Fred Thompson backs off lobbying denial

Politico ^ | 7/12/07 | Mike Allen

[Clara Lou]

I guess I’ll just post Fred press releases from now on.
Distort, distort, distort. No one asked you to do that. Typical of your tactics. Please--save all you've got for Hunter. You can't do him any harm.

[kevkrom]

I'm just curious: would you cut Rudy, McCain, or Romney so much slack if one of them claimed to have forgotten or would have you concluded he was lying?

For something that allegedly happened 16 years ago, is denied by all the principals involved, has no documentation to show otherwise, and is based solely on the word of a Hillary Clinton operative? Yes, I would.

What troubles me about this is that if Fred is such an abortion foe, why wasn't he immediately and greatly conflicted? This should have been a moral dilemma of first rank;

Except that it isn't. He never lobbied for the group in question. It is possible (but as of now, not proven) that he indirectly assisted them by providing legal advice to one of his partners, a responsibility he was ethically bound to fulfill as part of his partnership. In that respect, Thompson may be vague on his denials simply because he doesn't remember one way or another, and doesn't want this to be used as a "gotcha" later if he did happen to forget. I mean, look what happened to Scooter Libby as a result of inconsistent memories. ;)

This is probably just the opening salvo. Why would the opposition open fire until the candidate is clearly in the race?

Because too many people fear him getting in the race in the first place -- from both parties. They want to derail him before he truly gets started.

[kevkrom]

His apathetic response reveals his heart. A pro-life individual would be outraged at the suggestion that he or she may have aided abortion, particularly in their professional life for money. The fact that his reaction is "I don't remember" says a lot. It means he holds out the possibility that he may have lobbied for abortion, and ultimately doesn't care.

That is truly an amazing twisting of words and jumps-to-conclusions analysis. See my previous.

[Josh Painter]

mnehrling wrote: “I agree, if Duncan’s supporters don’t completely turn everyone off to him.. God protect Duncan from his supporters.”

Congressman Hunter’s campaign is aware of what is going on on FR and some other sites. They do not approve of the type of “campaigning” some alleged Hunter supporters have been doing on the Fred threads here on FR.

A Duncan Hunter spokesperson said that Duncan did not campaign that way and would not approve of that type of campaigning. Also said that they could not control the blogosphere but wished they could do something to promote harmony among Hunter and Thompson supporters.

[countess]

I love how fredheads argue just like the Rudyites did.

And now it is over the same issue.

[Grammy]

I do too, but I don’t remember every meal I cooked in the restaurant.

[statered]

These guys have permanently soured me on Hunter at this point.

[Petronski]

These guys have permanently soured me on Hunter at this point.

I think that if Hunter saw some of the crap being done in his name, he'd start kicking asses and taking names.

[mnehring]

I completely know, but it doesn’t stop people from being turned off by Duncan because his supporters sometimes act like Rudybots or Paulites.

[pissant]

Those supporters are giving him money and volunteering and exposing the tapdancing of his opponents. I think Hunter approves just fine.

[mnehring]

Isn’t Duncan’s brother or son a Freeper who sometimes posts for Hunter? Maybe he should be pinged to weigh in.

[pissant]

Speaking of distortions, have you asked Fred yet when he first decided he didn’t like parts of McCain Feingold?

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Ya’ll know about this issue more than me. Any “inconsistencies”?

[Gelato]

His Senate record amounts to votes against partial birth abortion, abortion on military bases, and cloning. In other words, he was never confronted with the question of whether the unborn have the right to life, and has never had to address his past statements that he wouldn't criminalize abortion.

Even today, his position doesn't square with the GOP platform's pro-life plank. Fred opposes a human life amendment and has indicated he would appoint justices who would not extend protection under the Fourteenth Amendment to the unborn.

[Clara Lou]

That's your burning question. You ask him. Why are you always trying to foist your burning questions off on other people? Most unbecoming. Ask him yourself.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Fine, then he should be honest about it and not pretend he was just opposing the embargo. I can respect, but not agree with, an honest admission that he was just putting bread on the table.

[Niteranger68]

You don’t remember the fights between the McCain and Bush camps on FR? Brutal. It’s always been brutal here. Much more interesting than a site that marches in lockstep with the RNC.

FR helps AFTER the primaries and its help to the conservative cause was on display a few weeks ago, when we helped flatline the amnesty bill.

No, I wasn't here for the 2000 primaries. But my memory is that McCain got nasty first, so it reasons that supporters of either would follow suit.

I'm not advocating we just accept everything from the RNC, but what really good candidate would want to run and try to represent and satisfy all-or-nothing constituents?

I fail to see how FR helps after the primary if the candidate is someone who has already been dumped all over by the "base". The DNC is just tap into work already done by others.

Finally, FR does get credit for halting the amnesty bill, but talk radio is the powerhouse of spreading conservative philosophy. People like Rush nationally and Jeff Katz on WBT locally are the ones I give the most credit to.

[pissant]

I heard Peach and Howlin use that same argument.

[eleni121]

Fred is going to be our next president.

---

Say it loud and proud BABY! AMEN!!!

[Petronski]

How nice for you.