Shorter Eric Johnston
By admin I know, I know, I am not supposed to be here today. Oh well. Rules were made to be broken.
Shorter Eric Johnston in today’s NY Times: Giuliani is an abortion wingnut’s dream come true — just see how he drove smut (oh and civil liberties) out of New York when he was mayor!
Johnston’s point: forget about Giuliani’s professed personal beliefs about abortion. He might think like Kerry but he talks — and will appoint judges — like Bush. And Giuliani would be more damaging as president because no one could argue that he’s just advancing his religious preference. Johnston says about seven times in the column that Giuliani is not an observant Catholic but that he’s willing to do the church’s dirty work (see: the kerfuffle over the Madonna made out of dung exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum).
Johnston may be right that Giuliani would be a more effective advocate for the right-wing anti-rights and liberties agenda than would a more religious person. But to say that Giuliani is willing to fight these battles because of his “commitment to democracy” is ridiculousness to the nth degree. Giuliani couldn’t care less about democratic principles; it’s the power and attention he loves, and he’ll shill for whoever will give it to him.