Breaking news, from the L.A. Times:

This may come as a major shock to the nation just discovering the latest presidential wannabe. Major publications have written long profiles of Thompson without revealing this detail. And it’s certainly not news that the Thompson campaign wanted to leak out right at the peak of publicity. But it turns out that the newest candidate’s name in the Republican race for president is, in fact, not Fred D. Thompson.

It’s been a family secret for many, many years, uncovered only by the most diligent reporting. Few people know this. But Fred Thompson’s actual first name isn’t Fred. It’s really Freddie. No, seriously.

Official marriage, birth and divorce records in Alabama and Tennessee show that the newest Republican presidential contender was born Freddie Dalton Thompson.

The most diligent reporting indeed! Will some loyal reader please email the L.A. Times and let them know that my army of undercover flies-on-the-wall scooped them by months?

Truly am I in awe of my own powers!