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.
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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
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
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
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
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
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.
Nomination for freep quote of the day
I appreciate those of you who took the time to reply to me. I will try not to do that again.
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?
Because they just NEED his inimitable brilliance, I guess. A wicked man does not become suddenly unwicked because he gets an emmdee degree.
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."
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.
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