Posted on 04/24/2007 6:49:03 PM PDT by Mr. Brightside
Archives of Rudolph W. Giuliani, 107th Mayor
Opening Remarks to the N.A.R.A.L. "Champions of Choice" Lunch
The Yale Club, Thursday, April 5th, 2001
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Thank you very much for inviting me to say a few words of welcome. This event shows that people of different political parties and different political thinking can unite in support of choice. In doing so, we are upholding a distinguished tradition that began in our city starting with the work of Margaret Sanger and the movement for reproductive freedom that began in the early decades of the 20th century.
As a Republican who supports a woman's right to choose, it is particularly an honor to be here. And I would like to explain, just for one moment, why I believe being in favor of choice is consistent with the philosophy of the Republican Party. In fact, it might be more consistent with the philosophy of the Republican Party. Because the Republican Party stands for the idea that you have to restore more freedom of choice, more opportunity, more opportunity for people to make their own choices rather than the government dictating those choices. Republicans stand for lower taxation because we believe that people can make better choices with their money than the government will make for them, and that ultimately frees the economy and produces more political freedom. We believe that, yes, government is important, but that the private sector is actually more important in solving our problems.
So it is consistent with that philosophy to believe that in the most personal and difficult choices that a woman has to make with regard to a pregnancy, those choices should be made based on that person's conscience and that person's way of thinking and feeling. The government shouldn't dictate that choice by making it a crime or making it illegal.
I think that's actually a much more consistent position. Many Republicans support that position, but you don't hear that as often. For example, in a recent poll by American Viewpoint, 65 percent of Republicans supported changing the plank in the Republican platform that calls for a constitutional ban on abortion. That's 6.5 out of every 10 Republicans. And over 80 percent of Republicans believe that the decision with regard to an abortion should be made by a woman, her doctor, and her family rather than dictated by the government.
[Applause]
In any case, I just wanted you to know that many of my fellow Republicans stand with you on this issue. So I thank you, I thank NARAL for taking the lead in establishing freedom of choice for all of us, and as the Mayor of New York City, I thank you for being here in New York City.
“She beats him on intelligence”
Not sure I’d go quite that far. Shiftiness is not the same thing as intelligence.
But any so-called Republican who does not know the history of Sanger, the Birth Control League, and the American Eugenics Society isn’t going anywhere, that’s for sure.
I would assume that’s exactly what he thinks.
You damn right. The GOP is playing with fire.
Unfortunately, I think you are wrong.
No way that number is true. The national percentage of people who oppose abortion is higher than that.
Rudy could not be more abortion unless he performed them with his own hands.
I'm not a "Rudybot." But *IF* it ends up Rudy vs. Hillary, you bet I'll do anything I can to get Rudy elected.
The notion of Hillary Clinton slithering back into the White House scares the crap out of me.
Good gawd. Get this man out of the GOP and send him to a different habitable planet.
Yes, I'm beginning to see. Thanks for the heads up. Even marketing Rudy as a Republican's dream, causing untold arguing amongst ourselves, which only makes them happier and their candidate seem more attractive to their undecideds. Ugh, the idea of a Rudy-Hillary win (6 of one...) is ever more repugnant.
They want to harmonize the parties so it does not matter who wins.
A socialist's dream, perhaps? A candidate for each party, just equally socialist, win-win.
With the MSM approval of Rudy (reason enough to run the other way) and McCain's unravelling, who are our strong candidates?
65% huh Rudy....you are so full of it. The plank the republicans want removed is up your arse. You will never carry the Republican vote and you actually hurt the party with your lame bs on this subject. The best course of action is to stick with our party ideals and let the rats hang themselves with this crap. Lets sum it up, Rudy is lame on abortion, pro gun control, weak on family values (you think with your Johnson). So what do you stand for Rudy that the party will support????
Right. Even worse for Rudy, low-balling the GOP’s support for Pro-Life plank to a pro-abortion audience.
Rudy: You’re a murderous, lying FRAUD!!!!!
Abortion is MURDER!!!!!
We have another thread going on where someone posted a FIFTEEN YEAR old "pro-choice" remark that Fred Thompson made, before he was elected and served the Senate as a pro-life Republican.
I fail to see any difference in Rudy and Hillary's position on abortion... except that Rudy has called for the return of taxpayer funded abortions. Hillary has not.
If my choice is between a pig and a bitch, I’ll sit this one out.
Hmm. which one is hillary?
Why bother making sure the planet’s habitable? Maroon him on Venus for all I care.
This man is worse than some democrats, especially as he claims to be conservative. I firmly believe that it would be better to have HRC in the White House, and the GOP still knowing what it stands for.
Another reason why I will never vote for RINO Rudy. If he gets the nomination he will be by far the worst and most liberal candidate our party has run in my lifetime. If he gets it, it will be the first Presidential election in two decades that I don’t give money and volunteer in support of the Republican candidate. And it will very likely be the first ever election that I don’t vote Republican. A Rudy candidacy will mark the end of the modern conservative movement and the repudiation of everything we’ve worked decades for.
“Unfortunately, I think you are wrong.”
I swear a lot of those folks are on his staff. You could have him on tape killing adorable kittens and it wouldn’t change some of their minds. Heck he could have been the one performing abortions and some would still vote for him because “He can beat Hilary.”
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