Thompson talks of daughter who died

Yahoo News / AP ^ | 10/22/2007 | LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

TAMPA, Fla. - Republican Fred Thompson sidestepped a question about the Terri Schiavo right-to-die case last month, saying he didn't remember the details. On Monday he said he's uncomfortable discussing it because of his own daughter's death.

snip

"And this will probably be the last time I ever address it."

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He added: "It should be decided by families. The federal government and the state government, too — except for the court system — ought to stay out of it, as far as I'm concerned."

[avital2]

the courts intercede when the family can’t agree. what else do you expect to happen?

[RobbyS]

The judiciary adjudicates.

Inpartially, one hopes. THAT was the root of the controversy, that the judge did not behave in an impartial manner.

[dschapin]

I agree with you - his statement that the courts but not state or federal government clearly shows that he would have come down on the wrong side of the Terri Schievo case. This will not help him at all with pro-lifers like myself who passionately believe that Terri was murdered by the courts in the cruelest way possible.

[Mom MD]

THere is a huge difference between withdrawing mechanical ventilation and iv therapies to keep the blood pressure up and withholding food and water. Fred’s daughter was a much different situation than Terri Schiavo

I have no problems withdrawing artificial life support, but letting someone die of dehydration is another problem. The half way with Terri’s case would be allowing her family to give her fluids/nourishment by mouth or gastric tube (as was being done) I think anything else is cruel.

[frogjerk]

BTW, Thank you and your family for their service.

[frogjerk]

I agree with you - his statement that the courts but not state or federal government clearly shows that he would have come down on the wrong side of the Terri Schievo case. This will not help him at all with pro-lifers like myself who passionately believe that Terri was murdered by the courts in the cruelest way possible.

I'll give Fred the benefit of the doubt because he is a man of character. I'll also wait until more is said on the subject from Fred.

[Dixie Yooper]

In 1973 my brother was in single car accident where he, the passenger was thrown from the car. He never regained consciousness, but was kept alive by a respirator. According to the attending doctor, he had no brain activity. My parents flew across the country as soon as they received word of the accident. After spending two days at his bedside, they made the decision to pull the plug. He heart stopped shortly after and he was pronounced dead. This happened at during the same time as a girl in Ohio had been kept alive for almost two years. The parents wanted to let her die and the doctors wanted to experiment. It was a court case that dragged on way too long. I don't recall all the details and how it ended, but we have always been thankful that the same thing didn't happen with my brother.

Fred is right, it's the family's decision, not the courts, not a talk show host's and definitely not a crowd of strangers who have gathered in the hospital parking lot.

[CindyDawg]

Actually I don’t think it will hurt him, but “hurts him”. What happened to TS was very wrong but I can understand where he is coming from. I’m ok with his decision and I’m not a supporter. It’s ok to tell people “I’m not going to talk about...”.

[lag along]

It has been a blessing that we are citizens of this country. The family just believes that blessing comes with a responsibility.

[dschapin]

I would agree with you if Fred had been asked about extraordinary measures like a respirator. Instead, he was asked about the Schievo case where Judge Greer decreed that Terri would be denied food and water untill she died - which took 14 days. What Fred did in his daughters situation was probably completely appropriate. However, I disagree strong with his conclusion that he would not have gotten involved in the Schievo case to protect Terri from her judicial murderers.

[Palladin]

Exactly. It’s apples and oranges.

I have kown several families who had to make the decision to remove life support from braindead loved ones.

There is hardly a sadder duty in this life.

Give Fred a break, here, folks, and get on your knees and thank God if you have never lost a child!

[teeman8r]

the schiavo case had to be made precedent for the upcoming events of the beast, in order to prevent people from being able to purchase the necessities of life, starving has to be legalized because it is euphoric and the after life is better than what they have now...

love your moniker... i had a screenplay idea for a pilot sitcom of “I married the anti-christ” about a used car salesman that wakes one morning to discover that he is in fact the anti-christ when his receding hairline reveals three 6s... at first his wife tells him they’re nines, but then he starts to try and influence buyers and eventually embraces his evilness.

teeman

[Dixie Yooper]

Fred kept it simple answer simple and straight to the point. When the TS incident was going on, my wife looked me in the eyes and said “don’t ever let something like that happen to me. I do not want to be kept alive for an indefinite amount of time.” I told her the same thing. Almost 3 years have passed and neither of us have prepared a living will. If something does happen before we get our wills made, I will still fight for her right to die with dignity, and I expect her to do the same for me.

[Dixie Yooper]

Fred kept his answer simple and straight to the point. When the TS incident was going on, my wife looked me in the eyes and said “don’t ever let something like that happen to me. I do not want to be kept alive for an indefinate amount of time.” I told her the same thing. Almost 3 years have passed and neither of us have prepared a living will. If something does happen before we get our wills made, I will still fight for her right to die with dignity, and I expect her to do the same for me.

[plain talk]

I’m with Fred. Feds have no business in these cases. Family and legal matter.

[freekitty]

I agree. He would not use his daughter for political gain.

[dschapin]

Have you read any of the facts on the case. I would suggest that you check out http://www.michaelschiavo.org/ and read the affidavid by one of Terri’s former nurses. Basically, Michael Schiavo won a lot of court money for Terri’s rehabilitation then refused to allow the nurses to do any sort of rehabilitation with her. He ordered them not to treat infections and was happy any time that it looked like she was going to die. Please take the time to read the affidavid and then see if you still have the same opinion on this case.

[vetsvette]

“Did they just take her off the ventilator maybe.”

Clearly not. The court forbid the parents from providing her food and water and refused to even allow them in the room with her without her “husband’s” permission while they starved her and denied her water until she died. This is murder by torture, nothing else.

If you treat a dog like this, you’ll be in jail — animals would be euthanized in some humane way, but the courts aren’t honest enough to do that.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

I'll give Fred the benefit of the doubt because he is a man of character. I'll also wait until more is said on the subject from Fred.

I'm inclined to agree. Everything I know of Fred tells me he would denounce the killing of Terri Schiavo, if he knew more about it.

Nevertheless, he doesn't want to know more about it, and he says here he doesn't want to comment on it any further. He may have to, because he's a candidate; and I think he should, because he's a candidate and it's a vital issue; yet his reasons are understandable.

[vetsvette]

“Unless you’ve experienced great family suffering and the stress it brings to bear on the family unit, you have no idea and really shouldn’t judge.”

That’s a very big “unless.” I know about this kind of situation on a very personal level.