Posted on 03/23/2007 10:22:54 AM PDT by pissant
There has been some discussion of when he became a pro-lifer (notably by Evangelicals for Mitt, a site that seems to imply, I think wrongly, that being pro-life was the default position of Republicans in Tennessee during the 1980s and 1990s). I wrote about the issue in 2000. He seems to have had a change of heart some time after 1997.
(Excerpt) Read more at corner.nationalreview.com ...
Thompson's Turn
Senator Thompson's office disputes NR.
By Ramesh Ponnuru, NR senior editor
The latest issue of NR includes a rundown of possible Bush running mates. In passing, it mentions that Senator Fred Thompson, the Tennessee Republican, has the drawback of being pro-choice. His office called today to say that Thompson is actually pro-life.
Thompson has certainly voted with pro-lifers almost all the time. The National Right to Life Committee counts votes for John McCain-style campaign-finance reform, which Thompson supports, as anti-pro-life votes, but otherwise he's been solid. The senator voted against the Harkin amendment, which put the Senate on record favoring Roe v. Wade. But when Thompson ran for Senate in 1994, he did so as a supporter of legal abortion, as several press clips from the time pointed out. NR has also obtained a copy of a letter Thompson sent to a constituent in 1997, which notes that Thompson supports various restrictions on abortion but also includes the line, "I believe that government should not interfere with individual convictions and actions in this area."
The upshot: Thompson is an ally of pro-lifers in all the actual fights that come up, but he's not one of them on the core issue. Unless, that is, he has changed his mind, as suggested by his current self-description as a pro-lifer. In that case, NR would be more than happy to print a correction — and welcome him aboard.
I'd much rather have a guy who votes with me all the time and says he disagrees than one who votes against me while saying he agrees.
Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)
I like Thompson, but that statement about voting for McCain finance reform has me worried.
Me too. The problem is that is rare. And by the tone of THompson's response to NR, I'm guessing he was moving to the pro-life position. (Tip: don't trust anyone that has proudly given speeches at NARAL events).
Yep. He's held up his end of the bargain in recent years anyway.
Yeah. Hopefully he can see what a non starter McCain is for conservatives and he reverses himself on McCain Feingold.
Voted in FAVOR of McCain-Feingold? I just checked it. He did. Oh, well, a little compromising of principles never hurt anyone. Let's support him because he can win in November. Oh, wait. He can't win in November. Why am I supposed to support him, again?
I heard him on the radio, said that it was a mistake and he would work to repeal CFR.
Here is what he said to John Fund of the WSJ on March 17th.
"Many on the right remain angry he supported the campaign finance law sponsored by his friend John McCain. "There are problems with people giving politicians large sums of money and then asking them to pass legislation," Mr. Thompson says. Still, he notes he proposed the amendment to raise the $1,000 per person "hard money" federal contribution limit.
Conceding that McCain-Feingold hasn't worked as intended, and is being riddled with new loopholes, he throws his hands open in exasperation. "I'm not prepared to go there yet, but I wonder if we shouldn't just take off the limits and have full disclosure with harsh penalties for not reporting everything on the Internet immediately." Source: http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009798
I guess never having any principles to begin with is more desirable.
Okay, good.
What an idiot. We knew it was a bad idea back in 2000/01. Whatever happened to people making the RIGHT decisions the FIRST time around?
Coming from a Rudy supporter, that's a hoot.
Thompson's mixed abortion record?
From NBC's Mark Murray
In the same interview last weekend in which he admitted to thinking about a possible White House bid, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R) also said he’s pro-life and would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned. In past interviews and news clippings, however, Thompson was identified as being pro-choice and against making early-term abortions a crime -- although he did favor strict limits on abortion (like parental notification, being against partial-birth abortion, and being opposed to the federal funding of abortions).
Pro-life Thompson
WALLACE: … So let's do a lightning round -- quick questions, quick answers, a variety of issues -- to see where Fred Thompson stands.
THOMPSON: Um hmm.
WALLACE: Abortion.
THOMPSON: Pro-life.
WALLACE: Would you like to overturn Roe...
THOMPSON: You said lightning round, now. If you want...
WALLACE: Well, let's go.
THOMPSON: ... more, give me another question. I'll work through it.
WALLACE: Do you want to overturn Roe vs. Wade?
THOMPSON: I think Roe vs. Wade was bad law and bad medical science. And the way to address that is through good judges. I don't think the court ought to wake up one day and make new social policy for the country. It's contrary to what it's been the past 200 years. (Fox News Sunday, 3/11/07)
Pro-choice Thompson?
Both [Thompson and Houston Gordon] also are basically pro-choice on abortion although Thompson has voted to bar federal funding of abortions. Both candidates said they would have voted to override Clinton's veto of a bill this year that would have banned a controversial partial-birth abortion procedure. (Memphis Commercial Appeal, 11/4/96)
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, a pro-choice 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. (AP, 8/6/96)
On abortion, both Thompson and Cooper are pro-choice. But Thompson favors parental notification, Cooper voted against it. (National Review, 6/27/94)
Though Thompson says he's pro-choice, his voting record on abortion issues (which includes opposing fellow Tennessean Henry Foster's nomination for surgeon general) has earned him high marks from both the Christian Coalition and the National Right to Life Committee. He has also won the backing of the tobacco industry and the NRA. (Washington Monthly, 12/1/96)
A legitimate change to pro-life, considering he voted pro-life in the Senate.
Much different than Judy Giuliani who has openly supported abortion his whole career.
Thanks for the post. The Rudyphiles are wetting their Depends.
My guy can win, which is at least some justification for supporting him. Your guy can't. So, given a choice between a flawed candidate who can win versus a flawed candidate who cannot win, I will take the former. Given a chance between a flawed candidate who can win and a perfect candidate who cannot win, I still choose the former.
So you better show us how Thompson can win, but there is absolutely no evidence of it.
Well he didn't go that far, calling anyone an idiot, but said it has turned out to be a mistake. Not sure what the political calculation was, he didn't say. He then said he now favors instant Internet disclosure as opposed to any other restrictions.
On everything, trust but verify ... I need to hear him repeat it over and over, just for good measure LOL
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