Posted on 05/13/2007 1:13:20 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani says he feels "very, very passionate" about abortion and opposes picking Supreme Court nominees based on their view of the ruling that legalized abortion.
"My view is that there shouldn't be a litmus test on Roe against Wade," the former New York City mayor said. "I'm going to select strict constructionist judges. They're free to take a look at Roe against Wade, take a look at the limitations, but I believe I should leave it to them to decide that."
Giuliani repeatedly has defended his positions, which have been criticized as contradictory, on late-term abortion, public funding for abortions and the Roe v. Wade decision.
"I'm very, very passionate about the issue of abortion," he said. "I oppose it. That's a principle I've held forever, and I'll hold it forever. That's not going to change. But I also believe that in a society like ours, where people have very, very different consciences about this, it's best to respect each others' differences and allow for choice."
For GOP conservatives who could determine the outcome in the primaries, opposition to abortion has been a litmus test. Giuliani's support for abortion rights has drawn criticism from some in the party.
One president rival, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, has drawn complaints for his switch from supporting abortion rights to opposing the procedure. Another GOP rival, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, has said that an abortion-rights Republican would have trouble winning the nomination.
Giuliani's interview on "Fox New Sunday" was broadcast Sunday.
Its typical that candidates vying for the GOP Presidential spot have to run to the right during the primaries and towards the center or slightly left in the General to convince the independents that they are centrists (and not “rightwingers”). Guliani seems to be running to the center or to the left as if he already has the GOP nomination.
I wonder if a scorned Guliani would make a run as an independent to sink the GOP in this election?
I gather that you will not be supporting Rudy. :) Perhaps, some other small town, cottage industry unknown? Somebody who says everything you believe and want said, but somebody who hasn’t a chance in a million of either winning a primary or becoming a national candidate. Not too long ago, we all saw what happened when a popular nobody (Ross Perot) won the votes of the ‘popular dissaffected.’—Bill Clinton, the second worst president in American history, was elected over a competent leader, and the country took a security nose-dive like it had never seen before! All of the mindsets, convictions and determinations that set that stage seem to be in place again. I, for one, do not want another four or eight years of Clinton, even if that means that I have to make some painful compromises along the way. Other conservatives would be wise to consider the same.
Yes, but he wants the support of both conservatives and liberals to help guarantee his achievement in personal gain as a candidate.
Thus, He's a wishy washy, riding the fence, "log cabin, liberal anointed, go get 'em" (whatever, increases his chances) political icon of virtue...
Perhaps thats why he has been married so many times.
Okay here is the deal...
I am for abortion but I am against it. I am for the womans right to choose to kill her baby but I would never do it. I am against abortion. I won’t stand in the way of someone who wants to kill their child...but I would certainly never kill my child. I was for it before I was against it. Yes...sure I gave some money to Planned Parenthood. That doesn’t mean I am against abortion...err wait I mean that doesn’t mean I am for abortion. Where was I again??? Oh yeah...I am against but for abortion.
There that should settle it. Can we move on from this issue now? I am pro-lifechoice
LOL This guy is OUT of the race.
He keeps saying this like it makes any sense. It is obvious from answers like this that Giuliani, like any other liberal, is a moral relativist. He has no sense of right and wrong. That's why he aways defers to what a court says about something, like Roe v. Wade, not whether it is right or wrong. He can't see a difference between good and evil because he can't comprehend either. This makes for a very dangerous person in the White House. Very...
And achieve the same?
Wow, your vision is enlightening...
With all due respect, perhaps you should refrain from concentrating so hard on the anti-Rudy positions here at FR and try to find a true conservative candidate that you will eventually be able to support. It is early, debates have just begun, and it is quite possible that all of the candidates are not "in" yet ... so it is not unreasonable that you don't have a favorite yet. If Rudy is your favorite up until now, I respectfully suggest that you review your core values, what they mean to you, and how Rudy meshes with those.
"Somehow, a lot of good folks here think that, by denying Rudy, they are preserving the republic they believe in. But quite the opposite could be true."
Rudy Guiliani does nothing ... absolutely nothing ... to advance the causes of conservatism. Supporting Rudy will not create an environment where conservatism will thrive and become stronger. If you can explain to me how supporting a true conservative candidate (not Rudy, obviously) will tend to destroy the Republic, please take the time to do so and I will listen.
"Look, you and I probably have many conservative views in common and, perhaps, we both might prefer a candidate with clearer conservative positions on several issues..."
I'm sure that there are views that we share, but I do not prefer a candidate who is more conservative than Rudy ... I demand one ... and there are a couple to choose from.
"... given the circumstances of national politics, both of us may have to make smart compromises for the good and the security of our country."
There are core values and beliefs that I feel so strongly about that I will not compromise them for the sake of winning an election. Period. We have survived bad government before and probably will again. But political ground compromised is rarely regained. Think about that.
You full of it troll. Abortion is ONE item is a looooong list of anti conservative principles that we "Here on freerepublic", hold against that mutt. And dam straight we have our thinking caps on, it's you Rudy Trolls who DON'T.
As to sweeping away "our constitutional rights in a heartbeat", that is how Rooty 'Rules'. He holds the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the rule of law in utter contempt. FYI, NYC is till paying millions to people who Rooty trampled over like peasants.
[Jim, Rooty Troll cleanup needed in aisle seven.]
Oh, but the man himself states that it's a "litmus" test for the judge's.
I see a pattern in his talk and am NOT impressed in the least by his speak.
He's up there with the King of "to me come from me" John Kerry.
Continental Soldier, eh?
Sure glad not too many with your defeatist attitude were with General Washington.
It's an annoying issue that needs to be stifled at ANY cost to a promoter of one's political drive who is willing to use his country as collateral to achieve his goals. /s
This is why I’ll never vote for him: This is a States Rights issue, not a Federal matter.this should be under the sole control of the States.
A salient observation -- how many of the 8 Dwarfs among the DUmmie cadre are pro-life?
Here on freerepublic, where abortion an absurdly sycophantic fealty to Rudy is the only real issue facing America and the world, many have decided that any choice but Rudy in that matter is anathema to them. And, consequently, have decided that anyone but Rudy must be defeated, even though that might give a victory to Hillary, as though he were the only candidate in the race, eight months before the first primary.
It’s simple, Rudy has decided that social conservatives just don’t matter anymore. It’s up to us to show him how very, very wrong he is.
Has Rudy commented on the Pope’s recent abortion statements? After all, he says he is Catholic.
Bush 41 lost all by himself. Competent is not dynamic and principled.
America needed a Reagan on steroids successor not the poster boy for "Great American Moderates".
Can you name one single thing that Rudy would have done differently from the Clintons?
I gather that you haven't figured out that you are wasting our time with your continued attempts to sell Rudy as a GOP candidate "because he can win". His falling polls give us a good indication that your cross-dressing "man" is in serious trouble. Abortion is only one reason to oppose him, among many reasons.
One has only to see the reactions Rooty is getting at his latest campaign stops. Rooty is sweating from all the lying and spinning he has been doing. His latest attempt to come out a admit he has always been Pro Abort is just the last straw and proof he has been lying all along.
At the same time, Barack Obama has come out and said he has always been a little conservative.
What does this mean?
Maybe it means that he thinks if the GOP runs a liberal such as Rooty, he might be able to spin some conservatives his way.
Obama could never spin me, but neither could Rooty.
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