Tom DeLay & Terri Schiavo's Dad Supported Their Parents' Right to Die

[SoCalifer]

(Democracy Now, 3/29/05) -- While the media has covered the Terri Schiavo case extensively over the past two weeks little coverage has been given to the history of two of the key players: Schiavo's father and Rep. Tom DeLay. Both men faced a similar dilemma years ago and both supported their parents right to die. We talk to reporters who broke these stories.

According to a USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll released last week, President Bush's approval rating has fallen to 45% percent, the lowest point of his presidency. The poll found the largest drop for Bush came among men, self-described conservatives and churchgoers. Independent political analysts said the drop may reflect opposition to the White House and Congress intervening in the Terri Schiavo matter. A CBS poll released over the weekend showed that 82% percent of Americans thought Congress should have stayed out of the Schiavo case and 75% percent said government should keep out of end-of-life issues. One of the most outspoken voices in the Congress over the past 2 weeks on this issue is House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who has been one of the most outspoken opponents of removing Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. But 17 years ago, DeLay and his family had to make a simliar decision over his own comatose father and they elected not to keep him alive by artificial means. We are joined on the phone by Walter Roche- one of two L.A Times reporters who broke this story. And from the studio in Washington DC, we are joined by two guests - Judd Legum - director of research at the Center for American Progress and Suzanne Goldenberg, the US correspondent for the British Guardian newspaper. Judd has also been conducting research into Tom Delay's involvement in the Schiavo case. And in her own reporting on the Schiavo case, Suzanne Goldenberg found that Terri's father decided to turn off the life support system for his own 79 year old mother who was ill with pneumonia for a week.


(Video Stream): http://play.rbn.com/?url=demnow/demnow/demand/2005/march/video/dnB20050329a.rm&proto=rtsp&start=10:55

[TheFarseer]

1. They reported this on CBS morning news this morning

I mean the story about Tom Delay and his father. Hard to believe something like that got out. I wonder if the law governor GW Bush signed in TX is widely known? This would really turn sour for them if both of those were widely known.

I can't believe with polls showing 82% of Americans opposed to government interference, most of the RW talking heads are still claiming they are the majority! but why should they start paying attention to the facts now?