Giuliani-A Candidate with No Hope...but Falwell

Rudy Giuliani has officially sold himself out to the religious right. Having changed his stance on same sex unions, Jerry Falwell is now calling the shots. As his National Liberty Journal records, "Giuliani is the candidate we wish we could love." Falwell uses a mass email list and the most recent one said,

“Mayor Giuliani believes marriage is between one man and one woman,” the Giuliani campaign said, responding to a New York Sun query. “Domestic partnerships are the appropriate way to ensure that people are treated fairly. In this specific case the law states same sex civil unions are the equivalent of marriage and recognizes same sex unions from outside states. This goes too far and Mayor Giuliani does not support it.”

Never mind that the resurrected mayor has vacillated on this point too many times to count, but the rhetoric of Falwell is not surprising either.

But as America has come to a social and political crossroads in terms of the same-sex marriage debate, I am more concerned than ever that our leaders understand that traditional marriage is a foundational component of civilization, not an issue in which we can bounce around new ideas and pounce on the ones that are the most politically expedient.

[...]

So while Mr. Giuliani’s abrupt rebuke of the New Hampshire Senate’s bill is welcomed, we are still hopeful for more encouraging evidence of his commitment to social conservatism.

Here is how I see it: Rudy can no longer appeal to the left of center republicans because of his vacillation on certain issues and has nowhere else to turn except the far right. However, Dr. Falwell has ratcheted up the pressure and has essentially upped the ante on Rudy; my question is, will he deliver?

Giuliani is now beholden to Falwell and his cronies and it would behoove him to toe the party line--or else he will deny himself any opportunity in 2008.