I know his reason for saying it is more hubris than conviction, but this is why Rudy Giuliani will be a formidable opponent. His positions on abortion and gay rights might alienate a few fundamentalists but they won’t have much of an affect on his popularity with the majority of social conservatives and, well, most of the rest of the country agrees with him. I can hear it now, “I don’t agree with Rudy on ___________, but he stands up for what he believes in. He’s a maverick! He has my vote.”
From the London Times Online:
Peppered by questions about whether he can win the nomination as a pro-abortion candidate, Mr Giuliani said: “I cannot be all things to all people. If you disagree with me, don’t vote for me.†It was the clearest of signs that Mr Giuliani has decided to ignore social conservatives in the belief that their hold over the Republican nominating process is over.
[...] Mary Mancini thinks she has her finger on why Rudy Giuliani is a successful politician: He doesn’t care what you think. From the across the pond: Peppered by questions about whether he can win the nomination as a pro-abortion candidate, Mr Giuliani said: “I cannot be all things to all people. If you disagree with me, don’t vote for me.†[...]