I think that the Pro-Life issue is wrongly being looked at as a "litmus" test. It should be looked at as an "intelligence" test!
Any Republican candidate that is not Pro-life is merely a politician and not a leader. Based upon the known facts available on abortion, it takes someone with leadership and intelligence to stand up to the pro-aborts. Because it is a "Life and Death" issue to a small percentage of the conservatives they will vote for a Pro-Life candidate from a third party over a "Pro-Mothers-Choice" candidate (Guiliani) without a doubt. That small percentage will be enough to give the vote to another Bill Clinton.
My guess is that the issue would split the vote.
I'm with you all the way. That's exactly what I was thinking, too. It' sad, because I want to like Guiliani, yet I know deep in my heart that if I voted for him I'd suffer the same anguish I did after voting for Perot.
Part of me knows that it will take a mountain to move the masses on this very vital issue. Part of me wants for it not to split the party even as I expect it will.