Rudy's Pro-Life?

David Brody has a mighty provocative headline: Brody File: Pro-Life Rudy?

How cute: Pete Sessions calling Rudy "pro-life" because Giuliani has no objections to a partial birth abortion ban, the Hyde amendment, and mouthes the words "strict constructionist" on occasion. Sessions is probably joking. If Giuliani is willing to let surrogates describe himself as pro-life, then the words have no meaning, and Giuliani is pandering. (By the way: as Giuliani as has said, his "strict constructionists" might well preserve Roe v. Wade, which means that Giuliani employs the phrase to describe judicial orientation, rather than outcomes, which is how the phrase plays in politics.)

We political types tend to see "pro-life" and "pro-choice" as binary adjectives. Pro-choicers are all reading from Planned Parenthood scripts and pro-lifers worship at the altar of James Bopp, Jr.

To the consternation of political elites on both sides, Americans are firmly in neither camp. The numbers change a little but not all that much. They support Roe v. Wade. They tolerate some restrictions on abortion and support others; they oppose efforts to ban all abortion. They support partial birth abortion bans, except in certain polls, when asked the question in certain ways, they don't. (Pro-lifers would insist that Americans are moderately pro-life; pro-choicers call this position moderately pro-choice). Americans are deeply ambivalent about abortion. For most of them -- most of us -- it's a moral question to which the answers do not easily come.

Giuliani's position, rhetorically evolved from his mayoral days, seems to represent this Great American Middle.

What Giuliani's advisers believe -- or intuit -- is that the war against Islam (or radical Islam) is the animating impulse of evangelical politics now. Abortion isn't.

Comments

It is a simple misunderstanding.

Rudy is Pro-Wife. Er...uh, Pro-Wives.

Posted by Liz | October 2, 2007 9:02 AM

Rudy is pro-marrying-to-a-cousin.

Rudy is pro-marrying-to-a-cousin-while-b*nging-mistress.

Rudy is pro-9-dollar-11-cents fundraiser.

Rudy is a fraud.

Posted by wtf | October 2, 2007 9:34 AM

And mainstream republicans are dumb enough to beleive it.

And beleive in a sadam/ militant islam connection.

or maybe they don't beleive it, maybe they just will take an excuse to support "kickin' ass"!

Posted by Bjorn | October 2, 2007 10:15 AM

Rudy pro-life???

What kind of kool-aid is Pete Sessions drinking!!!

http://www.newyorkforhuckabee.blogspot.com

Posted by Peter | October 2, 2007 11:14 AM

Remember where this Sessions guy comes from. Did you guess? He is from Alabama. What else do you expect from southern senators with pea-sized brains?

Posted by tk | October 2, 2007 12:20 PM

Pete Sessions is a Congressman from Texas (albeit also Southern)

Jeff Sessions is a Senator from Alabama.

Posted by James Kabala | October 2, 2007 1:10 PM

Pete Sessions is a Congress critter representing Dallas, Texas.

Also, as a former citizen of the fine state of Alabama, I find your narrow minded claim about Southerners lacking even a basic level of intelligence.

Posted by Liz | October 2, 2007 1:12 PM

I agree with Liz. As a frequent visitor to AL, I also find southerners lacking even a basic level of intelligence.

Posted by Bjorn | October 2, 2007 2:16 PM

For evangelicals, also take into account the fact that they are a savvy group and realize that the main battle point for them in the coming years is the courts. As such, regardless of what Rudy believes, if he will appoint the right judges to the bench - and no conservative graduate from law school in the last 30 years is not anti-Roe - he can still deliver.

Posted by Vermando | October 2, 2007 11:25 PM

Pete Session is my Congressman, and believe me, he'll sell out the social conservatives at the drop of a hat for personal gain. Rudy Giuliani must have offered him a top job in exchange for delivering the pro-life vote. If he wins, Rudy will do his usual pro-choice thing, Pete Sessions will get a top appointment, and both will hope the social conservatives forget all the campaign promises.

One thing people should know about Pete Sessions is that he's near the bottom of influential members of Congress (#425 out of 435); he ranks 189th most influential Republican (out of 202) and of Texas members of Congress he's in last place (#32). After 11 years in Congress, he should be more influential. While he has a conservative voting record, that's all he is--a vote. He is not persuasive in debates and doesn't seem to possess genuine conviction of his ideals. If Giuliani were president, Sessions would vote with him--not the other way around.

Pete Sessions also endorsed gay-friendly mayor of Dallas Tom Leppert, who has agreed to march in the "gay pride parade." He's a political opportunist, supporting anyone who can further his political career, regardless of their values.

Rudy Giuliani is too liberal for social conservatives, and Pete Sessions is too weak to deliver their vote.

Posted by Nick | October 18, 2007 10:42 PM