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	Giuliani Says Archbishop 'Entitled to Viewpoint'' Barring Communion to Candidate By Jo Mannies St. Louis Post-Dispatch October 5, 2007 http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/5E506CBA369039948625736B000E8C6D?OpenDocument CLAYTON — Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Thursday that voters considering his Republican bid for president should be concerned about his views on the Constitution — not whether he's allowed to take Communion. Giuliani, a Catholic, sought to play down any conflict with St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke, who has said he would deny Communion to any Catholic politician whose public position on abortion is contrary to the church's teaching. Giuliani supports abortion rights. The Roman Catholic Church does not. As he mingled with supporters at the City Coffee House in Clayton, Giuliani said he was aware of Burke's comments — and that he wasn't going to get into a debate with an archbishop. "My viewpoint is that archbishops have the right to their opinion," Giuliani said, adding that such rights also extended to "an official of a Protestant church or a rabbi." "I'm not running for religious office," Giuliani continued. "People should be interested in my interpretation of the United States Constitution ... what I'm going to do about terrorism, what I'm going to do about taxes." Terrorism and taxes are two key planks of Giuliani's campaign. His visit to Clayton was primarily for a morning fundraising event at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. If elected president, Giuliani said, he would stay "on the offense in the terrorist war against us. They initiated this war. ... they'll carry the war on, regardless of what happens in Iraq." Giuliani also called for keeping taxes low, and accused Democratic presidential hopefuls — in particular, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York — of seeking "to expand government dramatically." He praised President George W. Bush for vetoing the bill to expand the federal State Children's Health Insurance Program, calling the bill "a major step toward socialized medicine," which Giuliani and many Republicans oppose. Many in the crowd packing the coffee shop praised Giuliani's stands, and his visit. But most questioned afterward said they weren't ready to commit to Giuliani or to any other presidential hopeful. As he spoke, several protesters outside passed out fliers that called for Giuliani to fire Monsignor Alan Placa, a longtime friend who works for Giuliani's security consulting business. Giuliani called Placa "one of my two or three oldest friends. I have great respect for him." The protesters were with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests and included its national director, David Clohessy. The Catholic Church has suspended Placa, who has been accused by a grand jury of sexually abusing children and protecting other clergy members facing similar accusations. Placa has denied any wrongdoing. Contact: jmannies@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8334
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