BIRTHDAY

Fred Thompson was born Aug. 19, 1942, in Sheffield, Ala.

Education

Thompson graduated from Memphis State University with a degree in philosophy and political science in 1964. He then attended Vanderbilt University Law School and graduated in 1967.

Party

Republican

Pre-senate career

In 1969, he was named the assistant U.S. attorney in Nashville. In 1972, he assisted the Senate campaign to re-elect Howard Baker. In 1973, he served as minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee. In 1977, he was involved in a lawsuit with the former chairman of the Tennessee Parole Board and, after winning the case, portrayed himself in the subsequent movie. He has since appeared in more than 18 films and portrayed a district attorney on TV in “Law & Order.” In 1980, he served as special counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and, in 1982, served as special counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Senate career

In 1994, Thompson ran to fill two years of an unexpired Senate term in Tennessee and won the seat. He was then re-elected in 1996. He served as the Chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee in 1997 and opened an investigation into the Chinese government and its influence on American policies. He also served on the Finance Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Declared candidacy

Sept. 5, 2007

Family Life

Thompson is married to Jeri Kehn Thompson and has had five children: Tony, Daniel , Hayden Victoria, Samuel and Betsy (deceased 2002).

Religion

n Protestant