I'll be honest, I was too young to remember the political state of our country during Ronald Reagan's tenure as prez. What I do remember was that winning smile; the gooey warmth and prosperity that oozed from his every pore; a formidable presence that said this is a guy we can trust. He was likeable, he could speak well, and he seemed smart. To my impressionable little brain, Reagan seemed to say, "I can lead your country, and lead it well." And it was all a facade.

I've always imagined that Reagan's iconic American image was due at least in part to the fact that he was an actor. This was a man who was trained to play other people; experienced at lying to our faces and making us believe. He made us want to believe. He may have been a douche, but he had a lot of us fooled.

A few days ago, our good friends at Fox News disclosed that actor Fred Thompson, best known as the DA on "Law and Order," will announce his campaign for president sometime after the 4th of July. Along with his illustrious acting career, Thompson has worked as an attorney, a lobbyist, and has served nine years as a US Senator. You probably know him by face:



He's an ugly sonuvabitch, but could Thompson be America's solution to the unpresentable pile of shit that currently holds office? Maybe what we've needed these past few years is someone who can get through a sentence; someone who knows how to project an image of authority and has worked hard on perfecting that persona. Could Fred Thompson be the next Ronald Reagan?

Like Reagan and both Bushes before him, Thompson is a staunch conservative. He's pro-life, anti gun control, doesn't much like immigration, wants to keep God in our schools and government, and doesn't think global warming has anything to do with reckless humans. So, yes, he's an asshole like the rest of them. But at least he can remember his lines.

Aaron_Lariviere doesn't like republicans; he doesn't like most democrats either; and he thinks most actors are self-absorbed pieces of shit.