|name=Thomas George Thompson

|image=Tommy Thompson 1.jpg|frame|right|Tommy G. Thompson

|order=19th

|title=[[United States Secretary of Health and Human Services|Secretary of Health and Human Services]]

|term_start=February 2, 2001

|term_end=January 26, 2005

|president=[[George W. Bush]]

|predecessor=[[Donna Shalala]]

|successor=[[Mike Leavitt]]

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1941|11|19}}

|birth_place=[[Elroy, Wisconsin]]

|party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]

|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]

|alma_mater=[[University of Wisconsin–Madison]]

|order2=42nd

|title2=[[Governor of Wisconsin]]

|term_start2=January 5, 1987

|term_end2=February 1, 2001

|lieutenant2=[[Scott McCallum]]

|predecessor2=[[Tony Earl]]

|successor2=[[Scott McCallum]]

|branch=[[United States Army]]

|rank=[[Captain (land)|Captain]]

'''Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson''' (born November 19, 1941), a [[United States]] [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[politician]], was the [[List of Governors of Wisconsin|42nd]] [[Governor of Wisconsin]], after which he served as [[United States Secretary of Health and Human Services|U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services]]. Thompson was a candidate for the [[United States presidential election, 2008|2008 U.S. Presidential Election]], but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls such as the [[Iowa Straw Poll]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TOMMY_THOMPSON_2008?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=POLITICS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-08-13-11-36-42

|title=Tommy Thompson drops presidential bid

|date=2007-08-12

|work=Associated Press

|accessdate=2007-08-13 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> In 2011, [[Politico]] reported that he would run for the U.S [[Senate of the United States|Senate]] in [[United States Senate election in Wisconsin, 2012|2012]].

<ref name="politico1">{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/55108.html |title=Tommy Thompson plans to run for Senate - Mike Allen and Edward-Isaac Dovere |publisher=Politico.Com |date= |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref>

Thompson was born in [[Elroy, Wisconsin]], where his father, Allan, owned and ran a [[gas station]] and country [[grocery store]], and his mother, Julia, was a [[teacher]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wargs.com/political/thompsont.html |title=Ancestry of Tommy Thompson |publisher=Wargs.com |date=1941-11-19 |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref> He is a former [[Captain (U.S. Army)|captain]] in the [[United States Army]] and [[United States Army Reserve]], and holds a law degree from the [[University of Wisconsin Law School]].

==Political career==

===State Assembly===

Thompson was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1966; he became the Assembly's assistant minority leader in 1973 and minority leader in 1981.[3] He was famous for aggressively utilizing parliamentary procedure to give his minority party some limited say in the legislative process. Since this use of procedure was invariably one of delay and obstruction, he soon received the nickname "Dr. No" by the frustrated majority.

===Governor of Wisconsin===

From 1987 to 2001, Thompson served as the 42nd [[governors of Wisconsin|Governor of Wisconsin]], having been elected to an unprecedented four terms. While serving as governor, he was elected Chairman of the [[Midwestern Governors Association]] in 1989 and 1990.

Thompson's initiatives during his 14 years as governor of [[Wisconsin]] were his [[Wisconsin Works]] [[welfare reform]] and [[school choice]] programs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/highlights/archives/2008/05/w2.asp |title=Highlights at the Wisconsin Historical Society |publisher=Wisconsinhistory.org |date=2008-05-14 |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref> In 1990 Thompson pushed for the creation of the country's first parental school-choice program, allowing low-income [[Milwaukee]] families to send children to the private or [[Milwaukee Public Schools|public school]] of their choice at taxpayer expense. He created the [[BadgerCare]] program, designed to provide health coverage to those families whose employers don't provide health insurance but make too much money to qualify for [[Medicaid]]. Through the federal waiver program, Thompson helped replicate this program in several states when he became Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Thompson left office when he was appointed by President [[George W. Bush]] as HHS Secretary. He was a member of the [[Amtrak]] [[Board of Directors]] and had an [[Amtrak]] [[locomotive]] named for him.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hhs.gov/news/speech/2001/011101.html

|title=Amtrak A. Vital Link in America's Transportation Future

|date=2001-11-01

|publisher=[[United States Department of Health and Human Services]]

|accessdate=2007-10-19 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hebners.net/amtrak/amtGEN42_169_183.html |title=Pictures of P42 Genesis #182 |publisher=Hebners.net |date= |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1215/is_9_202/ai_78840332 |title=Claytor award |publisher=Findarticles.com |date= |accessdate=2011-06-02 |year=2001}}</ref>

===Health and Human Services Secretary===

[[Image:Tommy Thompson.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Thompson at the 2004 ''HealthierUS'' summit]]

Thompson announced his resignation from HHS on December 3, 2004, and served until January 26, 2005, when the [[United States Senate|Senate]] confirmed his successor, [[Mike Leavitt|Michael O. Leavitt]].

===2008 Presidential campaign===

{{Main|Tommy Thompson presidential campaign, 2008}}

After first announcing the formation of an [[exploratory committee]] in late [[2006]], Thompson announced his candidacy for the [[United States presidential election, 2008|2008 presidential election]] on April 1, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2998796

|title=GOP's Tommy Thompson Enters '08 Race

|news = [[This Week (ABC TV series)|This Week with George Stephanopoulos]]

|date=2007-04-01

|publisher=[[American Broadcasting Company]]

|accessdate=2007-04-01 }}</ref>

During a May 3, [[2007]], presidential debate at the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library]] Thompson said in response to a question from moderator [[Chris Matthews]] that a private employer opposed to [[homosexuality]] should have the right to fire a gay worker.<ref>[http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=22&date=5/04/2007&id=23039 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: JS Online: PoliticsWatch ]{{dead link|date=June 2011}}</ref> He said, "I think that is left up to the individual business. I really sincerely believe that that is an issue that business people have got to make their own determination as to whether or not they should be." He called [[CNN]] the following morning to say he didn't hear the question correctly. He apologized, saying, "It's not my position. There should be no [[discrimination]] in the workplace."

Thompson had stated he would drop out of the race if he did not finish either first or second in the [[Ames straw poll]] on August 11, 2007. Thompson finished sixth, with just 7% of the vote, despite the fact that some major contenders were not competing in the poll. On August 12, Thompson officially announced he would drop out of the race.

In October 2007, Thompson endorsed [[Rudy Giuliani]]. Thompson told the Associated Press in a statement that "Rudy Giuliani has shown that he is a true leader. He can and will win the nomination and the presidency. He is America's mayor, and during a period of time of great stress for this country he showed tremendous leadership."

He then endorsed [[John McCain|Senator John McCain]] after [[Rudy Giuliani|Giuliani]]'s withdrawal from the presidential race.<ref>[http://wisconsin.johnmccain.com/Content/Default.aspx?area=wisconsin+Leaders&PageName=Wisconsin+Leaders John McCain 2008<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> However, in a [[New York Times]] article published October 11, 2008, Thompson is quoted in response to a question regarding whether he was happy with [[John McCain|McCain]]'s campaign as saying, "No. I don't know who is."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/us/politics/12strategy.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin |title=Concern in G.O.P. After Rough Week for McCain |publisher=''[[New York Times]]'' |date=October 11, 2008 | first1=Adam | last1=Nagourney | first2=Elisabeth | last2=Bumiller | accessdate=May 25, 2010}}</ref>

===2010 Governor's race===

{{Main|Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 2010}}

Thompson announced on April 30, 2009 that he was considering a run for [[List of Governors of Wisconsin|Governor]] of [[Wisconsin]] as a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] in 2010 against the then current governor, [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Jim Doyle]].<ref>WISN Milwaukee [http://www.wisn.com/politics/19327086/detail.html Thompson Considers 2010 Run]</ref> This was just two days after Republican [[Scott Walker (politician)|Scott Walker]] announced his run.<ref>Walters, Steve. [http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/43284987.html Walker Announcement Expected April 28"] ''[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]''.</ref> Another Republican former Congressman, [[Mark Neumann]], had also announced he would run. The incumbent, Democrat [[Jim Doyle]], announced in August 2009 that he would not seek re-election for a third term.

===2010 Senate race===

Thompson considered a run for the United States Senate seat held by [[Russ Feingold]]. A poll by Rasmussen Reports showed Thompson leading 47% to 43% over the Democratic Senator.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/82963222.html |title=Poll: Thompson tops Feingold in hypothetical race |publisher=JSOnline |date=2010-01-28 |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref> A poll by [[Public Policy Polling]] put Feingold ahead, 47-44.<ref>http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_WI_323.pdf</ref> On April 15, 2010, Thompson announced that he would not run for the United States Senate seat while delivering his keynote speech at the Tax Day Tea Party Rally in Madison.<ref>{{cite web|author=MARY SPICUZZA |url=http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_260933b0-48af-11df-aa87-001cc4c002e0.html |title=Thompson declines Senate run at tax day protest |publisher=Host.madison.com |date=2010-04-15 |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref>

===2012 Senate Race===

On September 19, 2011, Thompson officially launched his campaign to run for the Wisconsin senate seat vacated by Sen. [[Herb Kohl]]<ref name="politico1"/>

==Private-sector career==

Thompson is the President of [[Logistics Health Incorporated]]. He is senior partner at [[Akin Gump]], a Washington, D.C., law firm, and is a senior adviser at the consulting firm Deloitte and the chairman of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions.<ref>[http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/employee_profile/0,1007,sid%253D80772%2526cid%253D86217,00.html?wt.mc_id=w Bio: Tommy Thompson, Deloitte Center for Health Solutions]</ref> Thompson taught a class in the fall of 2005 at [[Harvard]] University's [[Kennedy School of Government]] on medical diplomacy.<ref>Thompson, Tommy G. [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/10/24/the_cure_for_tyranny/ "The cure for tyranny"] ''[[Boston Globe]]'', October 24, 2005</ref>

Shortly after leaving his Bush Cabinet post, Thompson joined and served for two years on the board of directors of [[Applied Digital Solutions]], makers of the controversial [[VeriChip]]: a glass-encapsulated [[RFID]] chip that can be injected into human flesh for various database-driven identification purposes.

Thompson currently serves on the Board of Directors for [http://www.accordiafoundation.org Accordia Global Health Foundation] <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accordiafoundation.org |title=Accordia Global Health Foundation |publisher=Accordiafoundation.org |date= |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref> and the board of Directors for Pure Bioscience Inc. (PURE.OB) and serves on the Board of Trustees of the non-profit, [[Medical Missions for Children]] and is the co-host for their television series, ''Plain Talk About Health''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mmissions.org/mmc/board.html |title=Medical Missions for Children Board of Trustees |publisher=Mmissions.org |date= |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref>

Thompson serves as a Senior Advisor of Capital Partners of McKinley Reserve,<ref>{{cite web

| title = McKinley Reserve website, Profile, People

| url = http://www.mckinleyreserve.com/

| accessdate = 2009-04-24

| quote = Tommy G. Thompson ... is a Senior Advisor of Capital Partners.

}}</ref> a Wisconsin corporation with ties to both [[Hilbert, Wisconsin]] and [[Dubai]].<ref>{{cite web

| title = McKinley Reserve website, Companies, Capital Partners

| url = http://www.mckinleyreserve.com/

| accessdate = 2009-04-24

| quote = Capital Partners is headquartered in [[Dubai]], [[United Arab Emirates]].

}}</ref><ref>{{cite web

| title = International Business Leader Charles Mulcahy Joins McKinley Reserve; Establishes Milwaukee Office to Grow Domestic and International Investment Portfolio.

| url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/International+Business+Leader+Charles+Mulcahy+Joins+McKinley+Reserve%3B...-a0139671621

| date = 2005-12-12

| accessdate = 2009-04-24

| quote = The McKinley Reserve, as profiled on CNBC-TV, is best known for funding and co-managing Capital Partners FZ (CP) in Dubai...

}}</ref>

==Criticism==

===Medicare controversies===

After leaving office, Thompson promoted changes to [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] that some complained would benefit companies Thompson has a financial stake in (including Centene and the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/07/AR2006080701088.html |title=Thompson's Medicaid Reforms Benefit His Employers |publisher=Washington Post |date= 2006-08-08|accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref>

Additionally, while in office, Thompson was involved in a dispute over whether the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services had to share cost estimates to Congress for legislation that would create a prescription drug benefit. Critics accused HHS of downplaying the true cost of the law by $150 billion. CMS Administrator Tom Scully threatened to fire the actuary if he revealed to Congress his estimate. Investigators determined that the data was improperly hidden from Congress, but did not conclude whether laws had been broken.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9B02E0D9143BF934A35754C0A9629C8B63 |title=Top Medicare Official Threatened Actuary |publisher=New York Times |date=2004-07-07 |accessdate=2011-06-02 |first=Robert |last=Pear}}</ref>

===Treatment of Ojibwa spearfishers===

During his 1986 gubernatorial campaign, Thompson suggested abrogating the right of Wisconsin's [[Ojibwa]] tribe to engage in traditional spearfishing.<ref name=MPM /> Once in office, Thompson called on the tribe to sell their rights to spearfish in off-reservation lakes and streams, which is guaranteed by treaties with the United States, for $42 million dollars to the [[Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa]] and $10 million to the [[Sokaogon Chippewa Community|Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa]].<ref name=MPM /> Thompson and anti-spearfishing organizations Protect Americans' Rights and Resources and Stop Treaty Abuse-Wisconsin tried unsuccessfully to challenge the 1983 "Voigt Decision" of the [[Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals]]—which prohibited Wisconsin from regulating fishing on Ojibwe land.<ref name=MPM /> The decision was upheld by the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] in 1983.<ref name=WHS /><ref name=MPM /> Thompson claimed that Native Americans' lives were in danger from protesters associated with PARR and STA if they continued spearfishing.{{cite}} In 1989, federal judge Barbara Crabb refused the request and chastised the state for attempting to avoid violence by punishing the Ojibwa, who had broken no laws, since it was violence by non-Native American protesters that was threatening.<Ref name=WHS>{{cite web |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/artifacts/archives/002146.asp |title=Curators' Favorites: Anti-spearfishing Concrete Walleye Decoy |first=Scott F. |last=Roller |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=May 18, 2006 |month= |year= |work= |publisher=Wisconsin Historical Museum |location= |page= |pages= |at= |language= |trans_title= |format= |arxiv= |asin= |bibcode= |doi= |doibroken= |isbn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |lccn= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |osti= |pmc = |embargo= |pmid= |rfc= |ssrn= |zbl= |id= |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62CRNdrRU |archivedate=October 4, 2011 |deadurl= |accessdate=Octobrer 4, 2011 |quote= |ref= |separator= |postscript=}}</ref> Crabb issued an injunction against violent anti-spearfishing protests in 1991, and made it permanent in 1992.<ref name=Faber>{{cite book |last1=Faber |first1=Daniel J. |authorlink1= |last2= |first2= |authorlink2= |coauthors= |editor1-first= |editor1-last= |editor1-link= |others= |title=The Struggle for Ecological Democracy: Environmental Justice Movements in the United States |trans_title= |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=3S2MHvNCz_cC&pg=PA283&dq=crabb+permanent+injunction+1992&hl=en&ei=UeSLTqjGFYSosQK2zM2wBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=crabb%20permanent%20injunction%201992&f=false |archiveurl= |archivedate= |format= |accessdate=October 4, 2011 |type= |edition= |series= |volume= |date= |year=1998 |month= |origyear= |publisher=Guilford Press |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |page=283 |pages= |at= |trans_chapter= |chapter= |chapterurl= |quote= |ref= |bibcode= |laysummary= |laydate= |separator= |postscript= |lastauthoramp=}}</ref> On May 20, 1991, the Thompson administration declared it would no longer attempt to appeal the 1983 Voight Decision.<ref name=MPM>{{cite web|url=http://www.mpm.edu/wirp/ICW-112.html |title=Milwaukee Public Museum, "Spearfishing Controversy" |publisher=Mpm.edu |date= |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref>

===Statements about Jews, Israel===

In April 2007, Thompson was compelled to apologize for remarks he made about Jews and Israel during an address to an assembled crowd of Jewish [[social activists]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="Politico">{{cite news |title=T. Thompson Apologizes For Jewish Remark |author= |first=Jonathan |last=Martin |authorlink=Jonathan Martin |authorlink2= |author2= |author3= |author4= |author5= |author6= |author7= |url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0407/T_Thompson_Apologizes_For_Jewish_Remark.html |format= |agency= |newspaper=[[Politico]] |publisher= |location= |isbn= |issn= |oclc= |pmid= |pmd= |bibcode= |doi= |id= |date=April 17, 2007 |page= |pages= |at= |accessdate=October 5, 2011 |language= |trans_title= |quote= |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62CbM7olG |archivedate=April 5, 2011 |deadurl= |ref=}}</ref> On April 18, 2007, appearing before a conference organized by the [[Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism]], Thompson made reference to his lucrative transition from public service to the private sector by stating: "You know that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that."<ref name=MSNBC>{{cite news |title=Thompson apologizes for Jewish comments |author= |first=Frederic J. |last=Frommer |authorlink= |authorlink2= |author2= |author3= |author4= |author5= |author6= |author7= |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18151228/ns/politics-decision_08/t/thompson-apologizes-jewish-comments/ |format= |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[MSNBC]] |publisher= |location= |isbn= |issn= |oclc= |pmid= |pmd= |bibcode= |doi= |id= |date=April 17, 2007 |page= |pages= |at= |accessdate=October 5, 2011 |language= |trans_title= |quote= |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62Car78mQ |archivedate=October 5, 2011 |deadurl= |ref=}}</ref> After the conclusion of his address, Thompson was reportedly pulled aside privately by the RAC's [[David Saperstein (rabbi)|Rabbi David Saperstein]], and then returned to the podium to issue a clarification,<ref name=Forward>{{cite news |title=Tommy Thompson: "Earning Money" Is "Part of the Jewish Tradition" |author= |first= |last= |authorlink= |authorlink2= |author2= |author3= |author4= |author5= |author6= |author7= |url=http://www.forward.com/blogs/campaign-confidential/10526/ |format= |agency= |newspaper=[[The Jewish Daily Forward]] |publisher= |location= |isbn= |issn= |oclc= |pmid= |pmd= |bibcode= |doi= |id= |date= |page= |pages= |at= |accessdate=October 5, 2011 |language= |trans_title= |quote= |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62Cb52dKc |archivedate=October 5, 2011 |deadurl= |ref=}}</ref> adding: "I just want to clarify something because I didn't (by) any means want to infer or imply anything about Jews and finances and things. What I was referring to, ladies and gentlemen, is the accomplishments of the Jewish religion. You've been outstanding business people and I compliment you for that."<ref name=MSNBC />

Later, Thompson told [[Politico (newspaper)|Politico]] that his remarks could be blamed on fatigue and a persistent cold.<ref name=Politico />

Thompson made a variety of other lesser gaffes, including referring to the [[Anti Defamation League]] as the fringe [[Jewish Defense League]], and to [[Israel bonds]] as "Jewish bonds".<ref name=Haaretz-Friendly>{{cite news |title=Friendly advice to American candidates trying to woo the Jewish vote |author= |first=Shmuel |last=Rosner |authorlink=Shmuel Rosner |authorlink2= |author2= |author3= |author4= |author5= |author6= |author7= |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20071001150217/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/rosnerBlog.jhtml?itemNo=849067 |format= |agency= |newspaper=[[Haaretz]] |publisher= |location= |isbn= |issn= |oclc= |pmid= |pmd= |bibcode= |doi= |id= |date=April 17, 2007 |page= |pages= |at= |accessdate= |language= |trans_title= |quote= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |deadurl=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/rosnerBlog.jhtml?itemNo=849067 |ref=}}</ref><ref name=JTA>{{cite news |title=Candidate: Making money part of Jewish tradition |author= |first= |last= |authorlink= |authorlink2= |author2= |author3= |author4= |author5= |author6= |author7= |url=http://www.jta.org/news/article/2007/04/16/101208/racthompson |format= |agency=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] |newspaper= |publisher= |location= |isbn= |issn= |oclc= |pmid= |pmd= |bibcode= |doi= |id= |date=April 16, 2007 |page= |pages= |at= |accessdate=October 5, 2011 |language= |trans_title= |quote= |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62Cbvaxxo |archivedate=October 5, 2011 |deadurl= |ref=}}</ref><ref name=JS>{{cite news |title=Thompson apologizes to Jews for comments |author= |first=Craig |last=Gilbert |authorlink= |authorlink2= |author2= |author3= |author4= |author5= |author6= |author7= |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_multi=MWSB&#124;PKPB&p_product=MSNP&p_theme=msnp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=%22thompson%20apologizes%22&s_dispstring=thompson%20apologizes%20AND%20date%282007%29&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2007&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no# |format= |agency= |newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]] |publisher= |location= |isbn= |issn= |oclc= |pmid= |pmd= |bibcode= |doi= |id= |date=April 16, 2007 |page= |pages= |at= |accessdate= |language= |trans_title= |quote= |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070824194526/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=591756 |archivedate=August 24, 2007 |deadurl=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=591756 |ref=}}</ref> He also discussed his connections to politically conservative Israeli and Jewish leaders while speaking to the mostly left-leaning activist group.<ref name=Haaretz-Friendly />

Conference organizers avoided comment on the faux pas, instead praising Thompson's decision to appear before the group.<ref name=Haaretz-Republican>{{cite news |title=Republican presidential hopeful: Money-making a Jewish tradition |author= |first=Shmuel |last=Rosner |authorlink= |authorlink2= |author2= |author3= |author4= |author5= |author6= |author7= |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/republican-presidential-hopeful-money-making-a-jewish-tradition-1.218182 |format= |agency= |newspaper=[[Haaretz]] |publisher= |location= |isbn= |issn= |oclc= |pmid= |pmd= |bibcode= |doi= |id= |date=April 16, 2007 |page= |pages= |at= |accessdate=October 5, 2011 |language= |trans_title= |quote= |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62CfRM6ZV |archivedate=October 5, 2011 |deadurl= |ref=}}</ref>

===Politicizing of science===

In 2001, early in his term as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Thompson's office rejected 19 of 26 people recommended for seats on the advisory board for the [[NIH]] [[developing nations]] unit, including a [[Nobel laureate]], by the unit's director.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news |title=Scientists Say They Were Questioned on Politics |author= |first=Kenneth |last=Chang |authorlink= |authorlink2= |author2= |author3= |author4= |author5= |author6= |author7= |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/09/politics/09data.html |format= |agency= |newspaper=New York Times |publisher= |location= |isbn= |issn= |oclc= |pmid= |pmd= |bibcode= |doi= |id= |date=July 9, 2004 |page= |pages= |at= |accessdate= |language= |trans_title= |quote= |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62CTdaWGs |archivedate=October 4, 2011 |deadurl= |ref=}}</ref> In return, Thompson's office sent résumés for other scientists that [[Gerald Keusch]], the director of the [[Fogarty International Center]], described in an interview as "lightweights" with "no scientific credibility". Keusch relayed to the Nobel laureate, [[Torsten Wiesel]], that he was rejected for having "signed too many full-page letters in The New York Times critical of President Bush." <ref name=Newsday>{{cite news |title=Group says that Bush undermines science for politics |author= |first=Earl |last=Lane |authorlink= |authorlink2= |author2= |author3= |author4= |author5= |author6= |author7= |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001975573_bushscience09.html |format= |agency=Newsday |newspaper=Seattle Times |publisher= |location= |isbn= |issn= |oclc= |pmid= |pmd= |bibcode= |doi= |id= |date= |page= |pages= |at= |accessdate= |language= |trans_title= |quote= |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62CUQsQ86 |archivedate=October 4, 2011 |deadurl= |ref=}}</ref> This incident was cited by the advocacy group [[Union of Concerned Scientists]] as part of a report detailing their allegations of [[politicization of science]] under President George W. Bush's administration.<ref name=Marris>{{cite journal |author=Emma Marris |title=Bush accused of trying to foist favourites on health agency |journal=Nature |volume=430 |issue=281 |doi=10.1038/430281a |date=14 July 2004 |url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v430/n6997/full/430281a.html |page=281 |pmid=15254502}}</ref><ref name=Shulman>{{cite book |title=Undermining Science: Suppression and Distortion in the Bush Administration |author=Seth Shulman |year=2007 |publisher=University of California Press}}</ref>

==Electoral history==

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election 1998}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Tommy Thompson (incumbent)

|votes = 1,047,716

|percentage = 59.66

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = [[Ed Garvey]]

|votes = 679,553

|percentage = 38.70

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election 1994}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Tommy Thompson (incumbent)

|votes = 1,051,326

|percentage = 67.23

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = [[Charles Chvala|Chuck Chvala]]

|votes = 482,850

|percentage = 30.88

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election 1990}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Tommy Thompson (incumbent)

|votes = 802,321

|percentage = 58.15

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = [[Thomas A. Loftus]]

|votes = 576,280

|percentage = 41.77

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election 1986}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Tommy Thompson

|votes = 805,090

|percentage = 52.74

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = [[Tony Earl]] (incumbent)

|votes = 705,578

|percentage = 46.22

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election 1986 - Republican Primary}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Tommy Thompson

|votes = 156,875

|percentage = 52.11

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Jonathan Barry

|votes = 67,114

|percentage = 22.30

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = George Watts

|votes = 58,424

|percentage = 19.41

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title= U.S. House Wisconsin 6th District Special Election 1979 - Republican Primary}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Thomas Petri

|votes = 22,293

|percentage = 35.25

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Tommy Thompson

|votes = 11,850

|percentage = 18.74

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Jack Steinhilber

|votes = 11,810

|percentage = 18.68

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Kenneth Benson

|votes = 10,965

|percentage = 17.34

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Donald Jones

|votes = 5,077

|percentage = 8.02

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Richard Wright

|votes = 844

|percentage = 1.33

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = John Gregory

|votes = 395

|percentage = .62

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

==Pop Culture References==

Thompson was indirectly referenced in the 2001 South Park episode "[[How to Eat with Your Butt]]", in which Wisconsin couple Martha and Steven Thompson mistake Kenny McCormick for their son "Tommy" who due to "torsonic polarity syndrome" (TPS) has a butt where his face should be. Tommy turns out in the end to be Ben Affleck.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s05e10-how-to-eat-with-your-butt|title=[[How to Eat with Your Butt]]|date=2001-11-14}}</ref>

==Footnotes==

{{reflist|2}}

==External links==

;Official sites

* [http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/thompson-bio.html Biography] from the [[White House]]

* [http://www.logisticshealth.com/aboutlhi/tthompson.html Logistics Health Incorporated]

* [http://www.tommyforwisconsin.com U.S. Senate Campaign Website]

;Documentaries, topic pages and databases

*[http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/P60003795 Federal Election Commission - Tommy G. Thompson (President)] campaign finance reports

*[http://senate.ontheissues.org/Tommy_Thompson.htm On the Issues - Tommy Thompson] issue positions and quotes

*[http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/primaries/candidates/thompson.html PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer - Vote 2008: Tommy Thompson]

*[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/tp-060/ "Tommy Thompson and the Conservative Revolution"]; primary source material compiled by the [[Wisconsin Historical Society]]

*{{dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Government/Elections/President/2008/Candidates/Thompson,_Tommy}}

*[http://www.marquette.edu/library/collections/archives/Mss/TGT/TGTmain.htm Tommy G. Thompson Collection, 1957-ongoing] Special Collections & Archives, [[Marquette University]] (archive of materials donated by Thompson and others)

;Media coverage

*[http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/t/tommy_g_thompson/index.html New York Times - Tommy G. Thompson] news stories and commentary

*Skiba, Katherine M. [http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=404311 "Mr. Thompson goes corporate"] ''[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]'', February 25, 2006

{{S-start}}

{{s-off|us}}

{{succession box

|before=[[Tony Earl]]

|title=[[Governor of Wisconsin]]

|years=1987–2001

|after=[[Scott McCallum]]

}}

{{s-bef|before=[[Howard Dean]]<br /><small>''[[Vermont]]''</small>}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[National Governors Association]]|years=1995–1996}}

{{s-aft|after=[[Bob Miller (Nevada governor)|Bob Miller]]<br /><small>''[[Nevada]]''</small>}}

{{U.S. Secretary box

|before=[[Donna Shalala]]

|department=Secretary of Health and Human Services

|president=[[George W. Bush]]

|years=2001–2005

|after=[[Michael O. Leavitt]]

}}

{{s-end}}

{{USSecHHS}}

{{Governors of Wisconsin}}

{{National Governors Association chairs}}

{{United States presidential election, 2008}}

{{GW Bush cabinet}}

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->

| NAME =Thompson, Tommy G.

| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =

| SHORT DESCRIPTION =

| DATE OF BIRTH =November 19, 1941

| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Elroy, Wisconsin]]

| DATE OF DEATH =

| PLACE OF DEATH =

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Tommy G.}}

[[Category:1941 births]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Governors of Wisconsin]]

[[Category:Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly]]

[[Category:United States Secretaries of Health and Human Services]]

[[Category:George W. Bush Administration cabinet members]]

[[Category:United States Army officers]]

[[Category:People from Juneau County, Wisconsin]]

[[Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni]]

[[Category:University of Wisconsin Law School alumni]]

[[Category:Wisconsin Republicans]]

[[Category:American military personnel from Wisconsin]]

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[[zh:汤米·汤普森]]