Sen. Fred Thompson, R.I.P.

A man of many talents, a man of many
accomplishments, and a man of boundless
love for our country, Fred Dalton Thompson,
passed away on November 1 after a heroic
12-year battle with Lymphoma. The dynamic
conservative from Tennessee was 73.

Thompson, an attorney, actor, author, radio
show host (he would substitute for the late
Paul Harvey on the latter's show while Harvey
himself was ailing), senator, and presidential
candidate, first came to notoriety as a young
federal prosecutor when he drew out the public
admission from a White House aide that President
Richard Nixon had a secret taping system in
the White House at the time of Watergate.

He later tried his hand at acting and again found
bountiful success, appearing in over 30 films,
most notably "In The Line of Duty" alongside
Clint Eastwood, and appeared in over a dozen
television series, the best known role being that
of fictional New York DA Arthur Branch on
the highly popular TV show "Law and Order".
Thompson left the show when he decided to
run for the presidency. Sadly for those of us
who would have loved to see him be nominated
by the Republican Party and elected president,
Thompson dropped out of the GOP side of the race
after a short, lackluster campaign in which some
thought that his heart wasn't really in it.

Next, Thompson was in radio and later returned
to acting, all the while quietly fighting the lymphoma
cancer which would ultimately claim victory. While
this larger-than-life, six-foot-six charismatic southern
gentleman may have left this world, he left us with a
legacy of warmth, humor, candor, joy, patriotism,
and country wisdom. Thank you, Senator Thompson,
for your many contributions to our body politic, our
culture, and our country. And now you have taken
your final bow on this mortal stage. Godspeed. R.I.P.



MEM