Posted on 11/18/2007 6:55:13 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Make no mistake about it - when the nation's largest pro-life group endorsed Fred Thompson on Tuesday its goal was to shake up the Republican contest for the presidency. The National Right to Life's endorsement is the gold standard coveted by those Republicans seeking the White House because it bestows a legitimacy and authenticity on the candidate who receives it as the standard-bearer for those who want to end abortion on demand.
The Thompson endorsement not only signals how the organization representing 3,000 pro-life groups has grown up, but it shows just how close the country is to seeing Roe vs. Wade ended. In recent days former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who for some was the most logical choice to receive the NRTL endorsement, had become increasingly critical of Thompson's position on abortion.
Thompson, who had a 100 percent pro-life record in the Senate, said he favored ending Roe vs. Wade because in his estimation, it was wrongly decided. When asked, he said that he did not favor pursuing a federal constitutional amendment banning abortion because it was largely impractical. Thompson is a federalist and for him, ending Roe is the next step. Roe took abortion out of the democratic process and to end it would take it away from the Supreme Court and return abortion policymaking to the states.
In response, Huckabee said Thompson was soft on abortion for not supporting the constitutional amendment banning the procedure, an amendment that has been part of the Republican Party platform since 1980. The thought was that Huckabee's criticism and forceful advocacy for a "life" amendment would be a marker for those primary voters who care deeply about ending abortion and would show the NRTL that he - not Thompson, not Romney, not McCain - was the most pro-life candidate.
It didn't work. The endorsement of Thompson over the other pro-life candidates is a reflection of where the movement is in 2007 and how much the country has changed.
Throughout the 1980s, NRTL's advocacy for a constitutional amendment banning abortion was a necessary step for drawing the line in the sand. Even then, the thought of receiving the supermajorities in the U.S. Senate and the state legislatures would discourage the fiercest pro-life advocates.
But in the late 1980s and 1990s the movement began to get smart, politically. The movement refocused its efforts and began to take on abortion incrementally. It started with pushing for parental notification laws, arguing that if a 14-year old girl needed her parent's permission to take an aspirin at school, she most certainly needed their permission to receive an abortion.
During that time, the country came to terms with infanticide by way of partial-birth abortion. State after state began banning the gruesome procedure. By 1997, around 70 to 80 percent of the American public opposed it. Planned Parenthood, the National Organization for Women, NARAL and other so-called abortion rights groups were in retreat, left defending unpopular policies because they didn't want any restrictions placed on abortion.
But the country's leadership wasn't in line with its citizens. President Bill Clinton vetoed a federal ban on partial-birth abortion. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down state partial-birth abortion laws and other limits on abortion. These events signaled that abortion on demand had taken the country somewhere a majority of Americans didn't want it to go.
In 2000, George W. Bush was elected. He'd promised to appoint Supreme Court justices in the mold of those on the court who effectively disagreed with Roe.
Some of the common-sense limits on abortion became law. A ban on partial-birth abortion stood, states passed legislation on parental consent and informed consent, and when there were vacancies on the high court, Bush appointed solid conservative jurists.
So now in 2007, it is widely believed that the country is one or two retirements away from being able to determine the Supreme Court's next step on Roe. This is something the NRTL realized and its leadership said it thinks Fred Thompson gives the country the best opportunity to see abortion on demand ended.
This is the very reason Fred was endorsed. National Right to Life understands that we need two more appointees to the Court that will totally shift the court back on track, Thompson is the man to do this very thing.
Whre IS Fred Thompson anyway? I rarely see him on TV. Why is he in the background so much? Is he waiting because he thinks it is all to early to be out there?
Of all the candidates running on the republican side,Hunter,Thompson and Tancredo are the only ones I trust on this or any other issue.
No matter what you think about a constitutional amendment to outlaw abortion, if you are pro-life you must realize that the first step in any pro-life scenario is eliminating Roe V Wade. That’s exactly what Fred wants to do, and he’s exactly the person to do it.
The media are busy looking at Hillary and Willard.
Whre IS Fred Thompson anyway?Part of the answer is he's being frozen out by the media (though he'll be on Meet the Pess today), but part of the answer is he's ignoring current-events opportunities.
Right now, Hillary having dirt on Obama is in the news. Fred should jump on that and remind America of those FBI files. It's the right thing to do. America should not forget those files. And it makes good campaign sense to do it now.
Great read and a bookmark!
“Some of the common-sense limits on abortion became law. A ban on partial-birth abortion stood, states passed legislation on parental consent and informed consent, and when there were vacancies on the high court, Bush appointed solid conservative jurists.”
We will see if using “Abortion” as a measuring stick in appointing supreme court justices also applies to the rest of the Constitution such as right to keep and bear arms. We will see if this forumula actually works.
The formula is appointing Justices as 1-issue wonders “Abortion.”
http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2007/11/natl-right-to-life-to-endorse-thompson.html\\
Be sure and read the last paragraph.
Still voting for Hunter, but some of my Hunter FRiends were out of line in the way they attacked Thompson on the issue of the “life” amendment. The NRLT endorsement vindicates Thompson on this issue.
Now, I hereby call on all supporters of conservative candidates to discontinue the circular firing squad so that we can ultimately put forth a conservative ticket (that means TWO people) that isn’t bleeding from “friendly” fire.
“Of all the candidates running on the republican side,Hunter,Thompson and Tancredo are the only ones I trust on this or any other issue.”
_____________
And sadly, at this point, I cannot see one of them beating Hillary.
Thanks Larry, lets all aim the guns at Rudy and Mitt, enough with this intramural bar-room brawl.
So now in 2007, it is widely believed that the country is one or two retirements away from being able to determine the Supreme Court’s next step on Roe. This is something the NRTL realized and its leadership said it thinks Fred Thompson gives the country the best opportunity to see abortion on demand ended.
45 Days away from the beginning of the process by the states to select the GOP nominee. Who will get the nomination to be in position to have the opportunity to make the SCOTUS selections that may just end Roe v Wade? My guess is that it won’t be any of the lower tier candidates that haven’t moved well up the ladder in the past several months since they have been running.
Romney is playing the win in the early states card and using that for momentum while Giuliani is banking to begin his swoop around the Super Tuesday states. Hopefully Huckabee can be the one to slow or reverse the Romney machine in Iowa and thus change the trend over all to where Thompson can step up.
A very different cycle this time for the Rupublicans.
Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
life
Is your tv plugged in? He's on This Week (abc) right now.
Talk to the MSM. Fred is out there talking to the only ones who count, the voters.
That’s the last thing the press wants to show.
Bingo...
We have a winner...
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