Giuliani Reaffirms Abortion Rights
He has a pro-choice record, but claims he's personally opposed to abortion.
May 11, 2007 — -- Before a conservative audience at Houston Baptist University today, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said that while he thinks abortion is "morally wrong," it should be up to individual women to choose.
"I think ultimately even if you disagree, you have to respect the fact that their conscience is as strong as yours is about this," Giuliani said, "and they're the ones that are most affected by it so therefore, I would grant women the right to make that choice."
Giuliani sought to emphasize his hawkish position on national security and counter-terrorism, and his image -- forged during the 9/11 crisis -- as a strong leader. "On all of these issues, everybody's got to make a choice," he said, "how important are the differences, and how important are the other issues that are involved in this election." Giuliani said for him "these other things are more important -- fighting terrorism effectively, (and) being on the offense against terrorism..."
If Giuliani was trying to quell criticism from evangelical conservatives, he did not achieve his goal. Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention told ABC News called Giuliani's argument "the worst position of all. For most evangelicals this is a worse position than saying abortion is not morally wrong. I mean, Giuliani understands its morally wrong and he still doesn't want to make it illegal."
Giuliani aims to be the first Republican presidential nominee who supports abortion rights since incumbent President Gerald Ford in 1976. Both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush shifted their position to opposing abortion rights before running and winning the White House.
Two years ago, Giuliani's opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, made a similar switch. Thursday night Romney received an award at the Massachusetts Citizens for Life Mother's Day Dinner, saying "I recognize that it is awarded for where I am on life, not for where I have been."
Where Giuliani is on this issue is in stark odds with most in his party, who according to a February ABC News poll oppose legal abortion in all or most cases by an 18 point margin, 58% to 40%. Almost one in four voters say Giuliani's position in support of abortion rights would mean he would never win their support, and 46% say his position would make them less inclined to support his presidential race.
