Where does Fred Thompson stand on abortion

Race42008 ^ | March 27, 2007 | DaveG

[RepublicanPOTUSin08]

Let’s settle this once and for all...

Having done actual research on this subject to get to the truth, I’ve concluded that Sen. Thompson a) is, and has always been, opposed to the notion of a constitutional right to an abortion; b) is, and has always been, in favor of banning partial-birth abortion; c) is, and has always been, in favor of restrictions on most later-term abortions (post-first trimester); and d) is now across-the-board pro-life, but in the 1990s, was in favor of earlier-term abortions (first-trimester) remaining legal...

If you pick up the 1994 post-election edition of National Right to Life news, you’ll see a list of pro-life Senators elected in the class of ‘94. Thomspon was on the list, with a cross by it.

The cross stood for Thompson’s support for legal 1st Trimester abortion. He was generally pro-life, but supported abortion during the 1st trimester...

As such, Thompson’s voting record is consistent with his 1994 position: he’s pro-life on everything other than making first-trimester abortions illegal...

What seems to be clear is that Thompson has never supported the constitutional right to an abortion, has never supported partial-birth abortion, and has never been opposed to restrictions on post-first-trimester abortions. Further, Thompson’s opposition to Roe means that he’d have no problem with states prohibiting or regulating first-trimester abortions. Thompson has only parted with pro-lifers on first-trimester abortions, a stance that a) may have since changed over the past decade and that b) is moot for all practical purposes, as sufficient political support for banning these abortions at the federal level just doesn’t exist regardless of what the Supreme Court does.

[jellybean]

Interview with Chris Wallace FNS - 3/11/07

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.

We have a process in this country to do that. Judges shouldn't be doing that. That's what happened in that case. I think it was wrong.

▲ Click the box to see where he stands on the issues. ▲

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[RockinRight]

Sounds like an acceptable position.

[MACVSOG68]

Abortion is the single biggest net gain issue the GOP has, whether you like it or not.

Which explains Rudy's lead.

[RockinRight]

Although I am staunchly pro-life, I'm well aware that a small but significant percentage of Republican voters are out-and-out Socialists who happen to be pro-life. Sad, really...since many of those people could easily have their eyes opened to all sorts of other conservative issues. And it's become the ONLY thing required anymore to qualify someone as a "conservative" and I disagree with that.

My profile page goes into it more...but it's the whole Pro-life socialist issue that I think cost us the 2006 election in part.

[mmanager]

"I still have a hard time believing this is the most important issue to alot of you".

It's called values, principles and what is right and wrong.

That is why the RudyBots need to go over to D.U.

Signed

A FredHead

[Texagirl4W]

We've become a society where it's Ok to kill the unborn babies and it's OK to let a killer live. We spend millions of dollars defending killers. I'll never understand this.

Pro-Life is a big issue for me and many of my friends. We pray for a president in 2008 who can embrace this issue.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

The Rudybots must be getting a liitle nervous...

[RockinRight]

He's all but renounced McCain-Feingold.

[Always Right]

Which explains Rudy's lead.

It explains why it will evaporate overnight. Rudy is a great candidate, but his liberal positions are going to bite him in his butt.

[RockinRight]

He basically is a RILOM pro-lifer. If the mother truly would die keeping the child - it's better to save one life than lose two. Although those situations are rarer than many care to admit.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I still have a hard time believing this is the most important issue to alot of you.

Yeah who cares that 50+ million babies have been aborted since 1973, right?

By the way, abortion is the "broken glass window" of every other major problem: Assisted-living suicide, babies being left in dumpsters or in trash cans, callous disregard for life in general, child pornography, etc.

[RockinRight]

He said with his own lips:

"I think Roe is bad law, and bad medical science."

Sounds like an emphatic NO.

[Paperdoll]

Still straddling, IMHO. Any abortion after conception is murder; was a criminal offense, is a criminal offense, and will always be a criminal offense.

[zerosix]

"He said then it should be left up to the mother...."

Actually, I believe that he said it "should be left up to the states to decide on the restrictions" rather than the constitutional amendment but that Roe v. Wade is an unconstitutional law on it's face (even most liberals agree on that point unless they are so blinded by the blood money given to them by the abortionists, save a few nutcases.)

[Sloth]

I still have a hard time believing this is the most important issue to alot of you.

I have a hard time believing that so many of you consider mass infanticide a minor issue. We are talking about a death toll roughly equivalent to five hundred 9/11's every year.

[RockinRight]

I don't think he's straddling at all. He's been consistent on this issue since he was in the Senate. He's comparable to Bush on abortion. IOW, quite acceptable.

[RockinRight]

I never said it was minor.

[mnehring]

Actually, I believe that he said it "should be left up to the states to decide on the restrictions" rather than the constitutional amendment but that Roe v. Wade is an unconstitutional law on it's face

This is how I understand it..

As someone who is pro-life, I believe the same, it should be up to the States. Why? Because it is the best chance we have to actually stopping it. Federal changes will require far too much red tape and can be overturned at the drop of a hat unless it was constitutional, which would be almost impossible to get.
However, each State voting to stop or restrict would quickly reduce the legality of abortion.

I'm afraid if we keep fighting this as a federal issue, we will continue to walk in circles.. Fred's opinion is more strategically sound.

[Repeal The 17th]

"Thompson is pro-life...on everything other than making first-trimester abortions illegal."
---
That's just not good enough.
Many will never vote for him because of this.

[Sloth]

Huh? I wasn't posting to you.