Fred Thompson

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}}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#if:||{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}}}} }}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox officeholder with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| regexp1 = 1blankname[%d]* | regexp2 = 1namedata[%d]* | regexp3 = 2blankname[%d]* | regexp4 = 2namedata[%d]* | regexp5 = 3blankname[%d]* | regexp6 = 3namedata[%d]* | regexp7 = 4blankname[%d]* | regexp8 = 4namedata[%d]* | regexp9 = 5blankname[%d]* | regexp10 = 5namedata[%d]* | allegiance | alma_mater | regexp11 = alongside[%d]* | alt | regexp12 = ambassador_from[%d]* | regexp13 = appointed[%d]* | regexp14 = appointer[%d]* | regexp15 = assembly[%d]* | awards | battles | battles_label | birth_date | birth_name | birth_place | birthname | regexp16 = blank[%d]* | bodyclass | branch | branch_label | cabinet | candidate | caption | categories | regexp17 = chancellor[%d]* | children | citizenship | regexp18 = co%-leader[%d]* | commands | committees | regexp19 = constituency[%d]* | regexp20 = constituency_AM[%d]* | regexp21 = constituency_MP[%d]* | regexp22 = convocation[%d]* | regexp23 = country[%d]* | regexp24 = data[%d]* | date | death_cause | death_date | death_manner | death_place | demo | regexp25 = deputy[%d]* | regexp26 = district[%d]* | education | election_date | embed | father | regexp28 = firstminister[%d]* | footnotes | regexp29 = governor[%d]* | regexp30 = governor_general[%d]* | regexp31 = governor%-general[%d]* | height | honorific_prefix | honorific-prefix | honorific_suffix | honorific-suffix | image | image name | image_name_alt | image_size | imagesize | image_upright | incumbent | regexp32 = jr/sr[%d]* | regexp33 = jr/sr and state[%d]* | known_for | regexp34 = leader[%d]* | regexp35 = legislature[%d]* | regexp36 = lieutenant[%d]* | regexp37 = lieutenant_governor[%d]* | mainwidth | regexp38 = majority[%d]* | regexp39 = majority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp40 = majority_leader[%d]* | regexp41 = majorityleader[%d]* | mawards | regexp42 = military_blank[%d]* | regexp43 = military_data[%d]* | regexp44 = minister[%d]* | regexp45 = minister_from[%d]* | regexp46 = minority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp47 = minority_leader[%d]* | regexp48 = minorityleader[%d]* | regexp49 = module[%d]* | regexp50 = monarch[%d]* | mother | name | nationality | native_name | native_name_lang | nickname | nocat | regexp51 = nominator[%d]* | nominee | occupation | regexp52 = office[%d]* | opponent | regexp53 = order[%d]* | otherparty | parents | regexp54 = parliament[%d]* | regexp55 = parliamentarygroup[%d]* | partner | party | party_election | portfolio | regexp56 = preceded[%d]* | regexp57 = preceding[%d]* | regexp58 = predecessor[%d]* | regexp59 = premier[%d]* | regexp60 = president[%d]* | regexp61 = primeminister[%d]* | regexp62 = prior_term[%d]* | profession | pronunciation | rank | rank_label | relations | relatives | residence | resting_place | resting_place_coordinates | restingplace | restingplacecoordinates | regexp63 = riding[%d]* | runningmate | salary | serviceyears | serviceyears_label | signature | signature_alt | signature_size | smallimage | smallimage_alt | source | speaker | speaker_office | spouse | spouses | regexp64 = state[%d]* | regexp65 = state_assembly[%d]* | regexp66 = state_delegate[%d]* | regexp67 = state_house[%d]* | regexp68 = state_legislature[%d]* | regexp69 = state_senate[%d]* | regexp70 = status[%d]* | regexp71 = suboffice[%d]* | regexp72 = subterm[%d]* | regexp73 = succeeded[%d]* | regexp74 = succeeding[%d]* | regexp75 = successor[%d]* | regexp76 = taoiseach[%d]* | regexp77 = term[%d]* | regexp78 = term_end[%d]* | regexp79 = term_label[%d]* | regexp80 = term_start[%d]* | regexp81 = termend[%d]* | regexp82 = termlabel[%d]* | regexp83 = termstart[%d]* | regexp84 = title[%d]* | unit | unit_label | regexp85 = vicegovernor[%d]* | regexp86 = vicepremier[%d]* | regexp87 = vicepresident[%d]* | regexp88 = viceprimeminister[%d]* | regexp89 = assuming[%d]* | website | width | year }} Freddie Dalton ThompsonTemplate:Refn (August 19, 1942 – November 1, 2015) was an American politician, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, actor, and radio personality. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States senator from Tennessee from 1994 to 2003. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the Republican Party presidential primaries for the 2008 United States presidential election.

He chaired the International Security Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of State, was a member of the U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as a visiting fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, specializing in national security and intelligence.<ref>

American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Scholars & Fellows Template:Webarchive.
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Usually credited as Fred Dalton Thompson, he appeared in a number of movies and television shows including Matlock, The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard 2, In the Line of Fire, Days of Thunder, and Cape Fear, as well as in commercials. He frequently portrayed governmental authority figures and military men.<ref name="NYT941112">Template:Cite news</ref> In the final months of his U.S. Senate term in 2002, Thompson joined the cast of the NBC television series Law & Order, starring as Manhattan District Attorney Arthur Branch.<ref name="lawandorder"/>

Early lifeEdit

Thompson was born at Colbert County Hospital—now Helen Keller Memorial Hospital—in Sheffield, Alabama on August 19, 1942,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> the son of Ruth Inez (née Bradley) and Fletcher Session Thompson (born Lauderdale County, Alabama, August 26, 1919, and died in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, May 27, 1990), who was an automobile salesman. Fred Thompson had English and distant Dutch ancestry.<ref>Fred Dalton Thompson Biography (1942-) via filmreference.com.</ref><ref name="thompsonancestry">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He attended public school in Lawrenceburg, graduating from Lawrence County High School in 1960<ref>TV or Oval Office? U of M Grad Thompson Faces Decision</ref> where he played high-school football.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Thereafter, he worked days in the local post office, and nights at the Murray bicycle assembly plant.<ref name="Lawrimore" />

Thompson grew up going to churches in the Churches of Christ.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He said that his values came from "sitting around the kitchen table" with his parents, and from the Church of Christ. While talking to reporters at an event in South Carolina, Thompson said, "I attend church when I'm in Tennessee. I'm [living] in McLean right now. I don't attend regularly when I'm up there."<ref name="Chipman">Kim Chipman, "Thompson Says He's No Churchgoer, Won't Tout Religion on Stump", Bloomberg (September 11, 2007).</ref> Later in his adulthood, Thompson occasionally attended Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, Virginia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He did not speak much about religion during his 2008 presidential campaign. He said, "Me getting up and talking about what a wonderful person I am and that sort of thing, I'm not comfortable with that, and I don't think it does me any good."<ref name="Chipman" />

In September 1959, at the age of 17, Thompson married Sarah Elizabeth Lindsey.<ref name="latimesmaibition">Template:Cite news: "In the summer of 1959 ... Lindsey told Thompson she was pregnant. He responded, friends say, by asking her to marry him ... Freddie and Sarah exchanged vows in a Methodist church during the second week of his senior year. Seven months later, in April 1960, 17-year-old Thompson had a son."</ref> Their son, Freddie Dalton "Tony" Thompson Jr.,<ref name="Knoxnews"/> was born in April 1960.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Their son Daniel and daughter Elizabeth were born not long afterwards.<ref name=MC961201/>

Thompson attended Florence State College (now the University of North Alabama), becoming the first member of his family to attend college.<ref name="about">Template:Usurped, via imwithfred.com (Official Site). Retrieved (July 13, 2007).</ref> He later transferred to Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis), where he earned a double degree in philosophy and political science in 1964.<ref name="Lawrimore" /> He then received a scholarship to study law at the Vanderbilt University Law School, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1967.<ref name="about" /> While Thompson was attending law school, he and Sarah both worked to pay for his education and support their three children.<ref name=MC961201/> Thompson and his first wife divorced in 1985.<ref name="lobbyigbecamfamily">Template:Cite news</ref>

Career as an attorneyEdit

Thompson was admitted to the state bar of Tennessee in 1967. At that time, he shortened his first name from Freddie to Fred.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He worked as an assistant U.S. attorney from 1969 to 1972,<ref>Fred Thompson Hometown Biography Template:Webarchive, Lawrenceburg Tennessee</ref> successfully prosecuting bank robberies and other cases.<ref name="Lawrimore" /> Thompson was the campaign manager for Republican U.S. Senator Howard Baker's re-election campaign in 1972, and was minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee in its investigation of the Watergate scandal (1973–1974).

In the 1980s, Thompson worked as an attorney, with law offices in Nashville and Washington, DC,<ref>Fred Thompson for President in 2008</ref> handling personal injury claims and defending people accused of white collar crimes.<ref>Vogel, Kenneth. "Rivals Take Aim At Thompson", CBS News (June 12, 2007). Retrieved 2007-07-08.</ref> 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).<ref name="Lawrimore" /><ref name="about" />

His clients included a German mining group and Japan's Toyota Motors Corporation.<ref name="MC961201" /> Thompson served on various corporate boards. He also did legal work and served on the board of directors for engineering firm Stone & Webster.<ref name="Dilanian" />

Role in Watergate hearingsEdit

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File:ThompsonWatergate.jpg

From left to right: Fred Thompson (minority counsel), Howard Baker, and Sam Ervin of the Senate Watergate Committee in 1973

In 1973, Thompson was appointed minority counsel to assist the Republican senators on the Senate Watergate Committee, a special committee convened by the U.S. Senate to investigate the Watergate scandal.<ref name="thompsoncooperates">Template:Cite news</ref> Thompson was sometimes credited for supplying Republican Senator Howard Baker's famous question, "What did the President know, and when did he know it?"<ref name="Lowy">Template:Cite news</ref> This question is said to have helped frame the hearings in a way that eventually led to the downfall of President Richard Nixon.<ref name="foxthompsonmulls">Template:Cite news</ref> The question remains popular and is often invoked by pundits commenting on political scandals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A Republican staff member, Donald Sanders, found out about the White House tapes and informed the committee on July 13, 1973. Thompson was informed of the existence of the tapes, and he, in turn, informed Nixon's attorney, J. Fred Buzhardt.<ref> Template:Cite news</ref> "Even though I had no authority to act for the committee, I decided to call Fred Buzhardt at home," Thompson later wrote,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> "I wanted to be sure that the White House was fully aware of what was to be disclosed so that it could take appropriate action."

Three days after Sanders's discovery, at a public, televised committee hearing, Thompson asked former White House aide Alexander Butterfield the famous question, "Mr. Butterfield, were you aware of the installation of any listening devices in the Oval Office of the President?" thereby publicly revealing the existence of tape recordings of conversations within the White House.<ref name=MC961201>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="thompsoncooperates" /> National Public Radio later called that session and the discovery of the Watergate tapes "a turning point in the investigation."<ref name="NPR">"Thompson's Watergate Role Not as Advertised" by Peter Obervy. National Public Radio. Published November 5, 2007</ref>

Thompson's appointment as minority counsel to the Senate Watergate committee reportedly upset Nixon, who believed Thompson was not skilled enough to interrogate unfriendly witnesses and would be outfoxed by the committee Democrats. According to historian Stanley Kutler, however, Thompson and 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]."<ref name="Lowy"/>

Journalist Scott Armstrong, a Democratic investigator for the Senate Watergate Committee, is critical of Thompson for having disclosed the committee's knowledge of the tapes to Buzhardt during an ongoing investigation, and says Thompson was "a mole for the White House" and that Thompson's actions gave the White House a chance to destroy the tapes. Thompson's 1975 book At That Point in Time, in turn, accused Armstrong of having been too close to The Washington Post's Bob Woodward and of leaking committee information to him. In response to renewed interest in this matter, in 2007 during his presidential campaign, Thompson said, "I'm glad all of this has finally caused someone to read my Watergate book, even though it's taken them over 30 years."<ref name=kranish>Template:Cite news and Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Corruption case against Tennessee governorEdit

In 1977, Thompson represented Marie Ragghianti, a former Tennessee Parole Board chair, who had been fired for refusing to release felons after they had bribed aides to Democratic Governor Ray Blanton to obtain clemency.<ref name="blanton">Fred Rolater, Leonard Ray Blanton, Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved July 31, 2007.</ref> With Thompson's assistance, Ragghianti filed a wrongful termination suit against Blanton's office. In July 1978, a jury awarded Ragghianti $38,000 ($139,165.09 in 2016 dollars)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in back pay and ordered her reinstatement.<ref name="blanton"/>

Career as a lobbyistEdit

File:Reagan Contact Sheet C17322 (cropped).jpg

Thompson greeting President Ronald Reagan in 1983

Thompson earned about $1 million in total from his lobbying efforts. Except for the year 1981, his lobbying never amounted to more than one-third of his income.<ref name="appeal">Locker, Richard. "Thompson tells why lobbyist pay rose with GOP-led Senate", Commercial Appeal (November 5, 1994).</ref> According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

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.<ref name="appeal" />

Thompson lobbied Congress on behalf of the Tennessee Savings and Loan League to pass the Garn–St. Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982, which deregulated the savings and loan industry.<ref name=MC961201/> A large congressional majority and President Ronald Reagan supported the act, but it was said to be a factor that led to the savings and loan crisis.<ref>Leibold, Arthur. "Some Hope for the Future After a Failed National Policy for Thrifts" in Barth, James et al. The Savings and Loan Crisis: Lessons from a Regulatory Failure, pages 58–59 (2004). Leibold cites Strunk and Case, Where Regulation Went Wrong: A Look at the Causes Behind Savings and Loan Failures in the 1980s, pages 14–16 (1988).</ref> Thompson received $1,600 for communicating with some congressional staffers on this issue.<ref name="appeal" />

When Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was overthrown in 1991, Thompson made a telephone call to White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu advocating restoration of Aristide's government, but said that was as a private citizen, not on a paid basis on Aristide's behalf.<ref name="lobbying">Vogel, Kenneth. "'Law & Order' And Lobbying", Politico (April 2, 2007).</ref>

Billing records show that Thompson was paid for about 20 hours of work in 1991 and 1992 on behalf of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, a family planning group trying to ease a George H. W. Bush administration regulation on abortion counseling in federally funded clinics.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>The records show he spent much of that time in telephone conferences with the president of the group. He also spoke to administration officials on its behalf three times for a total of about three hours, but when or with whom in the administration Thompson spoke is unclear. When the work became controversial in 2007 in light of Thompson's anti-abortion stance and 2008 presidential campaign, a Thompson spokesperson said, "The [lobbying] firm consulted with Fred Thompson. It is not unusual for a lawyer to give counsel at the request of colleagues, even when they personally disagree with the issue." See Jo Becker, Records Show Ex-Senator's Work for Family Planning Unit, The New York Times, (July 19, 2007). Retrieved 2007-12-22.</ref>

After Thompson was elected to the Senate, two of his sons followed him into the lobbying business, but generally avoided clients where a possible conflict of interest might appear.<ref name="nyt070207">Template:Cite news</ref> When he left the Senate, some of his political action committee's fees went to the lobbying firm of one of his sons.<ref>Mullins, Brody. "Thompson PAC Benefits Son More Than Republicans," The Wall Street Journal (April 21, 2007).</ref>

Initial acting careerEdit

Marie Ragghianti's case became the subject of a book, Marie, which was written by Peter Maas and published in 1983. The film rights were purchased by director Roger Donaldson, who, after traveling to Nashville to speak with the people involved with the original case, asked Thompson if he wanted to play himself. The resulting film, Marie, was Thompson's first acting role and was released in 1985. Roger Donaldson then cast Thompson in the part of CIA director Marshall in the 1987 film No Way Out.<ref name=Hayes070502>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He played the head of FBI special-agent training in the 1988 comedy Feds; in the trailer, the FBI disclaimed any connection with the film. In 1990, he was cast as Ed Trudeau, the head of Dulles Airport, in the action sequel Die Hard 2, as Rear Admiral Painter in The Hunt for Red October, and as Big John, the President of NASCAR, in the movie Days of Thunder (patterned on 'Big' Bill France).

Thompson went on to be cast in many films including as Tom Broadbent in Cape Fear (1991) and White House Chief of Staff Harry Sargent in In the Line of Fire (1993). A 1994 New York Times profile wrote, "When Hollywood directors need someone who can personify governmental power, they often turn to him."<ref name="NYT941112"/> He also appeared in several television shows including Roseanne, Matlock and (eventually) a role on Law & Order.

United States SenatorEdit

Election campaignsEdit

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Fred Thompson with the U.S. Senate in 2002

In 1994, Thompson was elected to finish the remaining two years of Al Gore's unexpired U.S. Senate term. During the 1994 campaign, Thompson's opponent was longtime Nashville Congressman Jim Cooper. Thompson campaigned in a red pickup truck, and Cooper charged Thompson "is a lobbyist and actor who talks about lower taxes, talks about change, while he drives a rented stage prop."<ref>Powers, William. "The Politician's Pickup Lines" Template:Webarchive, The Washington Post (October 21, 1994). Some question exists about whether Thompson actually did the driving. According to Kevin Drum of the Washington Monthly, "Thompson didn't even deign to drive the thing himself." Drum, Kevin. "Fred Thompson's Red Pick-up Truck" Template:Webarchive, Washington Monthly (2007-05-07). Retrieved 2007-06-18. Media reports in May and June 2007 said that Thompson still has the truck, which is "parked behind Thompson's mother's home outside Nashville." Chipman, Kim. "Thompson's Backers Check His `Fire in the Belly' for 2008 Race", Bloomberg (2007-06-28). According to Newsweek, "The paint is peeling and its U.S. Senate license plates expired back in 2002." Bailey, Holly. "The Sign of the Red Truck" Template:Webarchive, Newsweek (2007-05-28). Retrieved 2007-07-10.</ref> In a good year for Republican candidates,<ref>Traub, James. "Party Like It's 1994", New York Times Magazine (March 12, 2006): "The Republicans shocked political professionals, including President Bill Clinton, by gaining 52 seats in the House, giving them a majority there for the first time in 40 years. (They picked up eight seats in the Senate to wrest control there, as well.)"</ref> Thompson defeated Cooper by 320,068 votes, overcoming Cooper's early 20% lead in the polls to defeat him by an even greater margin.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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 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 to a full term by 436,617 votes, defeating Democratic attorney Houston Gordon of Covington, Tennessee, even as Bill Clinton and running mate Al Gore narrowly carried the state by less than three percentage points on their way to re-election.<ref>"United States of America Presidential Elections of 1996, Electoral College Vote by States", Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive.</ref> During this campaign, Mike Long served as Thompson's chief speechwriter.<ref>[1] Template:Webarchive</ref>

Committee assignmentsEdit

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Senator Thompson meeting with U.S. soldiers in South Korea, 2001

In 1996, Thompson was a member of the Committee on Governmental Affairs when the committee investigated the alleged Chinese attempts to influence American politics. Thompson says he was "largely stymied" during these investigations by witnesses declining to testify, claiming the right not to incriminate themselves or by simply leaving the country.<ref name=JF070317>Template:Cite news</ref> Thompson explained, "Our work was affected tremendously by the fact that Congress is a much more partisan institution than it used to be."<ref>Thompson, Fred. "Additional Views of Chairman Fred Thompson, Investigation of Illegal or Improper Activities in Connection With 1996 Federal Election Campaigns, Final Report of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, Senate Report 105-167 – 105th Congress 2d Session" (March 10, 1998).</ref>

Thompson became committee chairman in 1997, but was reduced to ranking minority member when the Democrats took control of the Senate in 2001.<ref>Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, History of Committee Chairmen Template:Webarchive. Retrieved (July 13, 2007).</ref> Thompson served on the Finance Committee (dealing with health care, trade, Social Security, and taxation), the Intelligence Committee, and the National Security Working Group.<ref>Sen. Thompson's Official Senate Web Site (via Archive.org).</ref>

Thompson's work included investigation of the "Umm Hajul controversy" which involved the death of Tennessean Lance Fielder during the Gulf War. During his term, he supported campaign finance reform, opposed proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and promoted government efficiency and accountability.<ref name="Lawrimore" /> During the 1996 presidential debates, he also served as a Clinton stand-in to help prepare Bob Dole.<ref name="Lawrimore" />

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.

Campaign co-chairman for John McCain's 2000 presidential campaignEdit

In the 2000 Republican Party presidential primaries, Thompson backed former Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander, who eventually succeeded Thompson in the Senate two years later. When Alexander dropped out, Thompson endorsed Senator John McCain's bid and became his national co-chairman.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After George W. Bush won the primaries, both McCain and Thompson were considered as potential running mates.<ref>"Bush: 'The days of speculation are over'", USA Today (July 22, 2000).</ref><ref>Zuckerbrod, Nancy."Thompson eyed for vice presidential role" Template:Webarchive, via oakridger.com July 3, 2000. Retrieved 2007-07-10.</ref>

RatingsEdit

File:Senator Fred Thompson with Girl Scout Troop 68 Bartlett, Tennessee in front of the Capitol, 2001.jpg

Senator Thompson meeting with Girl Scouts

Thompson's rating from the American Conservative Union was 86.1 (1995 to 2002), compared to 89.3 for Bill Frist, and 82.3 for John McCain.<ref>"How conservative is Fred Thompson?", Washington Times Editorial (June 23, 2007).</ref><ref>Profile at Project Vote Smart Template:Webarchive (including bio, positions, finances, interest group ratings, votes, and statements).</ref> Senator Susan Collins (R-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."<ref>Theobald, Bill."In D.C., tenacious Thompson defied prediction: Reliable conservative had fierce independent streak", The Tennessean (July 8, 2007).</ref> 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.<ref name="federalism"/>

With Thompson's decision to campaign for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, his Senate record received some criticism from people who say he was "lazy" compared to other senators.<ref>""Thompson and the 'Laziness' Issue" Template:Webarchive" Newsweek (September 29, 2007)</ref> Critics say that few of his proposals became law, and point to a 1998 quote: "I don't like spending 14- and 16-hour days voting on 'sense of the Senate' resolutions on irrelevant matters. There are some important things we really need to get on with—and on a daily basis, it's very frustrating." Defenders say he spent more time in preparation than other senators. Paul Noe, a former staffer, told The New York Times, "On the lazy charge, I have to chuckle because I was there sometimes until 1 in the morning working with the man."<ref>"G.O.P. Hopeful Took Own Path in the Senate" The New York Times (September 29, 2007)</ref>

Personal life during Senate tenureEdit

File:The Thompson Family.jpg

Fred and Jeri Thompson with their children in September 2007

In the years after his divorce, Thompson was romantically linked to country singer Lorrie Morgan, Republican fundraiser Georgette Mosbacher, future Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, and columnist Margaret Carlson.<ref>Baxter, Sarah."Old Girlfriends Cast Their Vote for Thompson", Times Online (June 24, 2007).</ref>

In July 1996, Thompson began dating Jeri Kehn (born 1966) and the two married almost six years later on June 29, 2002.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> When he was asked in an Associated Press survey of the candidates in December 2007, to name his favorite possession he replied, tongue-in-cheek, "trophy wife".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The couple had two children together, a daughter Hayden born in 2003, and a son Samuel born in 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On January 30, 2002, Thompson's daughter Elizabeth "Betsy" Thompson Panici died from a brain injury resulting from cardiac arrest after what was determined to be an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.<ref>Tapper, Jake."Thompson's Daughter's Death Informs Right-to-Die Stance", ABC News (October 22, 2007).</ref>

Initial post-Senate life and careerEdit

Thompson was not a candidate for reelection in 2002. He had previously stated that he was unwilling to make serving in the Senate a long-term career. While he announced in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks his intention to seek reelection (declaring, "now is not the time for me to leave"), upon further reflection, he decided against running for reelection.<ref name=Hayes070502/> The decision seems to have been prompted in large part by the death of his daughter.<ref name=JF070317/><ref name="TIME070524">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The only lobbying work Thompson did after leaving the Senate in 2003 was for the London-based reinsurance company Equitas Ltd. He was paid $760,000 between 2004 and 2006 to help prevent passage of legislation that Equitas said unfairly singled them out for unfavorable treatment regarding asbestos claims.<ref name="Dilanian">Dilanian, Ken. Past as lobbyist may play into future as candidate, USA Today (June 6, 2007).</ref> Thompson's spokesman Mark Corrallo said that Thompson was proud to have been a lobbyist and believed in Equitas' cause.<ref>Birnbaum, Jeffrey. "Thompson Will Take On Outsider Role After Playing Access Man", The Washington Post, June 12, 2007</ref>

Return to actingEdit

As Thompson prepared to depart the Senate, he resumed his acting career. In 2002, during the final months of his Senate term, Thompson joined the cast of the NBC television series Law & Order, playing conservative District Attorney Arthur Branch, a role that he would ultimately portray for the next five years. Known in production circles and on set as, “The Liverwurst” referring to his green room requests for the Germanic dish, Thompson began filming during the August 2002 Senate recess.<ref name="Lawrimore">Lawrimore, Erin. "Biography/History" Template:Webarchive, University of Tennessee Special Collections Library (2005).</ref> He made occasional appearances in the same role on other TV shows, such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and the pilot episode of Conviction.

During these years, Thompson also had roles in films including Racing Stripes (2005) and Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005). He portrayed a fictional president of the United States in Last Best Chance (2005), as well as two historical presidents in TV movies: Ulysses S. Grant in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) and the voice of Andrew Jackson in Rachel and Andrew Jackson: A Love Story (2001).<ref>Keel, Beverly. "On screen, Thompson projects power, wisdom" Template:Webarchive, The Tennessean (May 8, 2007).</ref>

Thompson, in 2007, again paused his acting career in order to pursue political options, this time stepping back from acting in order to accommodate a potential campaign for the presidency. On May 30, 2007, he asked to be released from the Law & Order role, potentially in preparation for a presidential bid.<ref name="lawandorder"/> Due to concerns about the equal-time rule, reruns featuring the Branch character were not shown on NBC while Thompson was a potential or actual presidential candidate, but TNT episodes were unaffected.<ref>"TNT won't pull reruns starring Thompson", Seattle Times (September 1, 2007).</ref>

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosisEdit

Thompson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), a form of cancer, in 2004. In 2007, Thompson stated, "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." Reportedly indolent, Thompson's NHL was the lowest of three grades of NHL,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and was the rare nodal marginal zone lymphoma. It accounts for only 1–3% of all cases.<ref>Bloom, Mark (April 11, 2007). "Fred Thompson, GOP Potential Candidate, Had Rare NHL" Template:Webarchive. MedPage Today.</ref>

Political activitiesEdit

File:Fred Thompson by Gage Skidmore (a).jpg

Thompson speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2014

From 2002 to 2005, Thompson was head of the Federal City Council, a group of business, civic, education, and other leaders interested in economic development in Washington, DC.<ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref>

In March 2003, Thompson was featured in a commercial by the conservative nonprofit group Citizens United which advocated for the invasion of Iraq, "When people ask what has Saddam done to us, I ask, what had the 9/11 hijackers done to us--before 9/11."<ref name="cnncitizensunited">Template:Cite news</ref>

Thompson did voice-over work at the 2004 Republican National Convention.<ref>Goldsmith, Brian. "Beware The 'Convention Candidates'", CBS News (April 20, 2007).</ref> While narrating a video for that convention, Thompson observed: "History throws you what it throws you, and you never know what's coming."<ref>Thompson, Fred. "The Pitch", via YouTube. Retrieved (July 13, 2007).</ref>

After the retirement of Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in 2005, President George W. Bush appointed Thompson to an informal position to help guide the nomination of John Roberts through the United States Senate confirmation process.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Roberts' nomination as associate justice was cancelled following the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist; he was renominated and confirmed as Chief Justice instead.

Until July 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.<ref>International Security Advisory Board, Former Members, State Department web site.</ref> In that capacity, he advised the State Department about all aspects of arms control, disarmament, international security, and related aspects of public diplomacy.<ref>International Security Advisory Board, State Department web site.</ref>

Legal defense for Lewis LibbyEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} 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.<ref> Template:Cite news </ref><ref> Template:Cite news </ref> Thompson, who had never met Libby before volunteering for the advisory board, said he was convinced that Libby was innocent.<ref name=Hayes070502/> 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.<ref>Loller, Travis. "Looking at Thompson's Lobbying Past" Template:Webarchive, ABC News (June 25, 2007).</ref> Thompson hosted a fundraiser for the Libby defense fund at his home in McLean, Virginia.<ref> Copeland, Libby and Montgomery, David. "Scooter Libby's Pals, Trusting In Providence", The Washington Post (July 3, 2007). </ref> After Bush commuted Libby's sentence,<ref>George W. Bush, "Statement by the President", The White House, July 2, 2007, accessed July 2, 2007.</ref> Thompson released a statement: "I am very happy for Scooter Libby. 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."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Work as a radio analystEdit

In 2006, he signed on with ABC News Radio to serve as senior analyst and vacation replacement for Paul Harvey.<ref>Miller, Korin. Names and Faces, The Washington Post (February 25, 2006).</ref> 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 had been released from his contract with the broadcaster.<ref>The Fred Thompson Report, ABC Radio Networks.</ref> He did not return after his campaign ended.

Work as a columnistEdit

Thompson signed a deal with Salem Communications's Townhall.com to write for the organization's magazine, Townhall, from April 23, 2007, until August 21, 2007,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and again from June 8, 2008, until November 17, 2008.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2008 presidential campaignEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

File:Fred Thompson - Sioux City1 (a).jpg

Thompson campaigning in Iowa in 2007

Thompson ran for the Republican nomination in the 2008 United States presidential election cycle. He won 11 delegates in the Republican primaries before dropping out of the race in January 2008.

On March 11, 2007, Thompson appeared on Fox News Sunday to discuss the possibility of a 2008 candidacy for the presidency. Two weeks later Thompson asked to be released from his television contract, potentially in preparation for a presidential bid.<ref name="lawandorder">Associated Press and Cameron, Carl. "Fred Thompson Quits 'Law & Order,' Moves Closer to 2008 White House Bid", Fox News (May 31, 2007).</ref> Thompson formed a presidential exploratory committee regarding his possible 2008 campaign for president on June 1, 2007,<ref name="whsvspeakinrichmond">Template:Cite news</ref> but unlike most candidate exploratory groups, Thompson's organized as a 527 group.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Thompson continued to be mentioned as a potential candidate, but did not officially declare his candidacy. On June 12, he told Jay Leno on The Tonight Show that while he did not crave the presidency itself, he would like to do things that he could only do by holding that office.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A New York Times article cited Thompson's aides as saying on July 18 that he planned to enter the race just after Labor Day, followed by a national announcement tour.<ref>Nagourney, Adam. "Candidates Shift as G.O.P. Field Alters", NY Times (July 19, 2007).</ref>

On September 5, 2007, Thompson made his candidacy official, announcing on The Tonight Show that "I'm running for president of the United States" and running an ad during a Republican presidential candidates' debate on Fox News.<ref name="Forbes20070905">Template:Cite magazine Brief excerpts from the Tonight Show appearance are available from NBC Template:Webarchive. The full Tonight Show transcript is [2] Template:Webarchive.</ref> In both instances he pointed people to his campaign website to watch a 15-minute video detailing his platform. His campaign entrance was described as "lackluster"<ref name="CNN October">Template:Cite news</ref> and "awkward"<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> despite high expectations in anticipation of his joining the race.<ref name="Novak">Template:Cite news</ref> Thompson was endorsed by the Virginia Society for Human Life and several other anti-abortion organizations.<ref name="Standard News Wire">Nation's Oldest Right to Life Organization Supporting Thompson Standard News Wire.com, December 20. Retrieved: September 9, 2013.</ref><ref name="Presidency Project">Fred Thompson Receives the Endorsement of Virginia Society for Human Life Template:Webarchive Presidency Project UCSB.EDU, December 20, 2007. Retrieved: September 9, 2013.</ref>

In nationwide polling toward the end of 2007, Thompson's support in the Republican primary election was sliding, with Thompson placing either third or fourth in polls.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On January 22, 2008, after attracting little support in the early primaries, he confirmed that he had withdrawn from the presidential race.<ref name="CNN 2008-01-22">Template:Cite news</ref> In a statement issued by his campaign he said:

Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people.

Post-presidential campaignEdit

Political activitiesEdit

Thompson spoke at the 2008 Republican National Convention on September 2 in Minnesota, where he described in graphic detail presumptive Republican nominee John McCain's torture at the hands of the North Vietnamese during his imprisonment and gave an endorsement of McCain for president.<ref>https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/convention2008/fredthompson2008rnc.htm&ved=2ahUKEwiV37X_9f2IAxXH4MkDHRvuDqAQFnoECBUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0iZuR5vV_HJBudZnt-Dzbo</ref>

Thompson campaigned in support of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Acting careerEdit

Thompson signed an agreement to be represented as an actor by the William Morris Agency.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2009, he returned to acting with a guest appearance on the ABC television series Life on Mars,<ref name="imdb.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and as William Jennings Bryan in the TV movie Alleged (2010), based on the Scopes Monkey Trial.<ref name="Liz Shaw">Template:Cite news</ref> Thompson portrayed Frank Michael Thomas in the CBS series The Good Wife, based on himself. He also had roles in Disney's Secretariat (2010) and the horror film Sinister (2012). In 2014, he appeared in the film Persecuted, focusing on religious freedom, government surveillance, and censorship.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Radio careerEdit

On March 2, 2009, he took over Westwood One's East Coast noon time slot, hosting the talk radio program The Fred Thompson Show, after Bill O'Reilly ended The Radio Factor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was co-hosted for a time by his wife, Jeri. Thompson's final show for Westwood One was aired on January 21, 2011. Douglas Urbanski took Thompson's place in the Westwood One syndication lineup.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Work as an advertising spokesmanEdit

In May 2010, Thompson became an advertising spokesman for American Advisors Group, a reverse mortgage lender.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

MemoirEdit

Thompson's memoir, Teaching the Pig to Dance: A Memoir of Growing up and Second Chances, was published in 2010.<ref>Thompson, Fred D., Teaching the Pig to Dance: A Memoir of Growing up and Second Chances, Crown Forum, 2010. Template:ISBN. Retrieved October 23, 2018.</ref><ref>US Congress "THOMPSON, Fred Dalton, (1942 - 2015)", Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress, 1774- present. Retrieved October 23, 2018.</ref>

Death and funeralEdit

On the morning of November 1, 2015, Thompson died at the age of 73; the cause of death was a recurrence of lymphoma.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His funeral was held on November 6, 2015, in Nashville with U.S. Senators John McCain and Lamar Alexander in attendance.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was interred at Mimosa Cemetery in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee later that day.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building was named in his honor pursuant to legislation signed into law in June 2017.<ref>Joey Garrison, "Trump signs bill naming new Nashville federal courthouse after Thompson", The Knoxville News-Sentinel (June 7, 2017), p. 4.</ref>

Political positionsEdit

File:Fred Thompson visits Dallas.jpg

Thompson in Dallas on July 25, 2007

Thompson said that federalism was his "lodestar", which provides "a basis for a proper analysis of most issues: 'Is this something government should be doing? If so, at what level of government?'"<ref name="federalism">Thompson, Fred. "Federalism 'n' Me". Template:Webarchive. American Enterprise Institute (April 23, 2007). Retrieved 2007-05-13.</ref>

Thompson said that "Roe v. Wade was bad law and bad medical science"; he felt that judges should not be determining social policy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, he also said that the government should not criminally prosecute women who undergo early-term abortions.<ref name="hannity">"Exclusive! Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson on Possible White House Bid", Fox News Interview (June 5, 2007).</ref><ref>Bailey, Holly. "Away From the Cameras Template:Webarchive," Newsweek (June 25, 2007).</ref> He did not support a federal ban on gay marriage, but would have supported a constitutional amendment to keep a state's recognition of such marriages from resulting in all states having to recognize them.<ref>Template:Cite news
{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He said that citizens are entitled to keep and bear arms if they do not have criminal records.<ref name="ArmedWithTruth">Thompson, Fred. "Armed with the Truth", ABC Radio, May 10, 2007. Accessed May 13, 2007.</ref> The Gun Owners of America says that he voted pro-gun in 20 of 33 gun-related votes during his time in the Senate.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Thompson said that U.S. borders should be secured before considering comprehensive immigration reform,<ref name="Lincoln Day">Thompson, Fred. "Prepared Remarks for Speech to Lincoln Club Annual Dinner", ABC Radio, May 4, 2007. Accessed May 13, 2007.</ref> but he also supported a path to citizenship for illegal aliens saying, "You're going to have to, in some way, work out a deal where they can have some aspirations of citizenship, but not make it so easy that it's unfair to the people waiting in line and abiding by the law."<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref> Thompson supported the U.S. 2003 invasion of Iraq<ref name="Senate Roll call">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was opposed to withdrawing troops,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but believed that "mistakes have been made" since the invasion.<ref name=FNS311>Template:Cite news</ref>

Thompson initially supported the McCain–Feingold campaign finance legislation, but he later said that certain parts should be repealed.<ref>Sean Hannity interview of Fred Thompson Template:Webarchive, Fox News, June 6, 2007. Accessed June 9, 2007.</ref> He was skeptical that human efforts cause global warming and pointed to parallel warming on Mars and other planets as an example.<ref>Thompson, Fred. "Plutonic Warming" Template:Webarchive, AEI, March 22, 2007. Accessed May 13, 2007.</ref>

FilmographyEdit

Thompson's acting roles were credited as Fred Dalton Thompson, unless otherwise noted.

FilmEdit

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985	Marie	Himself	debut, credited as Fred Thompson
1987	No Way Out	CIA Director Marshall
1988	Feds	Bill Bilecki
1989	Fat Man and Little Boy	Major General Melrose Hayden Barry
1990	The Hunt for Red October	Rear Admiral Joshua Painter
	Days of Thunder	Big John
	Die Hard 2	Ed Trudeau
1991	Flight of the Intruder	JAGC Captain at Court-Martial	Uncredited
	Class Action	Dr. Getchell
	Necessary Roughness	Carver Purcell
	Cape Fear	Tom Broadbent
	Curly Sue	Bernie Oxbar
1992	Aces: Iron Eagle III	Stockman
	Thunderheart	William Dawes
	White Sands	Arms dealer	Uncredited
1993	Born Yesterday	Sen. Hedges
1993	In the Line of Fire	White House Chief of Staff Harry Sargent
1994	Baby's Day Out	FBI Agent Dale Grissom
2002	Download This	Himself
2005	Racing Stripes	Sir Trenton	Voice
2005	Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World	Himself
2010	The Genesis Code	Judge Hardin
	Secretariat	Arthur "Bull" Hancock
	Ironmen	Governor Neeley
	Alleged	William Jennings Bryan	credited as Sen. Fred Dalton Thompson
2012	The Last Ride	O'Keefe
2012	Sinister	Sheriff
2013	Unlimited	Harold Finch
2014	Persecuted	Fr. Charles Luther
2014	23 Blast	Coach Powers
2015	A Larger Life	Robert Parker
2015	90 Minutes in Heaven	Jay B. Perkins
2016	God's Not Dead 2	Senior Pastor	posthumous release, credited as Fred Thompson

TelevisionEdit

Year	Series	Role	Episode count
1988	Wiseguy	Knox Pooley	3 episodes
1988	Unholy Matrimony	Frank Sweeny	TV movie
1989	China Beach	Lt. Col. Reinhardt	1 episode
	Roseanne	Keith Faber	1 episode
	Matlock	Gordon Lewis	2 episodes
	In the Heat of the Night	Tommy	Season 2 - Episode 18
1992	Bed of Lies	Richard 'Racehorse' Haynes	TV movie
	Stay the Night	Det. Malone
	Day-O	Frank DeGeorgio
	Keep the Change	Otis
1993	Matlock	Prosecutor McGonigal	1 episode
1993	Barbarians at the Gate	James D. Robinson III	TV movie
2000	Sex and the City	Politician on TV	1 episode
2001	Rachel and Andrew Jackson: A Love Story	President Andrew Jackson	Voice, TV movie
2002–2007	Law & Order	D.A. Arthur Branch	116 episodes
2003–2006	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	D.A. Arthur Branch	11 episodes
2004	Evel Knievel	Jay Sarno	TV movie
2005–2006	Law & Order: Trial by Jury	D.A. Arthur Branch	13 episodes
2005	Law & Order: Criminal Intent		1 episode
2006	Conviction		1 episode
2007	Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee	President Ulysses S. Grant	TV movie, credited as Fred Thompson
2009	Life on Mars	NYPD Chief Harry Woolf	1 episode
2011–2012	The Good Wife	Frank Michael Thomas	2 episodes
2015	Allegiance	FBI Director	4 episodes

Book authoredEdit

Electoral historyEdit

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ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project links

Official

The Official Flickr Page for Fred Thompson (official photo site)

Documentaries, topic pages and databases

Template:CongLinks
Financial information (presidential campaign) at the Federal Election Commission
OpenSecrets campaign contributions
- 1994 (Member of Congress)
Template:C-SPAN
Archive of United States Senator Fred Dalton Thompson Congressional Website (From Internet Archive retrieved on January 3, 2007)
Complete text and audio and video of Fred Thompson's GOP Presidential Candidacy Announcement AmericanRhetoric.com
Complete text and audio and video of Fred Thompson's 2008 Republican National Convention Speech AmericanRhetoric.com
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Template:Find a Grave
Fred D. Thompson Papers Template:Webarchive, University of Tennessee Knoxville Libraries

News media

Lawrenceburgs.com – Fred Thompson biography from hometown newspaper
The Fred Files at NashvillePost.com: Lobbying disclosures, 1975–1994.
Fred D. Thompson collection of news stories and commentary at The New York Times

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Fred Thompson

Contents

Early lifeEdit

Career as an attorneyEdit

Role in Watergate hearingsEdit

Corruption case against Tennessee governorEdit

Career as a lobbyistEdit

Initial acting careerEdit

United States SenatorEdit

Election campaignsEdit

Committee assignmentsEdit

Campaign co-chairman for John McCain's 2000 presidential campaignEdit

RatingsEdit

Personal life during Senate tenureEdit

Initial post-Senate life and careerEdit

Return to actingEdit

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosisEdit

Political activitiesEdit

Legal defense for Lewis LibbyEdit

Work as a radio analystEdit

Work as a columnistEdit

2008 presidential campaignEdit

Post-presidential campaignEdit

Political activitiesEdit

Acting careerEdit

Radio careerEdit

Work as an advertising spokesmanEdit

MemoirEdit

Death and funeralEdit

Political positionsEdit

FilmographyEdit

FilmEdit

TelevisionEdit

Book authoredEdit

Electoral historyEdit

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

External linksEdit