Posted on 04/28/2007 3:29:01 AM PDT by Man50D
Presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani has made a sharp departure from his previously stated stance on civil unions and has spoken out in opposition to a civil union law passed by the New Hampshire state Senate.
"Mayor Giuliani believes marriage is between one man and one woman. Domestic partnerships are the appropriate way to ensure that people are treated fairly," the Giuliani campaign said Thursday in a written response to a question from the New York Sun.
"In this specific case the law states same sex civil unions are the equivalent of marriage and recognizes same sex unions from outside states. This goes too far and Mayor Giuliani does not support it."
The New Hampshire law is titled, "An act permitting same gender couples to enter civil unions and have the same rights, responsibilities, and obligations as married couples."
Previously Giuliani had made no secret of his support for civil unions. In February 2004, he told Fox News Bill O'Reilly, when asked if he supported gay marriage, "I'm in favor of . . . civil unions."
And in 1998, then-New York City Mayor Giuliani signed into law a domestic partnership bill that a gay rights group, the Empire State Pride Agenda, praised as setting "a new national benchmark for domestic partner recognition."
Regarding Giulianis change of position, the Sun observed: "Despite Mr. Giuliani's long history of supporting gay rights or rather, because of it yesterday's statement is likely to lead many to question whether the former mayor is concerned that his socially liberal record and positions aren't flying in the Republican primary. While he still holds a commanding lead in the national polls, he has taken a hit over the last month or so after reiterating his support for the public funding of abortion.
Among other leading presidential candidates, Mitt Romney opposes the New Hampshire measure; Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards support it; and John McCain has taken no position, saying the civil unions issue is a matter of states rights.
Rudy can feel Fred breathing down the back of his neck.
What's the difference?
Well, to begin with, marriage is a sacrament. A partnership agreement is a legal contract. Any two or more people can enter into a legal contract. Only one man and one woman can enter into a marriage.
Domestic partnership ceremonies are frequently staged in leftwing churches.
After the 1979 death of Harvey Milk in San Francisco, gay rights activist Tom Brougham came up with a definition of domestic partnership that is now universally used, and was designed to include everything about marriage except sexual orientation.
http://www.answers.com/topic/domestic-partnership
Part of Giuliani’s claim for office is authenticity. If he loses this, he loses the office. Civil unions are so widely accepted it is hard to oppose them with any hope of success. Marriage unions, contrarily, are so widely unaccepted that is hard to support them with any hope of success.
Rudy, watch out! Don’t try to please all at all times. What results is only tepid, self interest. Some determined, social conservatives won’t vote for you in the primary but will have to face a difficult choice in the general election.
As far as compromise goes, America has genius for it. The only time we didn’t is the Civil War—700,000 died.
I will never support some pro-perversion, pro-abortion, pro-socialist—ever. Go ahead appeasers, see where it gets you. Oh, but wait, he’s a “lesser of two evils”! How many times have we heard that? I’m sure I’ll be flamed because by not supporting the wishy-washy one, Hitlery will be elected. She may very well be elected, after all, she seems to be the “annointed one”, the queen, the march towards a new form of Communism continues unabated, it’s mind-boggling. But we have seen this before in history.
And history has taught us, if we care to observe, that a “lesser of two evils” ALWAYS takes one further into evil, perhaps more slowly but the destination is the same. Wake up folks.
We have no real leaders rising yet. They all thrash around trying to appease every faction and that won’t work. True leadership is when someone actually BELIEVES in something, stands by those beliefs, acts on them, articulates them and does not compromise on his/her core beliefs. Oh, compromises are okay on peripheral issues but not core beliefs IMHO.
For one thing, there can be no sex between two people of the same gender. Mutual masturbating is possible but not the sexual act itself.
“Mayor Giuliani believes marriage is between one man and one woman at any one time.
I fully expected Giuliani to modify some of his positions on social issues, as he moves from the New York stage to the national political scene. Rather than being “shocked and appalled” by his sudden “flip-flopping,” I see this as good sense. New York is not America. What worked as mayor of NYC only goes so far for the rest of the country.
It’s still very early in the race. Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich have yet to even declare. Many miles to go. I like Rudy. I look forward to evaluating him side-by-side with the other Republican choices once debates commence.
I think Giuliani will be competitive all the way, particularly with some of the larger, bluer states moving their primaries up.
False. Giuliani is an notorious adulterer who promoted "domestic patnerships", i.e. gay marriage.
I expected him to lie like a cheap rug too.
A statement like this one, begs the question, how do YOU benefit from this arrangement? Blackbird.
I disagree.
He wants moderates to vote for him, but this kind of naked pandering just leaves him looking like every other pandering politician.
Thanks, Liz, for your eye-opening Rooty posts!
One man’s pandering is another man’s pleasure. Some people will never vote for Giuliani no matter what he says or does. Fine. FReepers tend to be hard-core political junkies; a significant portion of the electorate pays little attention until the last minute, and resides somewhere between fire-breathing constitutionalist and knee-jerk leftist tool. Rudy has a good chance of attracting the support of this “middle.”
I am very conservative, but I am considering Giuliani for two reasons: 1) I think he’s a strong leader who gets the GWOT, and 2) the Dims must be stopped at all costs.
I’d prefer Reagan, or Teddy Roosevelt. But they’re unavailable in ‘08. I’ll look at Fred Thompson, if he gets in. But of the declared Republican candidates, Rudy is high on my list. I think Duncan Hunter and Sam Brownback - both good men - are non-starters at this point.
Later pingout.
You’re very welcome.
Pathetic loser.
Here's the litmus test: Will anyone be unwillingly forced to recognize any aspect of this relationship?
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