Mitt claimed, as had many critics of Rudy, that Giuliani has been inconsistent in his position regarding a ban on partial-birth abortions.

Defenders of Giuliani claim that the record of him appointing conservative judges in New York is defense enought to show that he is conservative when it comes to abortion.  Romney said in an interview with the Web site that made such claim that “there’s a lot more to being pro-life beyond appointing conservative judges.

Giuliani also said that the recent Supreme Court decision upholding the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act was “the correct conclusion.”

Romney stated, “You also have decisions as an administration on things like abstinence education, on the morning-after pill, on teaching kids to wait before they have babies, and on insisting on parental responsibility for a father who has an out-of-wedlock child.  These policies are also important, and will become a major part of my effort to encourage a culture of life rather than the culture of death.”

During the 1990s Giuliani was a strong advocate in favor of keeping partial birth abortion legal. He opposed the partial-birth abortion ban in the 1990s passed by the Republic-controlled Congress and supported President Clinton’s two vetoes of the ban. Giuliani says he felt the exception for saving the life of the mother wasn’t strong enough.

In 1999 Rudy told CNN that he didn’t support even a modest ban on partial-birth abortions.

Now he explains that he shifted his position on the ban when legislators adopted “more scientific language” in the life of the mother provision in the 2003 bill.

His record shows that Giuliani supports abortion rights.  He has drawn a fair amount of criticism for backing public funding for some abortions.

Ex-Massachusetts Gov. Romney opposes abortion rights, although he also previously supported the issue.

The last pro-abortion candidate to win the GOP presidential nomination was Gerald Ford in 1976.

When A Soldier Comes Home. . .

The above link is a photo journey that brings what our soldiers go through and how they must feel into perspective. After going through the pictures it brought my own experiences to mind.

My dad served in the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam. One of his jobs while in that war torn country was transporting supplies. Later, he became a door gunner on a helicopter. I was raised under a firm hand of discipline and the expectancy of honor and respect. He taught me how to be a man, using techniques I am sure were ingrained upon him in the USMC. It is because of his strong leadership in the household and his strict character regarding his raising of me that I have turned out to be the man that I am, and I thank him for it.
Having him as a dad sure made boot camp easier - but if I was to say it was a complete piece of cake, I'd be a liar. I was eighteen, nervous, but eager. I had never been yelled at so much in my life. I was stupid, a maggot, a sissy, unworthy, etc. And I was alone. I had only been married a week and I was on the other side of the country from my bride. That was the hardest part. Not being with the one I love.

And so I think about these soldiers risking their lives for our freedom. But it goes beyond that. They are alone, far from home, away from their loved ones. What a sacrifice to have to make. I respect them for it. I thank them for it. I appreciate their sacrifices. If the military would have me back (I was let out with a service-connected injury) I would gladly be there beside them, fighting to secure the freedoms that I want my children and future grandchildren to enjoy.The one thing my dad says about Vietnam is that it really bothered him that after all he had been through his reception was far from warm. Like our men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, he endured hardships that those of us without combat experience will never understand. Freedom has a different flavor for them. All we can do is thank them, and show our appreciation when we can.

My dad fought in Vietnam, my grandfather was in France during World War II, and our troops currently serve overseas so that we may enjoy our liberty, and so that people like my wife may pursue the American dream as an immigrant. She took the oath of citizenship last Thursday. She is now officially an American. She refuses to call herself a Mexican-American, or Hispanic, or anything else that doesn't reflect how she truly feels. If you ask her what her nationality is, she will tell you, "I am an American."

Today at 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern on Political Pistachio Radio we will be talking about what it is to be an American, what patriotism truly is, and how it feels for Mrs. Pistachio to have taken the oath. Tune in live, or listen to the archive later. If you wish to congratulate Mrs. Pistachio on the air, call in at (646) 652-2940.

God Bless America.

God Bless you.

When I got to thinking about its timing (day after President Bush stated that Iraqi forces will be taking over security in the entire country by the end of the year) I found it more than fascinating.

Reid also said, “I know I was like the odd guy out yesterday at the White House, but at least I told him what he needed to hear, not what he wanted to hear.”

So what the President of the United States, the president of Iraq, and the commanders on the ground said about Iraq’s current improving status meant nothing, I suppose. Suddenly, the Senator is an authority on war, and has decided in his infinite wisdom to declare the war lost and that we should abandon the country as quick as we can.

Like Pelosi, Harry Reid needs to grab a giant shoe horn and use it to pry his head out of his rear.

Oh, and you were right, Reid, you were the odd guy out. You were the odd one suffering from a mental disorder some of us have come to know as Liberalism.

At "A Word To The Wise" comments about Tokyo Rose were made that makes sense:

Tokyo Rose played psychological warfare against our troops with the hopes it would have a negative impact on the morale of the American Troops.  Her three main points were:

1. Your President is lying to you.  2. This war is illegal.  3. You cannot win the war.

Sound familiar?

Oh, and Tokyo Rose told the American Troops that she was on their side, too!

It is said that the photos and video sent to NBC by Cho Seung-Hui moments before he slaughtered 30 innocents at Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus were taken with a cell phone. If that's the case, Cho did not act alone. He had help.

And you may ask, "How, Doug, did you come up with such a crazy hypothesis?"

Look carefully at the pictures.

See how centered they are? See how perfectly framed they are? Ever done that on your own with your cell phone, much less any photo taking device?

Somebody took those photos of Cho. Someone knows more about this. That person may have assisted, or was too scared to come forward after realizing what Cho was up to or what he had done.

I pray for those victims that died at the hands of this madman.

And for those out there (specifically, the commenters on Political Pistachio) that thinks I'm off my rocker for my position on this - Are you nuts?

Political Pistachio - The world has gone nuts, and you are siding with it.

To shame.

The U.S. Supreme Court endorsed a ban on partial birth abortion, opening the door to a challenge to Roe v. Wade.

The Court's ruling was 5-4 today, saying that the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act signed into law in 2003 by President Bush does not violate a woman's constitutional right to an abortion.

Partial-birth abortions are equivalent to infanticide, and the court saw through the pro-abortion argument. Partial-birth abortions include the nearly full delivery and near-decapitation of the living child, including crushing the skull, vacuuming out the brains, and harvesting the body parts.

Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, described the ruling as the "first legal crack in the crumbling Roe v. Wade foundation."

He noted abortion rates have dropped every year since 1990, and the number of abortions fell 7 percent from 1996 to 2002. Fifteen years ago, there were 2,000 abortion businesses in the nation but only about 750 today, he said.

State legislatures are also working on abortion prohibitions that may eventually lead to a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade.  Jane Roe, whose real name is Norma McCorvey, is now an ardent opponent of abortion and is a large part of the fight against abortion.

Bill Clinton vetoed this law twice.

After being signed into law in 2003, the measure immediately was attacked by the abortion industry, and two federal appeals courts, the 8th Circuit and the 9th Circuit, concluded it interfered with a woman's right to abortion.

Defenders of the status quo said the ban should have been overturned simply because the court had decided in earlier decisions to grant abortion "rights" to women.

Justice Ruth Ginsburg correctly asserts, "This court has refused to consider past courts' opinions [on this matter]."  In a sense, the court has admitted its own fallibility.

This result may begin a chain reaction of challenges and counter-challenges that may move the Supreme Court away from earlier decisions, when pro-abortion justices held sway.

Many see this as pro-abortion factions placing themselves into a position of defeat.  Partly because this is being applied by Chief Justice Roberts, a man of intellect. He's looking at things constitutionally, and he's opening the door for prohibitions on abortion, not just restrictions.

Abortion has created a culture of death, cheapening life, and leading to situations not unlike the shooting tragedy at Virginia Tech on Monday.  We have become a disposable society.  Don't want it?  Kill it.

This ruling is a monumental victory for the preservation of human life. It ushers in an important change in the ongoing battle to protect human life and represents a very significant pro-life victory in the abortion debate.

Prayer for those in the crossfire