Fred Thompson addressed that National Right to Life Convention via the video above. You can read the complete transcript at the Brody File - here's a clip:
In 1994, I made my first run for the U.S. Senate. I was proud to receive the National Right to Life endorsement. I've been with you ever since. You've been with me ever since. On abortion related votes I've been 100 percent. We've had a lot of different kind of issues come up in the Senate from federal funding to stem cell research, Roe versus Wade and the partial birth abortion debate or as former Senator Pat Moynihan of New York used to say it's more like infanticide than partial birth abortion.You know one of the proudest moments I've had as a private citizen was when the President asked me to help Judge John Roberts through the senate confirmation process to become a member of the Supreme Court. Well, now he is Chief Justice John Roberts, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but I think he's going to go down as the best Chief Justice that this country has ever had.Fred Thompson may have a perfect Senate score with the National Right to Life but when he enters the race, he'll need to explain questionnaires like this one and others, especially considering his claim of pro-life consistency.
Related: check out Thompson's website.
He's already explained it: it was filled out by a staffer without his knowledge.
As it turns out, prior to being elected, Thompson filled out a number of surveys and indicated at the time he took a position similar to the one mentioned in this post. However, after being elected to the Senate he has always voted in a pro-life manner (100% rating National Right to Life, 0% rating Planned Parenthood). I plan to post on this later .... or link to someone who already has the info up.
That's incorrect, Bob Waters. What he said is "I don't know if I filled it our or my staff based on what they thought my position was filled it out".
Listen to the quote for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTQxoXD-scw
He is being a little deceptive here. He wants people to *hear* that it was not really him that filled it out. But he never says that it wasn't his position. And indeed if it had not been his position, then he would be able to say he *didn't* fill it out. Furthermore, there are at least a half dozen instances of FT making flat-out pro-choice statements, for example in questionaires, a letter to a constituent, and an interview with a newspaper, from both 1994 and 1996.