Posted on 10/17/2007 8:08:58 PM PDT by 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.
Hunter Duncan is not qualified to lead a 6% presidential campaign, he cannot possibly be qualified to run the United States of America.
Lumping it in as part of a "pro-life" record is disingenuous, but that's nothing new for you, is it?
Only as "disingenuous" as the National Right to Life Committee who gave Thompson a 33% pro-life rating for the 107th Congress due to his support of CFR.
These "scorecards" can be useful, but they have to be looked at in context. In the 107th Congress, they only scored three votes, and two of them had absolutely nothing to do with the sanctity of life. On the one vote that actually mattered -- like every other pro-life vote before -- Thompson voted pro-life.
Then you must not be a conservative, but something entirly diffrent.
Thankfully it shouldn't take that long to run through $132,000 during a presidential election. I long for the day that he throws in the towel. Can someone start a petition to ban pissant???? Shouldn't beating a dead horse for the 100th time be cause to ban someone???
LATE-TERM ABORTION BAN. Passage of the bill to impose penalties on doctors who perform certain late-term abortions, in which the person performing the abortion partially delivers the fetus before performing the abortion. Approved 54-44, December 7, 1995. Fred supported the bill.
PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION. HR 1833 (CQ Senate Vote 301), Partial Birth Abortion Ban Veto Over-Ride. Passage, over President Clinton’s April 10 veto, of the bill banning a late-term abortion procedure, where the physician partially delivers the fetus before completing the abortion. An exception would be granted when the procedure is necessary to save the life of the mother, provided no other medical procedure can be used. Rejected 57-41 (a two-thirds majority of those present and voting – 66 in this case – is required to override a veto), Sept. 26, 1996. Fred supported the legislation.
PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION BAN. HR1122 (roll call vote 71). Passage of the bill to impose penalties on doctors who perform certain abortion procedures, in which the person performing the abortion partially delivers the fetus before completing the abortion. An exception would be granted where the procedure was necessary to save the life of the mother. The bill was amended to allow an accused doctor a hearing before a state medical board prior to trial. Passed 64-36, May 20, 1997. Fred supported the bill.
HYDE AMENDMENT. S947, FY 1998 Budget Reconciliation (roll call vote 129). Kerrey (D-NB) amendment to strike the "Hyde Amendment" prohibiting the use of federal funds for abortions except in cases of rape or incest, or when pregnancy threatens a woman's life. Rejected 39-61, June 25, 1997. Fred opposed the Kerrey amendment.
ABORTIONS IN OVERSEAS MILITARY HOSPITALS. S2057 (roll call vote 176). Murray (D-WA) amendment to repeal current law prohibiting overseas U.S. military hospitals and medical facilities from performing privately funded abortions for U.S. service members and their dependents. Rejected 44-49, June 25, 1998. Fred opposed the amendment.
PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION. HR1122 (roll call vote 277). Passage, over President Clinton's October 10, 1997, veto, of the bill to ban a certain late-term abortion procedure, in which the physician partially delivers the fetus before completing the abortion. Rejected 64-36, September 18, 1998. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (67 in this case) of both houses is required to override a veto. Fred supported the legislation.
TRANSPORTING MINORS FOR ABORTION. S1645 (roll call vote 282). Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the substitute amendment to the bill that would make it a federal crime for anyone other than a parent to transport a minor across state lines with the intent to obtain an abortion. Motion rejected 54-45, September 22, 1998. Three-fifths of the total Senate (60) is required to invoke cloture. Fred supported the cloture motion.
PROHIBIT DRUGS TO INDUCE ABORTION, HR 1906 (Roll Call Vote No. 173). June 8, 1999 - Coburn (R-OK) amendment to prohibit the use of any funding for the Food and Drug Administration to test, develop, or approve any drugs for the chemical inducement of abortion. Amendment adopted 217-214, 8 June 1999. Fred supported the amendment.
MILITARY ABORTIONS, S. 2549 (Roll Call Vote No. 134) The Senate voted to kill an amendment that would have provided abortions in military hospitals. The vote was 50-49, 20 June 2000. Fred opposed the amendment.
MORNING AFTER PILL, HR 4577 (Roll Call Vote No. 169) The Senate refused to kill an amendment stopping the use of federal funds to distribute the “morning after” pill on school grounds. The vote was 41-54, 30 June 2000. Fred supported the amendment.
GOVERNMENT PAYOUT FOR MILITARY ABORTIONS. S. 2514 (Roll Call 160) The amendment would allow military women and dependents of military personnel stationed overseas access to government-provided abortions. ACU opposed this taxpayer funding of abortions, but it was adopted 52-40 on 21 June 2002. The bill was passed (52-40) Fred opposed this bill
As far as “Your condescending attitude and vandalism of other posters’ names is neither deserved nor appropriate. Grow up and debate like an adult.” coming from you the irony is beyond comprehension.
I apologize if my attitude is perceived as condescending. It is not my intention and I have no control over your perceptions. However, I have refrained from namecalling and altering posters' names. You may do well to follow suit if you want to be taken seriously.
Why are you starting a petition to ban pissant?
Fred is a friend of the unborn. He is NOT pro-abortion!
I’ve lived in the SF Bay Area while pregnant and know first hand what the abortion mentality is like. It’s vile and relentless.
Fred has also survived as a conservative among liberals and he represents my devotion to Life very well. He is NOT a moderate, as JimRob well knows also.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1909425/posts?page=107#107
Your vile and relentless claims that Fred is pro-abortion are specious and irresponsible.
Romney ran against Senator Edward M. Kennedy in 1994. During a debate, Romney declared: ‘I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country. I have since the time that my mom took that position when she ran in 1970 as a US Senate candidate. I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain and support it.’ “
(NOTE: Romney has supported abortion since before the 1972 Roe v. Wade ruling!)
- Boston Globe, 3/2/2006
“When [during their debate] Kennedy called him ‘multiple choice,’ Romney demanded an extra rebuttal. He revealed that a close relative died of an illegal abortion years ago and said, ‘Since that time, my mother and my family have been committed to the belief that we can believe as we want, but we will not force our beliefs on others on that matter, and you will not see my wavering on that.’ “
- Boston Globe, 3/2/2006
“On a questionnaire Planned Parenthood gave to the gubernatorial candidates in 2002, Romney answered ‘’yes” to the question, ‘Do you support the substance of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade?’ Romney also professed support for state funding of abortion services for low-income women, [Erin] Rowland [spokeswoman for the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts] said.”
- Boston Globe, 3/25/2005
“Marie Sturgis, legislative director of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, said she hasn’t detected any change in Romney’s stance. The group considers Romney to be an abortion-rights supporter, as do national antiabortion groups such as the Family Research Council.”
- Boston Globe, 3/25/2005
Romney campaigned for Governor of Massachusetts as a pro-choice candidate, and was endorsed by a pro-abortion political group
“Romney, a Republican and the former Winter Olympics chief, was endorsed by the New York-based Republican Pro-Choice Coalition. He mentioned his mother, Lenore Romney, who favored abortion rights when she ran for the U.S. Senate in 1970, even before the 1973 Roe v. Wade case affirmed women’s constitutional right to abortions. . . . Lynn Grefe, director of the Republican Pro-Choice Coalition, applauded Romney’s ‘commitment to family planning and protecting a woman’s right to choose’ in a letter on Wednesday.”
- Associated Press / New Bedford Standard-Times 10/3/2002
“Gubernatorial candidates Shannon O’Brien and Mitt Romney sparred yesterday over who was the strongest abortion rights supporter by touting endorsements from abortion rights groups and challenging each other’s records on the issue . . . O’Brien and Romney both say that if elected they’ll uphold state and federal laws protecting abortion rights. ‘There isn’t a dime of difference between Mitt Romney’s position on choice and Shannon O’Brien,’ said Kerry Healey, Romney’s running mate.”
- Associated Press / New Bedford Standard-Times 10/3/2002
In 2002, Romney responded to the National Abortion Rights Action League’s candidate survey: ‘’I respect and will protect a woman’s right to choose. This choice is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not mine and not the government’s. The truth is, no candidate in the governor’s race in either party would deny women abortion rights.” Notably, Romney refused to answer the candidate questionnaire sent to him by Massachusetts Citizens for Life.
- Boston Globe, 7/3/2005
During the 2002 governor’s race, Romney’s platform stated, “As Governor, Mitt Romney would protect the current pro-choice status quo in Massachusetts. No law would change. The choice to have an abortion is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not the government’s.”
- Romney’s 2002 campaign website
Romney is willing to support some embryonic stem cell research
“Romney has decided to support experimentation on surplus frozen embryos from in-vitro fertilization procedures.”
- National Review Online 2/11/2005
Romney Approves of Abortion Pill and Supports the Legalization of RU-486
“When he ran for governor in 2002, Romney said he supported expanding access to the emergency contraception pill, a high dose of hormones that women can take to prevent pregnancy up to five days after sex . . . On a questionnaire Planned Parenthood gave to the gubernatorial candidates in 2002, Romney answered ‘yes’ to the question, ‘Do you support efforts to increase access to emergency con-traception?’ “
- Boston Globe 7/7/2005
In 2002, the Boston Globe reported Romney’s positions from his1994 campaign as follows: “ABORTION: Favored basic Roe v. Wade abortion rights, though would not endorse a specific version of the Freedom of Choice Act, which would codify those court-established rights as federal law . . . Said he would leave the matter of Medicaid funding for abortion to individual states . . . Endorsed legalization of RU-486, the abortion-inducing drug.”
- Boston Globe, 3/19/2002
“I don’t really understand how it works or when it works but my understanding is it’s an effective morning after pill and I think it would be a positive thing to have women have the choice of taking morning-after pills….I would favor having it available.”
- Boston Herald, 5/19/1994
“A new law to make emergency contraception more available in Massachusetts continues to be a political rollercoaster for Governor Mitt Romney. He supported expanded access when campaigning for governor, but vetoed a bill expanding access, earlier this year. The bill then passed over his veto. Earlier this week, the governor sought to exempt Catholic and other private hospitals from having to offer ‘morning after pills’ to rape victims. Then yesterday, he reversed his position.”
- WBUR Radio, Boston, 12/9/2005
Romney signs “Right to Privacy” Proclamation celebrating birth control availability
In March, 2005, Romney signed an annual proclamation establishing a ‘’Right to Privacy Day” to mark the anniversary of Baird v. Eisenstadt, a 1972 Supreme Court ruling legalizing birth control for unmarried people. Interestingly, Romney’s staff deleted references to Roe v. Wade from the previous year’s proclamation.
- Boston Globe, 3/25/2005
What vile claims are made in post 38?
As you just said, about 20 or so posts ago:
It must be hell to be the keeper of all things conservaitve.
Pot. Kettle. Black. It really MUST be hell.
Thank you for posting Fred’s 100% pro-life record!
I was quoting you.
And I am sure that Kimberly has been called Kimmy before. It really isn’t an alteration or name calling.
But thanks anyway.
It’s not that Thompson ISN’T pro life, it was that he WASN’T pro-life yet his followers obfuscate that fact, as does Fred himself. One thing to be a flip flopper, another altogether to be a fibbing flip flopper
Fred is a conservative, not a moderate.
100%, pissant. Fred's voting record is 100% pro-life.
Saying Thompson is not based on the facts is pure bull though and through, unless you vary with the definition on this very site by a great degree. Nice try though.
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