Comments on: More on Those Upcoming Fred Lobbying Stories

By: Milhouse

Milhouse — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 04:35:16 +0000

I don't believe Thompson ever told the Commercial Appeal that he supported Roe v Wade. Here's the original claim:

Thompson said he supports the Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. He opposes federal funding for abortion and favors allowing states to impose limited restrictions on abortion, such as parental notification requirements for minors.

Note that this is not a quote, it's the reporter's characterisation of his position. The reporter may well have been wrong. If he told the reporter that he thought states ought not to ban abortion in the first trimester, I can see how a not-very-well-informed reporter might summarise that as "he supports Roe".

By: Patricia

Patricia — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 03:08:19 +0000

I have sort of tuned all Fred! talk out, because he has had lymphoma. Sure, it’s in remission now but for a short time. I have known people with lymphoma–it comes back–and they have not been able to cope with work well.

As O’Reilly says, where am I wrong?

By: Vatar

Vatar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:58:36 +0000

If the MSM keeps it up about how liberal Fred is, he will have half of the Democratic vote too.

By: Crust

Crust — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:22:10 +0000

Bryan at Hot Air is giving Thompson a hard time on Campaign Finance Reform.

By: Crust

Crust — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:03:49 +0000

gahrie: Besides, What is most important is that Thompson believes in federalism. Thus he belives that Roe V Wade should be overturned regardless of what he believes about abortion personally. Thompson now takes a federalist position on abortion now in that he opposes both Roe v. Wade and federal attempts to ban abortion, preferring to see the legality of abortion determined at the state level (while favoring various restrictions on abortion even at the federal level). However, Thompson once supported Roe v. Wade, at least according to an 1993 interview in the Memphis Commercial Appeal in which he said that he "supports the Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade decision that established a constitutional right to abortion."

By: Attila (Pillage Idiot)

Attila (Pillage Idiot) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:51:16 +0000

You mean “the former Democrat congressman Michael Barnes” who represented my congressional district through 1986 and who ran the subcommittee with jurisdiction over Central America and who was really tight with the Sandinistas? That’s a very good sign.

By: gahrie

gahrie — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:18:17 +0000

AF:

You’re missing the point. Who cares what his personal opinion about abortion is? I wouldn’t care if he supported abortion in all cases personally, as long as he also believed that the issue should be decided by the states, and not the Supreme Court. After all, if the issue is returned to the states, his one vote counts exactly as much as mine does.

By: Scott Jacobs

Scott Jacobs — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:02:01 +0000

Restricting abortion isn’t the same as outlawing it.

By: AF

AF — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 18:23:42 +0000

“But he also told the Eagle Forum in a 1994 questionnaire, “I do not believe abortion should be criminalized. This battle will be won in the hearts and souls of the American people.”

In a candidate survey the same year for The Tennessean newspaper, Thompson said that states should have the right to impose “reasonable restrictions on abortions such as parental notification.” But he said, “The ultimate decision on abortion should be left with the woman and not the government.”

By: gahrie

gahrie — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 17:46:05 +0000

AF:

Guess what? Many of those opposed to abortion feel the same way.

Besides, What is most important is that Thompson believes in federalism. Thus he belives that Roe V Wade should be overturned regardless of what he believes about abortion personally.