Thompson: Don't blame guns for cop killing

The Miami Herald ^ | Fri, Sep. 14, 2007 | MARC CAPUTO

[nin_kasi]

While South Florida mourned the death Friday of a police officer gunned down in South Miami-Dade County, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson appeared at the Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana and said it was a mistake to blame guns and the lack of certain gun controls on the crime committed by the killer.

''I have voted consistently in support of people's Second Amendment rights. I think the problem with crime in this country is criminals,'' Thompson said. ``I think that to disarm law-abiding people and to allow criminals to steal, to get their hands on armaments of all kinds, which would be the case, would be an absolutely wrong thing to do.

``The amount of violence created on the street by these kinds of weapons is very, very small. It's too bad. It's horrendous. Any kind -- whether it's a knife or an IED or a gun -- innocent people, especially law enforcement officers, are vulnerable all the time, we know that. But on balance you've got to ask what is good for society and what does the Second Amendment say. . . . I do not think that abrogating Second Amendment rights is a good idea.

``If we could wave a magic wand and make sure that all the bad guys had their weapons confiscated and could never get them again, that would be one situation. That's not the world we live in. We'll never be able to keep people like that from getting their hands on weapons. And it does not result in a good thing to disarm law-abiding Americans.''

Thompson, appearing at the Little Havana eatery in front of a mostly Cuban-American crowd, also said he would maintain the embargo on Cuba if he were elected president.

''Castro is a dictator; he's the head of state-sponsored terrorism and he must be dealt with as such,'' Thompson said. ``We must keep the sanctions on, we must keep the embargo on.''

Earlier in the morning, Thompson appeared on Spanish-language radio WAQI-Radio Mambi and was asked if, as president, he would move to indict Raúl Castro, the head of the Cuban armed forces, for the shoot-down of two Brothers to the Rescue planes over the Florida Straits in 1996. The incident led to the deaths of four Cuban Americans.

''I'd have the attorney general look into that,'' Thompson said, though he warned he didn't want to take any action that would make it easier for other nations to indict ``American military leaders abroad.''

[Lurker]

he would move to indict Raúl Castro, the head of the Cuban armed forces, for the shoot-down of two Brothers to the Rescue planes over the Florida Straits in 1996

He just sowed up the Cuban American vote...

L

[mnehring]

``If we could wave a magic wand and make sure that all the bad guys had their weapons confiscated and could never get them again, that would be one situation

I'm waiting for the anti-Freds to say see, see, Fred is for gun control in some circumstances.... not seeing that he is mocking the gun control nuts..

[VR-21]

It’s good to hear unabashed support for the RKBA, without any equivocation.

[dawn53]

As Larry the Cable Guy says:

If they can blame guns for killing people; then I can blame my pencil for spelling mistakes.

[trisham]

That isn't what he said.

"Earlier in the morning, Thompson appeared on Spanish-language radio WAQI-Radio Mambi and was asked if, as president, he would move to indict Raúl Castro, the head of the Cuban armed forces, for the shoot-down of two Brothers to the Rescue planes over the Florida Straits in 1996. The incident led to the deaths of four Cuban Americans.

''I'd have the attorney general look into that,'' Thompson said, though he warned he didn't want to take any action that would make it easier for other nations to indict ``American military leaders abroad.''"

What he did say was actually better.

[padre35]

A month or so ago Fred had some really strong statements on the Castro Spies who had been caught,that left some people scratching their heads, but there has been 2 or 3 DGSE agents/assests arrested in the last ten years including a Dept of Def employee.

[Harvey105]

His words are great. But more important than words are his votes when he was in office.

How do you reconcile his anti gun votes with his rhetoric?

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Is it just me, or does FDT seem like he is on fire recently? He seems to be hitting the major red meat issues that conservatives care about - more so that Duncan Hunter has been lately.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

How do you reconcile his anti gun votes with his rhetoric?

What anti-gun votes? His record in the Senate was consistently pro-RKBA.

[ctdonath2]

Can you enumerate his relevant votes, for and against?

Just saw a list on another thread, and it was ... shall we say ... grossly disingenuous.

[109ACS]

"The amount of violence created on the street by these kinds of weapons is very, very small."

No Fred, the amount of violence created on the street by these kinds of weapons is zero. Weapons are inert objects. Criminals create the violence.

[AnAmericanMother]

What anti gun votes?

Please specify. Bill numbers would be nice.

[ejonesie22]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1896455/posts?page=54#54

Over there for a proper debunking of that crap...

Save FR some hard drive space and band width...

[mnehring]

Like these?

Allowing concealed carry could have limited VA Tech massacre. (Apr 2007) Reference: Lautenberg Amdt #362; Bill S. 254 ; vote number 1999-134 on May 20, 1999

Voted NO on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
Reference: Hatch Amendment #344; Bill S. 254 ; vote number 1999-118 on May 14, 1999

Voted NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations. (May 1999)

Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
Reference: Bill S.254 ; vote number 1999-111 on May 11, 1999

Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)
Reference: Bill S 2260 ; vote number 1998-216 on Jul 21, 1998

Of course, I know some blogs have dug up bits and pieces of bills to make it look like he is anti-gun, but they are a real stretch. He has one of the lowest ratings of the Brady Campaign- 13%.

[ejonesie22]

Damn details...

[uncbob]

`If we could wave a magic wand and make sure that all the bad guys had their weapons confiscated and could never get them again, that would be one situation. That's not the world we live in. We'll never be able to keep people like that from getting their hands on weapons. And it does not result in a good thing to disarm law-abiding Americans.''

Even if we could take all the guns from the bad guys it still would be wrong to disarm ( and unconstitutional)law abiding citizens

[Argus]

Fred Thompson appeared at the Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana

I bet he ordered the lechon, with black beans and rice and fried bananas, and a guanabana shake.

[MinuteGal]

"He just sowed up the Cuban American vote."

As ye sew, so shall ye rip.

[Harvey105]

Fred Thompson’s Gun-Related Votes

The U.S. Senate Debated: Thompson Voted:

Government wiretapping of innocent citizens.4 Anti-gun
Anti-gun terror bill (S. 735 ).5 Anti-gun
Taxpayer funding to anti-gun lobby groups.6 Pro-gun
Taxpayer funding to anti-gun groups — 2nd vote.7 Pro-gun
Anti-gun terror bill — final passage.8 Anti-gun
Taggants in gunpowder.9 Anti-gun
Lautenberg Domestic Confiscation gun ban.10 Anti-gun
Kohl “Gun Free Zones” ban.11 Pro-gun
Free Speech restrictions.12 Anti-gun
Smith “Anti-Brady” Amendment.13 Anti-gun
Gutting of the Smith “Anti-Brady” Amendment.14 Pro-gun
Banning the importation of magazines.15 Pro-gun
Mandatory unsafe gun storage requirements.16 Pro-gun
“Lock Up Your Safety” mandatory trigger locks.17 Pro-gun
Anti-gun Clinton judge appointment.18 Anti-gun
Anti-gun Surgeon General.19 Anti-gun
Ending the filibuster of a major anti-gun crime bill.20 Anti-gun

Background registration checks.21 Pro-gun
Banning private sales of firearms at gun shows.22 Pro-gun
Anti-gun juvenile crime bill (S. 254).23 Pro-gun
Mandatory trigger locks with new handgun sales.24 Pro-gun
Hatch-Craig Gun Control “Lite”.25 Pro-gun
More severe regulation of internet gun sales.26 Pro-gun
Young adult gun ban.27 Anti-gun
Medium-capacity magazine ban.28 Pro-gun
Adopting the “Gun Control Lite” strategy.29 Anti-gun
Gun show ban.30 Pro-gun
Praising the gun control mommies.31 Pro-gun
Senate instructions to pass gun control (Reed).32 Pro-gun
Senate instructions to pass gun control (Boxer).33 Pro-gun
Attacking gun makers in court.34 Pro-gun
McCain’s Incumbent Protection (2000 version).35 Anti-gun
Incumbent Protection (2002 failed filibuster).36 Anti-gun

Go here for more detail and commentary on the votes:

http://gunowners.org/pres08/thompson2.htm