Giuliani abortion flap highlights larger issue

LA Times ^ | May 12, 2007 | By Michael Finnegan, Times Staff Writer

[Jim Robinson]

WASHINGTON — Rudolph W. Giuliani sought Friday to recover from his stumbles on abortion, an effort that underscored the trouble faced by top Republican presidential candidates as they try to remake their images to strengthen appeals to social conservatives.

The weeklong dust-up over Giuliani's abortion stance has also made what was already an unsettled race for the Republican nomination even more so.

In Giuliani's case, his rhetorical contortions to play down his support for abortion rights have only heightened attention to the gap between himself and the party's conservative base.

On Friday, the former New York mayor tried to put the issue behind him with a speech to hundreds of Christian conservatives at Houston Baptist University. He called abortion "morally wrong" but stood by his position that women should have "the right to make that choice."

Addressing voters in general, he said, "You have a right to evaluate this in figuring out if you can support me, and at what level you can support me."

He also urged an assessment of his record on taxes, crime and terrorism — areas where his views align with those of his party's mainstream.

For his chief rivals in the Republican race, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the spotlight on Giuliani's abortion views has offered a chance to erode his lead in national polls of GOP voters.

McCain and Romney are far from sure bets in the race for support from social conservatives, a major force in the primaries. But both have made painstaking efforts to gain their trust, most often by emphasizing their opposition to abortion — a new position for Romney, who ran as a "pro-choice" candidate in Massachusetts.

[calex59]

Dumb ass Rudy-Judy just doesn’t get it.

[deaconjim]

If he is right, then he might just as well have said:

He called abortion lying "morally wrong" but stood by his position that women should have "the right to make that choice."

He called abortion stealing "morally wrong" but stood by his position that women should have "the right to make that choice."

He called abortion pedophilia "morally wrong" but stood by his position that women should have "the right to make that choice."

He called abortion murder "morally wrong" but stood by his position that women should have "the right to make that choice."

Of course, one could then make the point that men should have the same rights as women.

[deaconjim]

</i>

[George W. Bush]

Addressing voters in general, he said, "You have a right to evaluate this in figuring out if you can support me, and at what level you can support me."

Oh, at least he won't send armed goons out to break heads if our level of support for him is less than he expects.

You know, he really does talk like the old-time fascists. It's pretty consistent too. There's a real sense of entitlement and royal prerogative simmering beneath many of his statements, especially when he's asked any hard questions.

Some of his supporters should start asking themselves whether the country will elect someone that arrogant.

[showme_the_Glory]

You have a right to evaluate this in figuring out if you can support me, and at what level you can support me

None, nada, zip, zilch, zero.

[GregoryFul]

Boy, he is conflicted.