The legend of Fred Thompson
I'm absolutely fascinated with the way Fred Thompson is being portrayed as the "conservative" candidate. He may be, I really don't know his politics, but that's exactly my point.
Thompson is polling very well, being cited as "a conservative," but really, how many of those polled know anything at all about him? If I were to cherry pick another one term Senator from "not your state" would you be able to tell me his politics?
Fred Thompson is nationally known as a conservative because he plays one on TV. Fred Thompson is nationally known as a conservative because the media calls him that.
The American mind is being made up, and we haven't even met the man.
Pretty bizarre.
(Oh, and while I'm at it, some of the "true conservatives" today, blasted the entire Cheney family for the new baby, and threatened, if Giuliani were nominated, to form a third party and actively work for his defeat.)
Thompson is polling very well, being cited as "a conservative," but really, how many of those polled know anything at all about him? If I were to cherry pick another one term Senator from "not your state" would you be able to tell me his politics?
Fred Thompson is nationally known as a conservative because he plays one on TV. Fred Thompson is nationally known as a conservative because the media calls him that.
The American mind is being made up, and we haven't even met the man.
Pretty bizarre.
(Oh, and while I'm at it, some of the "true conservatives" today, blasted the entire Cheney family for the new baby, and threatened, if Giuliani were nominated, to form a third party and actively work for his defeat.)
posted by mikevotes at
1:21 PM
10 Comments:
Considering their other options, I'd say Thomson is a pretty good bet.
By
Praguetwin, at 3:59 PM
Yeah, I keep forgetting the paucity of options.
But, I gotta say, Thompson doesn't even do a very convincing job of playing that character on Law and Order.
How's he going to do it for real?
By
mikevotes, at 4:11 PM
People like the idea of Fred Thompson. Fred Thompson isn't a person, he's a character on the idiot-box.... Another example of Gore's argument that reason has been replaced by conglomerate-television product packaging. TV is reality.
By
-epm, at 6:24 PM
That's what I'm trying to say.
His current national support is based upon some mythical understanding of what he is based upon charcters he played.
I think he will fall flat after awhile because to me, he doesn't seem a very good actor.
By
mikevotes, at 9:19 PM
Was Reagan a good actor, I mean when he was still in Hollywood that is?
By
Praguetwin, at 2:40 AM
That's a fair point.
But Reagan also had a far greater "range" playing comedy, western, war movie, propaganda, drama, etc.
Fred Thompson has just played the same character role over and over.
IMDB entries: http://imdb.com/name/nm0001654/
Thompson: http://imdb.com/name/nm0000669/
Reagan:
I certainly haven't seen all of Thompson's work, but I have never seen his characters making the equivalent of a rousing inspirational cmapaign speech. He doesn't seem to do loud very well.
I saw the white Supremicist role the LATimes was mentioning awhile back wher he was supposed to be on stage rallying people, and he wasn't very good.
At least, not Obama good. or Giuliani good.
Have to wait and see I guess.
By
mikevotes, at 7:38 AM
Reagan was a great actor where it counted: he was a great pitch-man. You don't need De Niro or Newman acting, you need salesman acting, and that Reagan had in spades.
By
-epm, at 10:18 AM
Right.
That's why he was in all those propaganda films.
By
mikevotes, at 11:07 AM
Bingo!
By
-epm, at 4:24 PM
Fair points all around.
I remember how hard it was to stay angry with Reagan while he was doing his "aw shucks" routine.
I don't see the same problem with Thompson.
Still, I think he'll get the nomination... by default
By
Praguetwin, at 6:21 AM
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