Rudy: Standing His Ground

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post

For the moment, let's put aside the fundraising and the polls and the strategies and the hype and . . . let's see, what does that leave us with?

Substance?

Okay, let's try that. If my blog hits go down, I'll chuck it next week.

Rudy was on CNN the other day and was asked about the three wives and his kids and all of that. He was also asked about abortion. Here's what he said:

"Personally opposed to abortion, don't like it, hate it, would advise that woman have an adoption rather than an abortion, I will help you find the money for it. But it is your choice, it is an individual right."

Does Giuliani support public financing of abortions?

"If it would deprive someone of a constitutional right, yes."

That would be a perfectly routine position . . . for a Democratic presidential candidate. But it happens to be consistent with Giuliani's position when he was mayor.

Yes, I know he's talking about appointing "strict constructionist" judges, which sounds good but doesn't mean much on the Roe v. Wade question. Had Guiliani edged away from his stance on public financing of abortions, the media's flip-flop police would be called out. Since he stuck to his guns, the question is how many Republican primary voters will strongly disagree to the point of ruling him out.

(Continued here.)