I don’t think there’s a contradiction here. Although I don’t think Rudy knows what “strict constructionism” really means, his position is pretty much the same as mine. I’m pro-choice, but anti-Roe. The real question is whether he will nominate justices like Thomas (and to some extent Scalia), who has little regard for stare decisis or justices like Roberts who does. I’d expect Thomas to rule to overturn Roe, but I’d be surprised to see Roberts rule thusly.
Because they have to, perhaps.
If Rudy becomes believably “pro-life” as far as the RR is concerned, that throws all predictions aside. I never believed he could win the nomination because of the pro-choice position. If he abandons that (for all intents and purposes), I don’t know what to think.
Problem there is if he is able to convince the RR that he’s been washed in the blood of Jesus enough to see abortion as something that’s evil, then he’s still got to overcome the problems of being pro-gay rights and anti-gun, as well as that niggling little issue of being a philanderer.
Although, personally, I don’t see the RR as being that freaking gullible. Look at how they’re making McCain work for every little crumb they deign to throw his way. And those crumbs are few and far between. And he’s out there licking their collective asshole as much as he can. And Rudy G is has a distinct tendency to think that any ass-licking should be directed at him.
Oh, he’d throw the gays under the bus. And, frankly, when has the RR ever held men to their marriage vows? So long as it’s not gay sex, he could be fine.
With his past he should stay as far away from any morality issues as possible.
Aside from the scandal with his recent wife, there was always gossip about police sneaking women in and his philandering. Whether it’s true or not, I don’t know but if they’re out there the press will find them.
Where did he get all of his money? His ex-wife got something like $6 million in the divorce settlement.
I’m referring to his shifting views on abortion, or at least the way he’s explained those views.
Sure he would. Hell, I imagine he’ll do much more before this debacle is over.
And while the RR has seen fit to conveniently ignore pecadilloes in the past, I imagine that there’s at least one ® running who would gleefully start planting rumors of what, precisely, Giuliani was up to when he spent so much time at the home of gay friends after his wife threw him out of the house for his indiscretions. (wink, wink)
And the religious wing of the Republican party may be a lot of things, but they’re not stupid. They’re currently making McCain grovel and lick boots because he knows that they swing a lot of weight in the nomination process. And I still don’t think they like him enough to bestow their blessing yet. And Giuliani hasn’t been abasing himself as well or as long.
And there’s still that pesky anti-gun record of his. While the RR can be hardasses, the pro-gun groups can school them.
I’d make a candidate grovel, too, because I’m a mean person and it would amuse me. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t end up voting for him if I didn’t see any alternative.
I don’t think the RR is stupid, exactly, but they’ve had power for a while now and haven’t gotten much in return. I start to wonder why they keep getting behind people who pay lip service to them.
(Though I do think that the lip service a president pays to something like abortion is important. A president who never talks about abortion at all, ever, is not what the RR can possibly want. Once politicians start acting like it’s a done deal, the RR loses power.)
Giulini reportedly got a very warm reception at the CA GOP convention a few days ago. With an early Feb primary, and a winner-takes-all format, he (or McCain) could have 20% of the delegates he needs to get the nod right there. That’s a whole lotta momentum.
Rudy now seems to be offering a spirited defense of Bush’s handling of the Iraq war. I’m not even sure what he hopes that will accomplish.
Er. That’s a good question. I suppose some of the people who were decrying Chuck Hagel in the poll I linked to above would be appeased by someone championing Bush’s war?
What’s so hilarious about this is that most of the Democrats I’ve worked for have said exactly these sorts of statements: abortion is bad and should be discouraged, but we should not put people in jail for it.
And they were slammed for it over and over by the religious right as not being good enough. It’ll be a treat to see if there is any sense of consistency whatsoever here.
Yeah, not popular in the city. Everyone is too familiar with his dismal record on social issues, for one. Probably suburbs and outer boroughs might like him, as a conservative who has ties to the city, but the city won’t like him and neither will upstate. Upstate hates being told what to think by the city, and that’s how they’d see Giuliani.
Damned good question. Unfortunately, neither McCain nor Giuliani is doing anything more than paying lip service at this point in time, and I don’t think that will change. The only candidate who seems to be solidly behind any of the issues that matter most to the RR is Brownback.
And I like that you are willing to make people grovel simply because it’s amusing and fun to do so.
Of mild interest: excerpts from Rudy’s 1993 internal oppo research file.
I like this one: