Fred Thompson Announces New Hampshire Pro-Life Endorsement

Endorsement comes as some call Thompson the winner in ABC Debate


In the run-up to the New Hampshire primary this week, the Fred Thompson campaign announced another endorsement from a conservative, pro-life group.

Yesterday, Fred Thompson announced the endorsement of Citizens for Life, the New Hampshire affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee.

"Granite State voters like no-nonsense candidates who stand up for their beliefs. Fred Thompson is such a candidate," said Roger Stenson, Citizens for Life Executive Director.

"Fred Thompson had a 100% pro-life voting record as a member of the United States Senate. For all of us who care about the dignity and sanctity of human life and the most basic freedom upon which our nation was founded - the right to life - Fred Thompson is a leader of great promise."

Citizens for Life is the 14th state pro-life organization to endorse Senator Thompson for President.

"I'm blessed and honored to have the endorsement of Citizens for Life for President of the United States," said Senator Thompson.

"These folks in the Granite State are the 14th organization coast to coast that has voted to endorse my candidacy, and more likely will, because they know I have stood with them yesterday, I stand with them today, and will stand with them tomorrow. They know I have the ability to win this election. They know I believe in the sanctity of life and as President I will do all that I can to do to protect life."

The Thompson campaign also issued the following statement.

Fred Thompson is pro-life. He believes in the sanctity of human life and that every life is worthy of respect. He had a 100% pro-life voting record in the Senate and believes Roe v. Wade was a bad decision that ought to be overturned.

He consistently opposed federal funding to promote or pay for abortion and supported the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Child Custody Protection Act, and President Reagan's Mexico City policy. While Fred Thompson supports adult stem cell research, he opposes embryonic stem cell research. He also opposes human cloning.

As Fred Thompson got a much later start than the other candidates, organizational help from such grassroots groups as New Hampshire Right to Life most likely will come in handy in the days immediately before the New Hampshire primary.

The endorsement comes on the heels of an encouraging--some called it a "winning"--performance in the ABC News Republican debates. The Thompson effort will try to build off of both the debate performance and the pro-life endorsement.

The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder's appraisal:

On points, Fred Thompson won the debate.

Every answer was thoughtful and well-crafted; his tone matched the tone of the question; he wisely refrained from interjecting in the back and forth squabbling. He very deftly reminded viewers that he served on key Senate national security panels and is bringing his experience to bear.

Even his insults were subtly and gently constructed In some ways, Thompson did McCain’s bidding. You skeptical readers can tell me that if Thompson had finished a solid fourth in Iowa, I might not be writing about Thompson at all, that said, he's still a candidate, and his performance tonight tells me his mind is not elsewhere.

Thompson has seen a steady, late-building stream of conservative endorsements come his way.

After the campaign's late start, they'll no doubt need every one of them.

But there's a long way to go and many, many people have yet to even put "politics" on their front burner--let alone make up their minds.

A late start won't matter to that late-deciding horde of voters.

by Mondoreb
[image: msnbc]
Sources:
* Thompson announces NH Pro-Life Endorsement
* GOP Debate Thoughts





Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Romney's Pro-Life Claims on 'Meet the Press' Questioned

Republican candidate Mitt Romney was on NBC's Meet the Press and made the following blanket claim: "...every piece of legislation which came to my desk in the coming years as a Governor, I came down on the side of preserving the sanctity of life."
--Mitt Romney, Meet the Press 12/16/07

Pretty impressive.

We like Mitt, but a quick check of his record throws doubt on the claim.

Some facts about Romney's record as Massachusetts governor and abortion.

* Romney's health care legislation provides taxpayer-funded abortions for a co-pay of just $50.
o Romney vetoed EIGHT provisions in his health care bill that he deemed objectionable, but he did not veto Planned Parenthoods' guaranteed position on the Advisory Board or ensure that abortions were covered only in medically necessary situations (as required by MA court ruling). All abortions are covered in the Commonwealth Care program with no medically necessary limitation.

* Romney included in his health care legislation a guarantee that Planned Parenthood would have a representative on his MassHealth Payment Policy Advisory Board. No such provision was included for a pro-life representative.

* Romney forced private Catholic hospitals to provide the morning-after-pill, a position applauded by Democrats and pro-abortions groups.

Romney's health care legislation provides taxpayer-funded abortions for a co-pay of just $50. Romney vetoed EIGHT provisions in his health care bill that he deemed objectionable, including the expansion of dental benefits to Medicaid recipients. He did not veto Planned Parenthoods' guaranteed position on the Advisory Board or ensure that abortions were covered only in medically necessary situations (as required by MA court ruling). All abortions are covered in the Commonwealth Care program with no medically necessary limitation. Under the program, abortions are available for a copay of $50. (Menu of Health Care Services; "Romney's Health Care Vetoes," Associated Press, 4/12/06)

More:

Romney included in his health care legislation a guarantee that Planned Parenthood would have a representative on his MassHealth Payment Policy Advisory Board. No such provision was included for a pro-life representative. "You cannot be personally opposed to abortion and then contribute money to an organization whose purpose is to provide abortions," said Jerry Zandstra. "Given the Romney family's support of Planned Parenthood, it now makes sense why he mandated that a member of the RomneyCare Policy board be appointed by the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts." (RepealRomneyCare.com, "Pro-Life Leaders Denounce Romney's Planned Parenthood Connections," Press Release, 5/10/07)

Romney forced private Catholic hospitals to provide the morning-after-pill, a position applauded by Democrats and pro-abortions groups. "Governor Mitt Romney reversed course on the state's new emergency contraception law yesterday, saying that all hospitals in the state will be obligated to provide the morning-after pill to rape victims. The decision overturns a ruling made public this week by the state Department of Public Health that privately run hospitals could opt out of the requirement if they objected on moral or religious grounds. Romney had initially supported that interpretation, but he said yesterday that he had changed direction after his legal counsel, Mark D. Nielsen, concluded Wednesday that the new law supersedes a preexisting statute that says private hospitals cannot be forced to provide abortions or contraception. 'And on that basis, I have instructed the Department of Public Health to follow the conclusion of my own legal counsel and to adopt that sounder view,' Romney said..." (Scott Helman, "Romney Says No Hospitals Are Exempt From Pill Law," Boston Globe, 12/9/05)

Catholic leaders urged hospitals to reject Romney's mandate or risk "compromising their religious integrity and Catholic identity." "C.J. Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, a conservative Catholic organization, said Catholic hospitals should refuse to abide by the law. 'T he appropriate response for Catholic hospitals is noncompliance. Otherwise, they would be compromising their religious integrity and Catholic identity,' he said." (Steve LeBlanc, "Confusion Over New Emergency Contraception Law Deepens," Associated Press, 12/9/05)

Like we said, we like Romney and cheered him on, especially after his great speech on faith last week. We applauded his standing up for his beliefs.

We understand that a person can change their views. We applaud that, too, especially when they come around to supporting the pro-life position.

However, it helps neither Romney's current campaign, nor his attempts to build rapport with pro-life groups to muddy the waters about what was done in the past, while he was governor of Massachusetts, arguably the most liberal state in the union.

He demonstrated he was a political survivor during his tenure. He continues to show that same trait.

Speaking up honestly about his past actions concerning abortion while heading Massachusetts would be a further sign that he's comfortable with, not only his past actions, but his future ones too.

In a tight contest, things like honestly stating what you believe and what you did in the past can be big pluses with the voters.

Abortion is a subjec fraught with pitfalls. But pro-life voter confidence isn't served by Mitt Romney obscuring what actions he took in the past.

It's too easy to check the facts.

by Mondoreb
[image:2004dnc]
Source: Mitt Romney Fact Check on Preserving the Sanctity of Life



Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Fred Thompson picks Up Another Pro-Life Endorsement

Fred Thompson picked up an endorsement today that highlights one problem he doesn't have: his backing by pro-life forces.

West Virginians for Life gave their endorsement to Thompson. The Republican candidate from Tennessee, who has a solid record on the issue, hasn't had to put out any clarifications, explanations or re-statements concerning abortion.

While Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani's stance on the issue continues to raise questions, Thompson has quietly lined up Pro-life endorsements in the early stage of the presidential campaign.

The Mountain State endorsement was another one.

Senator Thompson released the following statement today regarding the West Virginians for Life endorsement of his candidacy for President.

From Christian Newswire:
"I'm deeply appreciative for their endorsement," said Thompson. "In supporting me, those who have worked tirelessly to defend life are supporting a consistent conservative who has stood with them yesterday, who stands with them today, and will stand with them tomorrow."

Fred Thompson is pro-life. He believes in the sanctity of human life and that every life is worthy of respect. He had a 100% pro-life voting record in the Senate and believes Roe v. Wade was a bad decision that ought to be overturned.

He consistently opposed federal funding to promote or pay for abortion and supported the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Child Custody Protection Act, and President Reagan's Mexico City policy. While Fred Thompson supports adult stem cell research, he opposes embryonic stem cell research. He also opposes human cloning.

West Virginians for Life is the West Virginia state affiliate for the National Right to Life Committee.

So, Fred Thompson continues to line up grassroots support, all the while some writers continue to write about his "lazy" campaign habits.

His "laziness" apparently doesn't extend to the unborn.

by Mondoreb



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