New York Daily News, NY
04-19-07
Rudy showing off his flip side
BY DAVID SALTONSTALL and CELESTE KATZ
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Presidential contender Rudy Giuliani apparently believes change is good - at
least that's the way it looks with his subtle shifts to the right on major issues like
abortion, gun control and taxation in recent weeks.
It happened again yesterday - the pro-choice Giuliani was quick to applaud the
Supreme Court ruling upholding a partial-birth abortion ban, calling it "the correct
conclusion."
But when he was preparing to run against Sen. Hillary Clinton in 2000, Giuliani
opposed a partial-birth abortion ban for New York, saying he would "preserve the
option for women" and that he did not foresee ever changing his view.
Team Giuliani now says the Republican hopeful backs a ban that "includes an
appropriate exception for threats to the life of the mother," and that additional
medical evidence included as part of the 2003 law shaped his views.
Experts say Giuliani is not so much flip-flopping on his core beliefs as he is
parsing his stances to comfort conservatives, and he's doing it sooner rather than
later.
"He is fine-tuning his message," said Steffen Schmidt, a political science
professor at Iowa State University. "The problem with that is that he does open
himself up to all those flip-flop ads, comparing what he said then to what he says
now."
The calculus has divided Giuliani into the old Rudy and the new Rudy.
Just this week, Giuliani said the Virginia Tech tragedy "does not alter the Second
Amendment." Since he began running for President, he has said he believes
states should have the power to set gun laws.
But as mayor and as a Senate candidate before dropping out for health reasons,
Giuliani strongly favored mandatory federal licensing of handguns, and backed
an assault weapon ban and a waiting period for gun purchases.
And while as mayor he declared the flat tax, where everyone pays the same
amount, a "terrible mistake for urban areas," he seemed much more open to the
idea last month while accepting the endorsement of Mr. Flat Tax himself, Steve
Forbes.
The danger, say some, is that Giuliani could end up straddling so many fences,
voters won't know where he stands in the end. But it's a balancing act that could
still succeed, others believe.
"Voters are willing to forgive a candidate who changes his position on something,
as long as they understand why the change has taken place," said Dan Schnur, a
California political consultant. "And the key to them understanding the change is
hearing it enough."