Tentative Thompson Continues to Test the Waters

In a schedule of public events today, Hollywood actor and former lobbyist Fred Thompson is preparing to test the waters for a possible Presidential run. But everything about Thompson’s campaign seems to be all smoke and mirrors. From his “exploring” a run to his “possible” announcement timing and his failure to outline his views on key issues, Thompson seems to have a knack for running away from actually running. Thompson’s hesitancy to jump into the race and expose himself to additional scrutiny may have something to do with the fact that he had a lackluster tenure as a United States Senator with little to show in the way of accomplishments. In fact, Thompson’s only accomplishments in DC seem to be getting access for his high-priced lobbying clients.

“After six years of a Bush Republican presidency that has put special interests above the needs of the American people, the last thing this country needs is a special interest lobbyist turned actor turned presidential candidate,” said Democratic National Committee spokesperson Amaya Smith.

Below is a DNC Research document that details the real story on Fred Thompson:

Inside The Actor’s Studio: The Real Story On Fred Thompson

“Why would one want to run for president — that's the real question”
-Fred Thompson (CQ Politics in America, 2001)

Thompson Conducting ‘Sham Campaign’ From ABC Radio Commentary

Despite Presidential Campaign, Thompson Still Has Paid Contract With ABC. Though he has made it clear that he will soon launch his campaign for the presidency, Thompson continues to maintain his radio broadcast and blog with ABC Radio. [Fred Thompson Report, http://abcradionetworks.com/Blog.asp?id=15663&m=6&y=2007, National Journal, 3/17/07]

Thompson Uses His Campaign Website to Feature ABC Radio Content. Thompson’s recently launched campaign blog, http://fredfile.imwithfred.com/ frequently features links and excerpts to ABCRadio.com Fred Thompson Report contents. [Fred Thompson Report, http://abcradionetworks.com/Blog.asp?id=15663&m=6&y=2007, Fred Thompson Campaign Blog, http://fredfile.imwithfred.com/ ]

Reliable Supporter, Defender Of President Bush

Voting With Bush 99.5% Of The Time. In the Senate, Thompson voted in support of President Bush 99.5% of the time and with his party 92% of the time [Congressional Quarterly Voting Studies]

Lambasted Media For Covering Bush Problems. Shortly before the 2004 election, Thompson blasted media outlets including CBS and the New York Times for being biased for Democrats and conspiring against President Bush. He attacked them for covering “this story about the missing weapons in Iraq,” and other scandals saying these “stories have pretty much been discredited.” He said “I think that they're advocating on the front pages of the newspapers now, I think It's a laundry list of everything possible that could be said about this country … or the presidency that's negative and stringing them together in a way that can be used by Senator Kerry's presidential campaign.” [“On The Record With Greta Van Sustren,” Fox News Channel, 10/28/04]

Staunch Defender Of Convicted Scooter Libby

Thompson Raising Millions To Defend Convicted Libby. Fred Thompson has helped to raise millions of dollars as a chair of now-convicted Scooter Libby’s defense fund. He said he reached out to Libby and offered to help: ‘I called him up and offered to help him.’” [Fox News Sunday, 3/11/07; Washington Post, 3/8/07]

Thompson Would Pardon Libby NOW. Asked days after Scooter Libby’s for lying to the FBI and perjuring himself to a federal grand jury in connection with the leaking of Valerie Wilson’s identity, Thompson said about pardoning Libby: “I'd do it now” and called the conviction “a miscarriage of justice.” [Fox News Sunday, 3/11/07; Washington Post, 3/8/07]

Key Role In Bush Supreme Court Nominations

Top Bush Advisor To Roberts. In 2005, Thompson was the lead Bush advisor to John Roberts during his Supreme Court nomination process. Thompson hit the airwaves to defend the nomination and served as “chaperone” and advisor to Roberts through his hearings and Capitol Hill meetings. [CNN, 9/15/05; Scripps Howard, 8/14/05]

Deployed To Defend Alito. Thompson also hit the airwaves to defend the controversial nomination of Samuel Alito, appearing on NBC’s Today Show in January of 2006. [NBC’s Today Show, 1/10/06]

Already Has a Flip-Flop Problem

Flip-Flopping On Choice. MSNBC has already noted Thompson’s confusing record on choice. When saying he would consider running for president in 2007, Thompson called himself “pro-life” and said “I think Roe vs. Wade was bad law and bad medical science.” But when he was in the Senate, Thompson was described as “basically pro-choice,” and “a pro-choice defender in a party with an anti-abortion tilt.” [MSNBC’s First Read, 3/12/07 (accessed 3/15/07); Fox News Sunday, 3/11/07; Memphis Commercial Appeal, 11/4/96; AP, 8/6/96; National Review, 6/27/94]

Campaign Finance. During his years in the Senate, Thompson was instrumental in passing the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill. A 1997 Washington Post profile of Thompson noted that “his willingness to promote campaign finance reform and to investigate conservative groups could have damaged any presidential ambitions the Tennessee Republican may have.” William Kristol noted that he was very surprised when Thompson initially co-sponsored the legislation that was “widely reviled by most Republicans and conservative interest groups whose activities would be curtailed by the measure.” But now, Thompson has changed his tune and has said that he would now repeal limits on spending by outside groups – the limits Republican activists hate most – because “that’s not working.” [MSNBC, 6/25/07; Washington Post, 11/10/97]

Fred Thompson: The Great Conservative Hope or a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?

American Conservative Union: FDT was Tennessee’s Liberal Senator. According to the Washington Times, the American Conservative Union ranked Fred Thompson with an 86.1 percent lifetime conservative rating compared to fellow Republican Tennessee Senator Bill Frist’s 89.3 lifetime conservative rating. [Washington Times, 6/23/07]

National Journal: FDT More Liberal on Economic than Foreign Policy. According to the Washington Times, the National Journal annual Senate vote rating showed that Fred Thompson was among the most conservative Senate members regarding foreign policy, but that he was “‘more liberal’ than 37 percent of his Senate colleagues in 1999, 35 percent in 2001 and 34 percent in 2002” on economic issues. [Washington Times, 6/23/07]

National Journal: FDT’s Inconsistently Liberal on Social Issues in Senate. According to the Washington Times, the National Journal annual Senate vote rating showed Fred Thompson was inconsistently liberal on social issues. “Mr. Thompson joined 21 colleagues in 2001 and 38 other senators in 2002 in compiling the most conservative voting record each of those two years. However, NJ reported that his voting record on social issues was ‘more liberal’ than that of 26 percent of his colleagues in 1995, 28 percent in 1998 and 38 percent in both 1996 and 2000.” [Washington Times, 6/23/07]

Ill-Equipped For The campaign

A Few Years Ago, Questioned Why Anyone Would Run. “Why would one want to run for president — that's the real question” [Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 3/8/02]

Even His Friends Don’t Think He’s The Right Guy. “Associates doubt that Thompson has the driving ambition needed to run for president.” [Los Angeles Times, 5/3/07]

Unenthusiastic Campaigner. “Well-known distaste for the nuts and bolts of campaigning.” [“The Fix,” WashingtonPost.com, 3/27/07, http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/03/the_case_against_fred_thompson.html]

“Rusty” Political Machinery. “Given that he has been almost entirely out of politics for the last five years, and the fact that it's been 13 years since he faced a competitive election, it's something of an understatement to guess that Thompson's political machinery is a bit rusty.” [“The Fix,” WashingtonPost.com, 3/27/07, http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/03/the_case_against_fred_thompson.html]

A Thin Senate Record, Questions of “Work Ethic”

Questionable “Work Ethic.” He “is said to be less than a martyr to the work ethic.” [George Will Column, Washington Post, 4/8/07]

Unenthusiastic Public Servant. “I'm not 30 years old. I don't want to spend the rest of my life up here.” [Almanac of American Politics, 2002]

With Little Record to Rely On, Thompson Has To Take Credit For Others Work. According to Bob Woodward, one of the Washington Post’s lead reporters on the Watergate scandal, Thompson is taking credit for uncovering crucial information at the Watergate hearings, when he actually did not do the work. During an online chat session, Woodward said that when Thompson asked the question about secret White House tape recordings, he already “knew the answer -- because three days before the public testimony, lawyers and investigators for the committee got Butterfield to reveal the existence of the secret tape-recording system. Though Thompson seems to get public credit for asking this critical question, it was the work of others on the committee staff who dug out Butterfield's revelation in a lengthy interview on a hot Friday afternoon on July 13, 1973." [Washingtonpost.com, 6/18/07]

Few Bills Passed, Little Substance. In his years as a Senator, Thompson did not see one single bill of substance he introduced passed into law, and none at all in his final two years. The following five bills did become law:

• Naming A Post Office: Naming the United States Post Office and Courthouse in Cookeville, Tennessee as the "L. Clure Morton United States Post Office Courthouse". [S1931, 104th Congress]

• Continuing A Commerce Department Housekeeping Program: A bill to extend a quarterly financial report program administered by the Secretary of Commerce. [S2071, 105th Congress]

• More Housekeeping: The “Reports Consolidation Act Of 2000” allowing agencies to print multiple required reports as one. [S2712, 106th Congress]

• Changing The Bureaucratic Structure Of The TVA: A bill changing the way the inspector general at the Tennessee Valley Authority operates. [S1707, 106th Congress]

• Providing A Visa Exception For A Single Family: A bill to provide permanent visa exceptions for a single family for humanitarian reasons. [S1513, 106th Congress]

Questionable Position: IN LOCKSTEP WITH BUSH On Iraq

2007: “Fervently” Backing War. At an early campaign speech, Thompson “fervently backed the Iraq war.” [Washington Post, 5/6/07]

2007: Says Would Do “What The President’s Doing.” Asked in March 2007 “What would you do now in Iraq?,” Thompson said “I would do essentially what the president's doing.” [Fox News Sunday, 3/11/07]

2004: Don’t Cut And Run. “The only real issue is the will of American people,” and said the US has “developed a reputation over a period of years of cutting and running when things got tough. We cannot do that this time.” [CNN, 4/90/04]

Questionable Position: Homeland Security

Thompson Voted Against Establishing a Homeland Security Department. Thompson voted against establishing a cabinet-level Homeland Security Department to protect domestic security. [Senate Vote #226, 9/26/02, HR 5005]

Questionable Position: Social Security

Thompson For Privatizing Social Security. He “has backed Social Security reform which would put 15% of payroll taxes in individual investment accounts.” Fred Thompson vigorously supports President Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security. In 2000, when speaking to a group of Tennessee Republicans, he “applauded Bush for his plan to change Social Security,” and in 2001 he appeared on CNN and defended the president’s plan as providing a better return in the long run. [Almanac of American Politics, 2000; Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN), 8/22/00; CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Reports, 3/24/01]

One Of Six For Social Security Tax Hikes & Benefit Cuts To Balance Budget. In 1996, Thompson was one of only six senators to vote against a ban on raising Social Security taxes or cutting benefits in order to balance the budget. [1996 Senate Vote 81]

Questionable Position: Victims Rights

Said Passing Aimee’s Law Was “Doing More Harm Than Good.” In 2000, Thompson raised objections against and voted to block a bill to combat human trafficking, sexual slavery, violence against women, pass “Aimee’s Law,” and aid victims of international terrorism, saying about the bill that “we are doing more to harm criminal justice by doing this than we are doing to help it.” [2000 Senate Vote 268; Congressional Record, 10/11/00]

Questionable Position: Mental Health Parity

One Of 15 Against Equal Coverage. Thompson was one of only fifteen senators in 1996 to vote against requiring equal coverage for mental health treatment by insurance plans. [1996 Senate Vote #274]

Questionable Position: School Violence

Voting Twice Against Funds To Reduce School, Gun Violence. Twice as a senator, Thompson voted in an extreme minority against increasing attention to guns in schools and school violence. In 1999, he voted against $200 million for grants to state and local agencies targeted to reduce school violence, one of only five senators taking that position. A year later, he voted against $7 million for grants to reduce school violence and education students about gun violence, one of only seven senators to take that position. [1999 Senate Vote 106; 2000 Senate Vote #32]

Questionable Position: First Responders

One Of Two Against Helping First Responders For Terrorist Attacks. In his last year as a Senator, Thompson was one of only two senators to vote against making tax-exempt pay to first responders while they are working in a terrorist attack zone. [2002 Senate Vote #9]

Questionable Position: Military Pay

One Of Three Voting To Pay Court-Marshaled Military Officers. Thompson was one of only three Senators voting against a plan to block military pay to imprisoned, court-martialed military personnel. [1995 Senate Vote 363]

Questionable Position: Good Samaritans

Only Member Of Congress Against Protecting Volunteers From Lawsuits. Thompson was the only member of Congress to vote against the 1997 Volunteer Protection Act, which became law and “shielded volunteers from personal civil liability for harm caused while they were acting on behalf of a non-profit organization.” [1997 Senate Vote 55; 1997 CQ Almanac, p. 5-17]

Questionable Position: Defending Bush On Global Warming

Thompson Mimics Bush On Global Warming. Thompson “defended Bush's stance on the Kyoto Protocol,” which he refused to sign, and in a 2000 appearance on CNN noted that Bush’s statement on climate change “sounds like exactly what I just said.” [Environment and Energy Daily, 7/19/01; CNN’s Crossfire, 10/26/00]

Controversial Legal Clients May Cause Problems

Defended Clients From Drug Charges. According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, as a private attorney, Thompson represented defendants on drug and other criminal charges. [Memphis Commercial Appeal, 7/29/93, 10/29/94]

White Collar Criminal Defense Lawyer. His “specialty is defending people accused of white collar crimes.” [Associated Press, 7/1/90]

Lobbying Career Full Of Landmines

Thompson Earned More Than $1 Million As Lobbyist. In recent years, Thompson has gotten $680,000 from his work lobbying for asbestos litigation reform for a foreign insurance concern, Equitas. Before he ran for Senate, his campaign said “his gross lobbying income from 1975 through 1993 was $507,000.” [Memphis Commercial Appeal, 11/5/94; FECINFO.com, accessed 6/5/07]

FDT Earned More than $750,000 in Three Years Lobbying for Equitas. According to the Associated Press, Fred Thompson earned “more than $750,000 over the past three years, including $300,000 in 2005, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics” from lobbying on behalf of Equitas. [Associated Press, 6/25/07]

Asbestos Victims and their Attorneys Opposed FDT’s Lobbying Position with Equitas. According to the Associated Press, Equitas “had complained it was being treated differently from American companies in a bill designed to remove the about 600,000 asbestos lawsuits from the courts and create a trust fund for victims. The bill was supported by companies facing lawsuits and opposed by many victims and their attorneys.” [Associated Press, 6/25/07]

FDT’s Used Personal Connections with Two Senate Majority Leaders and White House Staff to Push Lobbying Issues. According to the Associated Press, “As a lobbyist for more than 20 years, billion-dollar corporations paid [Fred] Thompson for his access to members of Congress and White House staff. During that time he was close to two Senate majority leaders, both from his home state of Tennessee his political mentor Howard Baker and, more recently, his former colleague Bill Frist.” [Associated Press, 6/25/07]

Thompson Paid As S&L Industry Lobbyist, Fighting For Deregulation Before The Industry Collapsed. According to federal lobbying records, in 1982 Thompson lobbied on behalf of a Tennessee Savings And Loans trade group for the Garn-St. Germain Act, “widely considered to have opened the gates for the eventual failure of many S&Ls and their $200 billion bailout by the federal government.” The controversy became a major issue late in his 1994 campaign. [Memphis Commercial Appeal, 10/21/94]

Thompson Lobbied White House On Behalf Of Haitian Leader. From 1991 to 1993, Thompson was a registered foreign agent for Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was seeking US help in being restored to power in Haiti. A week after Thompson called then-White House chief of staff John Sununu to lobby him for the foreign leader, Thompson’s lobbying firm was paid $10,000 for its services according to Justice Department Records. [Time, 7/28/97; Knoxville (TN) News-Sentinel, 9/5/94]

FDT Lobbied in Favor of Nuclear Energy for Westinghouse Electric. According to the Associated Press, Fred “Thompson’s first and longest- running client was Westinghouse Electric Co., for whom he lobbied in favor of nuclear energy. In 1981… Westinghouse was receiving federal funds for Tennessee’s Clinch River nuclear project.” [Associated Press, 6/25/07]

• Corallo: Reactor was Experiment During Energy Crisis. According to the Associated Press, Fred Thompson spokesman Mark Corallo said “the experimental reactor ‘was a local project focused on new kinds of energy at a time when the U.S. was going through an energy crisis.’” [Associated Press, 6/25/07]
  

• The Reactor FDT Lobbied for Failed and Cost Taxpayers Almost $1.7 Billion. According to the Associated Press, the reactor Fred Thompson lobbied for “was never built and the project was canceled in 1983 after the government had spent $1.7 billion on it.” [Associated Press, 6/25/07]