Thompson talks of daughter who died

[kskiska]

Source: AP

TAMPA, Fla. - Republican Fred Thompson sidestepped a question about the Terri Schiavo right-to-die case last month, saying he didn't remember the details. On Monday he said he's uncomfortable discussing it because of his own daughter's death.

"Obviously, I know about the Terri Schiavo case. I had to face a situation with that in my own personal life with my own daughter," Thompson told reporters. The Republican presidential contender was asked about the case in Florida, where it occurred and where it is still a major issue.

(snip)

"I am a little bit uncomfortable about that because it's an intensely personal thing," he said. "These things need to be decided by the family, and I was at that bedside, and I had to make those decisions with the rest of my family."

Thompson's daughter, Elizabeth "Betsy" Thompson Panici, 38, died in 2002 of an accidental drug overdose, according to the Nashville, Tenn., medical examiner's office. She had been diagnosed as suffering from a bipolar disorder.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071022/ap_po/thompson_ap_interview;_ylt=AqNpXBg77CUpOEB3.vQjC3Zh24cA

[TwilightGardener]

1. Hm, very sad story about his daughter. So does this mean he lied

about his knowledge of the Schiavo case?

[dflprincess]

3. My heart goes out to him - but my take is that he lied about knowing about Schiavo

And I think he lied because he has been in that situation and yet doesn't have the guts to tell "the base" that they were wrong to turn the private pain of Terry Schiavo's family into a public circus.

[TwilightGardener]

5. I agree--there's no way he didn't know enough about the case to at least

formulate an opinion about it, especially since his buddy "Cat Killer" Frist made such a Senatorial stink over it. He didn't want to have to tell the religious wackjobs in the GOP base that he thinks that the state and federal government should stay the fuck out of a family's sad conflict and let the courts alone decide.

[WinstonSmith4740]

12. I totally agree, except for one thing...

This is a decision to be made by the family and the family alone, NOT the courts, and in this case, the "family" was her husband. Ask any sane person, and they'll tell you they wouldn't want to be kept "alive" like that. I know that her parents actually triggered the whole court thing, but they must have felt they would have a sympathetic ear or else they wouldn't have gone down that road.

I never had to make a decision like Schaivo's husband did, but I came close enough when my husband was hit with a nasty stroke. The new medication the doc wanted to give him was either going to save him or kill him, and by the way, "I need your decision right now." The last thing I would have needed was some damn judge telling me what I had to do. The government, at all levels, needs to stay OUT of these decisions.

[TwilightGardener]

13. I know what you're saying, but I can understand her parents having

very strong feelings and a desire to control the outcome--they loved her, and wanted what they thought was right for her, although I disagreed with them and sided with the husband that the poor woman didn't want to live that way. The dispute belonged in court, simply because somebody's life did hang in the balance--that's what the courts are for. The proceedings give the affected parties a chance to make their case, which is a safety net in case somebody is shown to be acting in interests other than what is right for the loved one in question.

[rpannier]

4. Actually...He said he couldn't remember all the details

So he didn't lie.
I remember the Schiavo case, but I didn't know all the details.

As far as I know, he never weighed in on the case...I wouldn't expact him to know the details if he didn't.

[karynnj]

9. In the context - a very innocuous lie that was not designed to make himself look better

There are a million and one reasons to find him inappropriate, but this is a very human explainable reaction.

[gateley]

2. I can't imagine what I would do in that situation - I'm sorry for him. nt

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

16. It's a tragic situation for anyone. It's sad that he's aligned himself with the political party that

uses tragedies like this for political gain.

Just like McCain supporting torture and Guiliani overtly reaping political points from a horrific attack on his city while mayor; never have I seen a group so intent on ignoring the impact of such profound events on their lives. All they want to do is cash in and forget about any enlightened understanding.

Souls for sale. MKJ

[MadMaddie]

6. I do have sympathy for him for the loss of his daughter; however,

he is running for the President of the United States and this issue touches thousands or more families every day....he cannot simply avoid and not deal with this issue.


But it is interesting that he said it was a family decision.


Once again I am not punishing the man and his family for their loss no family should suffer the loss of a child.

[Spiffarino]

7. I can understand why he wouldn't want to watch

It was a circus and it must have seemed very distasteful to somebody who actually lived through a similar personal drama. Now that he's running, he can't very well spill his real feelings to the insane element of the GOP whose votes he wants. He must keep the truth inside, hidden away from the angry, salivating, bloodthirsty Republicans whose votes he craves.

Hmm...

Now that I think about it, he's really a disingenuous prick.

[downindixie]

8. Did Thompson have to make the same decision?

I mean if he did then as a politician he such speak out about it.I think it would help other families in the same situation.

[Virginia Dare]

17. Exactly right, he should denounce his party's involvement in the case..

it wasn't any of their business, and Thompson knows this from his own personal experience.

[qanda]

10. Why is it everybody's business until it happens to them?

Then it becomes an intensely personal thing. Perhaps he should use that advice for other personal decisions.

[Skittles]

15. doesn't really sounds like he is talking about her

sounds like he is using her death to avoid talking about something (Schiavo) he'd rather not talk about

[mitchum]

11. Quite a disingenuous response from Deputy Dawg

[sutz12]

14. Hey, I can feel for the guy, but I still won't vote for him.

:shrug:

[Jim__]

18. Conservatives usually adopt progressive positions after a personal experience.

My bet is that if Thompson did not have a personal experience like this, he would would adopt the standard conservative position.

Years ago when I was on another board, we used to argue about euthanasia. Most of the progressives thought it was a personal choice. The conservative all came down that it should be illegal. One of the conservative's grandmother got sick, a terminal cancer. Then he came out in favor of euthanasia being a personal choice.

Conservatives like to say a conservative is a liberal who's just been robbed. Well, a progressive is a conservative who's come face-to-face with real life. It's too bad they can't understand these issues until they're personally confronted with them.