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Posted on 10/18/2007 9:51:05 PM PDT by Doofer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After the noon event in Kennesaw, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson held a fund-raising luncheon with state lawmakers in downtown Atlanta.
Afterwards, in the 36th floor offices of Tom Bell, CEO of Cousins Properties, Thompson had time for a 10-minute, two-topic interview. The subjects were illegal immigration, and concerns of evangelical voters.
Here’s the transcript that served as a basis for Friday’s AJC story.
The first question was about immigration, and its impact on the South.
Said Thompson:
“Illegal immigration is a problem all over this country. I don’t think it’s limited to just Southern states. People are concerned that the politicians kind of announced one day that there are ‘X’ million people that have come here, and are illegal, and there’s more on the way.
“And there’s basically nothing that we’re doing to stop it.
“We have essentially open borders. I think that came as a surprise to a lot of people, and there’s been a reaction to that. There was a reaction to that bill that they tried to pass. It was a bad bill.
“And so now we’re struggling with securing the border, which has got to be the first thing that we do — securing the border, which is part of enforcing the law, as the first fundamental step we’ve got to take.”
(Read the rest on the jump below.)
Are you talking about a physical wall or electronic surveillance?
“All of the above, plus I think the border patrol has still got to be enhanced. The numbers have been increased somewhat, but it appears that we need more. Whatever it is we need we’re going to have to have.
“It’s not a matter of a lack of technology. We used to say, we can go to the moon but we can’t do this? It’s been a long time since we’ve gone to the moon, and we’re telling the American people that we can’t secure our own borders? Certainly, we can. Obviously, we can.
“Electronic means is a part of that. The wall is a part of that. There’s several hundred miles already on the books, that are supposed to have been built. And we just need to get about doing that.”
And the 12 million or so who are already here?
“If you secure the borders, stop luring people here with sanctuary cities, with in-state tuition treatment for illegal immigrants and other things of that nature, if you’ll help these employers do more to identify illegals, with an E-verify system that will allow them to quickly and electronically do that, with the help of the federal government, you will address the problem by attrition in large measure.
“They set up a false choice — either we get giant busloads of people tomorrow, and round them all up, or we have to grant amnesty. Attrition by enforcement is what makes the most sense.”
Do you favor boosting penalties on employers?
“I don’t know that you have to boost penalties on anyone if they know that the law is going to be enforced. I think the issue now has to do more with enforcement than it has to do with the size of the penalties.
“No one wants to have a penalty levied against them. That’s a stigma and bad for business.”
You’re going to talk to the Values Voter Summit in Washington. You’ve had people question your church-going habits, your faith. James Dobson and such. What do you say to them?
“Everybody has their critics. And everybody has things coming at them from different directions. I’m no different there. I point to my record.
“I am a consistent conservative. Over eight years of service at the national level, dealing with national issues. I have been a consistent tax-cutter, a budget balancer — which we did not long after I got elected. Welfare reform. Strong national defense, and 100 percent voting record with regard to pro-life issues.
“I’m a strong believer that a source of a lot of the problems in this country has to do with the judiciary, and that we need strong federal judges who will apply the constitution and the laws of this country and not make it up as they go along, according to their own personal dictates and desire to change social policy.
“I think that underlies a lot of the difficulties that we have, in regard to social and religious decisions that have been made over the last several years.
“My record is consistent on that. While a lot of people are saying a lot of the same things regarding these issues, certainly some are not.”
Is a discussion of the strength of your beliefs fair game?
“I think it’s fair to discuss. I don’t have any problem with discussing any of that. I’m a person of conviction. I’m a person of faith. I’ve been blessed in many ways. I’m aware of those blessings.
“I have received the worst tragedy that a man can have in his life. [This is a reference to the death of his grown daughter.] I’ve received the greatest blessings. I have been a father at a very young age. I’m now the father of a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old.
“You learn from that what’s important and what’s not. You learn the importance of God in your life, and the need to try to live your life in a way that your loved ones will be proud of.
“If you’re right with the man upstairs, and you’re right with those who love you, and those who you love, then everything else will take care of itself.”
At the airport, someone in the audience asked if you regretted the lobbying work you did for an abortions rights group. Do you?
“No, I don’t. I was practicing law, and this was a client of a big firm. They asked me to help out on a couple matters.
“Now, [the same abortion rights group is] out there trying to defeat me because I went to the United States Senate and voted against them for eight straight years, on everything that came up — whether it be federal funding for abortion, whether it be Mexico City policy, whether it be partial-birth abortion or any of those issues that they may have been interested in.”
“[Supreme Court] Chief Justice John Roberts was asked similar questions about clients of his law firm, and he pointed out that, in our country, don’t confuse the lawyer with the client. And I don’t think most people make that mistake.”
ping
“I’ve received the greatest blessings. I have been a father at a very young age. I’m now the father of a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old.”
Looking forward to some curtain climbers living in the WH again.
I think they protest too much. I am still 100% behind this good man.
I just ordered some Fred stuff from his website. Gots me a ‘Fredhead’ coffee mug and a red ‘Fredhead’ oval rear window cling sticker for my van. I also got a yard sign, and it came along with a bumper sticker. I’ll get SirKit to put that one on his big old diesel ‘pick em up’ truck. That oughta amuse our neighbors and friends up here in MA. But then, after being here almost twenty years, and not having lost my Mississippi accent, they’ve always known I’m strange. ;o)
I don't believe SH!T unless I see it with my own eyes. The entire media, including the FOX-RINO-Tabloid-Cackling-NewYork-Idiot Network, are working their sorry little asses off to sway the election to RINOs and DhimmiCraps. They can all kiss my ass. Fred is the real deal and the ONLY electable candidate I would vote for, although if he doesn't get the nomination I might write Hunter's name in. I will NEVER vote for another RINO, "compassonate conservative", or any New York liberal cross-dressing nanny-state abortionist. RUN FRED RUN!
I like the fact that he’s got so many bumper stickers that are removable. When I go to certain parts of town I don’t want my political affiliation known. I’m not afraid to duke it out with the crazed anarchist loons, but I don’t want my car vandalized.
It’s good to see Fred shifting his positions on the border.
He’s been a somewhat consistent conservative, but not even close to consistent or conservative in that regard.
This fence sitter is impressed!
Nice interview...great answers!
Totally agree, Bobbisox.
I got jumped on by 3 or 4 FReepers who questioned things ranging from my intelligence and species.
And I've donated to Fred Thompson twice - LOL!
On the bright side, one FReeper said it was a well spoken and thoughtful statement.
I think we're getting into the thick of the primary process. Suffice to say we should archive some of these threads. The flame wars are going to be something. Perhaps we can keep a ping thread by the name of "When FReepers Attack (other FReepers!)"
I just wish that those other FReepers who launch the more savage verbal assault would keep in mind we need to unite together once this process is over. We're suppose to be setting the example for a Democratic nomination process since we're the only party that really practices one. Not like the democrat party that has a coronation followed by numerous human sacrifices to their dark queen.
Anyways, I know you support a different candidate and I support your freedom to do so. This is all part of the process and we should celebrate it. Even while taking snipes at each other's candidates. That's half the fun for me and I do it regularly. The best part is that I can't come up with anything truthful that is as remotely as bad as I could easily come up with for a democrat party candidate. We have some tough choices ahead but afterwards we'll all be in the same boat.
Cheers!
Well and wisely said.
100% here too!
First whether you like it or not, he’s right, we are not going to get all of them out. We will get the criminals and the other losers, but the ones here working, well the will is not going to be there to spend the money to round them up. I won't go into my reason why, I have done it before here and it is a long series of post, but I have looked at it ever way from Sunday and between costs and the general public not wanting to see whole families rounded up, plus the legal wrangling that will be in the courts thanks to the ACLU and others and the dems blocking things left and right, well...
We will lose some by attrition, a few with the new rules, but otherwise until it is better to be poor in Mexico than here, even without legit jobs, we are going to be chasing them for decades. Th nations attention span ain't that long. I did explain how we could turn this into a Republican / Conservative issue and get 5-6 million Catholic Pro Life voters out of it.
On his votes on not having businesses do the bit with illegals, he was right there also. Why should a person who owns a business be punished for something the government created and was doing nothing about. It was the Feds job to secure the border and control illegals. If they had then business still sought them, well different story.
Name ONE, if you can. And don't name Duncan Hunter. There is NO WAY Hunter has the conservative credentials that Fred Thompson has. Duncan Hunter is a big government kind of guy, and has been for the longest time.
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