Rudy’s gamble

As mentioned below, Rudy Giuliani decided to skip today’s Iowa straw poll for Republican presidential candidates. The Trib’s Swamp coverage reports that though his name will be on the ballot, he declined to take part.

“We made the calculation that by the time we get to the caucus, it’s not going to have a big impact,” Giuliani said of the straw poll during a recent Iowa swing. “I think ours is going to turn out to be the best strategy–to put our emphasis on the caucus in January instead of the straw poll.”

We’ll see.

But Giuliani’s calculus has been off already on the impact of his abortion support, among other issues, to Catholics and social conservatives in general.

Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani seems to want to have it both ways when it comes to being Catholic. As he campaigns for president, the Republican frontrunner brings up his Catholic background occasionally but refuses to say whether or not he is a practicing Catholic.

When a voter asked this week if he is a ”traditional, practicing Roman Catholic,” Giuliani insisted his faith should be private, according to the AP.

That’s convenient when your political activity is in direct conflict with the teachings of his Church.

Religious scholars say that Giuliani’s willingness to talk about some, but not all, aspects of his faith is inconsistent.

”If you identify yourself that way in a public forum and then try to shut down any questions, that’s not going to work,” said the Rev. James Heft, religion professor and president of the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California.

Giuliani also finds himself at odds with his sometimes advantageous faith on the issue of abortion. Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, RI made news in June when he criticized Giuliani’s position, calling it pathetic, confusing and hypocritical.

More about that here.