So Fred Thompson dropped out of the presidential race. (Cue the Caesars' "Over 'Fore It Started.") (Actually, if you don't already know the song, it's kind of impossible to download, so here's the video: )
This is because the conservative attack machine spoke up and told this know-nothing pampered actor to go back to swilling his Chardonnay and keep his mouth shut on political matters every citizen has a right to speak up about. Ha! Just kidding. They only do that to liberal actors. No, actually, he dropped out because nobody voted for him.
I must confess that I'm a little surprised at this turn of events. As a Democrat and occasional Law and Order viewer (Not a huge fan of the flagship of the franchise, but My Lovely Wife likes it quite a bit), I was scared of Thomson entering the race.
Because on Law and Order, he was always this awesome gruff authority figure. I'm pretty sure there's a video clip of Thomspon's performance as Arthur Branch in some online definition of "avuncular." Branch was tough but fair, grumpy but loyal, and, above all, knowledgeable and authoritative. The kind of boss you'd like to have. Maybe, I thought, after years of a president who is not only not knowledgeable, but no kind of authority figure at all (memo to lame duck--authority figures don't get petulant and pouty when they're disagreed with.), this guy's persona would be really appealing.
This is why I am not a political prognosticator: when I heard Thompson was entering the race against a pretty weak G.O.P. field, I figured there was no way he could lose.
But, of course, there was a way he could lose: by being himself. It turns out Fred Thompson is not Arthur Branch. He doesn't come across as authoritative and knowledgeable; he comes across as a guy trying really hard to appear folksy.
I guess I kind of forgot that Arthur Branch is a creation of Fred Thompson the actor and all the writers who put words in his mouth. Without good writing, Thompson apparently lacked the chops to appear presidential.
I don't know what to conclude here, except that it's very difficult to remember that the qualities an actor, especially one playing the same character week after week, conveys on screen may have nothing to do with who that person is in life, or in politics.
