Det intressant att se hur republikanernas enda någorlunda vettiga kandidat, Rudy Giuiliani, har utvecklats i sitt försök att få de kristnas stöd. (Ja, jag säger att han är den enda någorlunda vettiga trots hans behandling av Michael Milken.) Fred Barnes från Weekly Standard rapporterar:

RUDY GIULIANI’S POSITION on abortion is evolving in a pro-life direction. Addressing an audience of social and religious conservatives, Giuliani made two new points: as president, he would veto any bill increasing the number of abortions, and he would support any ”reasonable suggestion” to reduce the number of abortions … This may not sound like much. But for Giuliani’s campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, it was important … Giuliani didn’t emphasize these points in his speech Saturday to the Values Voter Summit organized by the Family Research Council (FRC). But each point drew mild applause from the crowd of several thousand packed into the ballroom of the Washington Hilton Hotel.

Samtidigt rapporterar Salena Zito från Townhall.com om Rudy Giulianis försök att få stöd från den kristna högern:

Rudy Giuliani took a step last week to convince some of the more sensible folks who hold rock-ribbed conservative values to re-examine his candidacy: He won an endorsement from uber-conservative Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Perry’s endorsement brings incredible conservative street cred to the Giuliani campaign nearly 90 days before the first primary vote is cast … During his soul-searching, Perry said, “I asked the mayor, ‘What do I tell my social-conservative friends who are very pro-life?”

Giuliani’s persuasive reply? The direct result of his presidency would be strict constructionists on the U.S. Supreme Court — justices in the mold of Roberts, Scalia and Alito.

That was enough for Perry: “When I hear the words ‘strict constructionist,’ it makes my heart smile.”

Denna utveckling är verkligen inte förvånande. Ändå är det tragiskt att de kristna fundamentalisternas inflytande inom republikanerna har blivit så stort att sådana som Giuliani måste göra så här för att ha en riktig chans:

For the Republican base, “values” matter, but to win “values voters” matters even more. They bring energy, activism, mobilization and results where it counts — in the voting booth. Without them, no amount of voodoo math will produce a Republican win.

“If the evangelical voter turnout falls drastically,” said Matt Lebo, political science professor at Stony Brook (New York), “a lot of electoral votes come back into play for the Democrats.”

Tragiskt men sant. Samtidigt verkar det som att allt detta fjäskande från Giulianis sida kan ha varit för gäves. Via Diana Hsieh kom jag över en Yahoo-artikel där det framgår att Giuliani kom ut som den minst populära bland alla republikanska kandidater i en opinionsundersökning bland religiösa konservativa. Yahoo.com berättar om hur problematisk Giuliani är för den religiösa högern och hur stort deras inflytande faktiskt är:

Some have spoken of backing a third party candidate to fly their anti-abortion banner should he become the nominee.

Opposition to abortion has become an almost sacred Republican plank because of the religious right’s influence but Giuliani threatens to break that taboo.

The thrice-married Giuliani, a Roman Catholic who also supports gay rights, dismissed charges that he was an ”activist for liberal causes” and told the crowd that Christianity was a religion of inclusion in a speech that drew warm applause but no thunderous ovations.

Saying he felt his faith deeply but privately, Giuliani stressed his record of reducing crime in New York, reiterated his staunch support for Israel and said that victory was the only option in the war on terror.

Giuliani also told them he would appoint conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court — a key policy plank since the Holy Grail of the social conservative cause is getting a bench that will overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision granting women a constitutional right to an abortion.

Giuliani also pledged to work to increase adoptions and decrease abortions — a stance which hardliners, who say they could never bring themselves to support a pro-choice candidate, regard as far too soft.

”The party has always been a big tent but it’s not that big a tent,” said Michael Scully, a Romney supporter.

En fråga: var är den sekulära högern i USA? Den tycks ju inte existera alls. Eller?