Fred Thompson: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:01, 31 March 2007

Revision as of 19:38, 31 March 2007

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On [[November 8]], [[1994]], Thompson was elected to the United States Senate to fill the unexpired portion of the term ending [[January 3]], [[1997]], left vacant by the resignation of [[Al Gore]], defeating six-term [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]] [[Jim Cooper]] in a 61% to 39% landslide which represented the most votes anyone had ever received for a statewide office in Tennessee history up to that point. Thompson took the oath of office on [[December 2]], [[1994]]. Almost immediately upon his arrival in [[Washington, D.C.]] ("while I was still unpacking my boxes," as he put it), Thompson was selected by the Republicans to give a reply to a nationally-televised address by [[President of the United States|President]] [[Bill Clinton]]. This was no doubt due to his acting background, but many pundits saw this as an attempt to groom him for an even larger political role.

As a U.S. Senator, Thompson gained considerly more media attention for his active D.C. social night life with much younger girlfriends, including his two year relationship (1994-1996) with county music recording artist [[Lorrie Morgan]]. In her book <i>Forever Yours, Faithfully: My Love Story</i>, Morgan states that "For a while, I wanted to marymarry Fred, but I knew that he could not accept me as I am." (p.263)

During his 1995 campaign for the U.S. Senate, Thompson and his staffers again sold Tennesseans on the carefully crafted and retreaded Thompson "good ole boy" persona involving Senator Thompson crossing the state in his red pickup truck (revealed later to be first leased by Thompson for the 1994 campaign tour)<ref>[http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070318/COLUMNIST0101/703180383 "Will Fred's old, red pickup ride again on presidential trail?" Gail Kerr. Tennessean.com , March 18, 2007.]</ref> to all of his Tennessee campaign stops, however Michele Cottle of the <i>Washington Monthly</i> revealed an eyewitness account of Thompson being driven away from a political rally in Knoxville, Tennessee by a campaign staffer, and each to be sighted minutes later with the campaign staffer left behind with the Thompson campaign truck, and Senator Thompson driving away "... behind the wheel of a sweet silver luxury sedan."<ref>http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/archives/9612.cottle.html "Another Beltway Bubba?" Michelle Cottle. The Washington Monthly, December 1996.</ref>