Anti-Roe and Pro-Rudy

Eric Johnson, New York Times Op-Ed Contributor, writes:

To the disbelief of the political class, Rudy Giuliani still leads the polls in the race for the Republican nomination for president. Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson seem unable to compete with conservative affection for a thrice-married, twice-divorced, socially liberal New Yorker.

Perhaps I can help alleviate the pundits’ bafflement. I am a fervent pro-lifer, and I like Rudy Giuliani. And it’s not because, as some suggest, I think national security is more important than abortion. I think Mr. Giuliani will be the most effective advocate for the pro-life cause precisely because he is unreligious and a supporter of abortion rights.

Unlike Mr. Huckabee or Sam Brownback, who are deeply religious and reliably pro-life, Mr. Giuliani has said he attends Catholic Mass only “occasionally” and he ducks questions about his personal faith. Mr. Giuliani’s lack of religious devotion gives him the potential to upend the nation’s moribund abortion debate....

Johnson mentions that Giuliani supports the Hyde Amendment (which bans public funding for most abortions for low income women), but in 1989 Giuliani spoke in favor of publicly funded abortions for women who cannot afford them.  See Giuliani Caught On YouTube.  See also: Giuliani to Stop Waffling on Abortion (No, really! Cross his heart and hope to die!).