Fred Thompson first gained national attention as counsel for the Senate Watergate Committee, In fact, some credit him for coming up with Tennessee Senator Howard Baker’s questions, “What did the president know, and when did he know it?”
A few years later, he represented Marie Ragghianti during Tennessee’s own political scandal. I will not go into the details, but a movie was made about the episode. My dad, who was involved in state politics, has said nothing in the movie was true, but it launched Thompson’s second career as an actor. In Marie, he played himself.
As the years progressed, Thompson had one foot in Hollywood and one in Washington. He appeared in films and television shows and represented Tennessee in the Senate. He also had a short-lived campaign for president.
Earlier, news broke that Fred Thompson passed away. In his honor, these are some words of wisdom that can be found in his movies.
From No Way Out
Order some breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day.
From The Hunt for Red October
Some things don’t react well to bullets.
It is wise to study the ways of ones adversary.
The hard part about playing chicken is knowin’ when to flinch.
From Days of Thunder
Rubbin, son, is racin’.
Loose is fast, and on the edge of out of control.
Control is an illusion.
From Die Hard 2
Progress peaked with frozen pizza.
From Necessary Roughness
Eternal vigilance is the price of integrity.
From Cape Fear
If you hold on to the past, you die a little each day.
From Thunderheart
There is a way to live with the earth and a way not to live with the earth.
From Secretariat
You never know how far you can run unless you run.
SBI: A Thinning Crowd 