SPINNING PRO-RUDY BLOGGER: Fred Thompson in 1994: Let The Woman Decide [Thompson is 100% pro-life]

American Spectator BLOG ^ | 4/9/07

[areafiftyone]

Fred Thompson in 1994: Let The Woman Decide - Monday, April 09, 2007 @ 3:06:23 PM

		During his first run for the U.S. Senate, Fred Thompson said in an interview to a libertarian Republican newsletter that the ultimate decision to have an abortion "must be made by the woman." The comments were made in the July/August issue of Republican Liberty, the official newsletter of the Republican Liberty Caucus. In the interview, Thompson was asked: "Some conservatives got flustered by your comments on abortion and Roe vs. Wade. Would you like to explain your position on abortion?" Thompson answered: "Government should stay out of it. No public financing. The ultimate decision must be made by the woman.

[Mr. Silverback]

The question here is, how can he consider himself pro-life when he advocates abortions in the first trimester?

Citation?

[writeblock]

“I’m not seeing any reason to doubt him. In case you didn’t notice, the President let McCain-Feingold go through his office with his signature on it...and then nominated two models of strict constructionism to the Court.”

True. But President Bush had campaigned promising to nominate judges in the mold of Justice Scalia. He was very conscious of the cultural conflict raging in the U.S. and was also a committed Christian. Thompson brings none of this to the table. We just don’t know what his core convictions are on the major cultural issues because he has always avoided discussing anything controversial—one of the reasons he finds favor with the media. So we really don’t know how he would act if he won the presidency.

[SampleMan]

Where's the "iffy" come in? Is it the 100% pro-life voting record and the 'F' from NARAL that makes you think he's iffy?

Just when I think I don't need the tag, I'm proven wrong.

[Victoria Delsoul]

"Government should stay out of it. No public financing. The ultimate decision must be made by the woman. Government should treat its citizens as adults capable of making moral decisions on their own." -- Fred Thompson

[Mr. Silverback]

I'm sorry...you aren't really thinking that citing that 13 year old cud proves anything, are you?

Thompson is on record saying the Roe vs. wade is bad law and bad science. Nobody who supports abortion in the first trimester is going to say those two things. Meanwhile, Rudy has called RvW good law.

Once again, I'm wondering why the Rudy supporters consider their candidate's hardcore pro-abort position to be a plus or not worth talking about, but are so eager to "catch" his opponents in the sin of being less than rabidly pro-life. Perhaps y'all instinctively realize that your guy is pretty much the definition of a pro-abortion extremist.

[Mr. Silverback]

Thompson brings none of this to the table. We just don’t know what his core convictions are on the major cultural issues

So...instead of judging Thompson by his record on these issues, or even just waiting and seeing what he has to say as the campaign goes on, I'm supposed to trust Rudy Giuliani to exhibit and support those good ol' heartland values? I'm supposed to trust a guy on constructionist judges when he thinks a constructionist could go either way on Roe vs. Wade? Gimme a break.

[Victoria Delsoul]

I'm sorry...you aren't really thinking that citing that 13 year old cud proves anything, are you?

Well, then you won't have any trouble citing a recent quote from Fred in which he unambiguously opposes first trimester abortion. So until you find that statement, his 13 year old quote is valid since he hasn't explicitly repudiated it.

Once again, I'm wondering why the Rudy supporters consider their candidate's hardcore pro-abort position to be a plus or not worth talking about,

You obviously can't be talking about me. I don't consider it a plus at all. I don't like it. Rudy has his problem, no question about it. But he doesn't deny it nor does he pander to a silver of the base with some phony story about being pro-choice for the first trimester but pro-life for the next 6 months of pregnancy.

Saying that Roe vs. Wade is bad law and bad science doesn't refute his 13 year old statement that "Government should stay out of it. No public financing. The ultimate decision must be made by the woman. Government should treat its citizens as adults capable of making moral decisions on their own."

[Mr. Silverback]

Since Roe vs. Wade made first trimester abortions legal, and did so while studiously ignoring scientific data on the subject, calling it bad law and bad science is without doubt a ststement of opposition to first trimester abortions. These attempts to turn a pro-lifer into a pro-choicer remind me of the Dems trying to turn John Kerry and the Silky Pony into defense hawks three years ago.

You obviously can't be talking about me.

I certainly am talking about you. In the sentences right after you wrote that, you right how he doesn't deny it or pander. You may not like abortion, but you consider his position and the way he discusses it to be a strength.

I have some regard for Rudy, but the bottom line is that he thinks that I should have to financially support it when someone poor woman decides to have her child ripped limb from limb, and his supporters on this board are trying to pretend that is somehow more conservative than a guy with a 0% rating from NARAL. Sorry, not buying.

[Petronski]

Saying that Roe vs. Wade is bad law and bad science doesn't refute his 13 year old statement that "Government should stay out of it. No public financing. The ultimate decision must be made by the woman. Government should treat its citizens as adults capable of making moral decisions on their own."

Of course it does. Your rhetorical gymnastics look ridiculous.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"The question here is, how can he consider himself pro-life when he advocates abortions in the first trimester?" -- Victoria Delsoul

[Luis Gonzalez]

"Of course it does."

No it doesn't.

Removing Roe v. Wade from the question of abortion in no way impacts his idea that the woman is ultimately the only individual who MUST make the decision on whether to abort or not.

Additionally, the citizen remains a citizen AND an adult whether standing before the Federal or State governments, so according to Thompson, BOTH levels of governments MUST treat the individual as an adult capable of making the "moral decision" to abort.

[Petronski]

Ah, the liberal rhetorical gymnastics pas de deux. How nice to dabble in the arts on a Sunday morning.

[Luis Gonzalez]

No response means defeat.

You lost.

[Petronski]

If that’s the standard, you lost at 471. Making crap up is not a response. Neither is pro-abortion rhetoric going to gain you a victory on a pro-life website in any event.

[Luis Gonzalez]

You still have no answered my post, I guess you can’t.

The pro-abortion rhetoric comes from Fred Thompson’s own mouth...most pro-life people that I know would NEVER call abortion a “moral decision”, they call it murder.

[Petronski]

The pro-abortion rhetoric comes from Fred Thompson’s own mouth...

So says the AP, and apparently no one else.

...most pro-life people that I know would NEVER call abortion a “moral decision”, they call it murder.

Of course abortion is a moral decision. Having one is immoral, rejecting it is moral.

[Mr. Silverback]

Luis, one wonders how you missed this, in post 468:

Since Roe vs. Wade made first trimester abortions legal, and did so while studiously ignoring scientific data on the subject, calling it bad law and bad science is without doubt a ststement of opposition to first trimester abortions. These attempts to turn a pro-lifer into a pro-choicer remind me of the Dems trying to turn John Kerry and the Silky Pony into defense hawks three years ago.

I stand by that statement. And this one:

Once again, I'm wondering why the Rudy supporters consider their candidate's hardcore pro-abort position to be a plus or not worth talking about, but are so eager to "catch" his opponents in the sin of being less than rabidly pro-life. Perhaps y'all instinctively realize that your guy is pretty much the definition of a pro-abortion extremist.

And why do I consider Rudy to be the definition of a pro-abortion extremist?

I have some regard for Rudy, but the bottom line is that he thinks that I should have to financially support it when some poor woman decides to have her child ripped limb from limb, and his supporters on this board are trying to pretend that is somehow more conservative [and better for the pro-life cause!] than a guy with a 0% rating from NARAL. Sorry, not buying.

I hope there are no questions, but I'll be glad to answer any you have. What I won't be willing to do is continue to indulge your bizarre idea that a thirteen year old account by one media jackal makes this guy a hardcore pro-abort flip-flopper. That dog ain't hunting, folks. If he was what you say he is, you'd have more evidence than that.

[Mr. Silverback]

My, but you are quick to declare victory. A typical lib tactic which we see with global warming: the favorite argument is to claim the argument is over and the libs won.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"So says the AP, and apparently no one else."

Fred will have plenty of time to call them liars.

Looking forward to it.

P.S. Fred thinks that the government should have no say in this "moral decision", which make his position pro-choice, no matter how you try to spin it.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Quick to declare victory means one is a liberal?