PERFORMS TO THE DELIGHT OF THE CONSERVATIVE RIGHT
THOMPSON PLAYS THE PART OF A STRICT PRO-LIFER
DESPITE HIS REAL-LIFE MODERATE STANCE ON ABORTION
As the Los Angeles Times reported this week, the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA), a Washington nonprofit organization that advocates "reproductive freedom" and broad access to birth control, hired Thompson to lobby the White House to relax a rule barring abortion counseling at clinics that received federal money. Although this story was verified by numerous credible sources, including NFPRHA’s president in 1991, Judith DeSanto, and former Congressman Michael D. Barnes, who worked with Thompson at the same lobbying and law firm in 1991, Thompson denies ever having done the work. Thompson has also denied that he was "opposed" to a constitutional amendment protecting "the sanctity of human life," even though he indicated as much in a 1996 Christian Coalition survey.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-thompson7jul07,0,54260.story
http://www.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2007-07/31063804.pdf
Throughout his political career Thompson has often taken a moderate stance on abortion, but has now changed roles in a performance aimed at capturing the Evangelical audience. Here are the facts:
- A questionnaire submitted during Mr. Thompson’s 1994 Senatorial campaign contained a handwritten note that stated: “I do not believe abortion should be criminalized. This battle will be won in the hearts and souls of the American people.” http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/07/us/politics/07thompson.html
- When filling out a 1996 Christian Coalition survey, Thompson marked himself as "opposed" to a constitutional amendment protecting "the sanctity of human life." http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-thompson7jul07,0,54260.story?page=2&coll=la-home-center
- In a televised debate during Thompson’s 1994 Senate race, Mr. Thompson appeared to tell the moderator that he personally disagreed with outlawing abortion. “Should the government come in and criminalize let’s say a young girl and her parents and her doctor?” Mr. Thompson said. “I think not.” http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/07/us/politics/07thompson.html
The tme for pandering is over. Candidates who wish to lead the country and lead in Congress must appeal to the broadest spectrum of voters, and not twist their positions and the facts to fit the mold of the far right’s obstinate ideal. Real Republicans seek to bring people together and forge common-sense solutions. Real Republicans value privacy, responsibility, small government and individual liberty. Most importantly real Republicans understand that our country is at a crossroad and we need true leadership and a focus on urgent issues like the war on terror, solutions to the crisis in Iraq and reigning in government waste and spending. Now is the time for real Republicans to remember our roots, our history and our record for success in this country, and to stop pandering to the Republican Party’s fringe groups.
5 comments:
I completely agree with this! If current and potential Republican presidential candidates persist in pandering to the far right-wing of our party, we'll quickly become a minority party. When it has been shown in recent surveys that the majority of self-described Republican voters feel that the Republican party needs to shift its focus from issues like abortion and gay marriage to issues that are more reflective of the position of common sense Republicans, shouldn't the candidates be standing up for positions that reflect what Republicans truly think?
I completely agree. The GOP candidates really need to get away from only talking about abortion from an anti-choice perspective because most moderate Republicans are for a woman's right to choose. Fred Thompson should stop pandering to the right wing of the party when it's been shown that most Republicans are not a part of this group.
Republicans are definitely not a monolith so it's really disheartening when Fred Thompson downplays his pro-choice views and panders to one section of the Republican party. Since most Republicans are more moderate, hopefully we'll see a candidate who reflects this.
I couldn't agree more with Elizabeth's comment– if the majority of republicans are conservative when it comes to money, but more liberal socially, than candidates should make more of an effort to attract this core group of voters. If candidates like Thompson go to these lengths to pander to the right, it would seem to me that they will end up loosing the support of the majority of the republican party. Am I correct in my thinking?
I agree with the comment above and as a moderate Republican, I find it very disheartening that Fred Thompson has gone to such lengths to pander to the right wing of our party when it's been shown that this group comprises a very small percentage of the party. The Republican party appears to always be equated with issues like opposition to a woman's right to choose and the moderate majority of Republicans really needs a candidate who will stand up for the common sense, big tent values they have.
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