Rudy's Abortion Deal-Breaker

The American Spectator ^ | 13 April 2007 | Doug Bandow

[Spiff]

Rudy's Abortion Deal-Breaker

By Doug Bandow

Perhaps it is inevitable that a man who became a national icon also ended up politically tone deaf. He began to believe his press clipplings, sycophants surrounded him, drowning out any criticism, and the rush of White House staff wannabees left him convinced that the bandwagon could not run off-course. Rudy Giuliani obviously doesn't get it, but his support for taxpayer-paid abortions could --and certainly should--prove to be the deal- breaker for pro-life conservatives.

Until now, at least, Giuliani had posed the most serious political challenge yet for social conservatives. He possessed the aura of competence and seemed to say the "right" things when it came to most economic, regulatory, and foreign policy issues. Which meant that many on the right felt he could be trusted, at least as far as any politician could be trusted, to deliver on the most important issues. (I'm less sanguine, but that's another matter.)

Of course, the unsavory private life -- the tacky public announcement of his planned divorce, unseemly court fight over bringing his mistress into the city-provided mayoral residence, and estrangement from his kids -- left a nasty taste. Good policy should still be trump, but then there was Giuliani's support for abortion. It's a difficult and complex issue, but supporting abortion is different from, say, backing higher dairy subsidies.

[...SNIP...]

Public funding for abortion creates an official imprimatur of respectability and makes us all complicit in a great moral wrong. If Mayor Giuliani can't understand such a fundamental issue, or worse, understands it but doesn't care, he's likely to disappoint conservative voters in other important areas as well.

There are some deal-breakers in politics. Public financing of abortion should be one for social conservatives.

[Manic_Episode]

<>" Some of us appreciate a candidate who is honest enough not to lie or flip flop on issues.......I’d rather have a President I can trust not to lie to me, even if I don’t buy into all his beliefs."

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I was raised to believe that a man is only as good as his word, and Rudy has demonstrated that his word is worthless when it somes to making sacred vows unto death in front of God and man.

I cannot trust someone with this pattern of behavior.

Besides this he is an enemy to the US Constitution and to conservatism.

[Manic_Episode]

"It appears that the extreme religious right does not have anywhere near the influence with the voters they pretend to have. In fact, their disdain is a political plus for Rudy, even in the primary. The only question remaining is whether the religious right wants to have its phone calls answered after the election."

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You wish.

Rudy is now officially marginalized here on FR, and his few bots and operatives that remain are soon to follow.

[Josh Painter]

100-Fold_Return wrote: “Mrs. Clinton is grateful for those who think like that.”

Mrs. Clinton better watch her own six. Obama is gaining on her.

As for Mr. Mayor, let’s take his messy personal life off the table for the moment and just look at the issues.

Even if Rudy’s support of taxpayer-funded abortion on demand weren’t bad enough (and it is!), there’s also his position against firearms owners, his support for the gay agenda and his defiance of U.S. immigration laws by declaring NYC a sanctuary for illegal invaders.

Social conservatives may let Giuliani slide on one of these issues, but not on all four. Most conservatives aren’t yet fully aware of Rudy’s radical liberal positions on guns, gays, abortion and illegal immigration.

According to a Newsweek survey, 34 percent of Republican voters polled and 38 percent of social conservatives are aware he is pro-choice on abortion. And 51 percent of all Republican voters and 49 percent of social conservatives aren’t sure where he stands on the issue. On gun control,
just 17 percent of all Republican voters polled and 19 percent of social conservatives are aware he’s a supporter of gun control. Sixty-seven percent of Republican voters polled (66% of social conservatives) aren’t sure of his stand. Only 16 percent of all Republican voters polled and 15 percent of social conservatives are aware that Giuliani opposes a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage; (70% overall and 72% of social conservatives are not aware of his position).

As Hizzoner’s positions on the issues become more commonly known among the GOP base, his support will decline. There’s still penty of time before the first Republican primary for voters to learn where Rudy is on these issues.