Tennessee native Fred Thompson first went to Washington in the early '70s to serve as Chief Minority Counsel for the Senate Watergate Committee.

At 6'6" tall, with his cowboy boots and southern drawl, the young lawyer was hard to miss during televised hearings.

In the '80s, Thompson played himself in a movie about a court case he'd tried.

That role jump-started his second career... in Hollywood.

On immigration, Thompson says he'd consider letting some illegal immigrants earn citizenship, though he opposes blanket amnesty.

He also supports expanding the visa program for skilled workers.

Thompson voted for using military force in Iraq.

He's argued, however, that the U.S. entered the war with a faulty strategy and not enough troops.

Thompson gave a thumbs up to the 2001 Bush tax cut law.

He says he'd consider instituting a retail sales tax and that he would do away with the Internal Revenue Service "as we know it."