Fredheads Unite for Homecoming
September 16, 2007
Democrats love to bandy about the term ‘rock star' to describe their political stars. Quite frankly, I've never much cared for the term. It conjures up sophomoric images of liberal mouthpieces like former Clinton press secretary, Dee Dee Myers, pandering to the MTV crowd. If it's meant to connote a certain star quality that generates a euphoric following, admittedly, the Republicans have been sorely lacking since Ronald Reagan.
Fred Thompson capped off his presidential announcement campaign swing with a widely anticipated homecoming to Lawrenceburg, TN. I was there. Some in the mainstream media sought to downplay the event by placing the head-count at ‘1,000 supporters.' In reality, the picturesque and historic town square in Lawrenceburg was filled with ‘Fred Heads,' overflowing down the side streets and up on rooftops of this quintessential southern town. Even some self-described ‘Frednecks' were in attendance. Official estimates were more like 10,000.
John Rich, of the country band Big and Rich , warmed up the crowd with an energizing acoustic set peppered with his unabashed support for Thompson. Statesman and Thompson mentor, Howard Baker, had the honors of introducing Fred, followed by a short video recap of Thompson's life and career. The video piece chronicled Fred's rise from Lawrenceburg, the first in his family to attend college, to his graduation from Vanderbilt Law School to his work on the Watergate investigative committee. It then segued into his role in helping to take down a corrupt governor of Tennessee in a pardons-for-sale scandal that earned him his first acting job. However, nothing of his acting career was mentioned, emphasizing the fact that his recognition by most of the country as a movie and television star has merely been a sideline in Fred's illustrious career. The revelers then watched on two giant screens as cameras followed the Chevy SUV carrying Thompson to the stage.
As he hopped out of the front seat, the crowd went wild as Fred strolled up the catwalk greeting supporters and waving to the assembled multitude. Instead of a stodgy campaign speech from behind a podium, Thompson enjoyed the freedom of a clip-on microphone. He made use of the entire stage, treating the crowd to a frank discussion of the issues and his vision of where he wanted to take the country.
Addressing the war in Iraq and the broader war on terrorists, Thompson emphatically drove home the point that the last thing America needs to do, at this point in history, is show any signs of weakness. He reiterated his long-standing defense of Second Amendment rights and his desire to set the county on a path back to the basics set forth by our founding fathers. He reminded the crowd that our rights do not come from government but come from God and any government that makes a practice of granting rights can, just as easily, take them away.
Thompson drew thunderous applause when he stated that we must secure our borders and make sure that everyone who comes to this country is here legally. He articulated how our border security is inexorably linked to our national security. Then he laid out the qualifications needed for the next commander-in-chief. “It is with all the humility that I can muster that I tell you tonight,” Fred concluded, “that I am that man.” The crowd was in full agreement.
Rock star? If the term ever applied to a politician it is certainly Fred Thompson. But it's much more than that. ‘Presidential' is the word that kept echoing in my mind. And that's exactly what this country needs. In Lawrenceburg, TN that's exactly what we saw.