WPLN: Tennessee adopted son, Senator Fred Thompson, announced he’s making White House run

Suggested host intro: Tennessee’s adopted son, Senator Fred Thompson, has announced he is making a run for the White House. He has had careers in Tennessee, Hollywood, and Washington. Matt Laslo reports on the mixed opinions of him on Capitol Hill.

NARR: Thompson has been spending a lot of time courting Congressional Republicans on Capitol Hill, which makes it hard to find lawmakers that say anything negative about him. But Texas Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert did take a jab with a little humor.  

GOHMERT3-GREAT MAN :16 “He has obviously one glaring error that he will have to address: its just nearly impossible to get elected if you are bald-headed. But anyway, hopefully he’ll be able to address that shortcoming he’s a great man and will make a great leader forAmerica“

After two terms representing Tennessee in the US Senate Thompson’s acting career took off. He became a fixture in many households for playing District Attorney Arthur Branch on Law and Order. Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions is not ready to endorse Thompson yet, but says Thompson the actor is already popular in his house.

SESSIONS1-WIFE :02 “I know my wife likes his television shows.”

Sessions says he is waiting on the sidelines.

SESSIONS2-COACH SESSIONS :09 “I’m like the football coach: let’s let the guys practice hard and pretty soon someone will step up – maybe – separate themselves from the rest. And I don’t think that has happened yet.”

Movie directors have used Thompson’s stern presence to portray powerful Washington figures . . . like when he played White House Chief of Staff in the film In the Line of Fire. Clint Eastwood discovers a threat to the president but Thompson’s character says the campaign must go on.

ACTING3-PROTECT YOUR BOSS :14 Eastwood: “I’m just trying to protect your boss damn it.” Thompson: “So am I, we’re trailing twelve points in the latest polls. He doesn’t get out there and he is out of a job in six weeks.” Eastwood: “Even if it kills him?” Thompson: “Next order of business.”

Are actors and politicians two sides of the same coin? Stephen Wayne is a professor of Government at Georgetown University. He says Thompson’s acting experience could pay off in the presidential race.

WAYNE1-ACTING :15 “You know in acting you read a script and you play a part, and you try to be convincing, as politicians try to be convincing. So there is a large public component in both roles. You are trying to convince people of something.

But Wayne also says his acting could be a disadvantage.

WAYNE2-TRUTH OR ACTING :10 “So you’re not quite sure whether he is acting or telling the truth and you see that he has represented positions which disagree with his current beliefs – you’re just not sure about him.”

Wayne also says Thompson’s career as a DC lobbyist may have hurt him in other ways. He briefly represented a pro-choice group, but says he is against abortion. Professor Wayne says he helped his two sons get placed in well-known lobbying firms. Wayne says that raises questions about if Thompson is in politics for personal gain.  

WAYNE3-SELVES FIRST:12 “Are they in it for themselves? Are they taking advantage of politics? Or are these people just feel very strongly about getting involved in the political arena for the help of the public and not for their own private benefit?”

But one of the most long-standing critiques of Thompson is that he is lazy. Charlie Cook is an expert in political campaigns. He doubts Thompson’s drive.   

COOK1-SKEPTICAL :16 “I think if God told me today they were going to hook him up to a B-12 IV every morning before he got out of bed, gave him a fistful of amphetamines, and totally reorganize his campaign and hire all new people, I think he’d win the nomination (laughter),. But until that point I’m a little skeptical.”

But Thompson’s former staffers and colleagues disagree with the lazy caricature. Thompson first entered the public arena when Tennessee Senator Howard Baker recruited him for the Nixon Watergate investigation. And while a senator he was asked to head up an investigation into President Bill Clinton and campaign abuses. Hannah Sisteir was Thompson’s staff director on the Senate Government Affairs Committee. She says he was always prepared.

SISTEIR2-READ :15 “Well first he would read an entire notebook of information the weekend before and then we knew we were in for a late night the night before because he read all the testimony.”

Sisteir says the reports of laziness come from people’s reaction to his Southern drawl. Other questions have arisen about Thompson’s campaign. He’s already fired five top staffers and some people say his wife Jeri makes all the decisions. Professor Wayne says Thompson has to prove his strength as a manager.

WAYNE4-PROVE IT :13 “Frankly coming into the campaign, as a lawyer, from the Senate and as an actor doesn’t demonstrate any management capabilities to me. So he’s gonna have to demonstrate that.”  

Thompson won his first senate campaign by driving around Tennessee in a red pickup truck . . . but he recently was spotted wearing Gucci loafers while campaigning with Iowa farmers. And he currently lives in an upscale suburb of DC.

But Tennessee Republican Senator Lamar Alexander says Thompson hasn’t been corrupted by his time in Washington.

ALEXANDER1-VACINATED :04 I say Thompson has been in Washington long enough to be vaccinated and not infected. For the past couple years Thompson the actor has taken center stage. Now it’s Thompson the politician’s chance to convince voters that he is the right choice for his Party.

For Nashville Public Radio, I'm Matt Laslo on Capitol Hill.