Giuliani's words have hollow ring - Presidential hopeful keeps flip-flopping

National Post - Canada ^ | Wednesday, May 16, 2007 | Steven Edwards

[GMMAC]

Giuliani's words have hollow ring
Presidential hopeful keeps flip-flopping

Steven Edwards, National Post
Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2007

With flip-flopping a sure way to ensure rejection at the polls, what's a presidential candidate to do when his political record clashes with the bedrock beliefs of the party he seeks to represent?

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor, is taking on the Republican rank-and-file when he asks them to nominate him despite his refusal to renounce his support for abortion.

He claims this shows he has the courage to state his views frankly, regardless of their popularity.

It's a strategy rooted in the premise that people are tired of nuanced answers from politicians and prefer a straight shooter -- even if they don't entirely agree with him.

In fact, Giuliani is showing less steel than if he had simply declared himself against abortion in line with essential Republican party thinking.

Like many abortion supporters, he reconciles the fact that it involves eliminating a life by saying that while he is opposed to abortion personally, he believes in a woman's right to it as a family planning option.

Of course, it all comes down to weighing the right to life of an unborn child against the right of a woman to make choices about her body.

For abortion supporters, the less developed the life in the womb, the easier it is to deny it rights that override the mother's.

Until ultrasound imaging shows a clear human form, it's easy to forget that something more than cellular fusion has taken place.

By saying he is "personally" against abortion, Giuliani clearly accepts the argument that life begins at conception. He must also believe the extension of that argument -- that the fetus at this stage has the same right to life as any human.

Giuliani is therefore being disingenuous when he recently asked Republicans to "respect" him for "telling? the truth."

If he were truly honest about where he stands, he would admit he seeks a free pass on the abortion issue so that he can pander to abortion supporters.

His message not only falls short of the truth-- which would reflect his convictions -- it contradicts the line promoted by both him and his supporters that his position on abortion is clear and free of variation.

He's on record as saying abortion is an "issue of conscience" and a decision to have one is a matter of "personal choice."

But he has also shown he's indifferent to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in the United States.

"It would be OK to repeal," he said during the first debate between Republican hopefuls.

"It would be OK if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as precedent," he added, using a conservative-friendly adjective that describes judges who feel obliged to uphold only the specified rights in the U.S. Constitution.

Such wavering is inconsistent with the principles Giuliani champions in his book Leadership, a central one being strong self-definition.

And how can he claim to be adhering to the truth when, in his mind, there are several versions of it on this issue?

Giuliani's brand of Republicanism -- conservative on fiscal and security matters but socially liberal -- was always going to be problematic nationally, though it earned him the maximum two terms as mayor in Democraticleaning New York.

As campaigning continues, he will face increasing questions from the Republican right over his liberal stances on several other issues, such as gay rights and gun control.

There's also his tumultuous domestic life.

He's married to his third wife, and has a difficult relationship with his two children, reportedly because of their dislike for their current stepmother, also in her third marriage.

Opponents of all political stripes will attack him over his former close association with his last police commissioner, Bernard Kerik, who last year pleaded guilty to misdemeanour ethics violations.

Giuliani's bid to take on the Republican party over abortion rights contrasts with the approach of fellow presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, a Mormon.

While Romney declared himself pro-abortion when running for state senator and later governor in heavily Democratic Massachusetts, he has now flipped back to his earlier antiabortion position.

While Giuliani's wavering is far from Romney's credibilitydeficient about-turns, his claim that his determination to stick to his convictions makes him a strong leader rings hollow.

© National Post 2007

[Jake The Goose]

I thought Huckabee’s comments last night were very nicely said.

Was it he who talking about America’s love of life?

I think it was him.

It was a beautiful articulation.

[Condor51]

Chris Wallace gave Rooty TWO chances to answer his direct question. In both cases Rooty wiggled, "9-11!" Evaded, "9-11!" Danced, "9-11!" Then punted, "9-11 dammit!"

(If it wasn't for that KOOK, Ron Paul, Rooty would be polling at 8% today.)

[Zenith]

The People on this board are all

Voting for HILLARY

Go RUDY !!

[AmishDude]

Thank you for letting me check “juvenile” off of my list.

I often judge a man by his enemies.

[TommyDale]

"The People on this board are all Voting for HILLARY"

Very old, very hollow argument that has been disproven many times over. No one here will vote for Hillary, she isn't even certain to win her own party's nomination. She may implode just like Rudy is doing with the conservatives.

[sittnick]

Also - does anyone notice that GOP men seem more engaged on this issue than GOP woman? Seems that way to me.

The GOP women are too busy raising the next generation of conservatives.

The only reason it gets magnified is because of people like Giuliani who want the nomination given to him by pro-lifers. Now he may have decided that with a large field he may not need them. He's wrong.

Every 4 years - the GOP corners itself while the world explodes around us.

The world IS exploding around . . . over a million children killed every year in the U.S. alone, 50 million world-wide.

Republicans have been on notice for 25 years now, if they have big aspirations in this party, they should be for lower taxes, states' rights, capital pubishment for the guilty, gun rights, pro-life . . . other issues allow room for nuance. Giuliani will only join the aborted candidacies of Arlen Spector and Lowell Weicker. Heck, he couldn't even take the heat to run against Hillary for Senate in NY, THAT's when he might have been useful.

[dirtboy]

The Republican party seems to have a lot of one agenda members called jihadists

Pro lifers are JIHADISTS?

[xsmommy]

it is horrible and the aftereffects for women who have abortions last the rest of their lives, that's why the Catholic Church has programs like Project Rachel to assist women in the aftermath of that heartwrenching ordeal. The object isn't to criminalize the behavior, the objective is to educate and discourage it. i used to be a liberal, i used to be prochoice. even as a Catholic. Becoming pregnant and feeling life move within me, even early on, changed that. My kids Catholic elementary school had situated next to it for YEARS an abortion clinic. My kids knew from early on what abortion is. They are being raised with the knowledge that a baby in the womb is a life. i can't guarantee that my kids might not ever have an abortion, but they will know exactly what it is they are doing. i think the odds are less because of the education they have received.

[GMMAC]

Think the issue with Rudy, not unlike with Bill Clinton, has now become much more one of his subsequent lying & attempting to play the public for fools.

Had he initially taken the position on several issues:
Although my personal views are somewhat at variance with the conservative mainstream, I respect the supremacy of the Constitution and will, accordingly & properly, defer to the wishes of individual States with respect to these areas of public policy."
At least then, his personal credibility & integrity wouldn't now be nearly so much in question.

As the old saying goes, 'it's tough to take back a kick in the nut$'.

[TommyDale]

"Thank you for letting me check “juvenile” off of my list. I often judge a man by his enemies."

Thank you. Consider Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Clinton and all the other liberals my enemies. As for your "juvenile" comment, are you referring to your childish logic of voting for someone else, just to upset me? Now THAT is juvenile!

[dirtboy]

The People on this board are all Voting for HILLARY

Apparently Rudy boosters are now down to their last talking point.

And even that one is ridiculous, given that Rudy couldn't outpoll Hillary in the 2000 NY Senate race when he was mayor and she was a carpetbagger.

[AmishDude]

Is there any particular reason you have to ping two others everytime you post.

“Pathetic.” Check.

[bestrongbpositive]

Well said...abortion will be the eventual fall of the republican party.

[Jake The Goose]

I completely enjoyed your comments.

You speak with a lot of conviction, a lot of personal history, and a lot of sense.

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and history.

[bestrongbpositive]

Lots of spin but he did Bitch slap Ron Paul !!

[TAdams8591]

Not this GOP woman. If the information is available it is a consideration every time I vote no matter how small the candidate. In almost every case, if they aren’t pro-life, or aren’t open to becoming pro-life, I don’t vote for them.

[Jake The Goose]

In that case - I truly salute you.

Consistent - that’s what you are - and that’s ALWAYS a good thing.

Thanks for your reply - I do appreciate it.

[TommyDale]

"Is there any particular reason you have to ping two others everytime you post."

Yes, they have expressed an interest in the same subject. Is there any particular reason you are worried about them reading my posts? Are you paranoid?

[TommyDale]

"Is there any particular reason you have to ping two others everytime you post."

If you want to see a true picture of pathetic, look in your mirror.