In 1977, Thompson continued his career as a crusading prosecutor on the state level with a case which ended up toppling pardon-selling Tennessee Gov. Ray Blanton from office. His entry into show business came when the producers of a movie based on the case, "Marie," were unable to find an actor capable of portraying Thompson as effectively as Thompson himself.
Sen. Thompson has played many roles in the movies and on television, including a White House chief of staff, a Director of Central Intelligence, a rear admiral, an FBI official- and even a U.S. senator! As a 1994 New York Times article put it, "When Hollywood directors need someone who can personify governmental power, they often turn to him."
Not surprising. Thompson exudes leadership. All he has to do is play himself.
In 1994, Thompson was elected to fill the unexpired senate term of Vice-President Al Gore. Defeating Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper by a margin of 61% to 39%, in that election Thompson received more votes than any other Tennessee candidate had ever previously received in a statewide race. Re-elected by an even bigger margin to a full term in 1996, Thompson served as first chair and later ranking minority member of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. As committee chair, Thompson led the investigation into the campaing finance scandal arising from alleged Chinese government contributions to various Democratic candidates.
After initially indicating his intention to seek re-election in 2002, Thompson changed his mind. Some speculate that the death of his daughter may have played a role. Sen. Thompson is perhaps best known today as Distict Attorney Arthur Branch on the television series "Law and Order." He served in an informal capacity as "shepherd" of the nomination of Chief Justice John Roberts through the U.S. Senate in 2006, and serves as a conservative commentator on ABC Radio.
Widely expected to run for governor of Tennessee in 2006, Sen. Thompson decided against it. But now, at a time when none of the Republican candidates for the White House have captured the imagination of the American people, Sen. Thompson has let it be known that he is considering entering the race himself.
The above is from Wikipedia by way of Iowans for Fred Thompson - the opinion bits below are by Bob Waters, but he could have been reading my mind given his words are what I am thinking. Read below for that opinion.
I believe him to be the candidate best suited to unite the party, to restore it to its economic principles, to combine a staunch social conservatism with a compassionate appeal to our deepest values as a nation, to defeat whatever far-Left candidate the Democrats choose to run in 2008- and to restore the world's respect, and its own, to a nation which seems to have lost confidence in its own greatness.
Without intending disrespect to any of the fine men who are already seeking the nomination, this blog is my attempt to encourage my fellow Republicans in Iowa and elsewhere to rally behind the man who is far and away our best potential candidate, and the best potential President for the next decade: Sen. Fred Dalton Thompson of Tennessee!