"...candidates who studiously avoided military service and have done nothing but dressed up in "tough-guy" costumes and smoked cigars in front of a camera can be -- and are -- hailed as "tough guys" by our media elite (while candidates with actual combat experience are derided as cowards and effeminate losers). Within that framework, it is easy to see how individuals like Fred Thompson (or Newt Gingrich, or Rush Limbaugh) are held up as the candidate of Christian piety, the defender of "traditional marriage," and the hero of the "values voters."'
Fred Thompson is another actor pretending to be a presidential candidate. He follows in the very formidable footsteps of another actor who was pretty good at playing the part of president. In his own words Mr. Thompson just
"acted like the person I wanted to be until that's what I am."The question though is going to be "Is the act the same as the real man?" Thompson is being touted as a southern social conservative. The Bible belt is giving a long look at his candidacy as being something they could tolerate. His politics have been flawless and he is a powerful manipulator of the media. His presence and southern eloquence are overpowering, but is it real or is it an act?
His Actions: Marriage to a woman 25 years younger and 4 years younger than his daughter after divorcing his first wife of 25 years and reveling in an active courting cycle with "many women." Adultery, divorce, fornication? No Problem.
His Policy: He's for traditional marriage which he defines only as "marriage between a man and a woman." The Christian Right is happy for his policy and will happily shut their eyes to his personal life.
His Actions: Avoidance of military service in the 60's even though as a Young Republican he supported the military campaign in Vietnam. He didn't serve.
His Policy: He do "pretty much what the president has done" if he was in charge of the Iraq war.
His Actions: He sat behind his desk recreating his "Law and Order" tough guy character and told Michael Moore to go to a Mental Institution. Michael's crime? He wanted to debate Health Care in America. "Acting tough" is all that counts. His idea of debate? Blowing smoke!
His Policy: He voted against Smoking Bans, voted against health care deductions for self employed, voted against including prescription drugs under Medicare; voted against importing generic drugs from Canada.
Fred Thompson fills the need of the Republican obsession with "toughness." The trouble is he can act tough but does his life and politics really reflect that? What is he really? It's hard for an actor to "be real" but if we look at what he actually does and how he lives his life we'll see how "socially and culturally conservative" he really is. My prediction? He blow a lot of smoke and win lots of supporters, especially L&O fans. He'll be good at acting like a president.
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