Rudy To End Controversy Over Inconsistent Stance On Abortion -- By Forthrightly Embracing Abortion

Well! That's one way to defuse the controversy, eh?

It was fun while it lasted.

After months of conflicting signals on abortion, Rudolph W. Giuliani is planning to offer a forthright affirmation of his support for abortion rights in public forums, television appearances and interviews in the coming days, despite the potential for bad consequences among some conservative voters already wary of his views, aides said yesterday.

At the same time, Mr. Giuliani’s campaign — seeking to accomplish the unusual task of persuading Republicans to nominate an abortion rights supporter — is eyeing a path to the nomination that would try to de-emphasize the early states in which abortion opponents wield a great deal of influence. Instead they would focus on the so-called mega-primary of Feb. 5, in which voters in states like California, New York and New Jersey are likely to be more receptive to Mr. Giuliani’s social views than voters in Iowa and South Carolina.

...

The shift in emphasis comes as the Giuliani campaign has struggled to deal with the fallout from the first Republican presidential candidate debate, in which he gave halting and apparently contradictory responses to questions about his support for abortion rights.

Mr. Giuliani’s aides were concerned both because the responses opened him up to a new round of criticism from abortion critics, who have never been happy with the prospect of a Republican presidential candidate who supports abortion rights, while threatening to undercut his image as a tough-talking iconoclast who does not equivocate on tough issues.

...

Mr. Giuliani hinted at what aides said would be his uncompromising position on abortion rights yesterday in Huntsville, Ala., where he was besieged with questions about abortion and his donations to Planned Parenthood. “Ultimately, there has to be a right to chose,” he said.

Asked if Republicans would accept that, he said, “I guess we are going to find out.”

Mr. Giuliani acknowledged that his stance on abortion alone might disqualify him with some voters, but he said, “I am at peace with that.”

It's the Ferret Problem. Even the stuff he doesn't care much about, he cares about passionately once he's put his ego on one side or the other.

Oh, well.

Thanks to JackM.

Question: How egotistical do you have to be to throw away the presidency over an issue you don't really care very strongly about?

Jack's Update: Speaking of throwing your Presidential hopes (such as they are) away, a debate has erupted as to whether Ron Paul is, or is not, a John Edwards-like truther supporter.

I know what I think. But I'll let you watch and decide for yourselves.

Ah yes...a Kucinich-Paul bipartisan effort. It is the stuff of dreams!

posted by Ace at 10:57 PM

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