No Runny Eggs

Archive for August 12th, 2007

Freeeeeeeeeeud

by realdebate @ 23:48. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Revisions/extensions (5:02 pm 1/3/2008 – steveegg) – I don’t know how Curt got this post from Fred Dooley (who is also supporting Thompson) instead of my own Thompson endorsement, but as long as it’s on the list, I’ll take it)

Fred, Fred, Fred: Thompson’s Challenge Has a Name
By Monica Hesse
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 12, 2007; D01

In the swampy soup of hopefuls for the 2008 presidential election, there is a man with a funny name. (No, not that one.)

We’re thinking of the one named Fred (Thompson).

Say it out loud. Do it. Fred. Fred. In the South, Fray-ud.

Fur-red-duh.

It has the tonal quality of something being dropped on the floor, something heavy and damp-ish.

Waterlogged paper towel.

Fred.

The phonetics of the name seem integral to its image problem: On Urbandictionary.com, a “Fred” is defined as “a person who does stupid, annoying, or idiotic things” (Fred Flintstone, Fred Mertz). The best-case descriptors a Fred can hope for are terms like well-intentioned, predictable, benign (Fred Rogers).

There has never before been a major presidential candidate named Fred. There were two Alfreds, in 1928 and 1936. But Alfred, being all British and Batman-y, is not the same.

Then, out of almost nowhere, came Thompson, who is transcending the notion of Fred.

Some of the regular readers on No Runny Eggs may not know my name is not actually Real Debate, it is Fred. The Washington Post can kiss my fanny.

Fred is a fine name, worthy of Presidential stature. Ever heard of Frederick the Great? How about the brilliant Fred Astaire? Fred Savage, come on now, The Wonder Years.

Need I say Frederick Mellinger, inventer of the pushup bra and founder of Fredericks of Hollywood?

What of sausage genius Fred Usinger, or beer pioneer Frederick Pabst?

Need I remind you of Fred Jones? Come on he drove The Mystery Machine for cryin’ out loud.

Frederick Banting co-discovered insulin and won a nobel prize!

How about some Fred’s of Royalty?

Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195-1198

Frederick II, Duke of Austria (1219-1246), last Duke of Austria from the Babenberg dynasty

Frederick I of Austria (Habsburg) (1286-1330), Duke of Austria and King of the Romans

Frederick III, Elector of Saxony

Frederick I of Denmark (1471-1533), King of Denmark and Norway

Frederick II of Denmark (1534-1588), King of Denmark and Norway

Frederick III of Denmark (1609-1670), King of Denmark and Norway