Giuliani squandered a golden opportunity here.
He could have simply admitted he was wrong on abortion/gun control/gay marriage, maybe sheepishly stated that what's good for NYC isn't the best for the nation.
There were a lot of social conservatives - and I was one of them at the time - who was hoping that Rudy would move to the right on the social issues but without being in-your-face about them like Brownback and Huckabee is.
I agree that the GOP is relying too much on social conservatism and not enough on fiscal conservatism and limited government. Still, a fiscal conservative has to have at least some social conservatism. I, and many other conservatives, are not comfortable with a Republican who supports abortion on demand.
Rudy statements are the verbal middle finger to social conservatives and even fiscal conservatism as well, since he believes taxpayers should pay for abortions. In short, Rudy has rejected the conservative base as a whole.
His political grave is now dug and when he flames out in the GOP primaries, expect to see him "lash out" at "the extremist right" for "hijacking the primaries". Rudy is done, he is not worthy of any conservative support, not even in the general if he somehow wins the primaries.
***************
You're probably right. I do hope to see it.