Giuliani takes on Christian right over abortion

Gulf Times. Qatar ^ | May 14, 2007 | AFP

[Jim Robinson]

WASHINGTON: Republican presidential frontrunner Rudolph Giuliani yesterday appealed to the centre-ground of US politics on the polarising issue of abortion, and restated his opposition to an early pullout from Iraq. The former mayor of New York, who shot to global prominence after the September 11 attacks of 2001, staked out his own dislike of abortion but said he supported a woman’s right to choose.

“I personally oppose it but I believe that that should be a choice that someone else gets to make,” Giuliani, who is Roman Catholic, said on Fox News Sunday. That is a stand that will almost certainly lose him votes from the Christian right in next year’s primary elections to choose the Republican party’s candidate to succeed President George W Bush.

But Giuliani believes that his stand will resonate with most Americans, who polls show to be against rolling back the Supreme Court’s landmark “Roe v Wade” ruling permitting abortion even if they personally oppose the practice.

He said he was trying “to broaden the base of the Republican party” as issues surrounding terrorism and the economy “are so important that we have to have the biggest outreach possible.”

The former New York leader is also under fire from Christian conservatives over his moderate positions on gay marriage and gun control, and his personal life – he has been married three times.

But Giuliani, who has pulled ahead of rival 2008 contender and Arizona Senator John McCain, said he should be judged on his record from the aftermath of 9/11 and for ridding New York of rampant crime and economic decline.

“Nobody’s perfect. I’ve made mistakes in my life. I’ve prayed about them,” he said. “In my case, you can judge me on my public record.”

[Reagan Man]

In politics its best to be fully informed if you intend on debating issues with others. You need to get up to speed on Giuliani. We do know that you and Rudy have the same basic mindset on the abortion issue. A bad case of moral relativism. In fact, your last post to me seemed permeated with a certain high mindedness, or moral relativism.

>>>>>I don’t think any presidential candidate thinks much about abortion, other than which position will get them the most votes.

So you're a cynic too. Okay. Since Roe v Wade, Reagan and Bush43 have been our strongest pro-life Presidents. They both advanced the pro-life agenda through their rhetoric and actions.

Just for your info, the word "gotcha" is used when one experiences an unexpected revelation about someone.

[Marysecretary]

They sure are!