Giuliani says repeal of abortion law would be "OK" (I Feel Lots Better Now)

Boston Globe ^ | 5/4/07

[Mr. Brightside]

Giuliani says repeal of abortion law would be "OK"

(REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson)

May 4, 2007

SIMI VALLEY, California (Reuters) - To Sam Brownback, it would be "a glorious day," and to Tom Tancredo the "greatest day in this country's history." For Rudolph Giuliani, repeal of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion "would be OK."

"It would be OK to repeal," said Giuliani, New York's former mayor, contending with his record of support for abortion rights as he courts conservative Republicans.

"I think the court has to make that decision and then the country can deal with it. We're a federalist system of government and states can make their own decisions," said Giuliani, who leads Republicans in the polls.

[Mr. Brightside]

Transcript:

MR. GIULIANI: It would be okay.

MR. MATTHEWS: Okay to repeal?

MR. GIULIANI: It would be okay to repeal. Or it would be okay also if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as precedent, and I think a judge has to make that decision.

MR. MATTHEWS: Would it be okay if they didn’t repeal it?

MR. GIULIANI: I think that—I think the court has to make that decision, and then the country can deal with it. We’re a federalist system of government, and states could make their own decisions.

A short time later, he got a chance to add to his answer:

MR. MATTHEWS: Let me get back to Governor—Mayor Giuliani because I want to give you a chance on this. You became very well known for standing up against the use of public funds for what many people considered indecent exhibits at the Brooklyn Museum and places like that.

Why do you support the use of public funds for abortion?

MR. GIULIANI: I don’t. I support the Hyde amendment. I hate abortion. I wish people didn’t have abortions.

MR. MATTHEWS: So you’re not for funding at all?

MR. GIULIANI: I believe that the Hyde amendment should remain the law. States should make their decision. Some states decide to do it, most states decide not to do it. And I think that’s the appropriate way to have this decided.

MR. MATTHEWS: Should New York—when you were mayor of New York, should they have been paying for—the state should have been paying for— MR. GIULIANI: That’s a decision New York made a long time ago, and New York— MR. MATTHEWS: And where were you on that?

MR. GIULIANI: I supported it in New York. But I think in other places, people can come to a different decision.

MR. MATTHEWS: Thank you.

And later, still more, starting with a Romney answer:

MR. VANDEHEI: Governor Romney, you said that being a pro-life president entails more than just appointing strict constructionist judges. A Politico.com reader wants to know what you meant by that, and whether that was directed specifically at Mayor Giuliani.

MR. ROMNEY: It’s directed at anybody who’s not pro-life. And I have had the opportunity of serving as a governor and finding that while the courts were making decisions that affected abortion, it’s really upon the legislature and the governor to have an impact as well. And so you can fight, for instance, to make sure that partial- birth abortion is made illegal. You can fight to have information given to women who are thinking about having an abortion. You can fight to make sure that there’s opportunities for people to express their views on this topic openly and near abortion clinics. You can fight for the opportunity to go out and campaign for the rights of those that care about this issue to be heard before Election Day, and the McCain-Feingold law prevents that from happening.

MR. MATTHEWS: That’s time, Governor. … Let me ask Mayor Giuliani, do you want to respond to this? Because it seems like across the room here there’s strong, unrelenting—with the exception of Governor Gilmore—an unrelenting pro-life position. You seem to have a nuanced position on this. Many people think you’re pro-choice. Could you define it in a couple of seconds?

MR. GIULIANI: Sure. This is a very, very difficult issue of conscience for many, many people. In my case, I hate abortion. I would encourage someone to not take that option. When I was mayor of New York city, I encouraged adoptions; adoptions went up 65-70 percent, abortions went down 16 percent.

But ultimately, since it is an issue of conscience, I would respect a woman’s right to make a different choice. I support the ban on partial-birth abortion, I support the Hyde amendment, but ultimately I think when you come down to that choice, you have to respect a woman’s right to make that choice differently than my conscience.

[colorado tanker]

Rudy’s worst moment of the evening, IMHO. How can a politico just be indifferent about Roe v. Wade? At least he came out for the Hyde Amendment - a few weeks ago I thought he opposed that too.

[#1CTYankee]

This guy talks out of both sides of his a__

Gee, I thought Romney was a flip flopper.

Tell me Rudy, have you been taking lessons from Bill Clinton? (That depends on what you mean the word is, is?)

[Spiff]

"I think the court has to make that decision and then the country can deal with it. We're a federalist system of government and states can make their own decisions," said Giuliani, who leads Republicans in the polls.

So, would liberal Rudy say the same thing about slavery? Should the states have been able to make their own decisions about whether human beings could be held as property or not?

[samadams2000]

And to think Jim got all worked up over this **SuperStar Conservative***!!??

[Kevmo]

I support the ban on partial-birth abortion
***I just don’t see how someone can flipflop on this particular issue. He’s pandering.

Will the real Rudy show up at CPAC? On Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM

Partial Transcript:

Will the real Rudy show up at CPAC?

Culture of life:

ABC clip:

George Will: “Do you think Roe v Wade was good constitutional law?”

Rudy Giuliani: “Yes I believe, I believe it is.”

Cnn Clip December 2, 1999:

Announcer: “Giuliani was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial birth abortions, something Bush strongly supports.”

Rudy Giuliani : “No, I have not supported that, and I don’t see my position on that changing.”

[nonsporting]

...but ultimately I think when you come down to that choice, you have to respect a woman’s right to make that choice differently than my conscience.

He's against it, but for it ("pro-choice").

He sounds like Hillary.

[conservative blonde]

Just wait, maybe next week Julie Annie will oppose the Hyde amendment too. With him you need a score card to follow the plays.

[Congressman Billybob]

I agree this was a damaging statement. But I find it very interesting that his legal position is IDENTICAL to the last position on the subject of abortion that Chief Justice Rehnquist wrote, before he died with his boots on.

That Chrissie Matthews didn't recognize the source of this position is no surprise. But that NO reporter anywhere in the nation who has written on this statement, knows the source, is appalling.

John / Billybob

[stephenjohnbanker]

BUMP

[George W. Bush]

MR. GIULIANI: Sure. This is a very, very difficult issue of conscience for many, many people.

Generally, it's only difficult for the seared consciences of hardened NARAL Champions Of Choice™ who advocate the murder of millions of the unborn, not even excepting his own grandchildren.

Me, my conscience is fine with being pro-life and I sleep well at night. Because I don't advocate killing the helpless unborn and I do not have to dread God's judgment on that matter. These NARAL Champions Of Choice™ have much more to keep them awake.

Psalms 106 (KJV)

³⁷Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
³⁸And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
³⁹Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

[George W. Bush]

But I find it very interesting that his legal position is IDENTICAL to the last position on the subject of abortion that Chief Justice Rehnquist wrote, before he died with his boots on.

I would hope you're not suggesting Justice Rehnquist, a true champion of life, is to be compared with the waffling supporter of taxpayer-funded abortion like the leftwing mayor.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

These statements are railroad spikes in Rudy’s coffin, IMO.

[Ken H]

MR. GIULIANI: It would be okay to repeal. Or it would be okay also if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as precedent, and I think a judge has to make that decision.

Why would a strict constructionist view Roe v Wade as precedent and vote to uphold?

Is Rudy saying a strict constructionist would adhere to stare decisis?

The more I see this guy, the slimier he looks.

[Congressman Billybob]

As a constitutional lawyer, I read Chief Justice Rehnquist’s final legal opinion of his long, distinguished career on the subject of abortion. The simple truth is that Giulliani’s reference to a possible conclusion of the “strict constructionist” Justice actually applies to Rehnquist.

I am drawing no conclusions about Rehnquist to Giulliani as politicians, human beings, or whatever. I AM saying, correctly, that Rudy’s final statement is exactly the same as the CJ’s final opinion.

Any reporter who wanted to do his homework, could readily establish that point. Reporter? Doing his/her homework? Sorry I mentioned it,

John / Billybob

John / Billybob

[dforest]

We have been living with it for a long time, Rooty. If the best you can do is that the repeal of it would be “okay”, thats just not good enough, you have went as far out on the limb as to say the taxpayers should also be forced to pay for what we do not believe in.

The Federal government never had any reason to involve themselves in this issue in the the first place, as you well know. However you have been willing and supportive of it.

Too late Rooty, we know what you are all about!

[George W. Bush]

I am drawing no conclusions about Rehnquist to Giulliani as politicians, human beings, or whatever. I AM saying, correctly, that Rudy’s final statement is exactly the same as the CJ’s final opinion.

Well, then I would agree in the same sense that Rehnquist saying "Good morning" to Justice Ginsberg would be functionally identical to Adolf Hitler saying "Good morning" to a Jew during the era of the Third Reich.

There is such a thing as context and personal history to consider, yah?

[NavyCanDo]

I would of liked one of them to highlight Mathews ignorance by coming back at him telling him you cannot “repeal” a Supreme Court decision. A Legislative body cannot do that, you have to have the Supreme Court to “overturn” its previous decision.

[mkjessup]

Looks like Rudy's moral compass is doing what it always does:

[NavyCanDo]

You would of thought that during coaching before the debate Rudy would of been prepared for the abortion question, and come back with a snappy answer. I swear he was about to break into a heavy sweat when the question got to him.