Posted on 04/12/2007 1:38:55 PM PDT by Reagan Man
Although he initially campaigned for office as a pro-choice Republican and was a key player in passage of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation so hated by conservatives, Fred Thompson is being urged to run for President next year by three of the nation’s top social conservative leaders.
At a breakfast in Washington DC this morning hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, Gary Bauer of the Campaign for Working Families, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, and Mark Earley of the Prison Fellowship voiced encouragement that the former Tennessee senator and star of TV’s “Law and Order” seek the Republican nomination. At the same time, Perkins and Earley -- both of whom are past Republican office-holders -- and Bauer -- himself a candidate for President in 2000 -- all voiced negativism about the chances of the GOP candidates in ’08 most closely identified with social conservatives: Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
“I would urge [Thompson] to run,” Bauer told the reporters at the Monitor breakfast,”The more the merrier.” As to his self-characterization as pro-choice when he first ran for the Senate in 1994, Bauer said that Thompson “knew voters enough to vote consistently pro-life.” Bauer added that he expected Thompson, as a candidate for President, “to take a pro-life stand.” Regarding his role in passage of McCain-Feingold five years ago, Thompson was “not seen as a major linebacker” behind the controversial measure and “has done a lot of re-thinking of his support of McCain- Feingold.”
As Christians, Perkins pointed out “we’re very forgiving.” Thompson is saying, he believed, “he made a mistake” in backing McCain-Feingold and his position “is something that can be overlooked.” The FRC head and former Louisiana state legislator went on to note that Thompson’s pro-choice self-description notwithstanding, the former senator was “100%” on every major social issue to come before the Senate and recalled that Thompson was “not in accord” with his group on only two issues in his last year as senator.
“He would add to the mix,” predicted Perkins of a Thompson bid.
“Very attractive,” is how former Virginia Attorney General and '01 gubernatorial candidate Earley described a Thompson candidacy in '08, also voicing his hope that the TV and movie star gets into the race.
In expressing hopes for a Thompson candidacy, Bauer said that Huckabee and Brownback “haven’t been moving” in the Iowa caucuses or the race for money, which he called “the most important primary of all.” He did say both were “great on social issues but neither had made the case they would be a “wartime President.”
“Relative unknowns” was how Earley described Brownback and Huckabee. The Virginian felt that “unless you have an incredibly charismatic figure such as Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton” or have started early campaigning, one can’t be a significant player in the nomination sweepstakes. Huckabee and Brownback are “great guys,” but they both needed to “be out there longer.”
Perkins cited the difficulties both candidates have had “putting together an organization,” but quickly added “I hope they stay in the race.”
Fred PING
Man-up and make a decision, Fred.
Yea or nay? Fish or cut bait?
This is the first I’ve heard of Fred being pro-choice in his past campaign....or that he had anything to do with pushing the travesty of 1A rights called McCain-Feingold. What say you, Fred-supporters?
Or does it not matter if you’ve got Fred-goggles on.
This will put the nail in the coffin of the GOP being the pro-life party. The issue is neutralized. Choose on something else - Iraq War, NAFTA, health care, whatever.
Run, Fred, RUN!
Must watch Video! Fred Thompson FL GOP 1998 Statesman of the Year
If you'd like to be a FRedHead let me or Howlin know.
CAUTION: This is a very high volume ping list. You may receive between 5 and 10 pings a day. If you'd rather not receive so many pings, let me know and I'll only ping you once a week.
" Murphey: Some conservatives got flustered by your comments on abortion and Roe vs. Wade. Would you like to explain your position on abortion?
Thompson: Government should stay out of it. No public financing. The ultimate decision must be made by the women. Government should treat its citizens as adults capable of making moral decisions on their own.
The perfect libertarian position at the time but now he's changed his views. He's more conservative.
Thank you for bumping the Fred Thread. Every time a FRed Thread is posted new FRedHeads are born. Thank you for helping promote Fred.
I like Fred and will vote for him if he wins the primary. Actually he is my second choice.
Actually the same thing happens when an anti-Rudy thread is posted so I guess we both luck out. I’m glad to hear it.
Another criticism I have heard of Fred Thompson is his support/campaigning for Lincoln Chafee. Still, I think Thompson is the best man for the job. All the candidates has foibles to overlook and Thompson has the fewest.
As for Republicans who support Thompson abandoning the pro-life platform, I think that is a patently false statement. I believe Thompson has sincerely changed his position and is now pro-life.
For anyone who missed the evaluation of Thompson in the PartriotPost newsletter (Google it, it is the #1 conservative newsletter in the nation), please look it up and read it. The PatriotPost endorses Thompson and that weighs heavily with me.
This is the first I’ve heard of Fred being pro-choice in his past campaign....or that he had anything to do with pushing the travesty of 1A rights called McCain-Feingold. What say you, Fred-supporters?
Thats a lie Eletricstrawberry. I have read several of your past posts bemoaning these two “alleged” postions taken by Fred Thompson.
Your postings are becoming more “troll-like” every day.
So he’s pro-choice (something left out of every pro-Fred posting I’ve seen thus far)...and wants the feds stay out of it.
....and he co-sponsored the taking away of my 1A rights.....but now, quite conveniently, doesn’t think it was a good idea?
...and here I thought he was the magic candidate.....
He’s changed his positions on those two issues. To be fair he has said recently he is re-thinking McCain Feingold. And I believe he still is pretty much anti-Abortion.
See my post #15.
Personally I'm not sure that the charge is true. Some Libertarian hit piece is out there claiming that he ran as a Libertarian, but his voting record is otherwise. He got an F rating from NARAL for voting consistently against abortion while in the senate, and he is clearly and vocally Pro-life in everything he says today.
Also I believe he is very much socially conservative on most issues except immigration and civil unions. He’s more moderate on those.
He never ran as a Liberatarian. He said he was a Goldwater Republican at the time.
I read this article and think, what the hell are they talking about?
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