Giuliani Defends Pro-Choice Stance

WNBC, NY ^ | April 5, 2007

[Cincinatus' Wife]

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani on Thursday defended his record favoring the use of public money for abortions, saying he wouldn't try to undo a Supreme Court ruling allowing the procedures.

"Ultimately I believe it's an individual right and a woman should make that choice," the former New York mayor said during a Statehouse news conference where he picked up three endorsements.

Support for abortion rights is unpopular with conservatives who dominate the GOP in South Carolina, an early voting state.

"I tell people what I think. I tell them (to) evaluate me as I am and do not expect them to agree with me on everything. I don't agree with me on everything," Giuliani said. "If that's the most important thing, then I'm comfortable with the fact you won't vote for me."

The comments came as South Carolina lawmakers push a measure that would require women seeking abortions to first view ultrasound images of their fetus. If the South Carolina measure is approved, the state would be the first to make such a requirement. Other states require the images be made available to women.

Giuliani said states should make the call on such issues. "The Legislature of South Carolina should make its decision about that," he said. He also said states should make the decision whether to use public money for abortions.

Conservatives and political experts in South Carolina said Giuliani's moderate stance abortion will hamper his ability to win votes here.

"He's toast," said Clemson University political scientist Dave Woodard. "I think it's going to be really hard for him to overcome this in South Carolina."

While Republicans in South Carolina oppose abortion by degrees -- allowing abortions in certain circumstances, such as a mother's health, rape or incest -- there's little room on public financing, said Oran Smith, executive director of the Palmetto Family Council, an anti-abortion group.

"That's usually one of the first things off the list when you talk about things related to abortion," Smith said.

Some Giuliani supporters said the abortion issue doesn't bother them. "I'm really for the whole package. I feel like I'm comfortable being for him," said Rosemary Byerly, a staunch abortion opponent from Inman.

But Alexia Newman, a state Republican Party first vice chairwoman who runs Spartanburg's Carolina Pregnancy Center, said she felt duped by Giuliani's recent comments to the state Republican executive committee that if elected he would appoint judges who favor a strict interpretation of the Constitution to the Supreme Court.

However, Giuliani said those comments weren't a nod in the direction of undoing Roe v. Wade.

"If I'm going to appoint strict constructionist judges, which I'm going to do, for the reason that they are going to strictly interpret the Constitution, then, as president, I have to be a strict constructionist," Giuliani said. "The present state of the law on these issues is not something that I would seek to change."

Giuliani also said the state should be left to make its own decision about the Confederate flag, which flies outside the Statehouse.

[upcountry miss]

I’m with you. I guess I could reluctantly vote for Rudy, but just now, on Hardball, Chris is defending Rudy saying he thinks Ruby believes the same as most Americans on the abortion issue. If Chris defends him, that’s hard to swallow.

[veronica]

I will remain respectful of their candidates. Even though some of those candidates have as much chance of getting the nomination as my mother has.

I will vote GOP on election day. No matter what. They will not say the same.

[Jake The Goose]

I second your comments - 100%.

Those Duncan Hunter poll numbers are sure surging.

Must be his endearing personality.

[veronica]

I think it’s those suits from The Dollar Store.

[Jake The Goose]

Oh man that’s funny - and so true.

A buddy told me the other day that “Duncan Hunter also looks like he need to go to the bathroom”.

I have no idea what that means - but I laughed.

[Condor51]

*** Not toast. I think Rudy Giuliani is going to play well in Peoria. ***

You better clarify that and make that 'South' Peoria. Peoria ain't what it used to be, but it's still not Gomorrah ;-)

So ... except for 'South Peoria' he will be...

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

This is a conservative website. Where do you see any support of abortion or gun control on the home page.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Last time I checked this site covered politics. Mostly GOP politics. I wish you people would grow up a bit.

So when we point out the facts on Rudy's liberalism, you guys squeal like stuck pigs and whine that it's "unfair."

[HitmanLV]

As a practical matter I don't think there will be too many states -- if any -- that would criminalize abortion and aggressively prosecute doctors and women. The real issue is cultural, not legal.

I agree completely.

[veronica]

When did I ever whine “unfair” or squeal like a stuck pig? You can say whatever you want. Doesn't make it so, but you can say it. :)

[Condor51]

(((( small ping ))))

I think I finally have Rudy figured out.

Rudy is running as a Democrat, but as a personal convenience, under the GOP banner - just like Bloomberg did to win in NYC. And just like he magically became a republican overnight to get a job in the Reagan Justice Department.

• Morals and values - same as the Dems.
• Guns - same as the Dems. (and WORSE than the Clintons)
  
• Gay Agenda - same as the Dems.
  
• Judges - same as the Dems.
• Big Government - same as the Dems. He's a leftist autocrat.
  
• ABORTION - same as Exactly like the Dems.

But Rudy's problem is he can't WIN running as a Dem. He knows Hillary or Obama will clean his clock. This is proved by Hill stomping him in his home state by 12%. And the moonbats don't like his tough talk on terrorism (and talk is all it is).

So Rudy's only chance at a power grab was to say; "Hey I'll run as a republican and BS the dopes with my 9-11 'heroics'."

After all, he himself said he'd like to run on and I quote; "The Liberal Platform, The Democratic Platform and the "Republican Platform if I could". And don't forget, he did leave that FEC form unchecked for the Republican Party candidate. That was no oversight or accident, that was on purpose.

So that's it, he's running as Dem and all his 'blunders' were and are actually calculated moves to get the average sheeple Dem and the 'California Republicans' to vote for him.

As Sherlock Holmes said,

"Once you eliminate the probable, whatever remains no matter how improbable, must be the truth."

So that's that, Rudy is really running as a Democratic candidate.

(And if by some deal with the Devil he was elected POTUS as a republican, I'd give odds he'd switch parties after being sworn in)

[RabidBartender]

Statement by the Founder:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1103363/posts

“As a conservative site, Free Republic is pro-God, pro-life, pro-family, pro-Constitution, pro-Bill of Rights, pro-gun, pro-limited government, pro-private property rights, pro-limited taxes, pro-capitalism, pro-national defense, pro-freedom, and-pro America. We oppose all forms of liberalism, socialism, fascism, pacifism, totalitarianism, anarchism, government enforced atheism, abortionism, feminism, homosexualism, racism, wacko environmentalism, judicial activism, etc. We also oppose the United Nations or any other world government body that may attempt to impose its will or rule over our sovereign nation and sovereign people. We believe in defending our borders, our constitution and our national sovereignty.”

[Swordfished]

Yes indeed - I am surprised people can’t disagree with him and still respect the man.

the abortion issue brings out reasoned and polite dialogue such as 'babykiller' and 'murderer'.

people like to call names hiding behind the internet.

[cdcdawg]

even worse than being “pro choice,” Rudy is pro Roe v. Wade. That is indefensible on legal and intellectual grounds. That leaves only ideology. It means he believes that the Supreme Court can usurp power from the democratically elected branches and the states, as long as it serves the right ideology. Roe is about power. Yeah, I’ll vote for him if it’s him against Hillary or Obama. I hope it doesn’t come to that.

[Victoria Delsoul]

If all my eggs were in the pro life basket, I would be worried too.

That's why you might want to keep some with you, for when you decide to have children.

[HitmanLV]

Keep an eye on those eggs! :-)

[PhilDragoo]

"The Legislature of South Carolina should make its decision about that," he said.

Rudy is the states' rights candidate.

[George W. Bush]

"He's toast," said Clemson University political scientist Dave Woodard. "I think it's going to be really hard for him to overcome this in South Carolina."

No, he's evil and repulsive. He is campaigning to compel us to fund the Left's war upon the unborn children of the poor and minorities.

Just read some of the Sangeresque and essentially eugenic arguments his supporters here at FR post about how the hordes of illiterate and undesirable poor (especially minorities) will overrun the country and vote us into a full Marxist state if abortion is not used to cull them.

It's just repulsive. I'm not sure just how much of this kind of 'free speech' a pro-life forum like FR should be expected to provide.

[George W. Bush]

Sorry, I don't respect a guy who tried to con social conservatives that he would appoint strict constructionists that would overturn Roe v. Wade, but then more recently so loosely defined strict constructionism as to have no real meaning and no impact towards Roe v. Wade.

But while waiting for him to appoint those judges who may (or may not, who really cares) overturn Roe, enjoy some nice taxpayer-funded abortions instead.

He campaigns like a Gelgameck Republican.

[George W. Bush]

President? Yes. Pope? Probably not.

He cannot receive communion in his church.

He and his current cohabitor misbehaved so badly in previous marriages that they could not be married in their church.

Are you sure you want to discuss his religious standing as a mark of his character?