Althouse: "Fred Dalton Thompson, the former Republican senator from Tennessee and veteran character actor, died Sunday at age 73."

November 2, 2015

"Fred Dalton Thompson, the former Republican senator from Tennessee and veteran character actor, died Sunday at age 73."

"POLITICO takes a look back at Thompson's political and personal maneuvers, from Watergate and the campaign trail, to his performances on 'Law & Order' and 'Persecuted.'"

22 comments:

Nonapod said...: RIP. He always seemed like a nice guy and a good actor.

Although I think reverse mortgages are a scam.; 11/2/15, 8:54 AM
Robert Cook said...: I like him on Law and Order, and in the other parts I've seen him play.; 11/2/15, 9:01 AM
Qwinn said...: Fred Thompson was the only person I've ever voted for for President without holding my nose. The coordinated hit job on him at that time was revolting. 4 months of sneering "no fire in the belly"... so you gave us McCain?!? Thanks assholes!

RIP Fred.; 11/2/15, 9:10 AM
Robert Cook said...: Why are you voting for anyone for president if you have to hold your nose? That's a contributing cause to these miscreants repeatedly obtaining office. (And, if we assume it's a given the president will be a miscreant, why add your vote?); 11/2/15, 9:15 AM
Original Mike said...: @Nonapod: I'm curious, why do you see reverse mortgages as a scam? While I'm sure they're "expensive", they seem like a way to get money out of your house while still retaining the house.; 11/2/15, 9:19 AM
Todd said...: RIP.

I liked the cut of his jib.; 11/2/15, 9:32 AM
mikee said...: The cut of his jib was indicative of the entire ship of Fred, from keel to tip of the mainmast.; 11/2/15, 9:52 AM
Michael K said...: Fred Thompson was an accomplished man who had the actor's skill that Reagan said was important for a president to have.

I supported him in 2008.; 11/2/15, 9:58 AM
n.n said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/2/15, 10:00 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Gawker was classy as shit.

"Actor, Former Senator, and Predatory Home Refinancing Shill Fred Thompson Dead at 73"; 11/2/15, 10:20 AM
Lauderdale Vet said...: Fred was the first politician who I have ever sent money to.; 11/2/15, 10:29 AM
Todd said...: Lem said...
Gawker was classy as shit.

"Actor, Former Senator, and Predatory Home Refinancing Shill Fred Thompson Dead at 73"

11/2/15, 10:20 AM

Well to be fair, I am sure that when Ted Kennedy passed, the headline over there was "Senator, heave drinker, and killer of an innocent woman dead at 77."

Oh who am i kidding! There is no way it said that!; 11/2/15, 10:35 AM
Qwinn said...: Cook,

I select the most conservative electable candidate available, even if I have to hold my nose to do it. Any other action results in a leftward shift, of which we've had way too many. I know, I know, in your world Obama is an extremist right winger.; 11/2/15, 11:28 AM
Qwinn said...: To clarify: I haven't had to hold my nose because I've thought they're personally corrupt. I've had to hold my nose because the choices have only been slightly less left wing than the Democrat, who are invariably more left wing *and* personally corrupt. When the center moves back to the right of Stalin, then maybe I'll have a choice to not vote for a candidate who's too left wing for me.; 11/2/15, 11:34 AM
Nonapod said...: I'm curious, why do you see reverse mortgages as a scam? While I'm sure they're "expensive", they seem like a way to get money out of your house while still retaining the house.

Maybe scam's not the right term. But it just doesn't seem like a good deal since you could potentially live beyond the term of the mortgage and end up with nothing. Plus I'm just naturally skeptical of anything advertised in that shady infomercial style.; 11/2/15, 12:59 PM
Todd said...: Nonapod said...
I'm curious, why do you see reverse mortgages as a scam? While I'm sure they're "expensive", they seem like a way to get money out of your house while still retaining the house.

Maybe scam's not the right term. But it just doesn't seem like a good deal since you could potentially live beyond the term of the mortgage and end up with nothing. Plus I'm just naturally skeptical of anything advertised in that shady infomercial style.

11/2/15, 12:59 PM

I am by no means an expert but my understanding of how reverse mortgages work is [despite how they are worded] you get a long term annuity against your house. You get to live in it and when you die, the house is sold to pay back the annuity. If you are short retirement money (or have no family to leave assets to) this option gives you additional income while you are alive.

As long as no one is lied to or taken advantage of...; 11/2/15, 1:06 PM
fivewheels said...: Thompson was a clear winner in the "you'd have a beer with him" primary. And his Twitter was not only the best of any politician's, it was better than most comdedians' I've noticed. One-liner after one-liner.

"Wolf Blitzer frustrated b/c Hillary wouldn't name "no. 1 accomplishment" as SecState. Guess he misunderstood. Question-dodging is it."; 11/2/15, 2:59 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: I supported Thompson in 2008 and was sad to see that his campaign didn't get anywhere. He was a pretty good actor and seemed like a genuinely nice guy.; 11/2/15, 3:01 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: "Any other action results in a leftward shift, of which we've had way too many."

I appreciate Buckley's wisdom, but have come to believe that times have changed and voting for Trump is ultra-superior to voting for Cruz in many ways, most especially general-election electablitywise, also with the (without evidence much less proof) notion that Cruz will benefit the more Trump knocks-into-further-insanity Walker/Jeb/Christie/ and if need be the rest until the winnowing begins in the sense NHL playoffs are way, way more intense than regular season games.

What Cook is driving at, fear, is the most important motivation of all when voting and throughout many of one's life's decisions, but its impossible to pinpoint without mindful observation over time what decisions fear is the driver of, as the possibilities have now even become one of my definitions of infinite.; 11/2/15, 11:26 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: I see no evidence Hillary benefits from Trump entering the campaign, and I know negative campaigns work yet suspect many who comment here are too naive to accept that truth.

This could be because of the media's distortion, which is no excuse to let it happen if you aren't a Leftist, but a foundation for discussion, a concept I have and will again ridiculed but must concede has been successful scam to separate fools from their money, like SuperPACs and saying a farmer who grows wheat but doesn't sell it affects the market because he ain't buying it, wheat that is.

These Justices affect the biological weapons market by not buying them, after a bunch of time and effort exerted but failing to conclude they don't.; 11/2/15, 11:34 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: "...affects the market because he ain't buying it, wheat that is."

In some universe wheat is grown with bullshit, and there I accept my argument's failure in one sense, although the rest remains intact.; 11/2/15, 11:53 PM
gadfly said...: Obviously those who believe that reverse mortgages are a good thing have not been subjected to the unethical salespeople that sell them. When you decide that the reverse mortgages are overly expensive loans, with steep discounting of the money that you receive, it then becomes a hassle in turning off the sales pitches . . . and I doubt that you will comprehend a single schedule in the presentation of their offer.

If you need money late in life, you will be far better off to sell your house and find a smaller place to live.

But Fred had money and I think that he truly believed that he was helping those who do not.; 11/3/15, 11:09 PM