It won't be defended. I am convinced that the Rudy strategy is to fend off the critics for as long as possible, try to use 9-11 to deflect his past liberal issues, say the right focus-tested comments that have no connection to his past actions ("strict constructionist" being the most recent example"), and then saturate the airwaves with Rudymercials in the short period leading up to all the front-loaded primaries in hopes that his opponents can't keep up.
Which could well win him the nomination. However, in the general election, the Dems are just as good at raising money and three times better at bull****. And they won't even need the bull****. They will form phantom 527 groups to drive the GOP apart by simply repeating Rudy's liberal past over and over again. And they will show pro-life and pro-gun Dems that there is no difference in that department between Rudy and the Dem nominee and convince them to stay on the Rez. And that will be that.
Wrong, it's already being defended. Nobody cares. :-}
Lordy-what-a-prescient-post BUMP