AP Interview: Thompson defends lobbying

AP on Yahoo ^ | 8/17/07 | Ron Fournier and Mike Glover - ap

[NormsRevenge]

DES MOINES, Iowa - On the verge of joining the presidential race, Republican Fred Thompson on Friday unapologetically defended his career as a Washington lobbyist paid to influence the government on behalf of an abortion-rights group, a leftist Haitian leader and other special interests.

"Don't confuse the lawyer with the client," Thompson told The Associated Press.

The former Tennessee senator and actor discussed his eclectic career path, the war in Iraq and his ambitious plans to reshape the GOP during a 30-minute interview after introducing himself to Iowa Republicans in classic Midwest fashion: He toured the state fair with popular Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

Any doubts that Thompson will soon enter the race were erased the moment he cuddled a baby pig and gawked at a cow carved out of butter.

"Keep your powder dry," Thompson told Iowa Republicans during a brief speech at the fair's "soapbox."

The actor on NBC's "Law & Order" plunged hesitantly into retail politics Iowa-style. Unlike Democrat Barack Obama, who a day earlier sought out state fairgoers, fried food and rides, Thompson raced through the jam-packed fair, stopping only to shake hands and chat with people who approached him.

He was formal and stiff compared to the folksy Grassley.

"Fred Thompson! Fred Thompson!" yelled a group of middle-aged fairgoers.

The TV star kept walking, until Grassley gently steered Thompson toward the group.

"Somebody likes you that much, we better go talk to them," Grassley told Thompson.

Thompson, who plays a gruff, straight-talking district attorney, ranks second in most national polls and has crept as high as third in recent surveys of Iowa caucus-goers, who cast the first ballots of the 2008 presidential campaign.

He has been raising money, issuing policy statements, courting activists and building a staff — in short, running for president. But he is doing so under federal laws governing candidates who are merely "testing the waters," a loophole that has helped Thompson avoid the scrutiny of other leading presidential candidates. Aides say he will formally enter the race shortly after Labor Day.

In the AP interview, Thompson said he had no regrets over any of the lobbying jobs he took before entering the Senate in 1994, including his representation of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association and deposed Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

"I have no apologies to make about it," he said of a 20-year lobbying career that earned him at least a $1 million.

The abortion-rights work complicates Thompson's efforts to court social conservatives, most of whom strongly oppose abortion.

Thompson, who called himself "unabashedly pro-life" despite a sometimes inconsistent abortion record, said there is nothing wrong or unusual about a lawyer representing a client with views different from his own.

"It has nothing to do with one's political views," he said. "Lawyering is a profession and it's also a business."

The influence of lobbyists is an issue in the Democratic presidential primary, with John Edwards challenging the field to forsake donations from influence peddlers. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton refused to accept the challenge and defended lobbyists, saying many represent average people.

Thompson echoed Clinton's defense.

"Not everybody can come to Washington and look out for themselves," he said.

Thompson's advisers initially denied that he worked for the abortion-rights group. Thompson himself told the AP that his memory was foggy.

"I clearly did some work. I proceeded after that to go to the United States Senate and oppose them on every matter that came up," he said.

Another client, Aristide, was widely denounced for endorsing "necklacing," the gruesome practice of execution where gasoline-soaked tires are thrown over a person's head and set ablaze. In September 1991, Aristide said: "The burning tire, what a beautiful tool! ... It smells good. And wherever you go, you want to smell it."

Lobbying records show that in 1991 Thompson called then White House Chief of Staff John Sununu on Aristide's behalf.

Thompson said neither he nor Sununu recall that conversation. He noted that Aristide was popularly elected and "had the support of the United States of America, George Bush. He had the support of the Organization of American States and he was deposed by a dictatorship."

Thompson said his work on behalf of Aristide was limited to a single phone call. "I never met with the client. I never met anybody on behalf of Haiti or received any compensation for it."

On Iraq, Thompson said the Bush administration was not prepared for the insurgency that arose after the invasion, and troop levels were initially too low. Still, he urged voters to be patient and allow the current strategy to work, speaking in the generalities that have marked his recent campaign appearances.

"We've got to make very, very sure that we don't run up the white flag when there's an opportunity there to prevail," Thompson said during his address to about 200 fairgoers.

He broadly outlined the principles of his campaign and potential presidency. They including making the country "stronger and tougher" to fight the war on terrorism, steering the U.S. clear of a looming economic crisis and restoring the public's faith in a government that is "totally out of touch" and incompetent.

Thompson took aim at his own party.

"Republicans have to realize that not only do we have to do things differently and better as a country, we need to do things differently and better as a party," he said, promising to appeal to independent and Democratic voters.

[Jaysun]

Those against lobbing are idiots. Idiots I tell you.

[NormsRevenge]

Republican presidential hopeful, former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson R-Tenn., talks to The Asscoiated Press during
an interview at the Iowa State Fair Friday, Aug. 17, 2007, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Thompson defended his record as a Washington lobbyist, arguing that controversial clients do not reflect his views
and they deserved representation in dealing with Congress and the federal government.

'Don't confuse the lawyer with the client,' Thompson said during the interview. 'It has nothing to do with one's
political views. Lawyering is a profession but it's also a business.' (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

[ConorMacNessa]

The first thing we do is, we kill all the lawyers!

[Reagan Man]

GO FRed GO!

[prairiebreeze]

ping

[Reagan Man]

The abortion-rights work complicates Thompson's efforts to court social conservatives, most of whom strongly oppose abortion.

Nonsense. Doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

[NormsRevenge]

not really anything new..

Fred Thompson defends lobbying record ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1856613/posts
Posted by Politicalmom
On News/Activism ^ 06/26/2007 11:04:12 AM PDT · 94 replies · 1,626+ views

Yahoo News ^ | June 26, 2007 | ERIK SCHELZIG
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Fred Thompson, a likely Republican presidential candidate, on Tuesday defended his work as a Washington lobbyist, telling The Associated Press that lobbying is an important part of life because “government’s got their hands in everything.” The actor and former U.S. senator from Tennessee added, “Nobody yet has pointed out any of my clients that didn’t deserve representation.” Thompson, who likes to cast himself as a political outsider, earned more than $1 million lobbying the federal government for more than 20 years. He lobbied for a savings-and-loan deregulation bill that helped hasten the industry’s collapse and a failed...

‘Law & Order’ And Lobbying (Thompson Defends “Burning Necklace” Aristide) ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1855892/posts
Posted by Austin Willard Wright
On News/Activism ^ 06/25/2007 7:27:14 AM PDT · 78 replies · 1,282+ views

Politico ^ | April 2, 2007 | Fred P. Vogel
These sections are particularly interesting: Over about two decades of lobbying (during which he also acted and practiced law), Thompson made nearly $1.3 million and represented clients including a British reinsurance company facing billions of dollars in asbestos claims, Canadian-owned cable companies, and deposed Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, according to government documents and media accounts from his first run for the Senate in 1994 Thompson did file papers with the Justice Department to represent Haitian President Aristide in October 1991, two weeks after Aristide was overthrown. The filing lists Thompson as a member of the Washington-based law firm Arent Fox...

[Artemis Webb]

Pro life groups support Fred. That is what will carry the most weight with pro life conservatives. His record in GOVERNMENT is solid on the abortion issue.

[Reagan Man]

Thompson, who called himself "unabashedly pro-life" despite a sometimes inconsistent abortion record ....

FredT had a 100% pro-life/anti-abortion voting record during his eight years in the Senate. Can't improve on that. I clearly did some work. I proceeded after that to go to the United States Senate and oppose them on every matter that came up," he said.

As good as it gets.

[RobbyS]

Lincoln defended murderers. That hardy means he condoned murder.

[Paperdoll]

Your profile page is right on.

[Paperdoll]

>His record in GOVERNMENT is solid on the abortion issue.<

In government, he also voted solidly MFN for China, for McCain-Feingold, and was soft on illegal immigration.

[BfloGuy]

The first thing we do is, we kill all the lawyers!

I vote that the journalists go first.

[Clara Lou]

This is the kind of post that’s nothing but fodder for FR critics. Why post stuff like this?

[Artemis Webb]

Who are you going to support in the general election since it is not going to be Duncan?

And if Duncan ends up as the VP candidate (which would be a waste but not a bad political move) to Fred or Mitt what are you going to do then?

[P-40]

"Don't confuse the lawyer with the client," Thompson told The Associated Press.

Good answer. Not to mention, sometimes the lobbyists are the only ones who know anything at all about the subject at hand.

[W04Man]

Bump! IT'S FRED TIME!!

http://Vets4Fred.net It's time for Vets to sign up!

http://FredForPresident.com