Thompson returns to hometown

LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. - Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson returned home Saturday to a carnival-like atmosphere.

People from across southern Tennessee and north Alabama crammed into the Lawrencburg town square Saturday night to cheer on the former Tennessee senator as he addressed the crowd more than two weeks after formally announcing his candidacy for president.

"This is the most exciting thing in Lawrence County in my 65 years of living here," said Lawrenceburg native Jay Fincher.

Fincher attended school with Thompson but said he never envisioned him as a future president, but added that he now believes his old schoolmate is the man for the job.

Signs declaring that "Fred is the Man" and "Fredneck and Proud" waved high above the crowd as spectators lined the streets, poked their heads through windows and stood on roof tops to hear the popular former senator speak.

Other signs read, "Send Law & Order back to D.C.," referring to Thompson's role on the popular NBC drama.

"He has been here, he's lived here and he knows what we are going through," said Norman Calvert, of Lawrenceburg.

Thompson, speaking without notes, told the crowd that he loved the area and was proud of where he came from, but said that it's important to look to the future.

"As wonderful as the past is, we are talking about the future tonight," he said.

Thompson told the crowd that there are things facing Americans today that other generations never dreamed of.

"We have had a war declared on us by radical Islam," Thompson said. "These people have no rules and principles to play with us. We must not show weakness in the face of this."

The thousands of people gathered around the square shouted and cheered as Thompson spoke of the need to have him in Washington, while others worked to do what they can to put him there.

Tim Dowden, of Lawrenceburg, is selling tee shirts comparing Thompson to the legendary Tennessee lawman Buford Pusser.

The shirts that read, "A little bit Buford Pusser and a little bit Ronald Reagan," are being sold to raise money for Thompson's campaign.

"He walks and talks like Buford Pusser, but he has the communication skills of Ronald Reagan," Dowden said.

Jonathan Willis can be reached at 332-0140 or jonathan.willis@timesdaily.com.