Giuliani flips on Schiavo case

St. Petersburg Times ^ | May 5, 2007 | By ADAM C. SMITH

[Jim Robinson]

When Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani came to the home county of Terri Schiavo last month, he said he supported the controversial effort by Congress to intervene to keep the severely brain-damaged woman alive.

But now it's not so clear where he stands on the Schiavo case.

In a televised presidential debate Thursday night, Giuliani suggested the Schiavo controversy should have been left to the courts.

"The family was in dispute. That's what we have courts for. And the better place to decide that in a much more, I think in a much fairer and even in a deeper way, is in front of a court, " he said at the first GOP presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan library in California.

In April, Giuliani had explained his position this way: Noting that the controversy had been through the court system for years, he said the 2005 congressional intervention, "was appropriate to make every effort to give her a chance to stay alive. ... My general view is, you should do everything you can to keep somebody alive unless they have expressed a strong interest in not having very, very special things done, extraordinary things done."

Giuliani's campaign spokesman, Elliott Bundy, on Friday tried to clarify Giuliani's apparent contradictions on Schiavo: "Last night Mayor Giuliani said that ideally these types of difficult issues are best left up to families and when there are disputes, it is a matter for the courts to decide. As he said in Florida in April, there are sometimes extraordinary circumstances where the intentions of the person in question are not clear. The Schiavo case was one of those very special circumstances."

[freekitty]

I don’t agree with Rudy. In this case, when the courts are obviously stacked against this poor woman who in my opinion was murdered, then the courts should not interfer.

[Pinkbell]

Does Rooty TootToot even know where he stands anymore? I was for saving Schaivo before I was against it. I was for abortion before I was partially against it. Rooty is trying to win by lying to appeal to all voters.

Flip Flop - Somebody needs to change the name from Kerry to Rudy!

http://www.laughatliberals.com/blog/wp-images/kerry_flip_flops.jpg

Does anyone here have the quote where Rudy says he would like to run on all party lines, including the Democratic if he could?

[MountainFlower]

I do so appreciate politicians who KNOW what they stand for an on issue, don’t you?! (sarcasm) At least, if people are paying attention (do the sheeple?), they might have questions now about how one day he has this opinion on an issue, and the next day it is a differing opinion of the same issue! waffle, waffle. most certainly a person who can take a strong stand in running a country! (sarcasm) he has my vote of NO CONFIDENCE.

[Marcella]

Thanks, Jim, for all these posts regarding Rudy’s liberal actions and words. It’s important this information gets to conservatives across this country.

Marcella from Texas

[ConsistentLibertarian]

The Schiavo case was a political loser for Republicans. Now, by itself, that doesn’t show they were wrong, but it does show how wide and deep libertarian sentiments extend throughout the electorate. No matter who wins the Republican nomination, they’re going to backpedal at warp speed if the issue resurfaces during the campaign.

[Fred]

Using the Clinton playbook of TRIANGULATION..

Alas, it works well on the voter, as we saw with 8 years of Clinton.