Michael Medved

Abortion has been the litmus test issue that has defined both parties since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973.

Rudy Giuliani's ascendancy as the frontrunner candidate to be the GOP's presidential nominee has engendered profound and wide-raging discussions among conservatives. On abortion, Guiliani is simplistically slugged, "pro choice." But not so fast. Consider this column by Michael Medved (the conservative talk radio host who is decidedly a social conservative):

"Among the major candidates, only Giuliani stands in the middle: Identifying a position that is, in fact, simultaneously anti-abortion and pro-choice. He backs policies designed to discourage or even sharply limit abortion, and he opposes the use of public money for abortions, while leaving final decisions to women and their doctors in most circumstances.

Polling data show that strong majorities of Americans share Giuliani's mixed position. They want to restrict abortion, but they don't want to outlaw it."

Could be that, regardless of whether or not Giuliani wins the GOP endorsement, his biggest contribution to our nation's political landscape could be blurring the lines between what it means to be "pro choice" and "pro life."

For this fiscal conservative / social moderate (who shares Guilani's views on abortion), that's an exciting prospect.