Perry Says He'll Help Giuliani Overturn Roe

Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007 By AP

(GALVESTON, Texas) — Facing criticism from key conservatives, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said he endorsed GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani despite their philosophical differences because he believes the former mayor is the only Republican who could win in 2008.

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The election of Democratic candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton would be "devastating" to the economy, the military and to the anti-abortion movement, Perry told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview.

"Where is that perfect candidate? Is it one of the others? I think not," Perry said, in response to criticism that he was urging Republicans to settle for a candidate who doesn't completely represent their views.

Perry also said he has no interest in becoming vice president and would turn Giuliani down if he made such an offer.

"I would tell him that that is not an option that I am interested in discussing," Perry said. "I have a great job. Texas is where my heart is."

Perry, serving his second full term as governor, endorsed Giuliani in Washington on Wednesday and then campaigned with the former New York City mayor in Iowa later that day.

Giuliani has favored abortion rights and gun control, which Perry and other Texas conservatives ardently oppose.

"What is the result that they would like to see?" Perry said of anti-abortion activists. "It is that Roe v. Wade would be overturned and that that would fall back to the states. How does that happen? It happens when the next president of the United States appoints strict constructionists to the Supreme Court. Rudy Giuliani has looked me in the eye and told me that is what he will do."

Texas conservatives were outraged upon hearing Perry's choice. Two other conservative statewide office holders, Attorney General Greg Abbott and land commissioner Jerry Patterson, have joined former Sen. Fred Thompson's state campaign.

"We are stunned, betrayed, disappointed and as I told Gov. Perry's political adviser yesterday, we see this as a contradiction of everything the governor told us in the past and will find it very difficult to accept and believe what he tells us in future," said Laurence White, chairman of the conservative Texas Restoration Project.

White said Thursday he had been urging other pastors not to settle in the voting booth for the lesser of two evils and said he didn't buy Perry's electability argument.

"That's nonsense. We are not interested in the next election. We are interested in stopping abortion," White said.