Kevin Clarke wrote:
I'm not sure that they are bad choices per se. These candidates are
all very accomplished people (except maybe Fred Thompson).

Fred Thompson not accomplished? I think you ought to compare his resume up
against any of the other cnadidates on either side.

Here are some high points.

He earned his undergraduate degree in philosophy and political science from
Memphis State University in 1964 and his law degree from Vanderbilt
University in 1967, working his way through school.

In 1969, Thompson was named an assistant United States attorney in
Nashville, where he earned the reputation as a tough prosecutor. Three years
later, he would help manage U.S. Senator Howard Baker's re-election
campaign. In 1973, at the age of 30, he was off to Washington, where he
served under the glaring spotlight of the Watergate scandal as minority
counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee.

Thompson would return to Tennessee, where he maintained law offices in
Nashville and Washington. His practice varied from pro bono work to
representing the state of Tennessee and large corporations, such as
Westinghouse.

He served as special counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in
1980 and the Senate Intelligence Committee in 1982.

Thompson ran to fill the remaining two years of an unexpired Senate term. It
was a tough race; his Democrat opponent was a 6 term Congressman. Two years
later, in 1996, the people of Tennessee returned him to office with more
votes than any candidate for any office in the state's history.