Thompson Tries to Stay in the ‘Christmas Spirit.’ Sort Of.
EmailABC News’ Christine Byun reports: GOP hopeful Fred Thompson, tried to abide by the "Christmas Spirit" on the second day of his Iowa bus tour, but when asked by a voter about his thoughts regarding habeas corpus, he just couldn’t resist.
Explaining that detainees at Guantánamo Bay are "enemies of this nation" and should not be entitled to habeas corpus, the former Tennessee senator expressed distaste for "one the fellows running for the GOP nomination saying that we should shut down Guantánamo and bring those prisoners over here."
"I don’t know if he realizes this or not, when they touch American soil, they’re gonna get rights they would otherwise not have," Thompson said.
Still not naming his rival, he added: "I wonder if he understands how the world really operates. Well, I don’t wonder either. I already have a pretty good idea."
A spokesman later clarified that Thompson was referring to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Huckabee, on his campaign blog, says he believes "the facility has become a distraction from our Global War on Terror," but that one of his top priorities, if elected, would be to ensure "that all suspected terrorists remain in our custody."
Thompson — visibly engaged in his lengthy discourse on the subject of habeas corpus — told the audience that "we should not tie our hands and make ourselves vulnerable to these people" by the process of discovery.
"The constitution is not a suicide pact … We should have rules and should protect basic rights, but do not damage the United States in the process," Thompson said.
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“The constitution is not a suicide pact … We should have rules and should protect basic rights, but do not damage the United States in the process,” Thompson said.
What constitution is he talking about?.
This man know’s nothing of the U.S. constitution. Must be some other country’s constitution he’s thinking of Silly Freddy
Posted by: Dale | December 19, 2007, 2:02 am 2:02 am
Go Fred!!! About time we had someone running who looks out for America rather than thier own party!
Fred!
Protect the border –
Punch the hippies –
Works for me
Posted by: jdwag | December 19, 2007, 10:30 am 10:30 am
What ever happened to liberty AND JUSTICE FOR ALL?” Fairness and morality are no longer virtues of the system but rather extinct terms, except to describe the obvious lack of it.
The notion that any human being could be detained for six years on an “assertion” by “the government” and not provided an adequate mechanism to challenge the assertion’s merit in some sort of fact based way, is cruel and unusual, applying the simplest of America’s standards espoused by our constitution’s preamble”…. in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice….,” and that all “people” regardless of sex, color, race, or creed are have equal protection under our law, period.
Let Justice prevail!
Posted by: Greg | December 19, 2007, 11:59 am 11:59 am
Do Americans know that the Military Commissions Act also allows US presidents discretion to declare US citizens as enemy combatants and subject to detention without charge or due process?
Way to go Congress, I am not surprised that the Congress approval rating sucks.
Let’s vote them out of Congress, every one of them that voted in favor of Military Commissions Act.
Posted by: LeGrand | December 19, 2007, 12:29 pm 12:29 pm
I’m amazed that this (or any other candidate) that talks this way about habeas corpus is seriously being considered as a candidate. It’s by being BETTER than the Islamic terrorists that we beat them, not by stooping to their level and ignoring basic human rights. Fred, Mr. “Double Guantanamo” Romney, and “Freedom is about authority” Rudy are all a nightmware – far worse than any terrorist attack – waiting to happen.
Posted by: Dave E. | December 19, 2007, 3:26 pm 3:26 pm
You know, the last time I read it, the Declaration of Independence says that “all men are created equal”, not all Americans.
The concept of habeas corpus has existed for hundreds of years longer than the United States. It’s a basic human right – it’s not limited to American citizens. Our rights are inherently ours as human beings – they aren’t granted to us by any “government”. The government is only supposed to serve to protect our rights.
If the people being held at Guantanamo have done something criminal, by all means try them for it. Holding them indefinitely without charge or evidence is just ludicrous. What kind of example are we setting for the world with our actions?
Posted by: Rob Tyree | December 19, 2007, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
Yea right lets close Gitmo maybe these guys coud come live next door to you ! These people would slit your throat just as soon as look at you !What about Ron Pearls rights??? Freakin Hippies !! We are a nation of laws dont you get it !! We are at war with these Aniamls remember 9/11 move to IRAN !
Posted by: Robert Bostrom | December 20, 2007, 2:38 am 2:38 am