Rudy's Wreck: Abortion Flap Fuels Free Fall - Takes Big Hit In N.H. Poll

wcbstv.com ^ | May 11, 2007 | Marcia Kramer

[Jim Robinson]

(CBS) NEW YORK Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign is beginning to stumble.

A new poll in New Hampshire shows Giuliani losing ground to Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor is now ahead with 32 percent -- a jump of 11 points since January.

This comes as Giuliani is in a political and religious squeeze over his stance on abortion.

New Yorkers appear split down the middle on whether the Catholic Church's stance matters. Parishioners at St. Monica's Catholic Church on East 79th Street -- the parish where Giuliani married second wife Donna Hanover --are debating a move by their monsignor that could hurt the former mayor's presidential campaign. The pastor of St. Monica's says he would never give Giuliani Holy Communion at the church because of his public stance on abortion is against church teachings.

"I don't think it's for him to judge Giuliani's personal decisions," one person said.

But others think differently.

"I agree with it. I do until he repents," one person said.

Added another: "There's no way for any Catholic to accept abortion. That's killing a baby's life."

Giuliani can't take communion anyway because he never got a church annulment of his marriage to Hanover, but the abortion flap has bogged down his campaign for over a week.

"Abortion is wrong personally, but I believe there has to be a right of choice," Giuliani said Friday from Houston.

Church criticism over his support of a woman's right to get an abortion and the unease of some that he also says he's personally against the practice, forced Giuliani to go on the offensive Friday.

"Where are the areas where we can agree?" he asked.

With conservative Romney starting to surge in the polls, Giuliani is telling conservatives to look past his position on abortion.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

... but... but... but it's inevitable that he end up the Republican nominee in 2008, Jim! All the really cool kids online have already SAID so, for God's sake!

[elizabetty]

I am not altogether sure partaking in communion is of extreme importance to Rudy.

He is about a good a Catholic as he is husband, father, Mayor, etc.

[decal]

“Giuliani is telling conservatives to look past his position on abortion...”

“...and gun control, and government spending, and energy policy, and...” Aw, you fill in the blanks.

He’s becoming the Dave Winfield of the nomination contest - “Mr May.”

[2ndDivisionVet]

This just means that Fred Thompson will be our standard-bearer next year. Great news!!

---

Fred Thompson/John Bolton 2008

[omnivore]

"...I believe there has to be a right of choice," Giuliani said, "except when it comes to guns, then the state gets to make the choice for you, you have no choice there."

Put the jelly on him, he's toast.

[rogernz]

haha!
that would be awesome!!

[dawn53]

He seems to have been able to lose the “trifecta” in a sweeping blow...his stand on guns, gays, and abortion. At this point , his ratings will fall like a rock.

[YaYa123]

"He is about a good a Catholic as he is husband, father, Mayor, etc."

I'm not about to pronounce an opinion on Guiliani's Catholic "goodness" or his parenting skills, and I do not support him for president. But I think this article is a CBS hit piece on Rudy, designed to tear him down in order to help Hillary. He's in for more of the same, he's given Hillary's MSM minions tons of ammo to use against him, but I'm not going to be overly influenced by a CBS attack.

One glaring example in this piece is the writer jumping on the "Get Guiliani, Help Hillary" bandwagon because his law firm represented oxycontin's manufacturer.

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/05/12/biz/news01.txt

Even "evil" pharmaceutical companies deserve legal representation.

And here, the CBS writer is just blowing smoke:

"Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign is beginning to stumble"

"New Yorkers appear split down the middle on whether the Catholic Church's stance matters"

[Joe Boucher]

I think Rudy pretty much supports our operation in Iraq.
Well that’s about it where his views converge with mine.
On abortion, guns, illegals, homosexuality, his views are 180 degrees from mine.
Vote for Rudy? I don’t think so.

[Victor]

"....Fred Thompson/John Bolton 2008...."

Nice ring to it, but i think it should be:

Fred Thompson/Duncan Hunter 2008....and John Bolton installed as Sec Gen of the UN.

[NHResident]

Actually, I am beginning to be convinced that Rudi only SOUNDS like he would act aggressively against the terrorists. In an earlier thread - if you read his statements he talks about how ‘trade’ is the way to win the war the terrorists are waging against us. He cites successes with China as an example of how open trade converts ‘enemies’ to ‘friends’. While I am a strong believer in free markets and the power of trade, I think assuming war isn’t, and can’t be waged by economic means AND that is what China and Russia are doing today. Rudy is demonstratively and aggressively amoral which puts him in directly aligned with the democrats and their leaders. He should just join their ticket and get it over with.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

I like that idea. I’d rather see Bolton as Secretary of State though. ;^)

[George W. Bush]

New Yorkers appear split down the middle on whether the Catholic Church's stance matters. Parishioners at St. Monica's Catholic Church on East 79th Street -- the parish where Giuliani married second wife Donna Hanover --are debating a move by their monsignor that could hurt the former mayor's presidential campaign. The pastor of St. Monica's says he would never give Giuliani Holy Communion at the church because of his public stance on abortion is against church teachings. "I don't think it's for him to judge Giuliani's personal decisions," one person said.

I think these Giuliani RC apologists are confused as to what Catholicism actually is. No wonder they might think that Giuliani is a Republican if they don't understand that the Catholic church is denying communion to politicians for pro-abortion stances because the pope says so. And if the doctrinally-founded opinions of the pope have no merit to these Catholics, then the pope is not the pope and Catholicism is just a quaint little sermon club. When the pope and the local bishops are all saying "if you support abortion you have excommunicated yourself" then you believe and you accept that. If you don't, then exactly how can you even be a Roman Catholic?

Maybe Black Elk can explain it to me (though I know he certainly doesn't agree with the pro-abortion Catholic element).

There is a larger Roman Catholic subtext in the Giuliani run. Will the conservative bishops and this current pope step up to the plate and finally lower the pro-life boom on these defiant CINO northeast liberal politicians? I think they might.

Church criticism over his support of a woman's right to get an abortion and the unease of some that he also says he's personally against the practice, forced Giuliani to go on the offensive Friday. "Where are the areas where we can agree?" he asked.

Uh...when you announce you're dropping out because you realized that your mother was right and that you're not a Republican?

[George W. Bush]

One glaring example in this piece is the writer jumping on the "Get Guiliani, Help Hillary" bandwagon because his law firm represented oxycontin's manufacturer.

And his legal team is still defending the accused child-molester priest who Giuliani hired to work for him. That just happens to be the same priest who arranged his annulment from his cousin.

[YaYa123]

What’s the name of that priest? He needs some serious googling.

[cpforlife.org]

[cpforlife.org]

Pro-Life PING

Please FreepMail me if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.

[George W. Bush]

Monseigneur Placa, presently on leave because of persistent accusation of child-molesting. While on leave, he is working for Giuliani and is defended by his legal team.

We've had threads ( Giuliani not fit for the White House) that mention this before.

The case is ongoing. The accuser will not retract, Placa denies it.

You'd think the Rudi camp would distance themselves from a case like that.

[George W. Bush]

A link to Google's index of FR threads about Rudi and Placa:

site:freerepublic.com Giuliani Placa - Google Search