THOMPSON WANTS DEBATE ON ABORTION DOWNPLAYED (1996)

unknown | August 7, 1996

[Calpernia]

Dateline: NASHVILLE

U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson says he seldom hears about abortion in campaign travels throughout Tennessee and hopes the issue is downplayed at the Republican National Convention.

The Tennessee Republican, an abortion-rights defender in a party with an anti-abortion tilt, is preparing for next week's convention in San Diego . He said the party must avoid distracting issues and focus on electing Bob Dole as president.

''We need to concentrate on what brings us together and not what divides us,'' Thompson said in an interview with The Tennessean published Tuesday.

Thompson said he opposes making early-term abortions a crime, as some Republicans would like to do with a constitutional amendment.

''But I don't think you should bolt on one issue. I'm still not convinced platforms are a good idea. We know what we believe in and I don't think we need to write it all down in a document,'' Thompson said.

''We're going to have to decide in this country whether we reduce the number of abortions or fight about the number of abortions. There are lots of things that we could do in terms of education and adoption to reduce the number of abortions. The two sides are so vigorous in opposing each other that they ignore the question of the number of abortions taking place.''

Thompson, a lawyer and actor born in Lawrenceburg, is seeking to keep the Senate seat once held by Vice President Gore.

In 1994, an obscure opponent got 37 percent of the vote against Thompson in the Republican primary, which some observers attribute to an abortion backlash.

Last week Thompson got 96 percent of the Republican primary vote against another unknown opponent.

Abortion isn't likely to emerge as an issue in Thompson's 1996 general election campaign. His Democratic opponent, Covington lawyer Houston Gordon, favors abortion rights, said campaign manager Joyce McDaniel.

Thompson said he has voted consistently against providing federal funding for abortions and voted for a bill, vetoed by President Clinton, to ban late term partial-birth abortions.

[Calpernia]

I was asked by another poster for another source, I posted it here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/1912843/posts?page=25#25

[Clara Lou]

Then we can worry about being brought together with Democrats.
I don't see anyplace in the article that Thompson mentions being "brought together" with Democrats.

[Calpernia]

And what kind of response would you like to YOUR question of, "

? What answer would make you happy? I'll just stick to posting echinodermatas to you. Cause, you really don't care what anyone has to say. You just want the opportunity to insult and attack.

Let's observe the pointy poisoneous sea urchin:

[Clara Lou]

LOL! First you give a meaningless non-response, then you post pictures of beautiful sea creatures. Tripping out???

[rednesss]

I think I've found the solution to you.

[b9]

Fred’s conservative record against abortion needs no shielding, pissant.

And no revisions, either. His love for children, family, and protecting future generations is clear and frequently reiterated.

You dislike him for not being Duncan.
I like him for standing up for principle in the face of hateful opposition every single day.

[pissant]

That is pretty funny, I must say. LOL

[pissant]

I actually do not dislike Fred. I put him in the Dole/Baker/McCain wing though. Not the Reagan/Helms/Hunter wing of the party.

[Clara Lou]

I put him in the Dole/Baker/McCain wing though.
But... but... you assured us that FRed was your #2 choice after Duncan Hunter. You told us that over and over this past summer. And, since Hunter's getting ready to fold, I know that FDT can count on your vote.

[pissant]

Actually, he’s tied with Tanc for #2. But it is a substantial dropoff from #1.

[Clara Lou]

Tanc is going the way of Hunter.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Whom do you think he meant, then?

[b9]

I put Fred in the oval office “wing.” “;^)

[Clara Lou]

LOL! Good one!

[Spiff]

Gee Sturm, I guess principled votes doesn't count on this issue, eh? Fred has a what, 99 percent pro-life rating in the Senate?

While Fred Thompson is certainly pro-life, his ratings in the Senate weren't as high as some would like to say they were. His ratings, according to Project Vote Smart's list of his ratings from the National Right to Life Committee, are:

• 1996 86%
• 1997 83%
• 1998 87%
• 1999 75%
• 2000 77%

And according to National Right to Life Committee's own ratings:

• 105th Congress 87%
• 106th Congress 78%
• 107th Congress 33%

If you average the ratings reported by Project Vote Smart, you get only an 81.6% pro-life rating.

If you average the ratings reported directly by the National Right to Life Commitee, you get only a 66% rating.

[pissant]

I will congratulate you if you guys pull it off.

[darthyorktown]

Of course not!