Open mouth, insert Desert Eagle

Rudy Giuliani chooses .50 caliber in blowing off the top of his presidential campaign:

Rudy Giuliani’s message to social conservatives: If you don’t like my views, don’t vote for me.

The Republican presidential frontrunner Thursday reaffirmed his support for federal funding for some abortions, a position which puts him at odds with many conservatives. During a press conference at the State Capitol in Columbia, South Carolina, he said he didn’t expect to win over 100 percent of the voters.

“If that’s real important to you, if that’s the most important thing, I’m comfortable with the fact that you won’t vote for me,” the former mayor said.

Yes, Republicans tend to do so very well when all the social conservatives stay home…. As I have written before, I don’t believe Giuliani seriously wants to win, or even win the nomination. Of course, it will be interesting to see how the “pragmatic” conservatives in the commentariat attempt to spin this, or if they finally come to their senses, throw up their hands, and give up the Lisper as a lost cause.

Needless to say, Mr. Regression to the Mean is having none of it:

With the mainstream media following along lapping it up and stressing the most extreme elements of the discussion to send the message to independent voters that right-wingers are all a bunch of lunatics who are obsessed with ideological purity and not with getting things done?

I think if they do, the GOP is sunk.

Getting things done. Which is to say, the federal government getting things done. You know, I’m not too terribly old, but even I can recall a time when Republicans were against the federal government getting things done.

The GOP sunk itself back in 1995. That 2003 peak was merely the prow of the ship arcing high into the sky preparatory to the forthcoming plunge deep into the electoral depths. If you thought 2006 was bad for Republicans, I suspect you haven’t seen anything yet. And given the migration patterns, it’s only going to get worse, those enthusiastic Red State breeders notwithstanding. It could easily be another 40 years before Republicans again gain control of the House and Senate.

That’s what pragmatism got you. Ironically, Republicans are attempting to find the cure by applying more of the disease.