New School Politics

Who Is Fred Thompson Anyway?

Ryan | 17 06 2007

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Without any official announcement as to whether he is running for president Former Actor/Senator Fred Thompson of Hollywood/Tennessee has surged to second place in most GOP primary polls, on the heels of Rudy Giulliani, despite his candidacy’s lack of any visable substance. Essentially he is the GOP’s version of Barack Obama: just instead of young, idealistic, pinko, and multiracial, he is old, folksy, southern, and traditional.

In both cases the candidates have not committed to any sytematic or distinct sets of views, but rather have each remained a blank slate upon which the party faithful can cast whatever image they desire. Given, Obama has had more time to identify himself because he has had more time in the limelight, but at the end of the day he reveals himself as little more than style over substance.

Thompson was in the Senate for eight years, but even there he did not distinguish himself as exceptional in any way other than his lackadaisical approach to public office. Furthermore, in the early primary season he has failed to identify himself in any other manner than generically on policy matters nor has he so much as alluded to any potential presidential initiatives.

George Will explained Thompson’s popularity by (1) good politician and (2) Republicans hope he’s Reagan:

One does not want to be unfair to Thompson, who may have hidden depths. But ask yourself this: If he did not look like a basset hound who had just read a sad story—say, “Old Yeller”—and if he did not talk like central casting’s idea of the god Sincerity, would anyone think he ought to be entrusted with the nation’s nuclear arsenal? He is an actor, and, as a Hollywood axiom says, the key to acting is sincerity—if you can fake that, you’ve got it made.

This is, of course, all about another actor. Republicans have scrutinized the current crop of presidential candidates and succumbed to the psychosomatic disease Reagan Deprivation. It is, however, odd that many Republicans who advertise their admiration for Reagan are so ready to describe Thompson as Reaganesque because he … what?

Maybe personal appeal is enough to get you elected to public office–it has been at times in the past. But what the past has also tought us is that when the people vote for the candidate with the most inviting smile or best handshake without examining the mind behind the matter, the people tend to regret their vote. Let’s hope we have more choice than just Obama’s smile or Thompson’s handshake when we cast our ballot in November ‘08.