Fred Thompson Political Party Republican Party Current Position Actor on "Law and Order" Age 65   (August 19th, 1942) Hometown Laurenceburg, TN Religion Protestant Elections Straw Poll   Compare Fred Thompson to:      Joe Biden Hillary Clinton Chris Dodd John Edwards Mike Gravel Dennis Kucinich Barack Obama Bill Richardson Sam Brownback Jim Gilmore Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Ron Paul Mitt Romney Tom Tancredo Tommy Thompson Fred Thompson    Vote for Fred Thompson

PERSONAL

Spouse: Sarah Elizabeth Lindsey (1959-1985)
Children: Tony, Betsy (deceased, 2002), Daniel

Spouse: Jeri Kehn (2002-present)
Children: Hayden, Samual

EDUCATION

• Vanderbilt University, J.D., 1967
• Memphis State University, B.S. in Philosophy and Political Science, 1964

PROFESSIONAL

• Actor
• Practicing Attorney, 1967-1994
• Author, At That Point in Time

POLITICAL

• Senator, United States Senate, 1994-2002
• Appellate Court Nominating Committee, TN, 1985-1987
• Special Counsel to the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, 1982
• Special Counsel to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 1980-1981
• Special Counsel to Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander, 1980
• Chief Republican Counsel (Minority Counsel),US Senate Watergate Committee, 1973-1974
• Assistant US Attorney, Middle Tennessee, 1969-1972
• Campaign Manager, Howard Baker
• Staff Attorney to Senator Howard Baker.

• Believes life begins at conception and that abortion takes a life.
  
  
• Supports reversing Roe v Wade and allowing states to pass their own laws on abortion.
  
  
• Does not support a constitutional human life amendment.
  
  
• Would appoint only strict constructionist judges to the bench.
  
  
• Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions.
  
  

• Favors a constitutional amendment barring judges from allowing gay marriage, but believes it is up to each state’s government.
  
  
• Supports tolerance, but not special rights for gays.
  
  
• Does not support gay marriage or civil unions.
  
  
• Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes.
  
  
• Voted NO on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping.
  
  
• Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation.
  
  
• Voted NO on ending special funding for minority & women owned business.
  
  
• Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation.
  
  
• Voted YES on Amendment to prohibit flag burning
  
  
• Voted YES on requiring photo IDs for voter registration.
  
  

• Supports the death penalty – says it does work.
  
  
• Voted YES on limiting death penalty appeals.
  
  
• Would allow colleges to make their own rules about guns on campus.
  
  
• Is committed to protecting the 2nd amendment, and Strictly enforcing existing laws and severely punishing violent criminals.
  
  
• Believes having handguns in the home is a constitutional right.
  
  
• Voted NO on background checks at gun shows.
  
  
• Voted NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations.
  
  
• Voted YES on loosening license and background checks at gun shows.
  
  
• Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks.
  
  

• Says the DEA has no meaningful performance goals in illegal drugs.
  
  
• Voted YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses.
  
  
• Voted YES on spending international development funds on drug control.
  
  

• Wants to allow 2% into a private personal account, with a 2% Social Security match from the government.
  
  
• Voted YES on allowing personal retirement accounts.
  
  
• Supports dissolving the IRS.
  
  
• Believes tax cuts stimulate the economy.
  
  
• Voted NO on increasing tax deductions for college tuition.
  
  

• Voted for No Child Left Behind, but says it was a mistake and the program didn’t work.
  
  
• Says the best educational reforms are not federal but local, like charter schools.
  
  
• Voted NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors.
  
  
• Voted YES on Educational Savings Accounts.
  
  
• Voted YES on $75M for abstinence education.
  
  

• Favors investment in alternative fuels, with research and development to reduce carbon emissions.
  
  
• Voted YES on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
  
  
• Voted YES on preserving budget for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil drilling.
  
  
• Voted YES on defunding renewable and solar energy.
  
  
• Voted YES on more funding for forest roads and fish habitat (1999)
  
  
• Voted YES on reducing funds for road building in National Forests (1997)
  
  

• Says one size fits all programs are inefficient and inadequate.
  
  
• Supports competition, free market solutions, and personal responsibility.
  
  
• Says we have the world’s best medical system but it’s too expensive, and that the individual’s decisions are better than massive bureaucracy.
  
  
• Believes Americans are better served that the nationalized Canadian system.
  
  
• Voted NO on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada.
  
  
• Voted NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare.
  
  
• Voted NO on increasing tobacco restrictions.
  
  

• Pledges to veto any immigration bill that involves amnesty.
  
  
• Says protecting our border is part of being a sovereign nation.
  
  
• Wants to eliminate welfare incentives for illegal immigrants.
  
  
• Says we can’t round up 12M illegal immigrants, so focus on preventing the next 12M.
  
  

• Medical/Science - Voted YES on banning human cloning.
  
  
• Arts - Supports the National Endowment for the Arts.
  
  
• Voting Record - http://www.vote smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=22003
  
  

• Believes diplomacy works better when we’re prepared to use force.
  
  
• Voted YES on limiting the President’s power to impose economic sanctions.
  
  
• Says Waterboarding would be okay if national security was at stake.
  
  
• Supports pre emptive attack to prevent nuclear proliferation.
  
  
• Believes Iraq and Afghanistan are the central front of the global war on terror.
  
  
• Says that as long as we have the will to stay in Iraq, we’ll be okay.
  
  
• Pledges to do everything in his power to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
  
  
• Says he would consult congress, even if not required, to attack nukes in Iran.
  
  
• Believes the world will become more dangerous if we leave Iraq.
  
  
• Says all wars are full of mistakes and that we should trust General Petraeus.
  
  

Police: Alleged Abduction A Hoax   5:20 pm on May 15, 2008

Best Place to Mod Yourself Up   2:01 pm on May 15, 2008

Fred Thompson, Blogger? Has New Online Column, Disses Obama   9:24 am on May 15, 2008

The fall of Paul   11:29 pm on May 13, 2008

Lemonade, in any form, can brighten a warm spring day   4:28 pm on May 13, 2008

Yes, borders are a federal matter, but...   5:51 am on May 13, 2008

Fred Jordan Missions celebrates Mother's Day   12:02 am on May 12, 2008

Fred Thompson Finds His Proper Place   12:05 pm on May 6, 2008

FDT quip cracks up Cameron!   8:44 am on May 6, 2008

Fred Thompson teams up with McCain on trail   9:28 am on Apr 30, 2008

Issue #1 on CNN ? This week, 12pm ET   11:23 am on Apr 15, 2008

Laying the Foundation   9:02 pm on Apr 13, 2008

Bauer touts Thompson over Rice for McCain's running mate   4:20 am on Apr 12, 2008

Press-Register   2:39 am on Apr 12, 2008

O'Hair has gallery of his own   12:02 am on Apr 12, 2008

Fred Couples misses cut for the first time   9:54 pm on Apr 11, 2008

Couples' streak over   9:32 pm on Apr 11, 2008

1992 champion Fred Couples misses first cut ever at Augusta National   7:50 pm on Apr 11, 2008

Ed Sherman's Birdies and Bogeys   7:46 pm on Apr 11, 2008

Maid Attacked at Belmont County Hotel   4:27 pm on Apr 11, 2008