Willardian Courage
The buck stops . . .
over there somewhere . . .
Quick! Throw Weyrich under the bus . . .
. . . with Limbaugh!
Posted on 11/14/2007 1:37:30 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Today’s Washington Times has a bit of an eye-opening comment, high in its story of the reaction to the National Right to Life Committee’s endorsement of Fred Thompson.
Paul M. Weyrich, president of the Free Congress Foundation, said the endorsement "makes no sense," and speculated that it had been motivated by money.
"I think in all probability the Thompson people were engaged with the National Right to Life people in financial dealing," said Mr. Weyrich, who has endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination.
"In the past, the Republican Party has funded National Right to Life, and while the committee can raise money on its own, it needs funding" from outside sources.
I like the Washington Times, I have friends who work there, and think they’re usually a fine journalistic institution – but I wince at letting a guy make an accusation like that without any evidence in the news pages. They include the denials from Team Fred and from NRTL, and so without anything to back up the accusation, it just makes Weyrich look bitter and intemperate. He should have thought this through before making the accusation.
(Once again, Romney doesn't control what his endorsers say, but he probably would be well-served by an effort to make sure any sour grapes statements in his crowd don't cross the line.)
I spoke to one of the Thompson Associates about his reaction:
“These folks [at NRTL] have a good reputation, they’re not going to get bought off… I’m surprised how ugly this has gotten. I don’t know what this means. I guess their concern is that this endorsement would have a domino effect [in terms of endorsements]. Where do these guys go next? We’ll have to wait to see what happens. I don’t know if this makes it easier for [Tony] Perkins and [Gary] Bauer to formally ally themselves with us. [The endorsement] has certainly given us better week than we’ve had about a month or so.”
UPDATE: The official Team Fred response below the fold:
"Gov. Romney is new to the pro-life movement and his campaign clearly has a few things to learn about it. First, they should understand that despite their campaign's every effort, groups like the National Right to Life Committee's PAC (NLRC-PAC) cannot be bought. NLRC-PAC is supporting Fred Thompson because of Fred's 100% pro-life voting record. They know he stood with them yesterday, he stands with them today, and he will stand with them tomorrow. It is unseemly for the Romney campaign and its supporters to suggest that NLRC-PAC's coveted endorsement is based on a bribe. Second, this unfounded accusation is as outrageou s as it is ironic, given the Romney campaign's long history of spreading money around to anyone who will take it.
"If the Romney campaign is looking for the reason they did not receive the NLRC-PAC endorsement, they can start with the fact that Gov. Romney was pro-choice just two years ago. They should also consider the fact that Gov. Romney's own health care plan in Massachusetts offers taxpayer funded abortions for a mere $50 co-pay and requires by law that a representative from Planned Parenthood sit on the MassHealth advisory board. Tellingly, Gov. Romney made no such requirement for a representative from the pro-life movement.
"The Romney campaign was clearly hoping for this endorsement and are now clearly upset. But being denied an endorsement is no excuse to impugn the integrity of the very organization they were just days ago trying to woo."
Ouch:
“Gov. Romney was pro-choice just two years ago. They should also consider the fact that Gov. Romney’s own health care plan in Massachusetts offers taxpayer funded abortions for a mere $50 co-pay and requires by law that a representative from Planned Parenthood sit on the MassHealth advisory board. Tellingly, Gov. Romney made no such requirement for a representative from the pro-life movement.”
Who is this Peter Weyrich that everyone seems to be talking about today?
/
There is only one candidate that is capable of and willing to, buy the election.
This raging attack pretty much destroys the value of the Weyrich endorsement of him.
He was “somebody” in conservative circles back when President Reagan was in office. Today, it would seem, he’s an old, delusional, bitter has-been. What a “get” for Team Romney!
Maybe they’ll go after Ron Reagan, Jr. in his tutu, since he’s pretty much in line with Romney’s record...
While I was sure there would be great disappointment in the Romney camp at the loss of this endorsement, I must admit that I'm actually surprised at this really scathing and ludicrous attack. If money was the only thing necessary to get the nod, I'm sure Mitt could and would have offered more than Fred, so why even say such a thing? It almost falls into the "weird" category.
I just heard about this $50-abortion thing yesterday, and this is the first I knew about their requiring a Planned Parenthood member on their health advisory board. Good to know.
Well, Weyrich also believes that wasting billions of tax dollars on lightly used public transit is sound conservative politics, too. So much so that he is willing to belittle conservative critics.
My opinion of Romney has taken a hit now that he has Weyrich’s endorsement.
That's a lie right there. An unadulterated falsehood straight out of the Thompson campaign. The Romney campaign DID NOT impugn the integrity of the NRLC. Weyrich is not part of the Romney campaign. The Thompson campaign knows this but they chose instead of telling the truth to come up with this silly and false attack on the Romney campaign.
Further, what Weyrich said is nothing worse than what has been said over and over on Free Republic by people upset by those conservative and pro-life leaders who have endorsed Romney. This identical accusation was made against Weyrich by the New York Times and repeatedly by a number of posters right here in this forum. I guess the Romney campaign should hit back at the Thompson campaign for their accusations that Romney bought his endorsements. Of course it would be a lie, just like the big fat lie the Thompson campaign just told, because it wasn't the Thompson campaign telling the lies, just a bunch of idiots.
It is especially funny to see the Mittwits accuse someone else of "buying" and endorsement!
Are you ever going to stop the juvenile namecalling? Anyway, the "Mittwits" have not accused Thompson of buying anything. Weyrich did. He's not part of the Romney campaign. I've seen no Romney supporters other than Weyrich make the ridiculous accusation. So, now you're perpetuating the Thompson campaign's lie by telling one yourself. Please, show me all the "Mittwits" who have accused Thompson of buying the endorsement.
The truth is that Weyrich has put Romney in a bad situation. Romney is likely going to have to make a public statement denouncing Weyrich's stupid comment. I'm sure that the Thompson campaign will not follow suit and retract their lies that the comment came from the Romney campaign. But that's just the Thompson campaign telling more lies.
It is the height of hypocrisy and illogic for the Thompson supporters who have spent so much time saying that Romney has bought all of his endorsement to attack the Romney campaign for a similarly stupid accusation made by someone who isn't even part of the campaign.
He should denounce Weyrich, who is dead wrong on the number one national security issue of our day: the war on terror in Iraq.
I'm sure that the Thompson campaign will not follow suit and retract their lies that the comment came from the Romney campaign. But that's just the Thompson campaign telling more lies.
Good grief, the projection is powerful in you, what with all the lies you've told in the past week, and considering how many of them had to be deleted!
Ping to the full Freddie statement on the NRLC endorsement (very funny).
Full statement just posted here.
Man, he was the guy last week...
I am waiting for the James Bopp answer from the Mittwitts though...
Bet he is tossed under the bus...
While going off a cliff...
What a bunch of...
Still waiting on the answer about Mitt and Jim Bopp's phone conversation...
Man I bet even St. Mitt let off a few expletives in that one...
Ditto that!
LOL.
I had forgotten how Romney attacked Rush Limbaugh for the “phoney soldier” fake story (while Fred supported Rush).
Telling lack of character on Romney’s part.
What do you mean he’s not part of the campaign? Has Mitt accepted his endorsement AND used that as a trumpet to announce his conservative credentials? If so. If Mitt has used his endorsement then...I’m sorry...it looks like he’s part of the campaign...
Major Tin Foil Hat Time!
Someone should check Mitt’s website to see if Paul has been purged, just like they did with Larry Criag.
LOL. Poor Mitt. He can’t help it. Money can only buy so much.
I wonder if there's a discount the day after Thanksgiving. Gift certificates? S&H Greenstamps?
RomneyCare. Its where I got my tagline.
Yeah but now the man is crazy you see...
I think Weyrich is desperate to assure Giuliani is defeated and believes Romney is the only one with a chance to do so.
This is the kind of thing that happens when a party puts together such a pathetic group of candidates that fail to excite the base.
Willard’s going to need a BIOS upgrade to handle this properly.
Before I forget,
Props on the title. LOL
Ping.
Where?
After the word UPDATE in the story, or in any event, in the linked article at the source site.
I think Mr. Weyrich is losing his grip. Perhaps it’s senility setting in.
McLean, VA - Thompson for President Communications Director Todd Harris today released the following statement in response to the outrageous accusations by the Romney campaign and its supporters in today's Washington Times that the National Right to Life Committee was bribed by the Thompson campaign in exchange for its endorsement:
"Gov. Romney is new to the pro-life movement and his campaign clearly has a few things to learn about it. First, they should understand that despite their campaign's every effort, groups like the National Right to Life Committee's PAC (NRLC-PAC) cannot be bought. NRLC-PAC is supporting Fred Thompson because of Fred's 100% pro-life voting record. They know he stood with them yesterday, he stands with them today, and he will stand with them tomorrow. It is unseemly for the Romney campaign and its supporters to suggest that NRLC-PAC's coveted endorsement is based on a bribe. Second, this unfounded accusation is as outrageou s as it is ironic, given the Romney campaign's long history of spreading money around to anyone who will take it.
"If the Romney campaign is looking for the reason they did not receive the NRLC-PAC endorsement, they can start with the fact that Gov. Romney was pro-choice just two years ago. They should also consider the fact that Gov. Romney's own health care plan in Massachusetts offers taxpayer funded abortions for a mere $50 co-pay and requires by law that a representative from Planned Parenthood sit on the MassHealth advisory board. Tellingly, Gov. Romney made no such requirement for a representative from the pro-life movement.
"The Romney campaign was clearly hoping for this endorsement and are now clearly upset. But being denied an endorsement is no excuse to impugn the integrity of the very organization they were just days ago trying to woo."
(Chapter 6A: Section 16M) MassHealth payment policy advisory board; composition; powers and duties; staff
Section 16M. (a) There shall be a MassHealth payment policy advisory board. The board shall consist of the secretary of health and human services or his designee, who shall serve as chair, the commissioner of health care financing and policy, and 12 other members: 1 member appointed by the speaker of the house; 1 member appointed by the president of the senate; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Hospital Association; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Medical Society; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Extended Care Federation; 1 member appointed by Mass Aging Services Association, 1 member appointed by the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts League of Communi ty Health Centers; 1 member appointed by Mental Health and Substance Abuse Corporations of Massachusetts; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Medicaid Policy Institute; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems; 1 member appointed by Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts; and 2 members appointed by the governor, 1 member representing managed care organizations contracting with MassHealth and 1 member being an expert in medical payment methodologies from a foundation or academic institution.
Link to full law (Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006, AN ACT PROVIDING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, QUALITY, ACCOUNTABLE HEALTH CARE)
Fred Thompson bragged in his answers on a political candidate questionnaire for a pro-abortion group about voting for Title X funding. Title X is the primary source of taxpayer funding of pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood. They rake in hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer funding from the Title X program. Thompson voted to continue that funding and even bragged about it. Tellingly, Thompson never proposed a single amendment to the Title X appropriations which would have required that a representative portion of the funding go to the pro-life movement.
I like it Spiff. “Look over there guys look over there!”
Show me where Fred “Bragged”...
YOU ARE SO DESPERATE. **LOL**
I don't like the infighting either. I congratulate Fred on receiving the endorsement of the NRLC. I disagree with it, but it's a win for him.
What I detest is the hypocrisy and lies that are emanating from his supporters and now from the Thompson campaign itself. I thought his campaign was run better than that. Attacking Romney for something that a private citizen said is outrageous and extremely dishonest. Romney did not make the ridiculous accusation. Weyrich did.
I find it hard to believe that the MA legislature sent him a bill without abortion coverage in it and that Mitt threatened to veto unless they would cover abortion. Seems like a stretch to me.
The taxpayer coverage of abortions for the indigent as well as the Planned Parenthood involvement was already on the books in Mass., from what I understand. That was not going to change as the legislature would never let that happen. The structure of the health care system changed drastically, while the coverage for the indigent remained unchanged. Blaming Romney for this is just more dishonesty from the Thompson campaign.
It doesn’t surprise me. Most of the hacks here at FR that shill for Romney are pretty obviously paid operatives. There are a few regular folks who have sold their souls to support Mitt, but a lot of the noise seems to come from the paid shills. They act in the same manner as Weyrich, who, IMHO is the same kind of paid shill.
Romney is a phony and a cancer on the Republican party, as well as politics in general.
What I detest is the hypocrisy and lies...
It’s hard to find a more gutless politician than Mitt Romney on either side of the aisle.
>>I don’t like this infighting among old conservative factions much. It’s not at all helpful to us for the general election. If NRTL wants to pick Fred, he does have a good record.
>I don’t like the infighting either. I congratulate Fred on receiving the endorsement of the NRLC. I disagree with it, but it’s a win for him.
So, the NRLC endorsement should have gone to a man who was pro abortion until only 2 years ago?
3c. In order to minimize unplanned pregnancy, I support___ family planning services for indigent women
___ family planning services for teenagers
___ better access to family planning services for all
___ sex education programs in the schools
_X_ other: I have voted to provide funding for Title X family planning programs
He's trumpeting his votes for Title X funding (which funds Planned Parenthood and other pro-abort groups) on a questionnaire for a pro-abortion group.
He also said that he believes that taxpayer funds SHOULD be used for some abortions;
3a. Under what circumstances should public monies be used to pay for an abortion for an indigent family?_X_ woman's or girl's life threatened by pregnancy.
___ woman's or girl's health seriously threatened by pregnancy.
_X_ pregnancy due to rape or incest.
___ seriously defective fetus.
___ woman or family unable to support another child.
___ informed request of the woman.
___ conditions as limited and regulated by Roe vs. Wade decision.
___ never.
Fred Thompson bragged in his answers on a political candidate questionnaire for a pro-abortion group about voting for Title X funding.
They said “other” and offered a space for specifics and you inflate that into “bragging?”
No lie is too pathetic for you. I wish you could feel shame for this.
For months the Thompson supporters here have come up with all kinds of wild, tin foil hate conspiracy theories about how the groups and conservative leaders who endorsed Romney are paid for their endorsements - or are paid shills (as you just accused again). Then, when Weyrich makes the same kind of accusation, you all go nuts and act all offended. It's getting silly.
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