The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : More on Rudy and Abortion

Text Size

More on Rudy and Abortion

By John R. Guardiano on 6.13.11 @ 8:48AM

Joseph Lawler references the Washington Post’s Jonathan Bernstein to argue that the Rudolph Giuliani presidential campaign is “doomed from the start. Why? Because he’s pro-choice.”

Only he’s really not, as I argue in a post, “Run, Rudy, Run” on the main site. In fact, quite the opposite. Practically and operationally speaking, Rudy is pro-life. He has pledged,

to appoint conservative judges who will interpret the law and not legislate from the bench. Given Roe v. Wade, this is the most important pro-life policy a president can effect; and Rudy clearly is on our side, the pro-life side.

Moreover, according to one of the commenters on my post, “The (not conservative) Guttmacher Institute reported that abortion under Giuliani decreased 18% (the national decrease was 13%), largely because of Giuliani’s adoption policy and general ‘culture of life.’”

Rudy’s purportedly “pro choice” for one reason and one reason only: for political reasons unique to far-left New York City, he said that he was pro-choice. He was running in an extremely liberal jurisdiction and, in order to win, had to pledge fealty to abortion on demand. But as practical public policy matter, a President Giuliani would be pro-life.

You can judge a man by his enemies. Rudy has made all the right enemies — in Albany and Manhattan, as well as in the liberal media.

Steven Ertelt | 6.13.11 @ 9:16AM

Come on, this doesn't even pass the straight face test.

No pro-life person in their right mind is going to trust Giuliani on abortion or appointing judges. He is, after all, the person who told pro-lifers to "get over" the issue of abortion. http://www.lifenews.com/2007/04/16/nat-3038/

On Roe, he thinks conservative judges can uphold the case that has resulted in 53 million abortions.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in July 2007, Giuliani was asked: “Roe v Wade, should it be overturned?”

Giuliani demurred, saying, “I don’t answer that because I wouldn’t want a judge to have to answer that." "I think a conservative strict constructionist judge could come to either conclusion," he added. Oh really?

This isn't just rhetoric either. Politico, for example, did a review of "the 75 judges Giuliani appointed to three of New York state’s lower courts." Politico’s analysis found that "[M]ost of Giuliani’s judicial appointments during his eight years as mayor of New York were hardly in the model of Chief Justice John Roberts or Samuel Alito — much less aggressive conservatives in the mold of Antonin Scalia."

For our purposes, no less a source than Kelli Conlin, the head of NARAL Pro-Choice New York, said of Giuliani’s appointments, "They were decent, moderate people." Hardly something the American Spectator should be applauding.

This doesn't begin to cover the Giuliani flip-flops on forcing taxpayers to pay for abortions. See http://www.lifenews.com/2007/04/05/nat-3023/

We have no idea if he would put the Mexico City Policy back in place. We don't know if he would sign bills banning abortion or Planned Parenthood funding.

In short, he can't be trusted. And in a field that already has several candidates who conservative and pro-life bonafides are already very clearly established, there's little reason for us to waste our time talk about a candidate who couldn't even attract more than a delegate among Republican voters last time. No thanks.

Cary| 6.13.11 @ 10:52AM

I think the comment above nails it. I would only underline the point that Giuliani stated that a "strict constructionist" judge could decide either way on overturning Roe. We know that if a liberal or Kennedy replacement ever comes up under a Republican President that the left will fight to the death to stop any true constructionist. Everything is at risk for them in such a situation. Why would I trust Giuliani to appoint a true constructionist given all the political pressure in such a circumstance, given that he can't even go so far to say that Roe was bad in a Republican primary and when he has demonstrated no personal conviction that abortion is morally wrong. It has been hard enough for Republicans to appoint conservatives that have held up over time when they were trying to do so. Given the above it would seem all too easy for Giuliani to propose a Kennedy like judge who would be more conservative than a liberal but would still uphold Roe.

Derek Leaberry| 6.13.11 @ 1:37PM

Guardiano writes for Frum Forum. David Frum's enemies are all to his right and I would expect his acolytes have that same hatred for social conservatives. Frum has contempt for Christianity as does Guiliani. But I suppose that Guiliani will trott out a Romney defense- I had to trim my views to my electorate.

Occam's Tool| 6.13.11 @ 3:43PM

Again, I think Rudy's pro-choice, and therefore unacceptable. What he would need to do would be to state that he will allow no federal funding for abortions and use pro-life views as a litmus test for Judge selection. Then we can take him seriously. Otherwise, (and I like Rudy in a LOT of ways) please, John, this makes as much sense as criticizing Bibi for smacking Obummmer when Obummer was acting the turd.

FLASHBACK TO: 1995

Pope Culture

By George Sim Johnston

A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck

By P.J. O'Rourke

Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
Dames at Sea

By John Corry
In the Absence of Guns

By Mark Steyn

In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
The Metaphysical Martini

By Werner J. Dannhauser
Counting the Costs of Clintonism

By Robert H. Bork

The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
Chuck McHagel

By George Neumayr

It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted

By Douglas Bartholomew
It’s the Best Time of the Year

By Mark Steyn

The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
The Bush Crack-Up

By Brit Hume

Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?