Fred Thompson’s Record

NY Times ^ | March 26, 2007 | Carl Hulse

[veronica]

With former Senator Fred Thompson pondering a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, the hunt is on to see if he has his conservative credentials in order or whether there might be some moderation lurking in his voting past.

Mr. Thompson, the Tennessee lawyer turned actor turned senator turned actor again, is getting a lot of attention in Republican circles.

That is especially so among conservatives, who are debating whether he would be more ideologically appealing to them than the three leading Republican candidates, Senator John McCain of Arizona, former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.

Mr. Thompson compiled a record in the Senate that included votes against same-sex marriage and other gay rights proposals, consistent opposition to gun control and support of a ban on late-term abortions. He scored generally high marks from conservative groups.

But he was also a supporter of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill, opposed by most conservatives. A former trial lawyer, Mr. Thompson opposed some of the changes sought by Republicans to protect businesses from lawsuits.

[veronica]

There you go. See, that wasn't hard.

Thanks, dad. ;)

Oh, and he turned down 10 million from the Saudis, which frankly everybody here seems to think was great but I think smacked of a maniacal king-like act. (He should have allowed the legislature to vote on whether his city should turn down the money, rather than doing so because of his own personal feelings).

I strongly disagree. I don't want a POTUS who always needs a committee to tell him what the right thing to do is.

[jellybean]

If you aren't familiar with Fred, here is a fairly balanced article written in Dec. 1996. Another Beltway Bubba?

[Paperdoll]

>Thompson seems to have seen the light on this, and says he is now against it.<

AHA! AHA! He was for it before he was against it! Because Thompson was high up in McCain's bid for the WH in 2000, and failed miserably, he probably feels he owes him now. Be careful!

[Paperdoll]

>All candidates have imperfections.<

Oh, but I don't think I could stand listening to Thompson drawling platitudes and tap dancing for four long years.

[ontap]

"Oh, but I don't think I could stand listening to Thompson drawling platitudes and tap dancing for four long years."

I think you'll manage, we've made it through GW's for over six years now.

[saradippity]

Happy that you mentioned that grandstanding act of turning down millions from the Saudis. I also noted how that act was elevated to a noble gesture by so many on these threads and elsewhere.

I often wondered if moderate,caring Moslems and Mid easterners can ever do anything to demonstrate genuine concern for the plight of Americans or to mitigate some of the effects of the acts of terrorism committed by the radical Muslims. It seems to me that we are a society saturated with folks who are busy cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

[Always Right]

Oh, but I don't think I could stand listening to Thompson drawling platitudes and tap dancing for four long years.

It would be the sweet sound of music compared to having to listen to Hillary.

[Paperdoll]

LOL! And I can't take it anymore!

[Paperdoll]

Unfortunately, it's not the delivery but the result that matters. And there are too many questions at this point.

[Always Right]

Unfortunately, it's not the delivery but the result that matters. And there are too many questions at this point.,p> Good luck supporting Ducan. He seems to be a good man. Get back to me when Ducan breaks single digits.

[rintense]

But is your fear of Hillary causing you to abandon otherwise conservative intentions?

[ontap]

I know the feeling. I voted for G W four times but I cringe every time he gets in front of a microphone.

[Calpernia]

Holy moly!!!

Thanks for the link. I'm going to have to read that at least 3 more times before it all sinks in.

[KATIE-O]

On their tippy toes reaching.







Which is exactly what the RudyPhobes are doing.

[KATIE-O]

I know the feeling. I voted for G W four times but I cringe every time he gets in front of a microphone.



I voted for him twice and also do a lot of cringing. We need someone who is not afraid to SPEAK UP, tell it like it is, and smash heads in the liberal media. Rudy is the man who can do it.

[Melinda in TN]

CFR as in Campaign Finance Reform or
CFR as in Council on Foreign Relations?

Which CFR, or both?

I think I'm confused. I hate to be so stupid here but maybe somebody can clear it up for me. It doesn't matter to me because I would vote for him anyway but I just want to know. :-)

[Politicalmom]

That has been a problem. :)

Campaign Finance Reform.

[Melinda in TN]

Thanks! That other so-called Conservative forum I was visiting kept harping on the fact that he was a member of the CFR but they were all saying Council on Foreign Relations. I couldn't find that in Fred's records but I did find Campaign Finance Reform. I stopped going there because they were so anti-Fred.

Thanks for the help!

[steamroller]

haha-i almost always type everything lower case-i wasn't really thinking about volume :))

[RockinRight]

I find some fault, with at least a little satisfaction that he sincerely seems to think it was a mistake.

Every good candidate, and good President, has at least one bonehead move. Reagan had the '86 amnesty, and a few other things he could have done better with.