Senator Fred Thompson

FRED THOMPSON joins LARRY O'CONNOR to discuss his new book TEACHING THE PIG TO DANCE, and his Hollywood career. Fred Thompson is one of the most respected and visible figures in politics today. Thompson served eight years as a Senator from Tennessee, and in 2008 sought the Republican nomination for President of the United States. First elected to the United States Senate in 1994, the people of Tennessee returned him to office two years later with more votes than any candidate for any office in the state's history at that time. Serving as Chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, and as a member of the Finance Committee and Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Thompson focused on lowering taxes, strengthening national security, and cutting wasteful government spending. In March 2002, Senator Thompson announced that he would not seek re-election to the Senate, although he would have been re-elected easily. He has three sons, one daughter and 5 grandchildren, and wanted to spend more time with his family. Senator Thompson first appeared on screen in the film Marie in 1985, portraying himself in the fact-based story of a high-profile public corruption case he handled in Tennessee. Since then, he has appeared in numerous movies and television programs, including No Way Out, In the Line of Fire, Die Hard II, Days of Thunder and The Hunt for Red October and the television series China Beach, Wiseguy, and Matlock. Recently, he has become known for his portrayal of New York District Attorney Arthur Branch on the Emmy Award-winning NBC drama, Law & Order. In 2005, Senator Thompson was named by President Bush as an advisor to Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee John Roberts, helping to move his nomination through the Senate confirmation process. Thompson continued his public service as Chairman of the State Department's International Security Advisory Board.