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Robertson Supports Giuliani In Surprise Endorsement

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By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK, The New York Times

Published: November 8, 2007

WASHINGTON - They could compete for strangest bedfellows of 2008.
Rudy Giuliani is a supporter of gay and abortion rights who is building his Republican primary campaign around his response to the Sept. 11 attacks.

Pat Robertson, the Christian conservative broadcaster, once said permissiveness toward homosexuality and abortion led to God's "lifting his protection" to allow those attacks.

Despite their differences, there they were Wednesday morning, Robertson endorsing Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, as "an acceptable" Republican "who can win the general election."

It was the latest manifestation of the deep divide in the Christian conservative movement over how to balance politics and principle in the coming era after President Bush, who once so deftly brought it all together.

Many erstwhile Christian conservative allies dismissed the endorsement as an inexplicable stunt, noting that Robertson, 77, has lost much of his influence since the heady days of his second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses 20 years ago.

"What support he has left," said Connie Mackey, a vice president of the public policy arm of the evangelical Family Research Council, "is obviously going to be eroded by this very strange endorsement."

Others close to Robertson, though, said he decided to speak out in order to rebut a recent threat from other Christian conservative leaders to bolt the Republican Party if it picks Giuliani or any candidate who supports abortion rights for the Republican presidential nomination.

The unlikely alliance emerged from a behind-the-scenes friendship that began with a shared flight back from Israel in 2003. It grew through commiserations about prostate cancer and even included a videotaped salute delivered by Giuliani at Robertson's 75th birthday.

Robertson came forward with his endorsement as Christian conservative leaders are gravitating toward various Republican contenders in hopes of bringing along others in their movement.

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., who had hoped to be the Christian conservatives' standard-bearer before dropping out of the race last month, threw his support Wednesday behind Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who is sometimes considered a foe of the movement.

Brownback called McCain "the best pro-life candidate to beat Hillary Clinton" and the endorsement could give a much-needed boost to McCain's thin Iowa campaign network.

Asked about Robertson's endorsement of Giuliani in a news conference, McCain appeared to recall coming under fire from Robertson in 2000 for falling short on Christian conservative principles.

"Every once in a while, I am left speechless," McCain said. "This is one of those times."

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