Thompson's Conservative Credentials
by Ryan Sager
Tue, 5 Jun 2007 at 10:20 AM
updated Tue, 5 Jun 2007 at 10:28 AM
Despite his climb in the polls, Fred Thompson still has a lot to prove to conservative voters. Also, his public record will be getting increasing scrutiny.
In that vein, Jennifer Rubin has a piece on this site today noting that Mr. Thompson does not have a perfect conservative record on opposing racial preferences:
Fred Thompson's spokesman, Mark Corallo, did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the senator's position or past record regarding racial preferences. Nevertheless, in 1995, Mr. Thompson sided with supporters of affirmative action, voting against a Phil Gramm-sponsored amendment that would have barred use of federal funds for contracts awarded on the basis of a contractor's race, national origin, or gender.
Also worth checking out is this CNS dispatch, which has a few nuggets:
* "Although he has been a vocal opponent of the Senate's current immigration reform bill, he supported legislation in 1998 to help illegal immigrant farm workers temporarily stay in the U.S."
* "In the July/August 1994 issue of Republican Liberty, a newsletter for libertarian Republicans, Thompson was quoted as saying [about abortion]: "Government should stay out of it. No public financing. The ultimate decision must be made by the woman. Government should treat its citizens as adults capable of making moral decisions on their own."
* "In the Senate, Thompson joined some moderate Republicans in voting to raise the minimum wage in 1996, in voting for a "patient's bill of rights" in 2001 to mandate better coverage by health-care plans and in supporting the 2001 Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act."
Related Topics: GOP Primary
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