May 13: A parade of presidential candidates

On the Sunday shows: Giuliani says he could appoint antiabortion judge; Unique questions for Obama; McCain defends war stance; Two month Iraqi parliament recess ditched; GOP patience on war thins; and Hagel leaves door open to '08 bid

Republican presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani said he could nominate a judge for the Supreme Court who opposed a woman's right to an abortion. "I might be able to, sure," Giuliani said, adding that the decision would be in the context of the judge's record.

Giuliani's views on abortion have come under intense scrutiny from Republicans in recent weeks, and on "Fox News Sunday," he again tried to balance his staunchly pro-abortion rights positions as mayor of New York with the demands of the GOP primary process, in which anti-abortion activists traditionally have played a significant role.

Giuliani, who has been leading the Republican field in national polls, said he hates abortion and would advise against it, but added that he does not think he should impose that view on women. "That's a principle I've held forever, and I'll hold it forever," he said.

As for picking judges, Giuliani said he would want "strict constructionist judges" who would hew to the original meaning of the language in the Constitution. "They're free to take a look at [Roe v. Wade], take a look at the limitations. But I believe I should leave it to them to decide that," he said, referring to the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

The Fox appearance came two days after Giuliani delivered a speech in Houston that tried to put to rest questions about his stand on abortion. Many observers were surprised when, at the first Republican debate, he said it would be "okay" if the Supreme Court overturned Roe, but also okay if it upheld it.

Giuliani signaled on Fox that he supports requiring minors who seek an abortion to tell their parents, so long as a judge can waive that requirement, and banning so-called partial-birth abortions.

But he said he wasn't qualified to decide "when life begins." "All that I can decide is, you know, what are the constitutional issues? What are the legal issues?" he added.

Giuliani was also asked about Iraq and his opposition to a line-item veto. Giuliani said he opposed any deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq: "Anybody proposing giving the enemy a timetable of our retreat is proposing something that is fundamentally irresponsible and something that is unheard of in the history of war." He called the line-line veto, a tool many conservatives regard as crucial to holding down spending, "unconstitutional, and I'm a strict constructionist. The line-item veto -- if we want, it has to be done by constitutional amendment."

Another side to Obama

Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), the Democratic presidential candidate, suggested that when his two young daughters apply to college, they should not benefit from affirmative action policies.

Both Obama and his wife, Michelle, attended Harvard Law School and, "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos said, "You've got plenty of money. ... Why should your daughters get affirmative action?" The Obama family is African American.

Barack Obama said admissions officers should consider them "pretty advantaged," adding, "I think that there's nothing wrong with [people] taking that into account."

He went on to say that "in our society, race and class still intersect" and "there are a lot of African American kids who are still struggling." But he also said that "we should take into account white kids who have been disadvantaged and have grown up in poverty and shown themselves to have what it takes to succeed."

The interview with Stephanopoulos shed light on Obama's thinking on a number of issues not routinely discussed in the campaign, including his race.

"Are there folks who might not vote for me because I'm African American? No doubt," Obama said. But if he does not win the nomination, or the presidency, "it's not going to be because of my race. It's going to be because I didn't project a vision of leadership that gave people confidence."

The most difficult crisis he has faced, Obama said, has been "to build [legislative] consensus around hard problems." And more than anything else, he said, the U.S. needs a consensus-builder.

He indicated, though, that he can be tough when necessary. "Somebody who has arrived where I am, out of Chicago politics, has to have a little bit of steel in him," Obama said. "I have the capacity, I think, to make strong decisions, even if they're unpopular, even if they're uncomfortable, even if sometimes I lose some friends. And I've shown that." He cited his opposition to the Iraq war, first stated in 2002, as an example.

Obama said he believes rolling back President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans would pay for his health care plan. But he said he has other spending priorities as well, and "I have not made a promise -- and I won't make a promise -- that I'm going to be able to perfectly balance the budget immediately."

McCain defends war stance

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a 2008 presidential candidate, gave a full-throated defense of his strong advocacy for staying in Iraq on "Meet the Press," brushing aside questions about the political viability of doing so.

However, McCain would not say that, in hindsight, it was still a good idea to go into Iraq.

"If we'd known we were going to experience the failures we experienced, obviously it would give us all pause. But the information and the knowledge and the situation at the time, I think that it was certainly justified," he said.

McCain said the United States needed to stay in Iraq to bring peace to the country, despite public opinion in both countries expressing a desire for troops to leave. Asked if he would favor a referendum among Iraqis as to whether U.S. troops should stay, he said, "No. No more than I would have a referendum in the United States of America as to whether Iraqi troops should leave or whether we should be in or out of NATO or any other issue."

McCain said he thinks the United States will see some signs of success by the end of this year, but he acknowledged that, under his plan, U.S. troops could be in Iraq indefinitely, drawing a comparison to the troops that have been stationed in South Korea for 60 years. Asked when Iraqi authorities will be in a position to take over most of the combat operations, McCain said, "I don't have a date."

Even if everyone in his party calls for withdrawal, McCain said, he will stick by his views. "So if I'm the last man standing, I have an obligation to do what my conscience and my knowledge and my background and everything I've known through my well-experienced life is best for this country."

Perhaps the most interesting exchange with host Tim Russert came near the end of the first half-hour, when Russert read a quote that said, "There is no reason for the United States to remain. ... Our continued military presence allows another situation to arise, which could then lead to the wounding, killing, or capture of American fighting men and women. We should do all in our power to avoid that. What should be the criteria is our immediate, orderly withdrawal."

Asked whether those words resonate, McCain said they do, but that his response is to ask, "What happens [if] we leave? ... [F]ar greater casualties, far greater dislocation, far great threats to our national security."

The words were McCain's, the host informed the senator -- McCain made them in 1993 about the U.S. military presence in Somalia. Somewhat surprised, McCain uttered an "mm, hm," but he rejected street fighting in Mogadishu to what is happening today in Iraq.

Russert noted that in 2000, McCain lost the Republican nomination to George W. Bush. "Would it be ironic that you lost the 2000 nomination because you embraced George Bush and his Iraq war policy?" he asked.

To which McCain responded, "Life isn't fair. I did not embrace the policy for a number of years. I was one of the severest critics. But life isn't fair, but I've had a wonderful opportunity to serve this country."

McCain was indignant to the suggestion that his newfound support of ethanol as an energy alternative -- a popular position in the early caucus state of Iowa -- stems from political considerations. "I can't respond to a statement like that," he said, explaining that his change is because the price of oil is so high.

And he defended his decision to oppose scaling back Bush's tax cuts. Eliminating those tax cuts would amount to a tax hike, McCain said, something he said he is never in favor of.

Two month parliamentary vacation ditched

U.S. lawmakers have leveled sharp criticism at the Iraqi parliament for its planned two-month summer recess, but Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said on CNN's "Late Edition" that the summer recess will be condensed into one month or two weeks. The speaker of the parliament is in discussions with the prime minister over the exact timing, he said. "They will be staying in session for July. And depending on the legislative agenda, they want to stay in session and work with the government on this matter."

Meanwhile, two Senate Republicans, from opposite wings of their party, made clear that patience with the Iraqi government--and the Bush administration's support for it--is wearing thin inside Congress.

"The Iraqi government is a huge disappointment. Republicans overwhelmingly feel disappointed about the Iraqi government. I read just this week that a significant number of the Iraqi parliament want to vote to ask us to leave. ... [I]f they vote to ask us to leave, we'll be glad to comply with their request," said Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), a White House ally, on "Late Edition."

"There is no question there is a very clear political dynamic here. And the president may find himself standing alone some time this fall, where Republicans will start to move away. And you're starting to see trap doors and exit signs already with a number of Republicans," said Sen. Chuck Hagel (Neb.), a critic of the president's policy, on CBS's "Face the Nation."

Hagel keeps the door open

Hagel, who has flirted with running for president, left the door wide open to a candidacy, expressing exasperation with his party.

"I am not happy with the Republican Party today," he said. "It isn't the same party. It's not. It's been hijacked by a group of single-minded, almost isolationist insulationists, power-projectors."

Hagel said he would make a decision about running by late summer and said an independent candidacy would be "good for the system." Discussing a recent dinner with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is also said to be thinking, ever so slightly, about a 2008 bid, Hagel said, "We didn't make any details. But I think Mayor Bloomberg is the kind of individual who should seriously think about this. I think he is."

By Zachary Goldfarb |  May 13, 2007; 3:03 PM ET
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Posted by: Bucco d'O de sud | May 13, 2007 10:44 PM

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