The Republicans Lost The Support Of The Christian Conservatives When Pat Robertson Sold Them Out

Among the most damaging events to the Republican Party this election season, was the endorsement of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani by Pat Robertson.

The evangelical broadcaster, activist, and one-time Presidential candidate who started the Christian Coalition to promote Christian, traditional, pro-life candidates, placed his seal of approval upon Rudy Giuliani...a politician who has supported everything the Coalition has fought against and a man who has conducted his personal life contrary to what anyone could consider to be pro-family.

In early November 2007, Rudy Giuliani received the endorsement of Pat Robertson during a speech at the National Press Club. Robertson described Giuliani as "a proven leader who is not afraid of what lies ahead and who will cast a hopeful vision for all Americans." The move came as a tremendous shock to Robertson's followers and effectively brought to an end his association with the conservative organization he began in 1987.

It would be a gross understatement to say that it is hypocritical of the conservative Robertson to endorse Giuliani, who while Mayor of New York marched in the Gay Pride Parade every year, and constantly espoused his pro-choice position on abortion. The sudden endorsement had conservatives puzzled and angry. Even Sen. John McCain who once called Robertson an "agent of intolerance," said of the endorsement: "Every once in a while, I'm left speechless. This is one of those times."

Take a look at the following positions Rudy Giuliani has held and what Robertson has had to say in the past about those issues:

In 2007, it came to light through Giuliani's tax records that he had donated to Planned Parenthood at least six times during the 1990's. The donations ended in 1999, as he was contemplating a run for the U.S. Senate. He tried to shift the blame for the donations onto his former wife Donna Hanover. However, his longtime pro-abortion stance is irrefutable.

"It is teaching kids to fornicate, teaching people to have adultery, every kind of bestiality, homosexuality, lesbianism--everything that the Bible condemns."

Pat Robertson talking about Planned Parenthood, The 700 Club, 1991

During a 1999 interview on CNN's Inside Politics, Mayor Giuliani proudly declared: "I'm pro-choice. I'm pro-gay rights. The host then asked Giuliani if he would support a ban on partial-birth abortion. He answered: "No, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing."

"We have insulted God with legal abortion."

Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, 2001

In 1998, as Mayor, Giuliani extended all city employment benefits to same-sex couples. In 2004, he came out against President Bush's call for a ban on gay marriage.

"The concept, the word for homosexual behavior is sodomy. That is what is used in the official documents. It is sodomy. It is repugnant."

Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, 1994

Rudy Giuliani has been married three times. He announced his divorce from his second wife Donna Hanover to the press before he actually told his wife. That was after the New York Daily News broke the story of the Mayor's ongoing affair with his current wife Judith Nathan. He then moved out of Gracie Mansion and into the apartment of a homosexual couple. During his marriage to Hanover, Vanity Fair reported that he was having an affair with his communications director Christyne Lategano.

Apparently, Giuliani's two children Andrew and Caroline are so disgusted with the way he treated their mother that they no longer speak to him. In March 2006, The New York Times reported on the estrangement between the former Mayor and his children. In fact, Caroline now uses her mother's surname.

Regardless of your opinion of Pat Robertson, it was he who organized Christian conservatives as a voting block and delivered them to the Republican Party. It is Robertson who is responsible not only for the ´values voters´ movement, but for many past Republican victories as well.

When Robertson gave his endorsement to Giuliani, Christian conservatives felt betrayed and began to look outside the Republican Party. With so many conservatives already feeling betrayed by President Bush, Robertson´s move convinced many social conservatives that they had in fact been sold-out by those they had once trusted. That betrayal has had deadly consequences for the Republican Party.

At the time, many speculated that Giuliani had offered the aging Robertson a cabinet position. Who knows?...Perhaps, the Mayor promised Robertson access to another diamond mine!