2008: The First Casualty?
Senator Bill Frisk was the featured speaker at Justice Sunday I, and he used that platform to argue against filibustering judicial nominees. Then, on July 29, 2005, he spoke from the Senate well in favor of lifting some of the restrictions on stem cell research. Howls of outrage immediately issued from some of the leaders of the Religious Reich, and Senator Frisk was not asked to appear at Justice Sunday II, held this past weekend.
ASHVILLE, Aug. 15 -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) was not present at Justice Sunday II, a televised gathering of major religious leaders in his home state to promote the Supreme Court nomination of John G. Roberts Jr., but he was on everyone's mind.
Just over two weeks ago, the prospective presidential candidate alarmed some leaders of the Christian right when he broke ranks with President Bush to announce support of expanded embryonic stem cell research, a stand viewed in many quarters of the antiabortion movement as permitting the taking of a human life.
Some religious leaders who spoke here were prepared to forgive Frist or to grant him the benefit of the doubt. Others, however, warned that he had crossed an important moral boundary and would face political consequences. [Emphasis added]
Political consequences? Yes, the same political consequences that Senator John McCain faced in 2000, consequences that cost him the Republican nomination.
The irony is that Senator Frist has made it clear that he is pro-life, and that he believes life begins at conception. His support for the stem cell research bill currently before the Senate is contingent on restricting the cells so used to be from 'fetuses' that would otherwise be discarded by the fertility clinic. That apparently does not appease the rabid anti-abortionist faction.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and the leading organizer of Justice Sunday II, said: "I have a lot of respect for Senator Frist. We disagree with him on one issue, but it's a big issue. . . . I would not write him off; I would just say it will be very difficult to get support from the pro-life community. ..."
Perkins said Frist was not invited to Justice Sunday II because House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) was chosen for star billing, not because of Frist's stand on stem cell research. Other religious leaders here, speaking not for attribution, said they viewed the decision not to invite Frist to a major event in his home state as a pointed snub. [Emphasis added]
It appears that Senator Frist, who had previously indicated that he would not run for re-election when his current senate term ends, will be back practicing medicine sooner than he expected.
ASHVILLE, Aug. 15 -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) was not present at Justice Sunday II, a televised gathering of major religious leaders in his home state to promote the Supreme Court nomination of John G. Roberts Jr., but he was on everyone's mind.
Just over two weeks ago, the prospective presidential candidate alarmed some leaders of the Christian right when he broke ranks with President Bush to announce support of expanded embryonic stem cell research, a stand viewed in many quarters of the antiabortion movement as permitting the taking of a human life.
Some religious leaders who spoke here were prepared to forgive Frist or to grant him the benefit of the doubt. Others, however, warned that he had crossed an important moral boundary and would face political consequences. [Emphasis added]
Political consequences? Yes, the same political consequences that Senator John McCain faced in 2000, consequences that cost him the Republican nomination.
The irony is that Senator Frist has made it clear that he is pro-life, and that he believes life begins at conception. His support for the stem cell research bill currently before the Senate is contingent on restricting the cells so used to be from 'fetuses' that would otherwise be discarded by the fertility clinic. That apparently does not appease the rabid anti-abortionist faction.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and the leading organizer of Justice Sunday II, said: "I have a lot of respect for Senator Frist. We disagree with him on one issue, but it's a big issue. . . . I would not write him off; I would just say it will be very difficult to get support from the pro-life community. ..."
Perkins said Frist was not invited to Justice Sunday II because House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) was chosen for star billing, not because of Frist's stand on stem cell research. Other religious leaders here, speaking not for attribution, said they viewed the decision not to invite Frist to a major event in his home state as a pointed snub. [Emphasis added]
It appears that Senator Frist, who had previously indicated that he would not run for re-election when his current senate term ends, will be back practicing medicine sooner than he expected.
posted by Diane at 3:14 PM
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