August 17, 2007 2:16 PM
Folksy Fred at the fair
View larger Photo by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
Former Sen. Fred Thompson was wading through a sea of people at the Iowa State Fair on Friday when a man stopped in his path and asked when he would go "off the deep end" and officially enter the race for president.
"I'm in the deep end. The waters feel pretty good," Thompson said, and then he kept swimming through the mob.
This was Thompson's debut appearance in Iowa as a would-be Republican presidential contender -- and in a brief speech amid the hay bales, he did all he could to show off his southern charms.
He talked of his "mama and daddy." He used the verb "reckon" when pondering a local politician. He talked about once prosecuting "moonshiners" in Tennessee.
And, despite his fame in television and film roles, he made sure everyone knew that he had never had an acting lesson in his life -- wasn't even in a high school play, Thompson said.
Still, he did what every lawyer-turned-actor-turned-politician-turned-Hollywood-heavyweight is supposed to do: he played the role of humble man in introducing himself to would-be Iowa caucus goers.
For Friday's debut performance, the script started with:
"If I were you, I'd be asking, 'Who is this guy and why is he here?'"
Thompson eventually got around to answering that question, and we'll post some more details later tonight.
But first, we have to write the full story for Saturday's equally folksy, old fashioned paper version of the Rocky Mountain News. (HERE'S THAT STORY.)
So stay tuned.
Photo by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
Photo by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
Photo by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
View larger Photo by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
Photo by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
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Photos by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
August 20, 2007
6:07 AM
slim writes:
hillary clinton is not an actor (or an actress). she is not in the screen actor's guild or any other actors' unions. she has never "played a role" other than herself. she probably did have something to do with vince foster's "suicide", but that was a fairly long time ago and everyone deserves forgiveness.
i agree with the recent commenter roni bell that fred thompson looks like a "hack las vegas side room player." well said!
August 19, 2007
7:35 PM
Roni Bell writes:
Do the rips against actors equally apply to Hillary?
She's the thespian extraordinaire. And...really...all the world's her stage.
Makes Fred look like a hack Las Vegas side room player.
August 19, 2007
12:29 PM
Mike C writes:
That guy is a folksy as a three-dollar bill!
August 19, 2007
12:12 PM
STH writes:
"Script" is exactly the right word to use here. Let's not forget this is a guy who spent most of his professional life as a highly-paid corporate lobbyist. And then there's the leased red pick-up he used for driving away from campaign events when he was running for the Senate (driving away to where his luxury car was waiting for him). He is a 100% complete phony, and I hope Iowans can see through the "jes folks" smokescreen.
August 19, 2007
11:05 AM
Jim C. writes:
Did anyone notice that the toteboard picture gives the Democrats almost a 2-1 victory?
I wonder which part of the Republican message isn't resounding with American people, the part about everlasting war in Iraq or the part about everlasting war everywhere else?
August 19, 2007
5:32 AM
slim writes:
you can never trust an actor. the only line of work that's sketchier is journalism. sure there are degrees, some actors and journalists are more trustworthy than others. fred thompson seems conniving to me. get in the race or stay out. this coyness is insufferable.
was his wife with him? if not, why not? isn't she the campaign's lead advisor?