonna lie. Lol Mila better watch out.
Again, great outfit Mo.
Game Theory for Applied Economics Nerd at 11:32AM on Sep 7th 2007