The Lightning Wasn't for Rudy

RealClearPolitics ^ | June 12, 2007 | Froma Harrop

[Alex Murphy]

About that bolt of lightning that missed Rudy Giuliani last week: Frankly, Rudy would not have been my first choice for divine retribution on that Republican stage. Was the crackle -- which stopped the former New York mayor from fully responding to a Rhode Island bishop's highly personal criticism of his pro-choice views -- really meant for him? One doubts it. Messages from above tend to get delivered.

Giuliani laughed it off, and that is the political message. Like Giuliani, many Catholics say they personally oppose abortion, but don't want to outlaw it. Poll after poll, test case after test case confirms this.

Nonetheless, the political media still get very excited whenever church authorities single out pro-choice Catholic candidates for special scorn. In the 2004 presidential election, 12 bishops called for denying communion to John Kerry, a Catholic and pro-choice Democrat.

Of the nine Republican presidential candidates gathered under New Hampshire's unsettled skies, only Giuliani was asked to explain himself on abortion. CNN's Wolf Blitzer referred to an article by Bishop Thomas Tobin in the Rhode Island Catholic that compared America's Mayor to Pontius Pilate. Tobin wrote, "I can just hear Pilate saying, 'You know, I'm personally opposed to crucifixion but I don't want to impose my belief on others.'"

A few days later, Tobin went after Rhode Island Rep. James Langevin -- a Catholic and one of the few anti-abortion Democrats in the House -- for his vote to expand federal support for embryonic stem-cell research.

Does the church leaders' censure deprive these candidates of many Catholic votes? History suggests it does not -- and for examples, one needs look no further than Tobin's own state.

Rhode Island has the highest percentage of Catholics in the nation....

[Paperdoll]

I am a Christian, but not a Catholic, and I don’t doubt for a minute that God had a direct line to Giuliani on June 5.

[madprof98]

Republicans have long assumed that their supposedly "pro-life" positions would permanently peel away Catholics, especially white Catholics, from their Democratic traditions. But as noted, many Catholics don't fret that much over abortion and may care more about workers' rights, the environment and social programs.

Pro-"choice" Catholics (which also should go in quotes, I guess) are NOT worrying about "workers' rights, the environment and social programs." They are worried that their girlfriends or their daughters might get knocked up, and they don't want to have to support their unwanted progeny. People like that are Rudy Giuliani's natural constituency. They may even be a majority in this country, but that sure doesn't make them socially conscious.

[trisham]

Was the crackle -- which stopped the former New York mayor from fully responding to a Rhode Island bishop's highly personal criticism of his pro-choice views -- really meant for him? One doubts it. Messages from above tend to get delivered.

***************

The message was sent. It was not accepted, to Giuliani's loss.

[markomalley]

I am a Christian, but not a Catholic, and I don’t doubt for a minute that God had a direct line to Giuliani on June 5.

IMHO, and YMMV, had God drawn a bead on Rudy, he wouldn't have missed.

[Paperdoll]

LOL! I doubt God would shoot to kill, in front of Wolf Blitzer and everybody.

[Between the Lines]

He fills his hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its mark.- Job 36:32

[siunevada]

Like Giuliani, many Catholics say they personally oppose abortion, but don't want to outlaw it. Poll after poll, test case after test case confirms this.

So, we know we are not sanctioning the elimination of an innocent person, right? Or have we neglected to think this all the way through?

Because if it was a person that would be unconscionable.