I sort of get this feeling that in true Godfather-style republican politics Fred Thompson, no matter how much he wants to be Sonny (or Michael) is really the Other Fredo. Showboaty, not much substance and has to buy his friends off with promises he can't keep or in some cases make no promises at all or even say much.
Republicans rushing to embrace Fred Thompson's would-be presidential candidacy might have trouble figuring out what he would do if he actually won the White House.
On most public policy issues, the former Tennessee senator and "Law & Order" actor has offered few, if any, specifics. Even on the dominant issue of the 2008 campaign _ the war in Iraq _ Thompson has carefully stopped short of wading into what he would do about the conflict should he inherit it, although he has generally backed President Bush.
In the finest tradition of St Ronnie of the Brain Plaque, Fredo looks good and can read the teleprompter. He's not stupid, but he's not exactly either energetic or motivated by much other than titles and perks. Take this for what it's worth; it's a quote from Newsmax...but it makes an interesting point about Thompson:
Aside from McCain-Feingold, in his eight years in the Senate, Thompson was the primary sponsor of only four pieces of legislation, none of any significance. "I worked for the music business for years when Fred Thompson was the senator from Tennessee," Hilary Rosen, former chief lobbyist for the Recording Industry Association of America and now a Democratic strategist, said on MSNBC. "So I worked with him in his office fairly regularly, and I have to say, as nice a guy as he is, he is lazy. He was a lazy senator."
"I've been friendly with Thompson for years," Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund said on The Journal Editorial Report. In the Senate, Fund said, Thompson "had a reputation for being a little lazy."
Even Thompson's high school football coach, Garner Ezell, told the Nashville Tennessean, "He was smart, but he was lazy."
You know, the last thing we need is another lazy asshole in charge running the government/country. Eight years of one intellectually, morally bankrupt and vacation-loving lazy-ass charlatan is quite enough, thank-you-very-much-for-playing, Fredo. Now head on back to Mrs. Thompson's warm mammaries for some cool comfort and find a role that lets you play a President on TV ... again.
