An Interview with Fred Thompson, RIP

Ed Morrissey,

One of the most well-liked figures in national politics has passed away today. Fred Thompson, whose careers as an attorney, an actor, and a politician nearly gave him a path to the White House, died earlier today from lymphoma, according to his family. Thompson was 73 years old:

Fred Thompson, a former U.S. senator for Tennessee, GOP presidential candidate, Watergate attorney and longtime “Law and Order” star, died on Sunday. He was 73.

Mr. Thompson died after a recurrence of lymphoma, according to a statement issued by the Thompson family.

“It is with a heavy heart and a deep sense of grief that we share the passing of our brother, husband, father, and grandfather who died peacefully in Nashville surrounded by his family,” the statement reads.

“Fred once said that the experiences he had growing up in small-town Tennessee formed the prism through which he viewed the world and shaped the way he dealt with life.  Fred stood on principle and common sense, and had a deep love for and connection with the people across Tennessee whom he had the privilege to serve in the United States Senate.  He enjoyed a hearty laugh, a strong handshake, a good cigar, and a healthy dose of humility.  Fred was the same man on the floor of the Senate, the movie studio, or the town square of Lawrenceburg, his home.

“Fred believed that the greatness of our nation was defined by the hard work, faith, and honesty of its people.  He had an enduring belief in the exceptionalism of our country, and that America could provide the opportunity for any boy or girl, in any corner of our country, to succeed in life. “

Thompson led a storied public life, beginning in one of the most dramatic moments in American politics over the last half-century. Thompson’s questioning of Alexander Butterfield in the Watergate scandal exposed the taping system employed by Richard Nixon, and eventually led to Nixon’s resignation. Thompson continued to make waves as an attorney, representing a whistleblower in a corruption case in Tennessee. That led to an opportunity to play himself in the film Marie, starring Sissy Spacek, and leading to a long career in Hollywood. Iconic roles in The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard II, and later “Law and Order” gave Thompson a familiar, avuncular quality.

In 1994, Thompson parlayed that familiarity to a seat in the US Senate, taking Al Gore’s seat in a special election. He won again in 1996 for a full term, but retired from the Senate in 2002 to return to his acting career. In 2007, though, with the Republican presidential field wide open, Thompson decided to run for the nomination, only to find that he’d gotten in too late to have an impact.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Thompson on a few occasions. He had the same folksy manner off air as he did on the air, perhaps more so when he left politics for good after 2007. One of those occasions came at CPAC in 2014, when Thompson was promoting his project Persecuted. Quite frankly, even though I had spoken to Thompson on the air a few times, it was a little daunting to interview him in person with a bit of a crowd around, but Thompson was as gracious and friendly as ever. Here’s the interview, and you’ll see how much I enjoyed getting to chat with him:

Rest in peace, Senator. You certainly earned it. Our prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues.