Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Dean 'Appalled' That Florida Lawmakers Saved Schiavo
CNSNEWS.com ^ | 11/07/03 | Jeff Johnson

Posted on 11/07/2003 2:31:27 AM PST by kattracks

Capitol Hill (CNSNews.com) - Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, who begins his campaign website greeting with the phrase, "As a medical doctor...," claims Florida Republicans should be "embarrassed" for intervening to save the life of Terri Schindler Schiavo last month. Earlier in the year, Dean publicly expressed his support for physician-assisted suicide.

Dean accused Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Republican state lawmakers of interfering in a "private matter" when they passed "Terri's Law," which allowed Bush to have the 39-year-old disabled woman's feeding tube reconnected after it was removed under court order at her husband's request. The former Vermont governor said he was "appalled" by Bush's intervention.

Terri suffered a brain injury in 1990 under questionable circumstances that left her severely disabled. Her husband, Michael Schiavo, his brother and another brother's wife claim Terri verbally expressed her desire not to be kept alive "artificially" should she ever require life support. Terri's parents and siblings, along with her former co-workers, friends, priests and fellow church members dispute that claim.

"I'm tired of people in the legislature thinking that they have an M.D. when what they really have is a B.S.," the Miami Herald quoted Dean as telling about 200 business and community leaders at the Capital Tiger Bay Club in Tallahassee Tuesday.

Bush spokesman Jacob DiPietre said the governor found Dean's remarks "shameful."

"Gov. Bush," DiPietre said, "doesn't think that it's appropriate for a presidential candidate to be so flip about a serious issue that involves not only protecting the rights of the disabled, but also the fundamental right to life that is guaranteed in the Florida Constitution."

Pamela Hennessy - spokeswoman for Terri's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler - called Dean's comments "a monumental display of bad taste in every way imaginable.

"Obviously, he doesn't know every aspect of the case," Hennessy said, "and I think he's using it as platform just to take a swing, verbally, at Gov. Bush."

Hennessy said she is not surprised, however, at Dean's lack of compassion for Terri.

"Mr. Dean is on record as being in favor of physician-assisted suicide," Hennessy explained.

During an Aug. 20 appearance on Oregon Public Radio, interviewer Colin Fogarty asked Dean, "In general, where do you stand on physician-assisted suicide and Oregon's vote on that issue?" Dean said the question posed "a very difficult moral problem," which he believes should be decided by the states.

"I as a physician would not be comfortable administering lethal drugs," Dean explained, "but I think this a very private, personal decision, and I think individual physicians and patients have the right to make that private decision."

By contrast, Hennessy praised Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), who is competing with Dean for the Democratic nomination and who also commented on Terri's case.

"He [Lieberman] was smart enough and man enough to see that not everything that happens in life is a question of politics," Hennessy said. "He recognized that, and he didn't turn it into a political fight."

Lieberman, who drew criticism during his 2000 vice presidential bid for waffling on pro-life issues, told the Associated Press in October that he supports Terri's Law.

"I feel very strongly that we ought to honor life, and we ought not to create a system where people are being deprived of nutrition or hydration in a way that ends their lives," Lieberman said.

Hennessy noted that, in advocating for, signing and implementing Terri's Law, Gov. Bush did something she is not accustomed to seeing politicians do.

"When [Jeb Bush] campaigned for governor the first time, he told the people of Florida that he wanted to be a champion for the disabled," Hennessy said. "I think he kept his promise."

To view CNSNews.com's long-term coverage of the Terri Schindler Schiavo case click here.

Listen to audio for this story.

E-mail a news tip to Jeff Johnson.


Send a Letter to the Editor about this article.




TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180181-189 next last
To: HiTech RedNeck
If that was the case the door would be kicked in-in a heartbeat!! If there had been any danger it would have been done without hesitation!

MCD
161 posted on 11/08/2003 1:08:15 AM PST by MSCASEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 126 | View Replies]

To: FatherOfLiberty
OnStar in cars offers the ability to unlock car doors remotely via satellite. That's what I was thinking about.

That stuff gives me the BIG BROTHER CREEPS! If there were a danger the door would have been down in two seconds! Since there was no danger I wanted to save the door! MCD

162 posted on 11/08/2003 1:11:48 AM PST by MSCASEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: FatherOfLiberty
OnStar in cars offers the ability to unlock car doors remotely via satellite. That's what I was thinking about.

That stuff gives me the BIG BROTHER CREEPS! If there were a danger the door would have been down in two seconds! Since there was no danger I wanted to save the door!

MCD

163 posted on 11/08/2003 1:12:31 AM PST by MSCASEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: FatherOfLiberty
OnStar in cars offers the ability to unlock car doors remotely via satellite. That's what I was thinking about.

That stuff gives me the BIG BROTHER CREEPS! If there were a danger the door would have been down in two seconds! Since there was no danger I wanted to save the door!

MCD

164 posted on 11/08/2003 1:14:25 AM PST by MSCASEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: FatherOfLiberty
OnStar in cars offers the ability to unlock car doors remotely via satellite. That's what I was thinking about.

That stuff gives me the BIG BROTHER CREEPS! If there were a danger the door would have been down in two seconds! Since there was no danger I wanted to save the door!

MCD

165 posted on 11/08/2003 1:18:58 AM PST by MSCASEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: FatherOfLiberty
OnStar in cars offers the ability to unlock car doors remotely via satellite. That's what I was thinking about.

That stuff gives me the BIG BROTHER CREEPS! If there were a danger the door would have been down in two seconds! Since there was no danger I wanted to save the door!

MCD

166 posted on 11/08/2003 1:18:58 AM PST by MSCASEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: baseballmom
I believe that I have read that there is a nice chunk of change waiting for the aggrieved Mr. Schiavo if his wife dies. Either a life insurance policy or some cash in some kind of a trust.

This explains why he just won't give her over to her family for care. It has nothing to do with "compassion"- as usual, follow the money. I think that the longer the fight for Terri goes on, the harder it will be for Mr. Schiavo to conceal his true intentions.

167 posted on 11/08/2003 1:24:51 AM PST by GiovannaNicoletta
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: FatherOfLiberty
Sorry about the five post I only attempted two times because the thing was messing up and kept going back and forth. I even pushed stop before attempting to send it again. I hate when these programs behave badly!

Oh well at least I don't have to take the door knob off! LOL

MCD


168 posted on 11/08/2003 1:26:05 AM PST by MSCASEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: Ladysmith
Gee, it lookt ta me lahk TOH wuz jes' bein' a klown.
169 posted on 11/08/2003 1:43:45 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck ("Across this great nation people pray -- do not put out her flame" -- DFU. Go Godsquad!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 152 | View Replies]

To: Miss Marple
Ever notice that Dean looks like a snarling dog when he smiles?
170 posted on 11/08/2003 1:56:28 AM PST by Ann Archy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: The Other Harry
They are not letting go by not feeding her...they are MURDERING her. It will take her over a WEEK to die....that's HARDLY pulling the plug and she stops breathing.
171 posted on 11/08/2003 1:59:31 AM PST by Ann Archy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: kenth
You mentioned moral relativism.......THAT is the Real "Graying of America"....the liberals don't like black and white issues....everything is just gray for them.
172 posted on 11/08/2003 2:01:49 AM PST by Ann Archy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: RJayneJ; JohnHuang2
You mentioned moral relativism.......THAT is the Real "Graying of America"....the liberals don't like black and white issues....everything is just gray for them. - Ann Archy

Nomination for freep quote of the day

173 posted on 11/08/2003 2:14:32 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck ("Across this great nation people pray -- do not put out her flame" -- DFU. Go Godsquad!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 172 | View Replies]

To: Ann Archy; FatherOfLiberty; sweetliberty; Ladysmith; shhrubbery!; pram; agrace; Graymatter; ...
I was wrong. The comments I made were based on a partial reading of a few news reports. I should never have opened my mouth.

I appreciate those of you who took the time to reply to me. I will try not to do that again.

174 posted on 11/08/2003 2:39:12 AM PST by The Other Harry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 171 | View Replies]

To: The Other Harry
wow...thanks.
175 posted on 11/08/2003 2:44:36 AM PST by Ann Archy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 174 | View Replies]

To: sweetliberty
Some of these folks aren't making a deliberate effort to disrupt. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt.

Yep, you're right. I gotta stop trying to win arguments and try harder to win believers. Thanks sweetliberty.
176 posted on 11/08/2003 3:08:05 AM PST by kenth (All I wanted was a Pepsi... just one Pepsi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]

To: huck von finn
The article said: "I'm tired of people in the legislature thinking that they have an M.D. when what they really have is a B.S.," the Miami Herald quoted Dean as telling about 200 business and community leaders at the Capital Tiger Bay Club in Tallahassee Tuesday.

I wrote: Because Dr. Dean is not just content to tell people how to think and how to live; now he wants to determine who should live and who should die.

You responded: Dean didn't do that--Jeb Bush just did. The government did. Not many true conservatives I know are comfortable with the government determining who should live and who should die. Dean's point was that the government should not intrude into such things. He's right.

__________________________

It seems that what Dean was saying was that the legislature didn't have the knowledge or education that he did with his MD and that this made him superior to those who made the decision. A lot of conservatives are concerned that somehow food and water have before this been withheld as part of withholding extraordinary means to save someone. That's appalling, and very dangerous for what it could lead to in an aging society. Read the thread again. There are examples of people who depend on feeding tubes to survive but now lead good lives.

What happened hear is Dr. Dean again is talking down to them, criticizing their deeply felt feelings on the issue, and telling them of his superior thought process. If MDs are so superior to legislators, why isn't he practicing medicine?

177 posted on 11/08/2003 4:42:34 AM PST by grania ("Won't get fooled again")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 91 | View Replies]

To: grania
If MDs are so superior to legislators, why isn't he practicing medicine?

Because they just NEED his inimitable brilliance, I guess. A wicked man does not become suddenly unwicked because he gets an emmdee degree.

178 posted on 11/08/2003 5:54:30 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck ("Across this great nation people pray -- do not put out her flame" -- DFU. Go Godsquad!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 177 | View Replies]

To: sweetliberty
Oh, but George Felos probably TOLD him what was going on....

That reminds me of a cartoon I have - a court scene with a person sitting in the witness chair with one leg in a cast, crutches, one arm in a cast and sling, one eye patched, a cervical collar, and his head bandaged. He looks like he's responding to an attorney. The caption says, "I never knew how bad my injuries were until I was examined by my attorney."

179 posted on 11/08/2003 8:25:09 AM PST by FatherOfLiberty (Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 157 | View Replies]

To: The Other Harry
Harry,

I used to be wrong on many issues because of misinformation provided by the mass media. I bought a computer in 1996 (still even using it right now!), logged on to the internet, turned off the TeeVee, cancelled my subscription to the major metro newspaper, started hanging out on conservative usenet forums, discovered WorldNetDaily.com, The Federalist, and, of course, Free Republic, and have not been misinformed (at least not much) since then. If you have not already discovered and fully explored these reliable news resources, I highly commend them to you!

Emotions tend to run high on Free Republic, due the intense passion that FReepers have. Expect flaming from time to time. Also, as you appear to have done on this issue regarding Terri, pay attention to the helpful comments that people offer to help you learn more about the issue.

I commend you for taking the time to learn more about Ms. Schiavo.

180 posted on 11/08/2003 8:47:16 AM PST by FatherOfLiberty (Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 174 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180181-189 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson