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NewsSaturday, June 23, 2007 8:56 PM CDT
Group wants actor, ex-Sen. Thompson to run for president
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SPRINGFIELD — He hasn’t announced if he’s running for the presidency yet but that isn’t stopping a group of Illinois Republicans from backing former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson for the job.

Members of Illinois Citizens to Draft Fred Thompson gathered in the Capitol on Friday said they expect the deep-voiced Tennessean to announce for the presidency soon and when he does they want the campaign off to a quick start.

To help their cause they have begun urging Illinoisans to go online and register as a Thompson supporter at the group’s website.

Former head of the Illinois Republican Party, Donald “Doc” Adams compared Thompson to Ronald Reagan and said, Thompson’s early poll numbers are encouraging.

“It may not be a groundswell yet for Fred but I sure sense a nice tide rolling in,” he said.

Most polls show Thompson running third amongst Republicans, behind former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Senator John McCain. Some analysts are saying Thompson is entering the race late given the tens of millions of dollars he’ll need to raise for his bid.

A former prosecutor, Thompson is also an accomplished film and television actor. His first role was as himself in the 1985 film “Marie.” He is most famous for his role as District Attorney Arthur Branch on the television program “Law & Order.”

Group co-chair Mark Sheldon, who is also a Champaign County clerk, said there are plenty of campaign funding dollars not spoken for by the current field of Republican contenders.

“We think this is the right time for him to get in,” he said before noting the importance of getting support early on. “When this announcement comes and, we anticipate that Sen. Thompson is going to run … the grass roots supporters will have already put their names in a database and we can really hit the ground running.”

When asked about how a Republican might fare in typically Democrat-friendly Illinois, draft group spokesman and former state Sen. Roger Keats, of Wilmette, said voters here might be ready for a Republican.

“Someone like Fred … would have a chance. It depends on how much infighting happens within the Democrats,” he said. “I will let you judge on your own how well the Democratic party works together sometimes.”

Illinois Citizens to Draft Fred Thompson can be reached at www.imwithfred.com.

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Reader comments on this story - 15 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Neo Conservative Who Travels wrote on Jun 29, 2007 3:19 PM:

" I am afraid there is little consensus among liberals in the U.S. Liberals in the Midwest are certainly different...more thoughtful. Many liberals in the midwest are actually concerned about what happens in the world. California liberals? Hardly!The liberals on the west coast (California) have a history of voting in conservatives due to their charisma or popularity. (Governor Arnold?) If Thompson runs, he may carry California the way Reagan did. Not because he is the best, but, like three year olds, they smile at who they recognize. "

eskimi wrote on Jun 24, 2007 5:41 PM:

" To Dave R. Gosh, who has lower approval ratings than Bush? Could it be the Demoratic led Congress? So much for the Dems changing tactics and doing what the "people" want. Power is all the Dems are looking for.!!!! "

Michael wrote on Jun 23, 2007 10:25 PM:

" Just what we DON'T need, another actor president. "

Dave R. wrote on Jun 23, 2007 9:47 PM:

" How plain can I make it be! Ole Fred, if he gets the nomination stands NO chance against anyone the demo's throw up. He will continue Shrubs war policy with Chaneys pulling his chain the entire way. With 70% of the voting public against the Iraq war he is checkmated. This is coming from a conservative perspective in the deep deep south (not Florida) that would consider Tennessee yankee land. Fred is dim bulb that would be mins-mash by the MSM once he actually declares. A vote for Fred is a vote for Hillary. "

Firm conservative wrote on Jun 23, 2007 8:10 PM:

" I'm think you all need to get out of politics and spend a few days in the real world. Stop buying into pary politics. Look at the person who is running and stop attaching names an associations to people. If you like Fred then vote for him, if you like Hillary, then vote for her. I think Bush has screwed up big time in Iraq, but I still think it was the right thing to do. Just because I'm a Republican doesn't mean I agree with everything a Republican does. Vote for the hones person who is going to do what he thinks is right no matter what. You might not agree with everything he does, but you will know why he or she does it. PS Anybody who thinks Hillary does anything because she thinks it's right is an idiot. Any moron can see that everything she does is politically driven. "

to To To Right on Dave wrote on Jun 23, 2007 3:43 PM:

" The exit polls always show that the more educated you are, the more likely you are to vote Democrat. Also, the 18-30 year old block always overwhelmingly vote Democrat. The poor minority vote goes to the Dems and the poor Christian white vote always votes Republican. The Republican stronghold is the white middle-aged middle class who votes against their economic interest because they were raised in the Cold War culture of fear, are still scared, and think the Republicans will keep them safe from the bogeyman. I'm in my late twenties and I don't see myself considering a Republican until the current crop of Republicans have since died. I figure 20 years at least. Maybe then, they'll be more like libertarians and less like fascists/corporatists. And old folks vote Democrat? I'll have to tell that one to my grandparents who are in their late 80s. They'll get a good laugh once they get done quoting Rush's latest sermon to me. "

To To Right on Dave wrote on Jun 23, 2007 2:38 PM:

" Liberals "younger and smarter" than the rest of us? Now THAT is funny. Everyone knows the largest block of Dem voters are the elderly. And their next biggest block of voters are the poor. I'm pretty sure that if they were so smart, they wouldn't be poor. I will grant you that most elitists are Democrats. And that they THINK they're smarter than everyone else. But the facts don't support your ridiculous statement. "

to Poor Libs wrote on Jun 23, 2007 1:03 PM:

" If he were to drop his war support, I might agree with you. The war is very unpopular and he seems to support Bush's policies on the war. Not a good place to be. "

Poor Libs wrote on Jun 23, 2007 12:22 PM:

" You better hope he doesn't run. Because if he does, he gets the nomination. And he is articulate, intelligent, direct, and has a common sense approach to policy. He will run circles around Hillary or Obama. And for God's sake, according to polls, they don't even run ahead of McCain at this point. "

I like him wrote on Jun 23, 2007 11:05 AM:

" I would definitely vote for him! "

to Right on Dave wrote on Jun 23, 2007 9:53 AM:

" Talk radio is for dinosaurs. Liberals, who tend to be younger, smarter, and use more technology, use the Internet for news, opinion, and discussion. That last part is something that Rush Limbaugh and other talk radio doesn't offer. He merely spoonfeeds talking points with no opportunity for rebuttal or even a different opinion. Radio is for music that isn't on your iPod or, at the very least, a burned CD of MP3s. "

Pro-war wrote on Jun 23, 2007 7:28 AM:

" Everything I read says he's pro-Bush's war. Enough for him not to get my vote. "

Union but Conservative wrote on Jun 23, 2007 7:13 AM:

" A Fred Thompson/Michael Steele '08 ticket will steamroll anyone the Socialist Democrats offer up. A Bloomberg independent run will also guarantee that. Always remember Hillary's quote, "We are going to take things away from you for the common good." "

Right on Dave wrote on Jun 23, 2007 1:01 AM:

" This is such a good point that you ought to express your opinion on a liberal radio talk show. On the other hand, this is probably a bad idea since it might be too difficult to find out which ones are still on the air. It couldn't be because liberals are mostly negative, critical and full of untruths (not you of course but other liberals). And it certainly couldn't be because liberals have so few ideas or lack vision. Could you imagine listening for 3 hours a day to a liberal talk show? I'd be ready for a hot shower, a glass of warm milk and a nap (not necessarily in that order). "

Dave R. wrote on Jun 22, 2007 10:20 PM:

" Fred Thompson will only continue the failed policies of Shrub with Liz Chaney on board as the foreign policy guru and Mary Matalin as lead publicity agent. We know it will get real fishy when ole Dick Chaney nominates himself again as vice-presdent. All we need is another dim-wit president to let Dick and the neocons run wild. But the truth is that they will not get a chance since over 70% of the voters are against the Iraq war and anyRepublican nominated that is tainted going along with Shrub and Dick, then its going to be the White House again for Bill, Hill and little Jimmy Carville! "

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