February 11, 2009 4:46 PM
- Text
Thompson: I Never Wanted The Job
(AP)
Fred Thompson says the country faces different challenges now than it did when he spurned overtures to run for president in 2000, leading him to consider a return to politics.
"I think that everybody was kind of sitting back, taking it easy and thinking that, you know, peace and prosperity were going to kind of last forever. I think we know better than that now," the former Tennessee senator told The Associated Press.
"We live in a more dangerous (time of) things that threaten our very existence, things that threaten our peace, things that threaten our economic stability."
In an interview Saturday night before speaking to the Virginia GOP, Thompson would not talk in detail about why he believes he might make a good president, and he struggled to name his greatest accomplishment in the Senate.
During his 1994-2002 Senate tenure, he was considered a reliably conservative vote. But he had few significant legislative achievements and he established a reputation as a less-than-hard worker.
"That's one rap that you can cure," Thompson said.
Defending his record, he said he managed the homeland security bill in the full Senate and added: "There were a lot of things. ... It doesn't always have to do with putting your name on a piece of legislation. There was an awful lot of bad legislation that I helped to stop, for one thing."
But, he said with a smile, "We'll have a chance to get into all that when I start telling everybody what a wonderful person I am. But we're not quite at that stage."
At least not yet.
After flirting with a candidacy for months, the former senator and actor known to millions as the tough prosecutor on NBC's "Law & Order" took the first formal step toward the race for the GOP nomination Friday in establishing a preliminary campaign committee.
Thompson, however, said he still was not ready to commit to a 2008 campaign.
"We've not made a final decision on it. But obviously we're thinking pretty seriously about it," he said. "Everybody who has an opportunity to make even a small difference in the course of the direction of the country has got to look at that very seriously."
Among his considerations, he said, was making sure "the man fits the times."
Despite his coyness, Thompson is all but certain to join the crowded GOP field led by Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney. Thompson's entrance could come as early as July.
Fundraising was expected to begin in earnest Monday. Headquarters are planned for Nashville, Tenn., and the Washington, D.C., area. A campaign team is forming. Tentative visits to Iowa, New Hampshire and other early primary states are in the works.
A Washington Post poll published Sunday found that Giuliani remained the front-runner, but suggested his popularity could be showing signs of stalling because of his support for abortion rights and gay rights. Thompson's candidacy could quickly turn the contest into a four-way battle, according to the poll.
"I think that everybody was kind of sitting back, taking it easy and thinking that, you know, peace and prosperity were going to kind of last forever. I think we know better than that now," the former Tennessee senator told The Associated Press.
"We live in a more dangerous (time of) things that threaten our very existence, things that threaten our peace, things that threaten our economic stability."
In an interview Saturday night before speaking to the Virginia GOP, Thompson would not talk in detail about why he believes he might make a good president, and he struggled to name his greatest accomplishment in the Senate.
During his 1994-2002 Senate tenure, he was considered a reliably conservative vote. But he had few significant legislative achievements and he established a reputation as a less-than-hard worker.
"That's one rap that you can cure," Thompson said.
Defending his record, he said he managed the homeland security bill in the full Senate and added: "There were a lot of things. ... It doesn't always have to do with putting your name on a piece of legislation. There was an awful lot of bad legislation that I helped to stop, for one thing."
But, he said with a smile, "We'll have a chance to get into all that when I start telling everybody what a wonderful person I am. But we're not quite at that stage."
At least not yet.
After flirting with a candidacy for months, the former senator and actor known to millions as the tough prosecutor on NBC's "Law & Order" took the first formal step toward the race for the GOP nomination Friday in establishing a preliminary campaign committee.
Thompson, however, said he still was not ready to commit to a 2008 campaign.
"We've not made a final decision on it. But obviously we're thinking pretty seriously about it," he said. "Everybody who has an opportunity to make even a small difference in the course of the direction of the country has got to look at that very seriously."
Among his considerations, he said, was making sure "the man fits the times."
Despite his coyness, Thompson is all but certain to join the crowded GOP field led by Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney. Thompson's entrance could come as early as July.
Fundraising was expected to begin in earnest Monday. Headquarters are planned for Nashville, Tenn., and the Washington, D.C., area. A campaign team is forming. Tentative visits to Iowa, New Hampshire and other early primary states are in the works.
A Washington Post poll published Sunday found that Giuliani remained the front-runner, but suggested his popularity could be showing signs of stalling because of his support for abortion rights and gay rights. Thompson's candidacy could quickly turn the contest into a four-way battle, according to the poll.
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Stephen Smith Stephen Smith is a news producer and sports editor for CBSNews.com
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