Giuliani Will Come Out As Pro-Choice

Rudy Giuliani will cut the embarrassing equivocation and declare himself  in favor of abortion rights in the coming days, reports the New York Times. The GOP frontrunner, who's drawn flak for trying to explain away his support for abortion in his mayoral days, will risk alienating the conservative portion of the Republican base.

The strategy will test whether a pro-choice candidate can end the GOP's 30-year run of nominating abortion opponents. To that end, the Giuliani team will probably de-emphasize the early primary states in which abortion opponents are strongest, the Times suggests, and focus on the mega-primary of Feb. 5, which includes California, New York and New Jersey. (More Rudy Giuliani stories.)