Posted on 06/18/2007 2:19:35 PM PDT by wagglebee
Kansas City, MO (LifeNews.com) -- Fred Thompson hasn't announced his candidacy for the GOP nomination for president, but he looked like one when addressing the National Right to Life convention last week. Thompson sent a video message to the 1,200 attendees and said he opposed both abortion and embryonic stem cell research.
The video showed the former Tennessee senator with his wife and two young girls and he told pro-life advocates that his family helps him appreciate pro-life values.
“When I was in the Senate a lot of people would come to see me and it usually would have to do with business matters or financial matters," Thompson said. "When you came to see me, I always knew it was about something much more important than that, the most important thing of all in this World and that is life."
"I must say that those issues are even more profound to me as the years go by. Jeri and I have truly been blessed," the well-known actor added.
Thompson said he has been pro-life at least since he first ran for the Senate in 1994 and received National Right to Life's endorsement and that he's been with the pro-life movement ever since.
"On abortion related votes I’ve been 100 percent," Thompson explained saying he's voted against federal funding for abortion, Roe v. Wade and partial-birth abortion -- a procedure he called "infanticide."
The potential presidential candidate also spoke extensively on the issue of embryonic stem cell research for the first time since the buzz built up about the possibility of him running.
His comments put him in line with the pro-life movement at a time when other candidates who oppose abortion, like John McCain or Tommy Thompson, favor the destructive science.
"On stem cell research, I’m for adult stem cell research not stem cell research where embryos of unborn children are destroyed. It looks to me like there is a lot of promising developments as far as adult stem cell research is concerned anyway and we don't need to go down that other road," Thompson said.
Thompson said "one of the proudest moments" he's had was when President Bush asked him to help guide the confirmation process of Chief Justice John Roberts, who has already sided with the pro-life movement in two abortion-related cases and is thought to be in favor of reversing Roe.
"I think he’s going to go down as the best Chief Justice that this country has ever had," Thompson said.
LifeNews.com was present at the convention and his video speech was very well-received by the pro-life advocates there, as he received a standing ovation.
Sam Brownback, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul also spoke to convention-goers last week.
All GOP candidates were invited to address the crowd and Duncan Hunter planned to attend but couldn't make it and Mike Huckabee and John McCain both said they had scheduling conflicts.
His detractors love to ignore this endorsement.
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But he said on Fox News that he was for bringing the issue of abortion back to the states; to get it out of the federal level. He never said he wanted to ban it altogether. If he throws it back in the states hands, then he doesn’t have to deal with it.
Nice, at least someone is saying what it is without parsing words.
Yeah, he'd have to let those pesky American voters decide.
A Constitutional ban on abortion isn’t feasible right now. You think California or New York Senators are going to support it? I have no problem with abortion returning to the states as it was before the 1973 ruling. This is a position the pro-life movement should embrace instead of trying to go for a hail mary.
All the GOP contenders oppose abortion. Despite his earlier stance when Mayor of NYC, Giuliani is the only candidate to propose an increasing alternative solutions (promoting adoption) to abortion. Despite that fact, some here believe, without evidence, that he’s lying.
Until RvW is overturned states can’t do anything about abortion.
Once its overturned it goes back to the states where it can be banned.
Fred is calling for RvW to be overturned by the courts which can happen if he can get 1-2 more judges after the 08 election.
Yeah, and Bush isn't pushing amnesty, either.
You're only fooling yourself. Rudy has come out as being pro-choice after completely failing to articulate a pro-life position.
All the GOP contenders oppose abortion. Even though many have flip-flopped from their earlier positions. And, despite his earlier stance when Mayor of NYC, Giuliani is the only candidate to propose increasing alternative solutions (promoting adoption) to abortion. Despite that fact, some here believe, without evidence, that he’s lying.
He also believes in state-funded abortion.
Rudy is also absolutely anti second amendment. No chance he will EVER get my vote (Or McLib either).
Read Rudy’s 12 points of his latest position paper, unless your opinion is troubled by facts, then it doesn’t matter. His is the most strident anti-abortion stance of all the contenders in that he, and only he, has proposed action that would diminish abortion.
“If he throws it back in the states hands, then he doesn’t have to deal with it.”
Which is what happens in a federal system, as designed by the Founders of our nation.
Almost every state has some pretty reasonable restriction on abortion, already on the books, waiting for the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
He was my mayor for 8 years, and I can't remember him once promoting adoption though I do remember him supporting planned parenthood.
You’re 8 years behind the times. Read his latest position paper, it’s been posted here many times in the past week.
The longer this goes on, the better Ron Paul looks.
You may be waiting a while if he is ever become “attractive” as a candidate.
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