Too Tough for Thompson

It would be difficult to form a presidential legacy as disastrous and disapproved as the one George W. Bush has. But, Fred Thompson is trying to give it a shot.

After announcing his intention to run for president last month, Thompson entered the spotlight timorously and unprepared. He has been criticized as lazy, apathetic and even dumb. When questioned in a recent debate whether or not he entered the race too late, Thompson looked confused. “It seems about right to me,” he replied in his slow, southern draw, not sure what the question was insinuating. A burst of laughter broke out before quieting in realization that Thompson was serious.

People are still unsure whether or not he can handle the presidency. His stance on most issues has been enough to attract a high percentage of party support, but the job requires more than simple, fortified viewpoints. Thompson's unreadiness has been exemplified by his inability to play to the crowd. Many of his campaign events have seemed more like retirement reunions than political rallies. The lack of enthusiasm flows both ways.

Fred Thompson arrived almost an hour late to one of his rallies in New Hampshire before his bus ironically and inappropriately pulled up to the song “Taking Care of Business”. He told the small group of people that he wouldn't be delivering very many “applause lines” and that he had showed up to talk “seriously, about serious things”. It's difficult, however, for many voters to take Fred Thompson seriously.

Last week in Iowa, he concluded his discussion to a bored, quiet crowd by straight-up asking for a round of applause. A few people laughed, while most sourly obliged to his desperation. Perhaps Thompson is operating under the guise of straight, serious talk because he simply cannot get people to cheer for him (without asking).

After the initial excitement following his pledge to run, voters are beginning to realize that he's not the shrewd prosecutor that he played on Law & Order. Stuttering though impromptu speeches, incapable of engaging small talk with voters-- it's obviously too tough for Thompson to act without a script. But, not knowing what to say without speech writer's help isn't such an unrealistic presidential idiosyncrasy. (Some of those presidents can't even act with the help of speech writers.) Many republicans instantly associated Fred Thompson's political and personal platforms to those of Ronald Reagan. Their only similarity is both being actors, and, well, Thompson isn't the best (at portraying a politician or a lawyer). He does not have Reagan's affability, charisma, or charm. Delivering applause lines is what politicians do, and if Thompson continues to refuse to do so, he will (currently does) have a tough time exciting voters with the strategy (or lack thereof).

Fred Thompson is probably the only current presidential hopeful who makes George W. Bush look like a legitimate Harvard student. It isn't helpful to his political ambitions to have Richard Nixon calling him “dumb as hell” on tape. After he was appointed to lead the republican's investigation of The Watergate Scandal, Nixon worried incessantly about Thompson's [in]competence. He worried whether or not Thompson was smart enough to shift the investigation awry, to keep him in the oval office. Nixon resigned two months later.

Fred Thompson's support among the GOP is diminishing a month after he entered the race. In particular, his opposition to an amendment banning gay marriage is enough to lose faith from evangelical Christian leaders like James Dobson, who was recently named "The Most Influential Evangelical Leader in America" by Christianity Today magazine. Dobson recently had a private e-mail in which he denounced Thompson made public. [Speaking of Thompson] Dobson wrote: “...He has no passion, no zeal, and no apparent want to,” and “...won't talk at all about what he believes, and can't speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail.” When confronted with the e-mail, Thompson seemed incredulous, before finally retaliating. "I really have no comment,” he replied to the Christian criticism. I guess Dobson was right.

I spoke to another man recently, of Fred Thompson's bid for the republican nomination. The man comforted me.“There isn't much to worry about. Our country would never elect someone so incompetent, or so stupid for that matter,” he said. I nodded in agreement before realizing we already had. Twice (once).