Thursday, April 05, 2007

Rudy Puts a Stick in My Eye

Rudy Giuliani has further addressed the kerfuffle that followed his statement that he still supports some federal funding for abortion. His message:

'If that's real important to you, if that's the most important thing, I'm comfortable with the fact that you won't vote for me,"

This is particularly galling because public financing of abortion is not just outside the Republican mainstream, it is left of center. I'm not sure how much left of center, but enough. For the Mayor to choose this principle to fight over suggests that I may end up uncomfortable with some of his other stances in the future. Further, this is the first decision by the Mayor that puts a hole in what was otherwise a great notion: that Giuliani really didn't want to put a stick in the eye of conservatives. Well, this feels like a stick in the eye.

All I can say is that the Mayor and I agree on a lot of things, but if this is real important to him - if it's the most important thing - then I'm comfortable with not voting for him.

Hat Tip: Allah.

Update: I see that Ace wrote on this topic today, before the latest news. He phrased it this way:

The social right, the pro-lifers, were willing to cut Rudy so damn much slack on this, and yet he couldn't manage to concede one fairly minor point in return.

I think that's right.

Update II: Here's a surprise: the price of a share of Rudy Giuliani for President at InTrade has fallen about 15 percent in the last day. Wonder what caused that?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

So you are pro-rape, incest, and mother death?

The Editor at IP said...

I'm fuzzy on the Hyde amendment, but I didn't realize there was funding for any of those things. I thought it was just about abortion.

And in those states that deny funds for abortion in any of the circumstances above... are mothers dying by the truckload because federal funds are lacking?

Or are you just going off half-cocked?

Anonymous said...

Me, no, I was just kidding. But I do think that most reasonable people who hear the phrase, "federally funded abortions" think it is wrong until they realize it is only for cases of rape, incest and to save the mother's life.
I was simply making light of the fact that you left this important piece of information out of your post.

The Editor at IP said...

Admit it. You just can't admit to yourself that you're to the Left of Michael Moore. Truth hurts.

But yes, it would have been good to include that information from the start. Mea culpa.

Anonymous said...

I am actually middle of the road, pretty conservative on fiscal issues and downright bedwetting liberal on the social ones. Most of the time, however, I just try and do what is right.

Anonymous said...

but i do accept you apology