Talk:Fred Thompson/Archive 1

message: How do we get Fred Thompson to run for President in 2008? I was living in Tennessee when Fred was first elected to Congress and it was not until later that I learned that he was an actor. I have liked his politics and acting ever since. I would love to see him run in 2008!   [22:18, 8 November 2006 Tmpafford]
We absolutely need to get Mr. Thompson to run for the Presidency in 2008.  Time is running out, and we need a viable candidate which can take on the "big tent" ideals of Reagan and Lincoln.  
Senator Thompson, please run.  [18:55, 23 January 2007 66.28.212.34]
Senator Fred Thompson, your time has come, and your country needs you now! you are the only person that can do the job, and do it right. So PLEASE will you run for the President of our country, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAR-Ranch [14:14, March 27, 2007 ]
::Guys, I'd like to see him run as well but this is probably not the right place. Instead, I'd suggest contacting Mr. Thompson's office directly (preferably, in writing to make more of an impact), adding your name to one of the countless petitions (if you so desire) or using one of the many websites (like, for exameple, draftfredthompson.com or Fred08.com) dedicated to this very subject. --Seed 2.0 20:40, 26 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Fred Thompson 2008 

message: This page doesn't seem to actually talk about the man's politics besides the fact that he's a republican. What are his views on abortion, gun control, stem-cell research, tax reform? Do they fall in-line with the party platform? What was his voting record while acting as a Senator? etc 66.36.131.177 23:32, 28 January 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Well, unless he re-enters politics I wouldn't worry about it. He supported John McCain in 2000 which to me is a strike against him. McGehee 14:23, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

text: Had it occurred to you, Coked, that maybe the rest of the world doesn't believe that the issue is that important, and that no historians or political analysts think it cost him the election? --Orange Mike 15:17, 16 March 2007 (UTC)

text: Orangemike, I hope that you (and other liberals) sincerely believe that gun control is not an important issue. Not only did it lose Tennessee for Al Gore Jr. (I'd like to see your list of historians and political analysts who disagree), but it also cost Democrats the House in 1994, thanks to the "assault" weapons ban. Why don't you ask your favorite Democrat about his or her position? You won't be able to find it, because it's the third rail of Democrat elections, for one reason: because the issue IS important. Did you notice how remarks from Democrat candidates about increasing gun control were conspicuously absent after the Virginia Tech shootings? User:crcjfc1982 
A great place to learn about Thompson's conservative politics is on the National Review website. He seems to be a fairly strong Republican and conservative, espousing traditionally conservative views about federalism, in particular. User:crcjfc1982
My first reaction on reading the Thompson page was that it should say something about his politics. After reading this Talk section, I looked at a couple of other candidates' (Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney) pages. They both have Political Positions of so-and-so sections (linked from the main page). I think there should be a Political Positions of Fred Thompson page, linked from the main page. Sbowers3 14:59, 12 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  What are the man's politics 

message: As of the end of March the article implies that he isn't going to run, but look at the comments by analysts on PBS' Newshour at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june07/sliraq_03-30.html
:JIM LEHRER: Fred Thompson?
:RICH LOWRY: It's extraordinary. You know, he does a couple of media appearances, and he's third place in the Republican race, basically, which speaks to how fluid and dynamic the race is, and the discontent, especially among conservatives, with the current candidates...
:JIM LEHRER: With the front-runners.
:RICH LOWRY: Sure, and he seems to be taking votes from all of them, potentially. But if he gets in, it really hurts Mitt Romney, and may make it impossible for Mitt Romney to win. And, you know, three weeks ago, I agreed with the conventional wisdom that, you know, he's playing with this, it's good for his name I.D., it's nice to be out there. But, you know, I was talking to people today in a position to know who now put it at about 50-50 that he may get in, because those polls have caught his eye.
I leave it to the regular editors of this page to determine if it merits inclusion in the main article.--Wowaconia 04:40, 2 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: PBS Newshour on Thompson in 2008 race

message: Thompson's two first colleges have undergone name changes since he attended. The old names, piped to the articles under the new, are how we have it listed now. Another editor added information about school name changes to this article, which to me seems like a lot of irrelevant clutter: so, I reverted. But I'm putting this in here now in case anyone wants to discuss it. --Orange Mike 15:15, 16 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  College names 

message: I thought that a bad idea BEFORE Reagan.  Afterwards, I knew it for a fact.  
All politicians are actors -- but electing one who has engaged in professional acting is, in my opinion, extremely dangerous, foolhardy and ill-advised -- and equally so for ALL political persuasions.  
Electing a politician is "buying a pig in a poke".  Electing an actor entails doubled pokes or worse. Allenwoll 02:30, 18 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: And your point in bringing all of this up here is? 207.69.139.162 22:47, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

text: Thanks for telling us, I for one was dying to know.  Next time though, you might want to think about making a personal website for this sort of thing.  Cheers!  Just Another Fat Guy 06:12, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

text: Rush Limbaugh says that politcs is (are?) a stage for bad acting and bad actors. Some people say politics is pure BS, but BS makes good soil amendment for infertile ground. RR was neither a great actor nor a bad actor, but his acting ability really had nothing to do with his commitment to conservative ideals, whatever anyone thinks of them or him. Acting is just a skill, the ability to handle one's self in front of the camera. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.109.171.106 (talk) 03:08, 6 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Actors in politics

message: It is reasonably arguable that Fred Dalton Thompson, the former Senator from Tenn., not Frederick A.Thompson (Broadway Writer) or Fred Thompson (Silent Movie Actor) is who people are looking for when they search within Wikipedia for "Fred Thompson."  I know this sounds a bit silly, but could the search go straight to his page with links for Disambiguations of Fred Thompson beneath the name, like exists on many other Wiki entries with common titles?  Thoughts or opinions on this? 
—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.105.8.71 (talk) 16:12, 21 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Fred Thompson is a common name; this is how Wikipedia normally handles such situations. The lawyer/actor/politician is temporarily trendy, but that may not last, so a dab page is the standard procedure. --Orange Mike 16:38, 21 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Less Notable Fred Thompsons

message: I am going to delete all the references to Thompson's lobbying work unless sources are added.  These appear to have been inserted by an individual looking to make the biography appear less favorable.
:Whoever you are, that's a bit excessive. The editor in question is probably not a Thompson fan, but his lobbying activities are a part of his life history, as they would be for somebody from the other side of the aisle.  --Orange Mike 02:08, 29 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Right, but it seems like the person went through his entry and systematically removed favorable biographical materials and replaced them with unfavorable material.  Note that there are no longer any references to his work as a special counsel to two Senate committees and the Governor of Tennessee in the 1980s.  Now its just all his work as a lobbyist, again unsourced.  It seems very suspicious. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.173.46.252 (talk) 20:13, 29 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Then the thing to do is to leave the lobbying data, but restore that material that was lost. BE BOLD! --Orange Mike 20:18, 29 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Lobbyist Changes 

message: If you follow the reference links, you will find a complete listing of ALL the legislative bills that Thompson voted for as a U.S. Senator and as indicated by the full text below, you have deleted referenced information (full legislative description, bill numbers, and dates follows):
Current revision (02:54, 1 April 2007)
Ibagli (Talk | contribs)
(→U.S. Senate Votes By Fred Thompson - duplication)
NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Would have prohibited job discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Status: Bill Defeated Y)49; N)50; NV)1
Reference: Employment Non-Discrimination Act; Bill S. 2056 ; vote number 1996-281 on Sep 10, 1996
NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation: Opposes topic 3
Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes.
Motion to Invoke Cloture on S. 625; Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2001. The bill would expand the definition of hate crimes to incorporate acts committed because of a victim's sex, sexual orientation or disability and permit the federal government to help states prosecute hate crimes even if no federally protected action was implicated. If the cloture motion is agreed to, debate will be limited and a vote will occur. If the cloture motion is rejected debate could continue indefinitely and instead the bill is usually set aside. Hence a Yes vote supports the expansion of the definition of hate crimes, and a No vote keeps the existing definition. Three-fifths of the Senate, or 60 members, is required to invoke cloture.
Reference: Bill S.625 ; vote number 2002-147 on Jun 11, 2002
Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation.
Vote on an amendment that would expand the definition of hate crimes to include gender, sexual orientation and disability. The previous definition included only racial, religious or ethnic bias.
Reference: Bill S.2549 ; vote number 2000-136 on Jun 20, 2000
4.129.64.186 04:58, 1 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Ibagli cutting information pertaining to two separate Senate bills

message: +  Thompson first attended Florence State College (now the University of North Alabama) and then Memphis State University...
The wiki link on Florence State College already pulls up the wiki page for the University of North Alabama, so why is this duplication needed?
4.129.64.186 05:22, 1 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: 209.214.107.166 adding unnecessary wording:(now the [[University of North Alabama]])

message: I followed the link for Thompson's listed, but it does not link to any statement directly from Thompson pertaining to his religion (if any) or from his official U.S. Senate biography --- in this case, the extremely weak reference to Thompson being "baptized in the Church of Christ" is only attributed to a Thompson "spokesman"...
I do know that Thompson married the second time around at his wife's "Church of Christ" in Naiperville, IL (or some such place)...but being married in a particular church does not make a member of that church, etc. and in any case, until Thompson is actually quoted in the media specifically commenting about his religion, this entry needs to be omitted.
4.129.64.186 05:42, 1 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  You are correct.  The church that they were married in and the one that Thompson was baptised in are actually two completly different places with similar names.  The Church of Christ has a large following in middle/west Tennessee, especially in FDT's childhood.  I took the statement by his spokesperson as Thompson's view of his religion.  The safer choice here would be to wait for an official statement.  I'm sure it will get lots of talk if/when he becomes an official candidate. CJC47 15:37, 2 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  The mainstream Churches of Christ don't have an "official position".  For this answer look to the thoughts of Jesus in Gospel of Matthew chapter 19. CJC47 04:34, 3 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Fred Thompson: listed religion

message: User:71.104.186.134 is vandalizing significant material pertaining to the two year (1994-1996) romantic relationship between U.S. Senator Fred Thompson and  country music recording artist Lorrie Morgan: 
*71.104.186.134 (removed the Lorrie Morgan website under external links)
*71.104.186.134 Are Thompson's girlfriends really worth mentioning under his senate career?)
Yes, particularly for the references pertaining to the brief Morgan material as Thompson had Morgan in tow as his date for many of the GOP fundraising and other political events that he attended while he was a U.S. Senator, and as mentioned in the material vandalized by User:71.104.186.134, Morgan stated in her own book that she had given some measure of serious consideration towards marrying Thompson:
As a U.S. Senator, Thompson gained considerably more media attention for his active D.C. social night life with much younger girlfriends, and the Tennessee senator had been linked to a variety of women, including pundit-pollster Kellyanne Fitzpatrick, Time magazine writer Margaret Carlson, Nathans restaurant owner Carol Joynt and Washington PR executive Sydney Ferguson. Thompson also had a two year relationship (1994-1996) with county music recording artist Lorrie Morgan of Hendersonville, Tennessee. In her book Forever Yours, Faithfully: My Love Story, Morgan states that "For a while, I wanted to marry Fred, but I knew that he could not accept me as I am." (p.263)
and there are valid reasons for posting the other previously news-media reported Thompson gal pals, including a reference not even posted to the FDT wikipage:
[...]
"Although Mr Thompson's film career could add glamour to Mr Bush's campaign, leading Republicans fear that his romantic exploits would lead to unseemly speculation about who might replace Tipper Gore as "Second Lady".
Earlier this year [2000], the New York Post reported a "catfight" on Capitol Hill with Jeri Kehn, a 33-year-old blonde who is communications director of the Senate Republican Conference, denouncing "all these women" who were pursuing him. "They won't leave him alone," she was quoted as saying. "I can't get up to get a cocktail at a party without coming back and finding some girl sitting in my chair."[ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2000/06/21/wfred21.xml "Former Hollywood actor tipped to take over from Gore" telegraph.co.uk, Jun3 21, 2000.]
By Toby Harnden in Washington Telegraph.co.uk
Last Updated: 2:07pm BST 19/06/2001
* If you honestly think that having dated a completely unknown non-entity for two years warrants mention under his senate career (how dating = senate career I have no idea) AND a headshot of his former date, then you need to step back and realize you are being completely biased.  Seems like you're a pumper for Lorrie Morgan (whoever the heck she is), and you are trying to use Thompson's current buzz as a way to promote Lorrie Morgan.  I'm not vandalizing, I'm cleaning up irrelevent BS you feel compelled to litter the site with.  It will be removed every time you put it up.  Sorry, it's not worth a mention here.
Wow..after reading all of this by 71.104.186.134, I cannot believe that you failed to delete all of the "Draft Fred '08" external links by your same logic.
4.88.154.250 03:21, 2 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: U.S. Senator Fred Dalton Thompson and Lorrie Morgan (1994-1996)

message: Biographies of living people should be written responsibly, conservatively, and in a neutral, encyclopedic tone. 
[...]
The article should document, in a non-partisan manner, what reliable third party sources [such as Lorrie Morgan] have published about the subject [Fred Dalton Thompson] and, in some circumstances, what the subject may have published about themselves. The writing style should be neutral, factual, and understated, avoiding both a sympathetic point of view and an advocacy journalism [e.g. Draft Fred Thompson '08] point of view.4.88.154.7 17:23, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Writing style 

message: Welcome to Wikipedia. We invite everyone to contribute constructively to our encyclopedia. Some of your recent edits have been considered unhelpful or unconstructive and have been reverted or removed.  Please use the sandbox for any test edits you would like to make, and take a look at the welcome page to learn more about contributing to this encyclopedia. 
User contributions From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For 71.104.186.134:
*19:08, 1 April 2007 71.104.186.134 (Talk) (Removed the link to the Lorrie Morgan site AGAIN. This page is not here to help Morgan's career. Keep it NPOV)
*18:58, 1 April 2007 71.104.186.134 (Talk) (I'm not letting blatantly biased BS stay - bring it back all you want, I'll juust keep deleting it)
*06:55, 1 April 2007 71.104.186.134 (Talk) (removed the Lorrie Morgan website under external links)
*06:52, 1 April 2007 71.104.186.134 (Talk) (Are Thompson's girlfriends really worth mentioning under his senate career?)
*06:50, 1 April 2007 71.104.186.134 (Talk) (removed S&L info not directly related to Thompson - keep it NPOV folks)
4.88.154.250 03:22, 2 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: 71.104.186.134 per abovementioned Lorrie Morgan

message: *"In the final months of his term, Thompson joined the cast of the long-running NBC television series Law & Order, playing the character Arthur Branch. In doing so, he became the first serving U.S. Senator concurrently to hold a full-time television acting job; however, his first scenes as Branch were filmed during the Senate's August 2002 recess, so he missed no legislative time in order to act on television."
So what length of time are we actually referring to here: the "...final months" or "...the Senate's [sic] August 2002 recess"?  Unless the NBC television series Law & Order was being filmed in Tennessee during either the August 2002 recess or the "...final months", Senator Thompson was certainly not available at his district offices to all his constituents back home in Tennessee, I would suggest that the comment be first referenced for dates and then edited to something as follows:
"In the final months of his term, Thompson joined the cast of the long-running NBC television series Law & Order [date inserted here], playing the character Arthur Branch.
4.88.154.250 03:57, 2 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: NPOV lacking in this statement

message: Folks, I'm pro-Thompson.  I'll admit it.  But Wikipedia is not here to act as an outlet for people to champion or destroy.  I have added what I consider to be relevent issues (Gallup poll, for example).  When throwing in that edit, I attempted to paint the info in a neutral light, as is evidenced by what I wrote (the poll was good, but not announcing will hurt him).  All I ask is the same from other users here.  Mentioning one girfriend he had in the 90's is completely irrelevent.  Furthermore, adding a stock photo/headshot of her is absolutely pointless in the article.  Regardless, I don't see how anyone can claim that adding a link to her website is at all appropriate.  Whoever keeps adding it in obviously wants to bring attention to Ms. Morgan (perhaps it's her PR guy/gal?), and wants people to know she's written a book and has a webpage.  If anyone can give me a logical reason why any of that information should remain, I'm open to hear it.  Just know you'll have a hard time proving your case.  I'll go so far as to say that mentioning that he dated her for two years is "relevent", although I still think it's a waste of data.  However, I will not allow mention of her website, her book, or a glamorous headshot of her to remain, because this site is not here to promote her.
Furthermore, the S&L info is completely biased.  Every time I have altered it, I leave in the fact that he was a lobbyist for S&Lde-regulation, and that deregulation may have led to the collapse of S&L.  I think that's enough, as really all we've got is a very tenuous causal link from Thompson to S&L collapse.  It warrants mention, but not to the extent that some people with a political axe to grind think.  It does not require three paragraphs with multiple inflammatory quotes alluding to perceived greed and malfeasance.  Seriously folks, it is biased.
I try to be as fair as possible, and on numerous occasions I have mentioned I ampro-Thompson, and that perhaps others should decide.  If you feel something really, truly needs to be mentioned, throw it in.  But ask yourself before you do if you are trying to make a statement, or trying to inform of relevent material.
*And yet you fail to sign on at Talk:Fred DaltonThompson with either your Username of IP...
4.129.65.106 00:34, 3 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: NPOV Abound Here=

message: Please do not add unhelpful and unconstructive information to Wikipedia. Your edits appear to be vandalism and have been reverted. If you would like to experiment, please use the sandbox. vandalism by User:Pd THOR
Wikipedia:Vandalism: Removing the comments of other users from talk pages other than your own, aside from removing internal spam,vandalism, etc. is generally considered vandalism. 
Pd THOT contributions
15:39, 2 April 2007 Pd THOR (Talk | contribs) m (- fair-use image from talkspace;) 
related vandalism
17:13, 31 March 2007 (hist) (diff) m Fred Dalton Thompson (→United States Senator - - fair-use image;)
206.228.253.66 16:54, 2 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Pd THOR removing other's Talk comments/images

message: I went ahead and put a "candidate" header on the FDT page this afternoon, also cleaning up some language (minor copy edits) in the article itself. I realize that FDT has not announced a candidacy for the presidency, but he is also now beginning to enter the sphere of public discussion and scrutiny such that I would imagine this Wikipedia article is about to begin acting like a candidate page and, accordingly, people ought to know such. If anyone thinks I jumped the gun on this one, I'd love to hear your thoughts - I am not particularly wed to the header, but I did want to create some sort of public notice that this is unlikely to be a static article for the near future. Editor Emeritus 17:22, 2 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I concur.  There's a large amount of activity on this article due to Thompson's statements that he's considering a run.  If not the candidate header, perhaps some other header regarding persons who are currently in the news.  Where can one look for these kinds of headers?  I couldn't find the candidate header from the Template_messages page.  Eseymour 17:07, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: "Candidate" edits

message: I have removed the list of Thompson's Senate votes.  The page that lists this information is linked in the "External links" section.  Although a politician's voting record is relevant information about his career, to list those votes within the text of their biography doesn't seem like good style to me.  I did a quick check of articles on three or four other current and past Senators and none of them include a list of a dozen or so "important votes."  Eseymour 14:59, 3 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  List of votes 

message: This page doesn't seem to actually talk about the man's politics besides the fact that he's a republican. What are his views on abortion, gun control, stem-cell research, tax reform? Do they fall in-line with the party platform? What was his voting record while acting as a Senator? etc 66.36.131.177 23:32, 28 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: '''What are the man's politics'''

message: Welcome to Wikipedia. We invite everyone to contribute constructively to our encyclopedia. Some of your recent edits have been considered unhelpful or unconstructive and have been reverted or removed.  Please use the sandbox for any test edits you would like to make, and take a look at the welcome page to learn more about contributing to this encyclopedia. 
Writing style
Biographies of living people should be written responsibly, conservatively, and in a neutral, encyclopedic tone
[...]
The article should document, in a non-partisan manner, what reliable third party sources [such as Lorrie Morgan] have published about the subject [Fred Dalton Thompson] and, in some circumstances, what the subject may have published about themselves. The writing style should be neutral, factual, and understated, avoiding both a sympathetic point of view and an advocacy journalism [e.g. Draft Fred Thompson '08] point of view.4.88.154.7 17:23, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Don't you just love it? Lorrie's anonymous spammer boy is "cautioning" me? (And, apparently, implying I'm in favor of drafting Thompson! Given that I dislike and oppose FDT (not as much as I despise Tommy Thompson, of course), that is particularly rich!) --Orange Mike 22:49, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Orange Mike -- I think you and I disagree about some minor link issues, but I'm with you on this one. It's also particularly rich that whoever it is cautioning you doesn't even have a username... Editor Emeritus 00:44, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: If we agreed on everything, what a boring universe this would be! --Orange Mike 00:48, 6 April 2007 (UTC)

text: User:Orangemike, on the other hand, does, oh nameless one! Learn to read before you begin to edit. --Orange Mike 14:45, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Watch your civility, Michael James! </channeling your mother>--Ali'i 15:09, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Yeah, you've got a point there, Ali'i; I'll try hard to ratchet it down. The guy's anonymity really bothers me in a highly-charged arena like this. My mood's made worse because he doesn't seem to understand that I dislike Thompson intensely, probably since long before he ever heard of the man; but believe fiercely in the equitable application of Wiki policies and procedures to all subjects. --Orange Mike 15:18, 6 April 2007 (UTC)

text: User:Orangemike, on the other hand, does, oh nameless one! Learn to read before you begin to edit. --Orange Mike 14:45, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Orangemike per abovementioned Lorrie Morgan

message: Okay, we are beginning to near a revert war with external links, so let's sort it out in here first and then stick with one policy or another on the article itself. As a potential FDT candidacy gets mulled over, there is a lot of media coverage and grassroot activism associated with this. It is my sentiment that the unofficial movement to draft him should be afforded an external link, as should any meaningful media analysis of the situation. This is not a section of the page that gets a lot of attention in the first place but, when it does, it seems to be where people go for more information (even, perhaps, non-NPOV information). I do not see the harm in letting the section grow accordingly. And if the links are to be so liberally selected as to include wedding pictures, I have to think they ought, too, contain on-point commentary and grassroots draft movements... All that said, I'm going to wait until this thread is either flushed out slightly or 24 hours elapse before I edit the section - the last thing I want is a revert war, and some anonymous IP users seem to be gunning for just that. Editor Emeritus 19:42, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: These external links are out-of-hand. I trimmed some of them, and intend to trim more. Perhaps a few of them could be added as References instead? Wikipedia is not a gathering place for links about a topic. The photos should not be in there, the draft site possibly should, the others... well, we'll see. Mahalo. --Ali'i 20:54, 5 April 2007 (UTC)

text: I agree, it needs trimming badly, starting with fluff like the wedding photo. WIKI IS NOT... a collection of links. --Orange Mike 22:45, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: External Links

message: Someone keeps inserting two paragraphs asserting that Thompson was a key player in the S&L crisis.  The paragraph contains nothing but loaded rhetoric and are lacking in NPOV, placed solely to make Thompson look bad.  I agree that it is important to note that he worked for the Garn - St. Germain bill, but alluding that that [he, Thompson] alone caused the S&L crisis is just silly.  There is a link to the S&L Crisis page in the neutral statement, and if people want to learn about it, they can click there.  Please refrain from continuing to update the page with material used simply to smear Thompson.  This article is here to inform, not slander.  Thanks.
*Your "key player" and '...[he, Thompson] alone caused the S&L crisis" comments grossly misrepresent the actual referenced material as previously posted at Fred Dalton Thompson:
By 1982, Thompson worked the U.S. Congress membership as a lobbyist for passage of the Savings and Loan deregulation legislation desired by the Tennessee Savings and Loan League --- in this case, federal deregulation legislation allowing for additional government support of ailing S&Ls; giving U.S. thrifts the freedom to invest in potentially more profitable, but riskier, ventures; and eliminating interest-rate ceilings on new accounts to increase S&Ls' competitiveness. Enacted into law during in September 1982, the Senate bill pushed by Thompson was incorporated into the Garn - St Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982. The Garn - St Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 is widely credited with having laid the groundwork for the U.S. Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s.
The Reagan "elimination of loopholes" in the tax code included the elimination of the "passive loss" provisions that subsidized rental housing. Because this was removed retroactively, it bankrupted many real estate developments made with this tax break as a premise. This with some other "deregulation" policies favored by Thompson's lobbying clients ultimately led to the largest political and financial scandal in U.S. history: the Savings and Loan crisis. The ultimate cost of the crisis is estimated to have totaled around USD$150 billion, about $125 billion of which was consequently and directly subsidized by the U.S. government, which contributed to the large budget deficits of the early 1990s.
An indication of this scandal's size, Martin Mayer wrote, "The theft from the taxpayer by the community that fattened on the growth of the savings and loan (S&L) industry in the 1980's is the worst public scandal in American history. Teapot Dome in the Harding administration and the Credit Mobilier in the times of Ulysses S. Grant have been taken as the ultimate horror stories of capitalist democracy gone to seed. Measuring by money, [or] by the misallocation of national resources...the S&L outrage makes Teapot Dome and Credit Mobilier seem minor episodes." The Greatest-Ever Bank Robbery: The Collapse of the Savings and Loan Industry  by Martin Mayer (Scribner's)  Economist John Kenneth Galbraith called the Savings & Loan crisis "the largest and costliest venture in public misfeasance, malfeasance and larceny of all time."John Kenneth Galbraith, The Culture of Contentment. (Houghton Mifflin, 1992).
Please take your political advocacies and historical revisions back to the Draft Fred Thompson '08 web blogs where such prattlings belong.4.129.68.3 13:21, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: S&L Information

message: I request that this site be locked so that only registered users may edit and make changes.  One user in particular, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has continually vandalized the site with shameless efforts to promote the career of a B list country music star.  While I have no problem with Lorrie Morgan, Fred Thompson's bio is not a forum that should be utilized to revive what is obviously the dead music career of of woman he dated over 11 years ago.  I can only assume that this site will become more and more accessed by people as they learn of his possible candidacy, and it is not proper to try and use this as a forum to promote someone else in obvious bad faith.  I welcome discussion from registered members on this topic.  Thanks.  Nibblesworth 21:58, 8 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm new to this article, so I cannot judge yet whether or not it needs semi-protection at this point, but I think eventually, if his candidacy progresses, it will need it. You can always put in a request at Wikipedia:Requests for page protection. - Crockspot 22:06, 8 April 2007 (UTC)

text: I am inclined to think a registered users semi-protection might not be a bad idea -- when a page gets to the constant volume of edits this one has, a little order cannot hurt. Editor Emeritus 22:49, 8 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: UPDATE: I have placed a semi-protection request. Editor Emeritus 23:00, 8 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: UPDATE: Protection has been declined. Oh well. Editor Emeritus 23:10, 8 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  D'oh! Don't worry, we'll get there soon. - Crockspot 23:15, 8 April 2007 (UTC)

text: and also these comments by Nibblesworth from the User talk:Orangemike page [emphasis is mine]:
Fred Thompson
Howdy Orangemike! Saw your comments on the last edit for Fred Thompson, and I'd like to let you know that I'm currently putting together information that will help me create a more comprehensive, fact-centered article.  I'm pro-Thompson, but DO NOT want to use the site as a campaign tool for him. I truly think this site should represent facts, and readers can make their own decision. Since you mentioned in your edit that you are not a Thompson fan, I was wondering if you'd help me construct something neutral? I'll compose it all, and if you'd review it to look for bias, I'd appreciate it. Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Nibblesworth (talk • contribs) 17:52, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

text: I went ahead and bolded the really important portion of what I wrote.  Orangemike seems like a fair guy, and I figured he'd be a good person to act as a buffer for bias.  I suggest you adopt a similar attitude of fairness, not for any reason other than you're making a fool out of yourself here.  Good luck. Nibblesworth 22:22, 9 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Registered Users Only?

message: I have commented out (using  ) the following website pending discussion. Is The Daily Fred A Daily Roundup of Fred Thompson News and Blog Posts at ElephantBiz.com. notable enough/ have any more information not present/ necessary for this article? I just thought I'd get some opinions. Mahalo. --Ali'i 13:19, 11 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I think it's over-the-top, and just the kind of fan-like link that makes our anonymous anti-Thompson guy so irritable. Leave it out. --Orange Mike 16:19, 11 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  More external links 

message: Please do not add unhelpful and unconstructive information to Wikipedia. Your edits appear to be vandalism and have been reverted. If you would like to experiment, please use the sandbox.  tpv by Nibblesworth
Talk page vandalism 
Removing the comments of other users from talk pages other than your own, User:Nibblesworth, is generally considered vandalism.  Vandalism includes the action of any removal or change of content made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of Wikipedia.}}
 Please do not add unhelpful and unconstructive information to Wikipedia. Your edits appear to be vandalism and have been reverted. If you would like to experiment, please use the sandbox.  modifying user's comments by Nibblesworth
 Modifying users' comments
Editing other users' comments to substantially change their meaning (e.g. turning someone's vote around), except when removing a personal attack (which is somewhat controversial in and of itself). Signifying that a comment is unsigned is an exception. Please also note Modifying users' comments
 :and also these comments by Nibblesworth from the User talk:Orangemike page [emphasis is mine]:
Fred Thompson
Actual other user's comments modified by Nibblesworth:
Howdy Orangemike! Saw your comments on the last edit for Fred Thompson, and I'd like to let you know that I'm currently putting together information that will help me create a more comprehensive, fact-centered article. I'm pro-Thompson, but DO NOT want to use the site as a campaign tool for him. I truly think this site should represent facts, and readers can make their own decision. Since you mentioned in your edit that you are not a Thompson fan, I was wondering if you'd help me construct something neutral? I'll compose it all, and if you'd review it to look for bias, I'd appreciate it. Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Nibblesworth (talk • contribs) 17:52, 3 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: "Pro-Thompson" Nibblesworth modifying other's Talk comments

message: This article seems NPOV with its mentioning of Ron Paul a few times... seems like someone added his name in there as advertising his run for president or something?  I'm going to clean that up and remove Ron Paul from being mentioned unless it directly is important to the article  --Napnet 19:27, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: 2008 presidential bid

message: I won't edit the page, because I'm pro Thompson, but could we ensure that the same level of NPOV-professionalism is exercised form the anti-Thompson people?  I mean, seriously...are we trying link him to the S&L crisis?  I'm sure there's a much better way to explain his lobbying activities than to link it purely an S&L collapse.  Furthermore, what is the point of saying he played a "racist demagogue"?  It does a lot to brand him as such, whereas it does little to do anything else.  How about someone try to make the article a bit more fair?
:Ask yourselves if this is truly NPOV, those who have a conscience:
::The glowering, hulking Mr. Thompson has played a White House chief of staff, a director of the Central Intelligence Agency, a highly placed F.B.I. agent, a rear admiral, even a senator. When Hollywood directors need someone who can personify governmental power, they often turn to him.[7]
:Whaa? ... glowering, hulking ... give me a break. What are you afraid of? Sign me, curious.
That's from a quote.  Take it up with the journalist, I'd say.  Just Another Fat Guy 06:07, 13 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: NPOV