Fred Thompson Has Cancer
Possible GOP Presidential Candidate Says Lymphoma Has Not Slowed Him Down
-
Play CBS Video
Video
GOP Not Optimistic About '08
Candidates for the GOP presidential nomination are not inspiring much optimism among Republicans. Jim Axelrod reports that many think a Democrat will take the White House in 2008.
-
Video
GOP Nomination An Open Race
Several key Republicans are already in the GOP race, including Sen. John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. But some seem to think there is still time to get in. Joie Chen reports.
-
Photo
In this photo provided by Fox News, Fred Thompson, the former Republican senator from Tennessee appears on "Fox News Sunday" in Washington on March 11, 2007. Thompson says he is considering getting into the 2008 presidential race. (AP/FOX News Sunday, Freddie Lee)
-
Who's Who
2008 Republican Hopefuls
McCain and Giuliani head up the Republican pack chasing the presidency.
-
Interactive
Cancer
Learn about the most common cancers, who gets them and how they are treated.
In an interview with Fox News Channel's Neil Cavuto, the former Tennessee senator, 64, said a doctor conducting a physical in 2004 found a bump on his neck, which turned out to be non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He said the disease is in remission with no illness or symptoms, and it won't affect his decision about whether to seek the Republican nomination.
"I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't satisfied in my own mind as to the nature of it and the fact that not only will I have an average lifespan but in the meantime I will not be affected in anyway by it," Thompson said. "Now of course nobody knows the future but that has been in the history for almost three years now in terms of no symptoms and no sickness."'
Thompson's physician, Dr. Bruce Cheson, hematology chief at Georgetown University Hospital, said the prognosis is good.
"Some lymphomas are very aggressive, but people with slow-growing types, like Senator Thompson's, more often die from natural causes associated with old age, rather than from the disease," Cheson said in a statement.
Thompson's disclosure comes just weeks after Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, revealed that her cancer had returned. White House spokesman Tony Snow recently underwent surgery for cancer that had spread to his liver.
Cancer has touched past and present presidential candidates. John McCain carries scars after three episodes of melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer. His 2008 Republican rival, Rudy Giuliani, had prostate cancer, which also afflicted 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry and 1996 Republican nominee Bob Dole.
In 1992, Democratic primary candidate Paul Tsongas was the first presidential candidate to run as a cancer survivor, having undergone a radical bone-marrow transplant six years earlier after lymphoma forced an end to his Senate career. Tsongas later died from a complication related to the treatment for the disease's recurrence.
"I have friends in politics, some in Congress, some running for president, and others who have successfully dealt with cancer," Thompson told interviewer Cavuto, who has battled Hodgkin's disease in the past and has multiple sclerosis. "It is certainly no respecter of persons and totally nonpartisan."
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



Response to democrat declaration in order to get a sympathy bump in the polls? LOL
Stay well, Fred.
His prognosis is excellent, but this drops him from the list of viable presidential candidates, if he ever was one. (John Kerry had prostate cancer, but it was treated and he was declared "cured," not just in remisssion.)
Best wishes to Fred Thompson and his family.
A likely presidential candidate owes it to the public to reveal this.
It's part of what they have to consider to make an informed choice.
The late Paul Tsongas was less than forthcoming about his cancer, and that was a disservice to those who supported him.
at 10:32 AM : Apr 11, 200]
["Fred Thompson Has Cancer"
Response to democrat declaration in order to get a sympathy bump in the polls? LOL
Posted by Agnim]
Is there anything that you two CAN'T post something mean about?
Or is this another talking point that will be considered off-limits since it pertains to a Republican - much like the adultery, lying and hypocrisy that Republicans seem to always get a pass on from the media?
I look forward to the endless, mean-spirited comments and dissection of his fitness to run for office, ala Elizabeth Edwards.
This is totally different from the Elizabeth Edwards situation. Elizabeth is running for first lady, not president. If she does not live for a full term it will be sad, tragic, but will not change the person who holds the office of president.
This does point to the importance of Rudi and McCain giving full disclosure of their cancer situations. The medical history of the candidates is important to the public's right to make an informed choice!
Posted by oleander8 at 11:10 AM : Apr 11, 2007"
Oh, get a life, girl. LOL
What's 'mean'?
Playing of the known positions of politicians to be liars/deceivers/opportunists is a natural and reasonable consequence of their past behaviors.
See the government lies and deceptions that are costing thousands of lives and limbs in Iraq.
See the government lies and deceptions over Tillman's death!
When politicians are known to lie and deceive, American citizens are reasonable to be cynical!
Lies and deceptions breed cynicism!
Better to have your beloved politicians become acquainted with the truth, Ole! OK?
Se
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is the same cancer that killed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. She also had periods of "remission".
It is clearly an essential piece of information that voters must know before electing a president. No politics/partisanship about it.
It is great to have a positive attitude - all of us who are diagnosed with a disease that has a poor prognosis plan on beating the odds (lymf.org) ... but we have to live in reality as well and know that none of us is above the limitations of our human bodies.
Posted by gunnerv1 at 12:18 PM : Apr 11, 2007
+ report abuse
Well he has been "running", he's just like all the rest of the Fascist though. It's tough to get support when you've failed so badly in all area's. LMAO This porker will be lucky to get better support that the Southern Nazi we have now. Sieg Heil Y'all.
I agree Thompson's illness is far more pertinent to the Presidential race than Elizabeth Edwards' cancer.
Even so, the Republicans and their media operatives used HER cancer to attack HIM (ie, he's selfish for continuing in the race, it was announced for sympathy, etc.) - and I wondered if they were going to attack him with the same arguments.
Since the media is overwhelmingly sympathetic to Republicans while relentless smearing Democrats and others I am guessing not.
But, cancer is very unpredictable. There have been many survivors (Lance Armstrong) but they are far outnumbered by the deaths. It would be very hard to entrust the Office of President to someone that will very likely not survive his first four years.
Too bad, Fred would be a credit to the Office.
I agree Thompson's illness is far more pertinent to the Presidential race than Elizabeth Edwards' cancer.
Even so, the Republicans and their media operatives used HER cancer to attack HIM (ie, he's selfish for continuing in the race, it was announced for sympathy, etc.)
Well, I for one am willing to say that his illness is sufficient to disqualify him form consideration. You can't get much more extreme than that. And I know a little bit about it becuase my mother died of the same thing. My mother was in full remission and a year later she was dead. Her mental state was such that she would not have made a good president. So severe was her mental state that I would fear to have a president with the same thing.
If God takes care of fools & idiots, you're in for a double dose of divine grace.
Fred, God Bless you and good luck with your treatments.
What a Dilemma...lol
Posted by didntinhale at 02:42 PM : Apr 11, 2007
The water is already strong with the scent of blood from all of the Bush administrations self-inflicted wounds and Rudy is shooting himself in the foot in front of the religious nuts in the republican party well enough on his own. Why should we happy liberals waste time and energy taking pot shots at republicans when they do such a great job scre*wing up on their own?
Anything new here? Maybe now we will get some passage of stem cell research, seeing as someone of HIS caliber is exposed.
No harshness - just FACT. I see no need to stress over PUBLIC figures as most of us already experienced the misery of illness, I am happy that he has has the money and connections to get the best, most reliable and least economically devastating help that his "position" can buy for him.
Liberals are mean and unhappy.
Liberals are mean and unhappy, and angry.
what a difference 2 years can make when truth hits the fan. Only a smidgen of weak minded "rats rats rats wmd wmd wmd" left that havent been deprogrammed.
Mean ????
F-U kinda place this administration has created.
Losing your house? - f/u it's business.
On the street? - f/u it's your own fault
Elderly dying - f/u they shouldn't expect anything.
Poverty - F/u - live with it, it's a changing world
I have decided to think fairly -
no compassion, that is what this administration has shown me.
hypocrasy - I will fly with the "god god god" phrase whenever it is "convenient" and I will beat the bible whenever it serves my purpose. Then I will screw my neighbors, call hurricane victims scum and steal every penny grandma millie has and expect no justice.
THAT is the agenda - it's me/mine and I....
Republicans (and that is just for the folks who "label" themselves in a PLASTIC bag - because most of america is not STILL that weak willed)
Y E S
Bush Joke Video: DC Humor in Bad Taste
http://www.musicforamerica.org/bushjoke
Posted by hawksprings at 04:03 PM : Apr 11, 2007
Actually as this corrupt administration slowly (not quickly enough) self destructs I find myself becoming happier by the day. And the only people I'm still mean to or angry with are those idiots who still support these as*sholes in the White House.
Liberals have ALWAYS been mean, angry, and unhappy.
But we're happy :)
Is Merkel Cell related to Urkel Cell?
Do you find yourself wanting to wear big ugly glasses and suspenders?
It's a health issue. We want who we elect to be there for the entire term. With cancer, there is less of a chance of this outcome.
-
by colonieny
April 12, 2007 11:53 AM PDT
-
Reply to this comment
-
See all 40 CommentsHe is a tough honest man, and a Reagan like Republican. If Reagan could serve with a colon cancer and at an advanced age, I would vote for Sen T. and trust. At this time, he seems to be the best man for the job.