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Actor's White House bid to disappoint fans
It is not generally a good idea for a candidate for the nation's highest office to disappoint his greatest fan base. But Fred Thompson risks doing precisely that if he makes a late entry into next year's race for the White House.
- By Philip Sherwell, The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2007
- Published: 00:00 April 9, 2007
New York: It is not generally a good idea for a candidate for the nation's highest office to disappoint his greatest fan base. But Fred Thompson risks doing precisely that if he makes a late entry into next year's race for the White House.
For the former Republican senator for Tennessee is better known to most Americans as straight-talking prosecutor Arthur Branch on the television series Law & Order. And under federal rules demanding equal airtime for candidates, daily re-runs of the popular show will be forced off the airwaves if Thompson decides to run.
Strong third
The 64-year-old actor-politician, whose film credits include The Hunt for Red October and Die Hard 2, came a strong third in a recent poll of possible Republican presidential nominees. It is an impressive showing for a man who has so far only said that he is "considering" whether to run, and reflects disillusion within party ranks over the current leading candidates.
The prospect already has broadcasters re-thinking schedules laid out months in advance. US election law requires that all contenders receive the same amount of prime-time coverage - a rule that applies even if the contender is appearing as an actor.
In previous elections, the law has deprived viewers of films and television programmes starring two famous Republican Hollywood stars. During Ronald Reagan's Californian gubernatorial and US presidential campaigns, his films disappeared from the listings. Television networks dropped all of Arnold Schwarzenegger's films when he ran for governor of California. As it would be impractical to grant matching airtime to the other Republican hopefuls the stations would have to drop the several hours of Law & Order re-runs that appear each day.
There is a growing buzz among the Republican faithful about a Thompson candidacy as the campaign of Senator John McCain falters over his hawkish stance on Iraq and the colourful private life and liberal social views of former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani receive greater scrutiny.
Attorney by career and on the screen
Fred Thompson is an attorney by career as well as on screen. He came to prominence as co-chief counsel in the Watergate investigation into President Richard Nixon and served as a Tennessee senator from 1994 until 2003 while continuing his acting career.
He maintained his political contacts after leaving the Senate and helped to steer President George W. Bush's Supreme Court justice nominees through their congressional hearings.
He has southern conservative roots, an affable manner and the benefit of widespread name and face recognition that would allow him to make a belated pitch for the top job.
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