Another Thought on Rudy & Abortion

National Review ^ | 4/6/07 | David Frum

[areafiftyone]

May I suggest to my prolife friends that they are looking up a blind alley when they argue over the real inner views of the candidates with respect to abortion?

The single most important question pro-life Republicans need to ask themselves is this:

What kind of judges and justices would the various candidates nominate, given the likelihood that they will face a Democratic majority Senate? To my mind, this is less a question about abortion than it is a question about congressional relations.

Let's stipulate that John McCain is a sincere, principled opponent of abortion. Do we think he's likely to nominate a justice like Samuel Alito in the face of quiet warnings from his good friends Ted Kennedy and John Biden? Or do we think that McCain's habits of senatorial comity will trump his pro-life convictions? My guess: the latter.

Now let's stipulate that Rudy Giuliani would personally prefer to see Roe v. Wade remain the law of the land. Still, for his own reasons - national security, executive authority - he prefers judges like Alito, who incidentally disagree with him on Roe. Do you think he's likely to be scared off his choice by growlings from the Senate?

[areafiftyone]

(((((RUDY PING)))))

[pissant]

Too late Frum. The good ship Rudy is taking on water, fast.

[The Blitherer]

To my mind, this is less a question about abortion than it is a question about congressional relations.

Nope, it's a question of conviction and whether or not a President has the conviction to nominate judges in the face of enormous opposition to further a cause he doesn't really believe in.

[Luke21]

Rudy is not trustworthy. His core views are liberal. His personal morality is non-existent. He is another Clinton. He calls us “right wingers” derisively, while holding court with the press. That’s McCain stuff.

Rudy is not going to be our nominee.

[flashbunny]

"What kind of judges and justices would the various candidates nominate, given the likelihood that they will face a Democratic majority Senate?"

Rudy has already indicated what kind of judges he would nominate (quote thanks to Jim Robinson)

[areafiftyone]

The good ship Rudy is taking on water, fast.

Maybe in your eye but not in reality.

[admiralsn]

He SAYS he will appoint an Alito or Scalia, but then affirms his support of using MY money to perform abortions. I have a real problem with that. I'd rather a Fred Thompson or a Duncan Hunter, not a John McCain, to appoint judges to the bench.

[areafiftyone]

Rudy is not going to be our nominee

Yea that's what you will be saying when Rudy takes the oath of office!

[stillonaroll]

What kind of judges and justices would the various candidates nominate, given the likelihood that they will face a Democratic majority Senate? To my mind, this is less a question about abortion than it is a question about congressional relations.

Clarence Thomas was confirmed by a DemonRat Senate with a larger majority than the current senate. Scalia was 98-0.

[flashbunny]

Rudy Rationalization.

[California Patriot]

Frum is right with his comment about judicial appointments. If Rudy wanted a conservative justice, he would nominate one. McCain, as Frum suggests, would bow to the wishes of Ted Kennedy and not nominate a conservative — he has a history of this kind of thing. Rudy is conservative on enough issues that he would want conservative courts. However, Frum ignores the full significance of Rudy’s recent comments on abortion. I’m OK with a “pro-choice” president. I’m not OK with a president who is so ignorant of the Constitution that he thinks abortion is, in fact, a “constitutional right” — that Roe was a correct decision. I’m even more disturbed by the idea, voiced by Rudy, that if there is a constitutional right, we must subsidize the availability of that right to poor people. That is big government, and it is a strong clue to Rudy’s likely actions and positions on a wide range of issues.

[pissant]

His trends are down, and will continue. You should be happy not to have to shill for a lib and hop on board with one of the conservatives. :o)

[areafiftyone]

And do you think with a Democrat congress that Duncan Hunter or Fred Thompson will be able to convince them that those kind of justices should be on the bench? FAT CHANCE the Democrats will listen to them!

[AppyPappy]

He’s Clinton-lite. That’s why he’ll never make it.

[narses]

This is a partial transcript from "Hannity & Colmes," July 20, 2005...

COLMES: Now, on abortion — now, you are pro-choice, right?

GIULIANI: Yes.

COLMES: You're a pro-choice Republican.

GIULIANI: I am.

~snip~

COLMES: Now, Roe vs. Wade -- You are pro-choice. How important is it to you as a pro-choice Republican to have a pro-choice on the court as someone...

GIULIANI: That is not the critical factor. And what's important to me is to have a very intelligent, very honest, very good lawyer on the court. And he fits that category, in the same way Justice Ginsburg fit that category.

I mean, she was — she maybe came at it from a very different political background, very qualified lawyer, very smart person.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/04/giuliani.interview/

Giuliani told Bash that "a strict constructionist judge can come to either conclusion about Roe against Wade. They can look at it and say, 'Wrongly decided. ... We will overturn it.' They can look at it and say, 'It has been the law for this period of time, therefore we are going to respect the precedent.'

[areafiftyone]

You should be happy not to have to shill for a lib and hop on board with one of the conservatives.

I am quite happy with Rudy thank you!

[pangaea6]

Well it seems the next couple of justices to go could be Ruthie and Harry. If the next president would nominate good justices and they were turned down by the Senate it would stand to reason we’d still have a majority on the court right? So who cares about Senate control I guess if we get a good pres i.e. Fred Thompson.

[narses]

While he was the “Republican Mayor” of New York City he appointed more than 60 men and women to the Civil, Criminal, and Family Court benchs. In all of those judicial appointment only two were Republican.

All of his other judical appointments were either registered Liberals or registered Democrats. As the “Republican Mayor” he had appointment power over more than 70 full commissioners in more than 50 City agencies, yet at no time during his administration did REPUBLICANS account for more than 10% of those appointments.

He even appointed Chuck Schumers wife as the City’s Department of Transportation Commissioner.

[Vaquero]

RUDY: ...someday I want to be able to get an abortion if I want...without fear of reprisal from gun toting bloggers.