Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson, who recently garnered the endorsement of one of the nation’s most prominent pro-life groups, reiterated his views on right-to-life issues in an ABC interview Sunday.
Speaking on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," the former Tennessee senator said that the decision regarding right-to-life cases should ultimately belong to families.
Courts, he said, should only come into play if families cannot come to a consensus on the care a patient who is unable to make medical decisions should receive. But the presidential hopeful said he hopes that families facing such a decision should side with the protection of human life if there is a chance for the patient to live.
“People have a right to make the laws in their own state to resolve these issues if families can't get together," said Thompson. “If doctors and families can't stand at that bedside and make a decision, which, as I say, I hope would be always in favor of life if there is a chance for life … then it should go to the state court mechanism.”
Thompson’s comments came just days after received the endorsement of the National Right to Life (NRLC) – an anti-abortion group that also touches on issues of euthanasia.
Discussing the controversial case of Terri Schiavo, Thompson maintained his opposition to federal involvement in right-to-life cases, saying the decision over whether to keep the brain-damaged woman’s feeding tube “ought to be a family matter.”
In the 2005 case, the families of the patient were clearly divided over the care she should receive since falling into a persistent vegetative state.
Schiavo’s husband, Michael, wanted to remove her feeding tube but her parents opposed the idea of starving her to death by dehydration. Although Michael Schiavo was in a relationship with another woman and had fathered their first child, he had refused to divorce Schiavo and hand over his guardianship to her parents.
A Republican-led Congress passed a bill allowing doctors to reinsert the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo, who was conscious at the time. But the Supreme Court later decided in favor of her husband.
Thompson said he thinks the actions behind Mr. Schiavo were "suspect" and that he would have backed Schiavo's parents.
"From what I know about the facts, or recall about it, I would side with the parents in, you know, keeping that child alive,” said Thompson, whose own daughter died in 2002 as a result of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.
The former senator said he supported the efforts by Congress to ensure patients like Terri Schiavo receive appropriate medical care but opposed the bill in Congress to allow her parents to take their case to federal courts.
“Congress took an extra step, said, 'We want you to have a federal hearing also.' The federal court, as I recall, came to the same conclusion the state court did. The point is, it is a family matter – ought to be a family matter," he said.
The presidential hopeful has also said he opposes federal involvement in regards to abortion. While Thompson has described his position as “100 percent pro-life,” he said laws on abortion should be decided by the states.
Despite Thompson's opposition to a federal ban on abortions, the NRLC said they were pleased with his consistent pro-life voting record and thought he was “best-positioned” to beat pro-abortion presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, who has been a frontrunner in the polls.
Comments
Ron Paul the only true Cosnserv. running, closer to the Constit. than any one in Congress. Ron, 100% PRO Const. voting record. MD Ron is PRO life.
Ron as a Christian does not wave use faith for votes.
He has been married for about 50 years. No scandals in his closet.
He is such a threat to the 1 worlders the R 'party' tried to ban him. Even Glen Beck lied about Ron & his 5th Nov. contributions.
Why are Christians so slow to check Ron out?
http://tinyurl.com/2uks2q
http://tinyurl.com/7xsrj
http://tinyurl.com/ywywhz
http://tinyurl.com/38tbhl
http://tinyurl.com/yun2jq
What a big disappointment is the NRLC endorsement of Thompson. He's openly against the Human Life Amendment and his position sounds a lot like the lame pro-abort (pro-choice) position of "I am personally opposed to abortion but would not impose my beliefs on women" because that's the same effect as saying "I believe it should be left to states and families".
Thompson's not even for protecting the sanctity of marriage let alone life.
Former Gov. Mike Huckabee is the man who is taking a stand for the sanctity of life and marriage. He has stated that Roe vs Wade is bad law and must be overturned. Huckabee is also in favor of the Human Life Amendment to protect the sanctity of life of the unborn.
Annieforjesus please note: Without life there can be no other rights. You are correct that we must love the elderly and infirm as well as the unborn and their mothers. Euthanasia is just as real a problem in America's culture of death as abortion.
America needs a Baptist Minister with a Judeo-Christian worldview...
Christians should pray for, contribute to and vote for Mike Huckabee in 2008!
He's run against and beat the Clinton machine before, and he can do it again in 2008.
Check out his speech at the Values Voters Summit on www.mikehuckabee.com
Let's unite to defeat Clinton in 2008 and elect Mike Huckabee our next President.
Pastor C Baldwin on Huck.
http://tinyurl.com/yq2ltq
Huck. 2 steps on creation
http://tinyurl.com/2waump
Mike again
http://www.newswithviews.com/Mary/starrett70.htm
Baldwin on Fred T
http://tinyurl.com/2h6rkm
Ron Paul
http://tinyurl.com/yp9lnd
http://tinyurl.com/222voh
http://tinyurl.com/yw5x6p
http://tinyurl.com/yuhn82
http://tinyurl.com/22txst
Why would someone who says they are pro-life be against laws that make it illegal? Let's say a lady wants an abortion, and she asks her family for their opinion on it and they all tell her to have one. Hmmm! Why should the lady base her murder of her own unborn baby on others bad advice? She should be a loving mother, and keep the baby, or give her baby up for adoption regardless of what other people think. Abortion is wrong 100% of the time! Doing what is right is better than doing wrong. How could Fred Thompson say that abortion is only a family matter? Abortion ruins women's lives and all he can say is "It's a family matter"? Abortion takes away the life of the future generations in our country. The NRL should not support such a person. The organization should support someone who against abortion ,and for all laws that make it a crime. Not sure who I will vote for, but it will not be Fred Thompson or anyone else against laws that make abortion illegal.
Abortion being made legal in 1973 was one of the biggest mistakes the Supreme Court ever made in America. ...Every year over millions of unborn babies are brutally killed for no reason other than because it is legal. ...Abortion= The Legal Evil.
God gives every human being the choice to either choose life or death. It amazes me that people who will scream for the right to physical life; well I don't see you out here shouting out for those who are dying of Spiritual death. Jesus Christ said that anger towards your fellow man is comparable to murder. In the spirit of those words, I suggest that those who are so loud in shouting out the right to life; what about the quality of life also!
I visit my dad on a regular basis in a nursing home, my dad is due to come home soon with me; however, I see other elders in homes that are clearly prisons for the elderly as many are neglected by families, and communities.
If you are going to shout out about the right to life; well, why not go and visit some elders in nursing homes; visit those children who are orphans and have no families!!
God is the author of life and no person has the right to choose for someone else, but many do and it isn't always the choice one would make for themselves.
Who is "100%" pro life, well, many elders are DYING in nursing homes simply due to NEGLECT, so please shout out and advocate for them.
Seniors are a BLESSING to our communities and babies are the future of our communites and BOTH deserve a quality of life.
We live in a world that is choosing life over death in their spiritual walk and it is surprising to you that abortion and euthanasia are options??? It is a sign of the times, a clear invalidation of the scaredness of life. If one cannot see the Sacredness of GOD how can they see the sacredness of life?
Jesus Christ, the Hope of Glory is the answer to every question in life.
These leaders need our prayers, and check yourself, do you slay people with your anger every day or attitudes, well that is murder also. The great sin is unbelief!
Glory to God that this world is not all there is!
Rebecca, I totally agree with you! Abortion is either a moral issue, or it isn't. Federalism is a great idea for a lot of problems, but not moral imperatives. It bothers me that the National Right to Life Committee would choose Thompson over Huckabee only because they think Thompson has a better chance of winning (and that's only because he has more money.) I hope Huckabee wins and I'm praying for him and his campaign :)
The true “100 percent pro-life” position views life as beginning at conception and abortion as murder. If Thompson were truly "100 percent pro-life" he wouldn't leave the decision for the abortion laws up to the state or the decision to end the life of an unborn baby up to the family, using the courts only if the family cannot agree. If I took a gun and murdered someone, stating that my family agreed with me wouldn’t make a very good defense!
I prefer to support a true pro-life candidate--Mike Huckabee!