Neither Work Horse Nor Show Horse

The basic distinction between U. S. Senators is between "work horses" and "show horses." The current archetypes of "showhorses" are guys like John McCain and Joe Lieberman who get themselves on television at every possible opportunity. Hillary Clinton was destined to be a "showhorse" because of her celebrity status, but was determined to earn a reputation as a "workhorse" as well.

What about Fred Thompson? According to Nancy Benac, he

was no Senate workhorse during his eight years there, but as a committee chairman he investigated fundraising abuses during the Clinton re-election campaign.

But he didn't work hard enough to be a "showhorse" either. Maybe Fred Thompson just isn't much of a horse.