The religious right may have to continue to search for that Republican presidential candidate who satisfies all of their many demands, anti-abortion credentials being at the top of the list, because it looks like another one, Fred Thompson, fails.

Not only did he do lobbying work for an abortion-rights organization, his former law partner at the time says, "the only person who worked on it was Fred," implying Thompson's current bout with amnesia is all the more laughable. In addition, in 1994 when Thompson was faced with the question of whether or not laws should permit abortion on demand, he said "I do not believe that he federal government ought to be involved in that process."

Look, this matter is just like the one I highlight at the top of my blog, when Bush decided to endorse pro-choice Arlen Specter over pro-life Pat Toomey. These guys could really give a rat's ass about abortion. They simply use it to garner the needed votes from an important faction of their base. But again, the operative word being "use".

Thompson is shoveling much crap about how all lawyers must represent clients who stand for things or have done things the lawyer does not always agree with. Perhaps this applies to less-established lawyers who need to make a buck wherever they can but it likely applies much less to an established, well-connected lawyer -- like Thompson. He or his firm could've very easily have turned away this client at the time, but he/they didn't.

Also, according to the religious right folks, this issue of abortion is above compromise, it's completely black and white. It's murder and therefore it's absolutely wrong, period. Therefore, Thompson is saying that as a lawyer he was willing to take on and represent an organization that was involved in advocating murder. Tough to wiggle your way out of that one -- unless the religious right is indeed willing to look the other way and compromise on this issue....