Fred Thompson, Israel and the Spencer Abraham Factor

Haaretz ^ | July 30, 2007 | Shmuel Rosner

[Doofer]

1. Here are some facts about Spencer Abraham: He was Energy Secretary for Bush and Senator from Michigan. He was generally acceptable to Jewish groups when Bush picked him to be a member of his cabinet. He is the new campaign manager for Fred Thompson, soon to be an official Republican candidate for the Presidency. He is of Lebanese decent. He was one of only a handful of Senators refusing to sign a letter calling on President Bill Clinton to condemn Palestinian terrorism and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, an Arab friendly (and some will say anti-Israel) publication, ranked him fairly high in its evaluation of American Senators. In 2000, it has stated that Abraham was instrumental in getting earmarked aid for Lebanon increased from $12 million to $15 million, and getting $860,000 specified for the "Seeds of Peace" program.

2. The anger against Abraham's appointment by Thompson is starting to build in conservative circles, some of it relates to Israel. "I don't know anybody who isn't at least a little bit worried about this", a Thompson supporter told the NY Post. And those worried are talking about a wide variety of reasons. Not just Israel and Israel related issues, but also because of his stance of issues like borders and terror. One example: "Don't believe Thompson's claim that he understands the Islamist jihadist threat to America. His announcement, yesterday, of his choice of Spencer Abraham as campaign manager, told us everything we need to know. Although Abraham, of Lebanese descent, is a Christian, he is a career water carrier for Islamists of the most extremist stripe and made that the cornerstone of his failed, one-term Senate career and equally lousy tenure as Energy Secretary".

[snip]

[Paladin2]

Fred is a RINO. Them’s the facts, unfortunate but true.

[Doofer]

Here are some facts about Spencer Abraham:...He is the new campaign manager for Fred Thompson

Well right there he got his first fact wrong.

[Doofer]

ping

[counterpunch]

Fred needs to drop this guy, and not just for his pro-islamist and open borders views, but also because Thompson should distance himself from anyone in the Bush administration if he wants to maintain an image as an independent outsider.

Some are already trying to peg Fred as the White House’s man in the race, and that won’t play well if he wants to run as a “candidate for change.”

[misterrob]

The solution to all of these missteps is to tell his fundraisers that you won’t give money because of A, B & C reasons. When they hear this enough things change.

[balch3]

IBTZ.

[Biblebelter]

Set aside Abraham’s position on Israel. Set aside his position on open borders. What does Abraham bring to Thompson’s campaign in any capacity? The answer is certainly not political savvy which his career in public life has glaringly lacked.

[Chena]

The solution to all of these missteps is to tell his fundraisers that you won’t give money because of A, B & C reasons. When they hear this enough things change.

While that may encourage Mr. Thompson to change his mind and correct any "missteps", that won't negate the fact that he MADE those missteps in the first place. I know I'm not the only one who has/had high hopes for Fred Thompson and has been having some serious doubts about him.

[Choose Ye This Day]

One example: "Don't believe Thompson's claim that he understands the Islamist jihadist threat to America. His announcement, yesterday, of his choice of Spencer Abraham as campaign manager, told us everything we need to know. Although Abraham, of Lebanese descent, is a Christian, he is a career water carrier for Islamists of the most extremist stripe and made that the cornerstone of his failed, one-term Senate career and equally lousy tenure as Energy Secretary".

Debbie Schussel isn't an example. She's an embarassment.

[GovernmentIsTheProblem]

“Well right there he got his first fact wrong.”

Randy Enwright is the new Campaign Manager. AP reported it incorrectly.

Spencer Abraham is ‘only’ the new campaign CHAIRMAN. Yeah, that’s much better.

Spin that one.

[squidly]

Hasn’t it been reliably posted that Abraham isn’t actually the campaign manager? Just someone working for the campaign in some way or another? I think the CM thing comes from an erroneous article in some Brit paper.

[familyop]

Haaretz leans to the left and against defense.

[Doofer]

One example: "Don't believe Thompson's claim that he understands the Islamist jihadist threat to America. His announcement, yesterday, of his choice of Spencer Abraham as campaign manager...

One Thompson adviser dismissed the notion that somehow Abraham will slow down the nascent campaign. "Spence is not going to be the campaign manager," the adviser said. "He won't be running anything." That job will be in the hands of Randy Enwright, a veteran Florida Republican who is widely respected and also once ran the GOP in Iowa.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1873431/posts/

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

He was generally acceptable to Jewish groups when Bush picked him to be a member of his cabinet.

An interesting point here is that Abraham was generally accepted by Jewish groups in 2001, but ALL of the arguments made against him are based on what happened BEFORE that time. If his actions were acceptable to Jews six years ago, why is he so far beyond the pale now??

[SuziQ]

Thompson should distance himself from anyone in the Bush administration if he wants to maintain an image as an independent outsider.

That's ridiculous! If some of Bush's campaign team wants to work with Fred, what's wrong with that? Just because someone worked in the Bush Administration doesn't mean they don't have something to offer for Fred's campaign.

[Chena]

I don’t know. I’m still trying to learn the truth. We know how hard THAT is these days. LOL :)

[familyop]

There are also other defense issues of concern to us all.

Fred Thompson is Chairman of Condoleeza Rice's International Security Advisory Board in the State Dept. (see information below).

http://www.state.gov/t/isn/isab/

International Security Advisory Board (ISAB)

The Secretary of State's International Security Advisory Board (formerly called the Arms Control and Nonproliferation Advisory Board (ACNAB)) provides the Department with independent insight and advice on all aspects of arms control, disarmament, international security, and related aspects of public diplomacy. The ISAB is sponsored and overseen by the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. The Board provides its recommendations directly to the Secretary of State. The Board currently has 20 members and is chartered to have up to 25. Board members are national security experts with scientific, military, diplomatic, and political backgrounds. The Board meets in a plenary session on a quarterly basis.

Updated: April 19, 2007

http://www.state.gov/t/isn/isab/c17650.htm

Board Members

— Senator Fred Thompson (Chairman)
— Dr. Michael R. Anastasio
— Dr. Kathleen Bailey
— Dr. Ashton B. Carter
— Ms. Alison B. Fortier
— Dr. William Graham
— Amb. Robert Joseph
— Mr. Mitchel B. Kugler
— Dr. Ronald F. Lehman, II
— Vice Admiral Robert R. Monroe, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
— Dr. Gordon C. Oehler
— Dr. Keith B. Payne
— Dr. Robert L. Pfaltzgraff, Jr.
— Senator Charles S. Robb
— Dr. C. Paul Robinson
— Dr. Amy Sands
— Dr. James R. Schlesinger
— Dr. William Schneider, Jr
— Dr. William Van Cleave
— Mr. R. James Woolsey

---

from Thompson’s voting record on immigration with only two terms in office.
http://profiles.numbersusa.com/improfile.php3?DistSend=TN&VIPID=743

Voted in 1996 to continue chain migration

Voted to strip legal reforms from 1996 bill

Voted in favor of chain migration in 1996

Voted for a foreign worker bill with no anti-fraud measures in 2000.

As Committee member, produced H-1B doubling bill in 1998

Nearly doubled H-1B foreign high-tech workers in 1998

Voted in committee against including worker safeguards in H-1B bill in 1998

Voted to allow firms to lay off Americans to make room for foreign workers in 1998

Voted to allow firms to lay off Americans to make room for foreign workers in 1998

Voted to grant amnesty to close to one million illegal aliens from Nicaragua and Cuba in 1997

In 1996, removed higher fines for businesses which hire illegal aliens

Tried to kill voluntary pilot programs for workplace verification in 1996


Let's have a look at some comparisons.


Duncan Hunter: Vietnam combat veteran, 173rd Airborne and 75th Army Rangers, Bronze Star, and Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee until the Democrat majority was voted in during the 2006 election. Congressman Hunter continues to work in the Armed Services Committee.

Fred Thompson:
Fred Thompson voted in favor of the "1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance."

Fred Thompson's record on immigration:

* Voted YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work. (Jul 1998)
* Voted YES on visas for skilled workers. (May 1998)
* Voted YES on limit welfare for immigrants. (Jun 1997)

Duncan Hunter's record on immigration:

* Voted YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project. (Jun 2006)
* Voted YES on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment. (May 2004)
* Voted NO on extending Immigrant Residency rules. (May 2001)
* Voted NO on more immigrant visas for skilled workers. (Sep 1998)
* Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration. (Dec 2003)

Fred Thompson:

* Voted YES on extending free trade to Andean nations. (May 2002)
* Voted YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam. (Oct 2001)
* Voted NO on removing common goods from national security export rules. (Sep 2001)
* Voted YES on permanent normal trade relations with China. (Sep 2000)
* Voted YES on expanding trade to the third world. (May 2000)
* Voted YES on renewing 'fast track' presidential trade authority. (Nov 1997)
* Voted YES on imposing trade sanctions on Japan for closed market. (May 1995)

Duncan Hunter:

* Voted NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade. (Jul 2005)
* Voted YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement. (Jul 2004)
* Voted NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement. (Jul 2003)
* Voted NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile. (Jul 2003)
* Voted YES on withdrawing from the WTO. (Jun 2000)
* Voted NO on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements. (Sep 1998)
* Rated 24% by CATO, indicating a pro-fair trade voting record. (Dec 2002)

Fred Thompson:

* Voted YES on permanent normal trade relations with China. (Sep 2000) [under "Free Trade"]

Duncan Hunter:

* Voted NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. (May 2000) [under "Foreign Policy]

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Spencer Abraham is 'only' the new campaign CHAIRMAN. Yeah, that's much better.

In presidential campaigns the manager runs things, the chairman is a frontman. In 1964 Barry Goldwater's campaign chairman was Senator Everett M. Dirksen. Does anyone actually think that Ev Dirksen ran the Goldwater campaign?

[cherry]

I don't think SA is a Muslim...I believe he is Christian, and I read a few years ago that most Arabs here in the USA are Christian.....maybe that's not true anymore....

I remember Spence.....he seemed to me to be very well spoken and I liked him a lot....