NARAL gave $1000 to Giuliani
EmailIn its April 24, 1999, report to the Federal Election Commission of political donations it had made, a leading Empire State abortion rights organization — the New York State NARAL Women’s Health Political Action Committee — listed two $1,000 donations. One was to Rep. Nita Lowey, D-NY. The other was to the exploratory committee for New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, then contemplating a Senate run. (Click HERE to see the FEC report).
It’s been reported that Giuliani and his wife donated $900 to Planned Parenthood in the 1990s; but with this donation we see that the affection between the mayor and abortion-rights organizations was reciprocated.
Giuliani at the time was considered a strong advocate of abortion rights. Then-NARAL President Kate Michelman, said that it would sit out the anticipated senatorial race between Giuliani and then-First Lady Hillary Clinton. "She has been a strong advocate of a woman’s right to choose and he has been extraordinarily strong as well," Michelman said at the time.
Giuliani is now, however, trying to appeal to Republican primary voters in Iowa, and South Carolina, and Alabama. His rhetoric has shifted — he says he supports the US Supreme Court ruling upholding a ban on the abortion procedure opponents call "partial birth abortion." He says he would appoint "strict constructionist" judges. He said he would be "OK" if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade.
But this is a difficult dance to do.
Especially when, as first reported at the Race 4 2008 blog today (LINK HERE), in 1997 Giuliani filled out a NARAL/NY PAC questionnaire, answering "YES" to questions as to whether the then-mayoral candidate "agrees with the substance of Roe v. Wade, whether the candidate supports Medicaid funding of abortions ‘without any restrictions,’ …whether the candidate opposes legislation requiring parental notification or consent for minors to obtain an abortion," and on and on.
Giuliani is addressing the issue of abortion right now in a speech. Can a candidate who supports abortion rights win the GOP presidential nomination?
– jpt
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So What? oooo a 1000$ goes real far in a campaign. Why are you not bringing up China’s donations and PLO donations to Clinton’s senatorial campaign which I think is more news worthy, since the PLO supports terrorism.
Posted by: spock | May 11, 2007, 10:32 am 10:32 am
To answer your question, Jake, absolutely not. The voices of moderate Repubs have been drowned out, or more likely silenced, by their more conservative peers on the issue. But Mr. Giulani can always pull a Mitt Romney and say that his views have “been evolving,” or “changed significantly” from when he was quoted in the past. Conservatives always seem to have a soft spot for candidates who have seen the error of their ways.
Posted by: chuck | May 11, 2007, 12:05 pm 12:05 pm
Jake, in response to your question — can a candidate who supports abortion rights win the GOP presidential nomination? No — any more than a Democrat who opposes abortion rights can win the Democratic nomination.
Posted by: Jack Coleman | May 11, 2007, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm
Clearly the answer is yes, although not easily.
Many Republicans support abortion rights and many current elected Republicans support abortion rights. The assumption that pro lifers control the grass roots is not true in all states.
I suspect it may be less possible for a democrat pro lifer to be elected.
Some research must have been done on the issue.
This far from an election some other issue may rise to the surface and motivate voters that do not focus on a single issue.
Posted by: flyover | May 11, 2007, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm
No.
Posted by: reyonthehill | May 11, 2007, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm
If Giuliani, gasp, is elected president, he actually has no control over whether or not Roe V. Wade is overturned; the Supreme Court does. If, gasp, he is able to appoint a Justice during his hypothetical tenure as president, he, and all of the realisitic candidates, are most likely going to seek out a Justice in the vein of Sandra Day O’Conner. No matter how Republican or Democratic ones beliefs are, none of these candidates are running in the hopes of an abortion mandate and are certainly not looking to enact a conservative coup on our nations most even-handed branch. While their repective positions seem at odds, they can all agree that the emblem of our Justice department is balance.
Lets not lose our heads about abortion, again.
Posted by: thedevilyoudon't | May 13, 2007, 12:51 am 12:51 am
excellent presidential campaign coverage
Posted by: Sarah | May 14, 2007, 9:57 am 9:57 am