Politics
Wednesday June 6, 2007
Lightning Cuts Off Mic Twice During Giuliani's Defense of Abortion Support
Occurred just as Giuliani took mic to answer question about sharp criticism of his position from Catholic Bishop Tobin
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By Gudrun Schultz and John Jalsevac
NEW HAMPSHIRE, June 6, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In what is being perceived as an eerie instance of coincidence, a series of lightning strikes caused audio disruption at the exact moments when pro-abortion presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani attempted to defend his support for abortion despite his supposed Roman Catholic faith. The lightning storm occured during a New Hampshire debate.
The first bolt hit just as the former New York mayor took the mic to answer a question about the sharp criticism his position on abortion garnered him from Rhode Island Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, who publicly condemned Giuliani for his abortion stance earlier this week.
Bishop Tobin compared Giuliani's refusal to oppose abortion to Pontius Pilate's role in the crucifixion of Christ.
"I can just hear Pilate saying, 'You know, I'm personally opposed to crucifixion but I don't want to impose my belief on others," Bishop Tobin wrote in a column for the Providence Catholic news.
As Giuliani began to brush aside Bishops Tobin's view, a crack of lightning caused the sound system to give out and cut off his mic. Wolf Blitzer of CNN, who was moderating the debate, pointed out the electronic disturbance was caused by lightning.
The audience burst into laughter, evidently recognizing the possible interpretations of the eerie event.
Giuliani said, laughing, as his debate opponents backed away from him in jest, "For someone who went to parochial schools all his life, this is a very frightening thing." However, a second bolt crashed moments later, just as Giuliani opened his mouth to answer the question again, cutting him off as he attempted to say he "respected" the views of Catholic and religious leaders.
He finally completed his answer audibly, despite two more lightning strikes, reiterating his position that while he believes abortion to be wrong, he does not believe it should be illegal. Giuliani's insistence of remaining on the fence over the issue was condemned by Bishop Tobin as "preposterous", saying he had "defected from the Catholic faith" on the issue.
"Rudy's preposterous position is compounded by the fact that he professes to be a Catholic," Bishop Tobin wrote. "As Catholics, we are called, indeed required to be pro-life, to cherish and protect human life as a precious gift of God from the moment of conception until the time of natural death. As a leader, as a public official, Rudy Giuliani has a special obligation in that regard."
View YouTube clip of the lightning strike during Galiano's statement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibqwKb4cCsg
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Bishop Blasts Rudy Guiliani Position on Abortion as "Pathetic", "Confusing", "Hypocritical"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jun/07060405.html
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